Article: 'Daily Voting News' For February 17, 2007

Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org A judge in New Jersey has threatened to pull the plug on the state's Sequoia Advantage voting machines. State law requires voting systems be tested and certified by the state yet the only documents the state could find to show they certified the machines was a document from 1987. The judge has given the state 20 days to provide all documents that show there had been further testing and certification of changes to the original system. The judge also seems to have doubts as to whether Sequoia can successfully provide a state mandated vvpat printer for the Advantage machines by Jan. 2008. She has given the state three months to prove to her satisfaction that they have a good back-up plan. // Studies show that most voters do not verify the "paper trail" of their ballot, printed by a DRE; a fact denied by Common Cause and other groups who fervently defend the Holt Bill (HR-811). A voter verified paper audit trail printer on the machines in Sarasota County would have made little to no difference in the undervote rate in the CD-13 race. By contrast, voter-marked paper ballots are inherently verified by the voters, and thus provide a true record of voter intent and they would have made all the difference in the world in Sarasota County. ...

FL: Democrats Want Chance to Be 1st on Ballots LINK

FL: Broward County - Oliphant cleared in botched '02 primary LINK

HI: Neighborhood Board elections to offer online ballots LINK

NJ: Proof Sought on Reliability of Vote Units LINK

NJ: Backup plan ordered for voting machines LINK

NJ: Judge: Backup plan needed for voting machines LINK

TX: Lubbock County - County uses vote devices targeted in Demos' suit LINK

**"Daily Voting News" is meant as a comprehensive listing of reports each day concerning issues related to election and voting news around the country regardless of quality or political slant. Therefore, items listed in "Daily Voting News" may not reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or OpEdNews.Com**