Cost Issues
The coordinator of elections has also tried to make a case that changing to new optical scan voting machines will create a financial burden for counties, at a time when most are pinching pennies where they can. The $25 million for the actual machines, however, comes from federal funds out of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA.)
Mark Goins had county election commissions submit estimates for how much it would cost them to print ballots and train poll workers to use new machines. The estimate came to $11 million. Scott Allen of the Hamilton County Election Commission, one of only two that use the machines currently, says Goins’ estimate is likely way off. He says election officials from across the state called his office for help. The cost to print ballots in Chattanooga is roughly 21 cents a piece, and Allen says the optical scan systems could save some money in the end. Only one machine is needed per precinct, so it would take less manpower to deliver the machines and run the polling place.
Legal Matter
The Obion County Election Commission has threatened a lawsuit but not yet filed anything. The most formal legal opinion on the matter is from attorney Sally Swaney of the General Assembly’s Office of Legal Services. She writes in a June 9th memo that “applicable voluntary voting systems guidelines” refers specifically to the federal Election Assistance Commission’s 2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. Rep. Odom, however, says her opinion does not consider the intent of the law, which is to get optical scan machines in place by 2010. Odom says the standard is a minor piece.
The Tennessee Attorney General’s office has not said whether it will issue an opinion. Outside groups have attempted to sway the AG’s opinion. The Verified Voting Foundation sent AG Bob Cooper and election coordinator Goins a letter July 24th that says the language in the Voter Confidence Act refers to the original 2002 standards.
Dysfunctional System
While the Voter Confidence Act appears to reference guidelines set out by the EAC, machine makers call the guidelines dysfunctional. The reason no optical scan machines have been certified to the 2005 standard is because of massive delays in getting machines certified to the 2002 standard. None of the big four manufacturers have applied for certification to the 2005 standard partially because of the costly delays, but also because the guidelines are a moving target. They are being revised right now.
The 2005 standards improve on accessibility for disabled voters and wireless security for the machines. But they do not tough on one of the central issues in voting machines – the paper trail debate over optical scan machines and the paperless digital touch screens. The EAC’s Matt Masterson says the federal guidelines are “technology neutral.”
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM