DM Register - Culver/Mauro - how much to spend? which machines to use?

[Debi]

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080203/NEWS10/802030340/1001/NEWS

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Mauro wants to spend $9.7 million to give every voter an actual paper ballot that could be recounted later.

Culver wants to spend only $2 million to equip touch-screen voting machines, which have electronic ballots, with a special printer that shows voters their choices on a continuous roll of paper.

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Culver blasted the more expensive plan last week.

"Money does not grow on trees around here," he said in an interview. "The idea that we could come up with $9 million right now is a pipe dream. It's irresponsible to suggest otherwise."

Mauro has said he would pay for his plan for optical scan machines and ballot-marking devices with $3.7 million already earmarked, and by paying the voting equipment vendor the remaining $6 million on installment over the next three years.

And Culver had a strong message to counties: They should have bought the voting machine equipment he recommended as secretary of state. Now it's their turn to scrape up the extra cash.

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Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal said he's leaning toward Mauro's plan, but only if lawmakers can find the money during a tight budget year.

Gronstal, a Council Bluffs Democrat, doubts attaching printers to touch-screens will be trustworthy enough.

"Some Rube Goldberg bolt on the side of the existing equipment mechanism? There's many of us that think that's probably a waste," he said.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy agreed he'd like to find the money for Mauro's plan, but supported Culver's idea as well.

Other lawmakers gently chided Culver.

"It's difficult to move beyond what's happened in the past, but we have no choice," said state Sen. Jeff Danielson, a Democrat from Cedar Falls. "The basic building blocks of democracy are at stake. Our views of the technology has changed. So nobody has to live old arguments."

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[haroldgiowa]

1. I am in favor of paper ballots

When I vote using a paper ballot I can see my vote in black and white. I can hold it in my hand. It is actually an object. It can be counted right after an election electronically or by hand. Or it can be counted later in case of a tight election. I can't say the same about a touch screen. You push the button and your vote goes to where? How do I know or trust the count if I can't hold it. It is not an object it is data mixed with more data.

It bothers me that we can't find the money to support democracy. It bothers me that our current Governor is actually in favor of the paper ballot. But due to some unknown reasoning he takes the stand that you didn't listen to me then so to bad now. This is a childish. The state already has 3.7 million dollars earmarked for the verifiable paper trail. The Governor is willing to put up 2 million for printers. Why can't he come up with 2 million to put toward the paper trail system? This leaves 3.3 million to pay for in the next three years.

The counties are at the mercy of the state government. The voting guidelines can be changed by the state at any time. The paper trail system should have been mandated in the first place. Until it is and we still have touch screens then we will always question the results.

Something I always keep in mind. The last presidential election could have been reversed by changing 3 votes per precinct. This would have given Kerry Iowa. Could a good hacker change the outcome on touch screens and would we know?

[Debi]

2. Thank you for your response. I agree that a paper ballot is best

and don't think the pricetag is too much.

[Counciltucky]

3. I third it.

If taxes need to be hiked by a whopping two dollars at most to preserve voter accuracy, I'm all for it.