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Ehrlich Says Md. Unprepared for Voting |
Governor Raises Reliability Issues
By Ann E. Marimow
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 16, 2006; Page B04
Seven months before Maryland's primary election, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich
Jr. (R) said yesterday that he lacks confidence in the State Board of
Elections to conduct fair contests, and he called for a paper trail to
verify results from touch-screen voting machines and a delay in plans
for early voting.
"There are a lot of questions and not very satisfactory answers,"
Ehrlich said, emerging from a meeting he requested with House Speaker
Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel). "Maryland is not prepared to conduct
an election, let alone early voting."
Ehrlich's criticism echoes questions that have been raised in states
such as California and Pennsylvania about the reliability of the
electronic machines, manufactured by Diebold Election Systems and used
throughout Maryland.
And it comes a month after the Democrat-controlled General Assembly
forced through measures, over the governor's veto, that allow votes to
be cast five days before a scheduled election and voters to cast
provisional ballots at any polling place.
Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller (D-Calvert) said Ehrlich's
comments were an attempt to "create confusion and chaos" and dissuade
the General Assembly from moving ahead with plans for early voting.
"What's wrong with having more people vote?" Miller said. "He should welcome it. It's expanding democracy."
Busch, after talking with Ehrlich, said he has "every confidence" that
the Board of Elections is "doing a fair and competent job." Based on
discussions with State Elections Administrator Linda H. Lamone, he
said, there is "every indication" early voting can be accomplished.
The elections board has become a political football in Annapolis in
recent years. In 2004, Ehrlich appointees sought to oust Lamone, a
Democrat first appointed by then-Gov. Parris N. Glendening, only to be
blocked by a judge. Democrats then passed a bill last year that
provided her with additional job protections and gave party leaders
control over positions on the board reserved for Democrats. Lamone did
not return a call for comment yesterday.
Since 2002, the state has invested more than $90 million to bring
touch-screen voting statewide. Del. Sheila Hixson (D-Montgomery) has
introduced legislation to require a paper record for the electronic
machines, and the group TrueVoteMD.org has been pressing for such a
verifiable system.
"It's been clearly demonstrated that the paperless voting machines have
serious security and reliability problems," said Linda Schade,
executive director. "They can be hacked, and due to defective parts,
they can also lose votes."
But a pair of Maryland professors who studied the issue told
legislators last week that the vote-verification systems currently on
the market make it much more difficult to vote, increase the time to
vote and invade the privacy of the vote. Even if legislation passed
this session, they said, the systems would not be ready to use this
election year.
Paul S. Herrnson, director of the Center for American Politics and
Citizenship at the University of Maryland, said yesterday that the
focus on security is "greatly overblown."
"In their minds everyone can invent a better voting system,'' he said.
"The real problem is when you move from the world of ideas to the world
of real voters."
Ehrlich submitted a long list of questions to Board of Elections
Chairman Gilles Burger yesterday about the cost of early voting and any
contingency plan if elections officials do not certify the Diebold
machines for use in the election.
"I believe that it is time for the board to get aggressive in
responding to citizens' concerns over public confidence in the
elections system," Ehrlich wrote.
Staff writer John Wagner contributed to this report. |
