Start:
Mon, 11/07/2005 - 11:00am

One Day Before Last Election Using Lever Machines, Paper Ballot Advocates Say
Touchscreen Machines Could Cost NYers Millions of Dollars and Voting Security

Citing cost-effectiveness and voter confidence issues, city and state officials including US Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Assemblyman Fred Thiele (R, I, WF) from Long Island, NY State Senator Liz Krueger, as well as New York League of Women Voters’ Co-President Mary Lou Urban, will gather on the steps of City Hall next Monday, November 7, at 11 AM, to voice their support for the Paper Ballot/Optical Scan (PBOS) voting technology that advocates say beats the heavily lobbied computer voting machines (DREs) on every count, including acquisition and ongoing costs, longevity, reliability, ease of use, and confidence that the vote can’t be manipulated or lost, as has happened so often in elections dominated by computer technology.

The press conference is being organized by the New York League of Women Voters and New Yorkers for Verified Voting, both of which advocate PBOS as the best voting technology for New York.

New York State citizens, legislators, and technical experts are calling for paper ballots and optical scanners rather than DREs. Elections belong to the public, say these advocates, not to voting machine vendors looking to maximize profits. The vendors have even said they may not submit optical scanners for certification in New York. But without the option to purchase optical scanners, New York City would be forced to buy the unproven, expensive, and problem-prone DREs. Among other things, DREs require extensive tech support, as high as $1800 a day per tech person. Optical scanners, on the other hand, are easily managed by poll workers.

Also attending will be Michael Godino, Treasurer of the American Council of the Blind of NY, who advocates PBOS as the foundation for use of a machine that allows non-English speakers or those with disabilities to vote privately and independently on paper ballots. This system has been publicly endorsed by Senator Krueger in her testimony to the NY City Council, which stated: "I strongly urge that the City of New York reject DRE systems… The City should use a PBOS system … [which] is more accurate, secure and re-countable than a DRE system, and … will cost the City significantly less money in both the short and the long term.