Examine the Evidence: Hand Count Works

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Posted by Samuel Scharff on Monday, July 02, 2007 - 10:18 pm:

Hand count works

Washington State election for Governor, 2004

In 2004 here in Washington State we had an election for Governor which
made headlines everywhere for the extraordinarily close result. The
election was conducted with hand-marked paper ballots and opscan
machines. [primarily; a few DREs were used] State-wide, Gregoire won
by about 130 votes after a hand recount of more than 2.8 million
ballots. It was finally settled at the Appeals Court level; the losing
side, as rich and grumpy a lot as you could find anywhere, could find
no grounds to appeal to the State Supreme Court.

From a reporter for one of our leading newspapers, who took part in
the recount:

“I am now convinced that in the counting of votes, humans are
unquestionably superior to machines.

“...’I'm so impressed with this system,’ McClellan [Republican] said.
‘It's near impossible to corrupt, and it seems much more sensitive
than a machine count. All the criticisms I hear about what we're doing
are wrong.’

“Reese [Democrat] agreed. ‘I don't have much faith in the American
political system, but I have faith in what we're doing here,’ he said.
‘I would put people counting over machine counting any time.’

“...those critics who are blasting the manual recount on the face of
it don't know what they're talking about. Such as former Gov. Dan
Evans: ‘Can you imagine 300 newly hired, ill-trained, overworked
people counting by hand with people looking over their shoulders and
getting accurate counts? It's ludicrous.’

“I can do more than imagine it, governor. I saw it with my own eyes.”

Source
Seattle Times 12/18/04 Danny Westneat
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002123626_danny18.html

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