Jeb on target to deliver on his promise...

[yltlatl]

Get ready for a repeat of 2000:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/14/opinion/14SUN1.html

[corporatewhore]

1. floridia duers should sign up to be election judges/clerks

make sure the polling places have people working them and make sure that they close and open on time not early

[Jane Austin]

13. Cameras

I think pollwatchers/ workers should go equpped with cameras and small recorders.

Don't let them get away with their intimidation this time, and if any of the intimidation is by state troopers, as I heard it was last year, proof would be a handy thing to have.

[gristy]

2. Good editorial

THe NY Times continues to push this. Good for them.

[Dirty Hippie]

3. Thank to Jeb appointee

Glenda "We don't need no stinkin paper trail" Hood.

[flpoljunkie]

4. A voter verified paper trail is mandatory, but my main fear is hacking

that can be done to change the results that leaves no trace!

And, in Florida, if the winning margin is more than l/2 half of one per cent, there will be no recount. End of discussion. Race stolen again.

[For PaisAn]

5. Article ended with a lift

"There is still time before the November vote to put printers in place in the 15 Florida counties that use touch screens. As we learned four years ago, once the election has been held on bad equipment, it is too late to make it right."

I hope Wexler is successful and in time.

Although, as another poster noted, if there is fraud such as hacking and changing results then the back-up paper ballot won't do a damn bit of good. The paper receipt would say one thing but a different vote would be recorded in the computer

We're screwed.

[rasputin1952]

6. The whole idea behind the papaer ballot...

is they can be used in a contested recount.

Near as I can figure, there is NO valid reason not to have printed ballots. The manufacturers say they don't need them, that is the only argument they have, and it is ridiculous!

O8)

[Old and In the Way]

7. Pretty odd, isn't it?

Why are these for-profit businesses not offering printers as an added revenue stream? They are standard equipment on ATM's and gas pumps....why not voting machines? Check Diebold's voting machine site....printers are not available even as optional add-on equipment.

That tell's me everything I need to know about the Republican plan for touchscreen voting.

[tobius]

9. The idea for touch screen voting was pushed by both sides.

Most election officials in Florida were dems.

[rasputin1952]

12. Yes, touchscreen voting is/was pushed by all sides...

however, as usual, the American people had to nudge congress into action, because they were blinded by the razzle-dazzle of salesmanship.

Far to often we fail to realize that those that serve us in congress are as human as anyone else, and can be swayed by the same things the rest of us mortals are swayed by.

We hope that those we elect to public office are of a higher caliber than the rest of the citizenry; but far too often they fall short of our expectations. Fortunately, the Founders saw what we fail to see today, and although there are no term limits, the terms are limited in the amount of years, 2 for Rep's, 4 for the pres and 6 for Senators. If there is a spine in this nation, it needs to show up far more often and in greater #'s for us to protect our Freedoms. Not only for us, but for those we leave this country to.

O8)

[adadem]

8. I wish MoveOn

would produce an ad about Senate Bill S1980 and the paper trails.
Other than the Vanity Fair article and this editorial there's not much out there. The bill is sitting in the Rules committee with Trent Lott sitting on it.

[tobius]

10. like others have said paper trails are worthless

if you can hack a voting machine, couldn't you have it print out something different than what is registered by the machine?

[Old and In the Way]

11. Think ATM

When you vote touchscreen and confirm your choices, it prints a computerized ticket of who you voted for. That ticket is then deposited in a secure ballot box. If the race is disputed or audited, then the paper ballots would be available to confirm the voter's actual intent.

A summary of all votes on a touchscreen machine, by itself, is meaningless, but it is valuable when we are talking individual votes that are printed.

[tobius]

14. Thank you- my apologies to all

[dryan]

15. Before anyone goes off halfcocked!

Before everyone gets carried away, please follow the election laws in Florida -- where among other things cameras and recording equipment are not allowed in a polling precinct. You will be arrested on the spot. Contact your local Democratic party to become a poll watcher. I have been working in precincts all over Orange County for 10 years.