Boston's new voting machines face first citywide test

[matcom]

<snip>

They've passed out fliers and spoken at churches. They've brought the mayor out to demonstrate, held 170 workshops across the city, and presented a 19-minute how-to video to anyone who will come and see it.

After months of prepping, Boston's new optical scan voting machines will face their first citywide test in tomorrow's preliminary City Council election.

For city election officials, who billed the new equipment as more accurate, more reliable, and easier to use than the old 900-pound lever machines, the stakes are high. It's the first time in decades that poll workers or Boston voters have had to face a whole new technology at polling places. Anxious to avoid mishaps, election officials are offering every opportunity they can think of for practice.

"We've been hitting every place possible," Nancy Lo, Boston's election commissioner, said of optical scan workshops that her department has staged at senior centers, neighborhood meetings, and just about any other gathering that comes to its attention.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2003/09/22/bostons_new_voting_machines_face_first_citywide_test?mode=PF

[shirlden]

1. Good Luck Boston

At least you have OS with an opportunity for a recount. Beats what a lot of voters will have.

:argh:

[lindashaw]

2. I'm relieved to notice that someone realizes we're slightly frenzied...

[hunter]

3. What kind of machines?

The article didn't say. Why not? Is it Diebold's "AccuVote?"

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

4. Hey, this is WAY better than unauditable touchscreens!

Article says: "In case of a recount, poll workers keep the paper ballots in a vault to feed through the scanner again."

I suppose they haven't ruled out MANUAL recounting. With the right procedures, this looks like the way to go.

[qb]

5. Optical scans have worked well in MN for years

While Diebold does manufacture some of the machines, the presence of the paper ballots provides a very strong disincentive to cheat. A manual recount would expose any electronic shenanigans. My state representative sent me a letter stating there have been several manual recounts over the years, and all have verified the electronic results.

While it doesn't completely rule out cheating, it is comforting to know the actual ballots are there and can be examined if necessary.