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NEW YORK STATE MUST RELY ON OPTICAL SCANNING
TECHNOLOGY FOR ITS VOTING MACHINES
New York is Replacing its Voting Machines
Throughout the state, New Yorkers vote on lever machines that are more than 40 years old and no longer manufactured. They cause unacceptable levels of uncounted votes, long lines at poll sites and are not accessible to many voters with disabilities. Each county in New York will soon be making a vital decision on how to replace them.
Optical Scan is the Clear Choice for New York
The best choice for New York is the introduction of an optical scan voting system that gives each voter the choice of filling out their ballot by hand or utilizing a ballot marker at their own Election District (ED) table (a ballot marker would replace each lever machine across the state.) Ballot markers work like an ATM and print out a ballot. The by-hand and ballot marker completed ballots are then fed into an optical scanner that reads and counts them. While no system is perfect, optical scan offers numerous advantages, including:
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Enjoying greater public confidence. Optical scan systems are inherently safer from tampering or shoddy programming. It is unlikely that Direct Recording Electronic computerized machines (DREs) will ever enjoy the same level of public confidence as optical scan systems. Public cynicism about the integrity of elections undermines participation.
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Reducing the number of lost votes where voters leave without casting a ballot. DREs register undervotes at a rate that’s 40% to 70% higher than the DREs being marketed in New York.
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Providing greater access for voters. Ballot markers at every voter’s table would offer dramatically increased access for voters with disabilities and provide ballots in alternative languages such as those required by the Voting Rights Act. Care must be given to ensure all voters have maximum privacy and independence when casting their ballots.
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Elections won’t be privatized. The preparation of ballots, casting of votes and tabulation of results must remain an open and transparent process lest public confidence in the integrity of the vote be questioned. DREs use of secret computer code and the necessity for private vendors to maintain and update complex machines means private vendors will be running and counting elections. Optical scan systems can allow for greater public control and provide for a more open and transparent process.
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Optical scan systems are easier to use by voters and easier to oversee by poll workers. Both DREs and ballot markers offer a tantalizing array of user-friendly interfaces to assist voters in casting their ballots. However, some voters will undoubtedly be unfamiliar and not feel comfortable using an electronic interface. For these voters a hand filled paper ballot provides a simple and reassuring method of casting their votes.
Contact your county Board of Election office and urge them to support optical and ballot markers for all voters. For more information contact your local NYPIRG office or: (212) 349-6460.
Open Letter to the Governor, Legislature and Local Boards of Elections on the Future of New York’s Voting Technology | Sign on to the letter
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