CA ballot (LA County); it looked like punch card but it wasn't ...

[meti57b]

It was a punch card-type card, held by the same type apparatus as a punch card. For marking it, they provided a special spring-loaded inking pen that when you pressed it through the marking template, it snapped a spot of ink onto the ballot. There were no chads, hanging chads, any chads.

You could clearly see if the ink had marked the ballot. When you looked through the template ... the black spot looked the same as a punch. This is a practical solution, ... no chads and the ballots can still be counted by machine (I assume). I suspect, though, this may be only a temporary solution until they get something else.

[Florida_Geek]

1. And probably CHEAP,,, no matter what you think of

Touchscreens, they are $$$$$$

[Lindsey]

2. I know...I just voted myself

and it was kind of weird.

[meti57b]

3. what county are you in?

[calimary]

4. Me, too. I got ink on my fingers. Played with the point/punch end

or whatever it's called.

Had to wait to get into a Democratic booth - they were already occupied.

[trackfan]

5. I didn't like this

I voted absentee last week, and was about to punch a hole in the ballot when I realized there were no holes to punch. I trust scantron technology even less than punch-card. Before, at least, I could inspect the ballot for hanging chad. Now I have no way of knowing whether my circle was sufficiently filled in with black or blue pen - that's how we had to do it at home - to have the vote recorded.

[RedEagle]

6. Better, but not Infallible

At least you have the physical evidence.

If I remember correctly, the scanners and computer system used to count the ballots is one of Diebold's.

Anything county by computer needs robust auditing.

[shanti]

7. in sacramento county

i used a number 2 pencil on the ballot. now THAT hasn't happened for quite some time!

[John BigBootay]

8. I used the Ink-Tron system today too--

No problems.

We should really use them for all our elections.