Delaware's voting machines are still safe and dependable

[cyberpj]

This was on the opinion page of today's local newspaper. Thoughts?

Delaware's voting machines are still safe and dependable
Posted Wednesday, October 25, 2006
DELAWARE VOICE

snip...
Delaware has a dual system that records the vote and ensures the machines have not been tampered with. The three county election directors certify and seal the machines before they are sent to the polling places. The inspectors and their poll workers open the seals and check that the numbers in the back of the machines reflect what was on the tape when the machines were certified by the counties.

A paper tape in a voting machine records your vote, as does a cartridge. When a voting machine is opened after the polls close, the numbers on the tape correspond with the number of polling cards (voters) who voted that day. The cartridges are then taken to one of the eight zones in the state, and then loaded into a cartridge reader. Data is transmitted to my office where my staff submits that data to the state's main computer. Results are then submitted to the media and our web site.

The Thursday after Election Day, the paper tapes and cartridges are certified by an independent Board of Canvass overseen by a Superior Court judge in each county.

snip...
Our election system in Delaware has been touted as one of the best in the country. The short answer whether your vote is safe in Delaware is "Yes."

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061025/OPINION07/610250327/1108/OPINION

[cyberpj]

1. FYI: Delaware Info from Votetrust USA (and link to great PDF):

FYI: Posting this information on Delaware from Votetrust USA
(link to PDF follows)

"Boards of elections: One of the nation’s most uniform election states
became even more so in June when Gov. Ruth Ann Minner (D) signed
into law H.B. 410, a bill requiring the state’s 57 municipalities to
establish boards of elections, appeals processes for election
complaints and rules, including thresholds for recounts.118 The bill
came about after some troubled local races in 2005.

Election Day: The most significant event during the September
primary was the day of the week on which it was held. For the first
time in three decades, the state held the primary during the week
— on a Tuesday — rather than on Saturday, which had riled some
voters who said they could not cast votes at polling places because
it violated the Jewish Sabbath."

To check out the excellent Votetrust USA PDF with state by state voting information and problems use this link:

http://www.votetrustusa.org/pdfs/electionline/Annual%20report%20FINAL.pdf