Florida Gov. signs
bill banning
touch-screen voting
machines
Marc L. Songini,
computerworld.com from the Web, May 23, 2007
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist Monday
signed into law a bill requiring that all voting districts in the state replace
most touch-screen electronic voting machines with optical scan machines.
The bill, sponsored by Crist, was passed by the state legislature earlier this
month.
At the time, Crist said he filed the bill in response to experts that said
touch-screen systems, also known as Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) machines,
were vulnerable to hackers, were unreliable and made voters doubt their ballots
were counted.
Optical scan systems require that paper ballots be filled out by voters for
tabulation, which leaves a paper trail of votes that can be used in case a
recount is required. DRE systems do not generally offer paper-based
records of votes.
The bill does allow precincts to use touch-screen systems only for handicapped
voters that require its features. Federal law requires that machines be
available to allow handicapped persons to vote unaided.
"There is no greater testament to our nation's democracy than the people's
ability to choose their leaders," Crist said in a statement after signing the
bill. "When Floridians cast ballots in an election at any level -- local,
state or federal -- they can leave the polling place knowing that their vote has
been counted and recorded and can be verified," he stated.
The bill also provides $27.8 million to the Department of State for use in
purchasing optical scan equipment.
Posted May 22, 2007.
|
