New York is About to Purchase Voting Machines -Take Action Today!
"PB/OS" (paper ballots with precinct-based optical scanners) is the safest, most reliable and most cost-effective choice for a voting system in NY State. And yet, the state Board of Elections has recently taken two outrageous steps against this system:
- Allowing the vendors NOT to submit optical scanners, effectively taking away the PB/OS option, and
Important Update in NYC
The Board of Election held a hearing on the certification of voting machines in NYC on December 20. Only the machines certified by the Board of Elections can be purchased for use in New York elections. At the hearing, Council Member Bill Perkins advised that the next day he would be joined by Charles Barron, Robert Jackson and Hiram Monserrate to introduce a resolution urging the New York State Board of Elections to promptly certify paper ballots with precinct based/optical scan voting systems for procurement by the local Board of Elections. The resolution also calls for the New York City Board of Elections to select a PB/OS as the next generation voting technology for the city.
Read Bill Perkins' testimony at: http://www.wheresthepaper.org/havatestimonystateboard.pdf
Since the 2005 session has ended, the resolution needs to be re-introduced. If this resolution passes it could effectively make PB/OS the choice for New York by capitalizing on NYC's buying power, but the first step is to get in reintroduced. Since Bill Perkins was term-limited, Charles Barron would be the new lead sponsor for this resolution.
Democracy for NYC supports this resolution. We will keep you updated in the coming weeks on how you can help in our efforts to make PB/OS the choice for NYC.
Stephanie Low is a professor of Computer Information Science.
Mark Crispin Miller is the author of "Fooled Again: How the Right Stole the 2004 Election & Why They'll Steal the Next One Too (Unless We Stop Them." He lives in NY City and can be reached at markcrispinmiller@gmail.com.
