Orlando Sentinel: Decision Backs Manual Recounts!

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/elections/orl-asecpaper28082804aug28,1,3313824,print.story?coll=orl-elections-headlines

A judge rules against exempting touch-screen voting machines from producing paper ballots.
By John Kennedy
Tallahassee Bureau

August 28, 2004

TALLAHASSEE -- In another blow to Florida's beleaguered election system, an administrative law judge late Friday struck down a state rule that shields touch-screen voting machines from undergoing manual recounts.

Although likely to be appealed by Secretary of State Glenda Hood, the ruling is a victory for a coalition of reform groups that say a paper trail of ballots is needed to assure that votes are accurately counted in the 15 Florida counties that now use the ATM-like machines.

It was unclear Friday night whether the ruling could affect voting in the touch-screen counties in Tuesday's primary. An appeal would automatically delay the ruling from taking effect.

But the decision is the latest stumble for Gov. Jeb Bush's administration, which has already been forced to rescind a controversial felon-voter list because of flaws.

Among the counties that use touch-screen machines are Lake and Sumter counties in Central Florida and the highly populous South Florida counties of Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach.

"Performing manual recounts in close or disputed elections is necessary not only to ascertain the intent of the voter, but to verify the integrity of the data on each machine," said Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. "Mere assertions by state officials that everything is OK does not restore voter confidence."

Alia Faraj, a spokeswoman for Hood, said no decision has been made yet on whether to appeal the ruling, but she reinforced the department's trust in the electronic machines.

"The secretary of state has full confidence in the touch-screen systems. They worked successfully in 2002 and have done so in hundreds of elections since then," Faraj said. "A manual recount would be unnecessary and logistically impossible. You'd have to print out a supermarketlike receipt that would stretch across the state of Florida."

more...

Let's hear it for an independent judiciary!

[scarletlib]

1. Oh! Thank the powers that be

Please--I so hope we can get a paper trail for the machines here in Palm Beach County. If not I am voting absentee.

[MoonRiver]

2. AWESOME!

Pray for this to be the law of the land by November 2nd!

:bounce:O8):kick: