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Governor wary of electronic voting machine flaws |
Ehrlich backs calls for leasing scanners this fall to use with paper ballots
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
http://www.gazette.net/stories/030806/montsta182630_31907.shtml
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. said Tuesday that he supports a bill moving
through the House of Delegates that would scrap the state’s $90 million
electronic voting system for paper ballots in this fall’s elections.
The House gave preliminary approval Tuesday morning to a bill that
would require the state to spend $12 to $16 million to lease optical
scanners to replace the state’s electronic Diebold machines that have
been used in the 2002 and 2004 elections.
Ehrlich (R) has echoed the calls of critics who say the electronic
voting machines are susceptible to fraud. Others, including Linda H.
Lamone, the state’s elections administrator, contend that the Diebold
machines are safe, have worked in the past and the state should not
spend additional money for another voting system.
In a six-page letter to State Board of Elections Chairman Giles Burger
released Monday, Ehrlich laid out in detail his concerns about the
state’s voting system.
‘‘Maryland’s lack of a paper trail means we are no longer a national
leader in election systems and that our equipment is susceptible to
system failures under which we would be technically unable to recreate
election results because we have no paper ballots,” Ehrlich wrote.
The Diebold machines do not print a paper receipt after a vote is cast.
Ehrlich also expressed concern about recent legislation passed into law
with strong Democratic support that allows for polling places to be
open on several days before Election Day.
Ehrlich’s involvement in the voting machine issue creates an unlikely
alliance with TrueVoteMD whose members have been crusading against
Diebold for years.
The organization has led the charge in pushing for the House bill that
has been embraced by House Ways and Means Committee Chairwoman Sheila
Ellis Hixson (D-Dist. 20) of Silver Spring.
Ehrlich said that he and his chief of staff met with Hixson on Monday
night to discuss the bill. He predicted the bill would pass the House,
but run into trouble in the Senate.
Ehrlich said that paying millions to lease a new voting system is a
small price to pay for a ‘‘free, fair and accountable” election.
— Thomas Dennison |
