Article: Balloting in Cook County: Citizen's Advisory

> Balloting in Cook County: Citizen's Advisory
> --------------------------------------------
>
> Beginning with the March 21 primary, voters
> throughout Cook County will be asked to rely
> on optical scanners and touch-screen computers
> to cast their votes in all elections.
>
> In counties across the nation, both types of
> machines have shown themselves to be prone to
> malfunctions.
>
> Malfunctions can alter the outcome of elections.
>
> It is essential that the County be apprised of
> the extent of such problems, so that it can deal
> with them judiciously.
>
> You can play a important part in this endeavor.
> Simply notify your local jurisdiction of any
> malfunctions that you experience or observe when
> voting on the new machines.
>
> * If you vote in suburban Cook County, you should
> report problems to the County Clerk's Office,
> by phone at 312/603-0236 (Legal Helpline) or
> by email at electioninfo@cookcountygov.com
>
> * If you vote in Chicago, you should report problems
> at 312/269-7870 or cboe@chicagoelections.net
>
> * Regardless of where you encounter problems, please
> email a copy of your report to the Illinois Ballot
> Integrity Project at problems@ballot-integrity.org
> (More about us below.)
>
> In your report, please indicate your town, ward
> precinct, time of day, and other specific details.
>
> Every malfunction is of interest, even ones
> that don't prevent you from eventually casting
> your vote.
>
> For instance, if 30% of the machines fail to cast
> votes on the first try, but do cast votes on the
> second try, this is a significant problem. Your
> report can help to compile such statistics.
>
> Here are some of the problems that have been observed
> in other jurisdictions:
>
> Optical scan systems
> --------------------
>
> * The scanner continually rejects the ballot, even
> though the ballot is in good order.
>
> * The scanner mangles the ballot.
>
> * The scanner does not return the ballot to the voter
> for corrections when so directed.
>
>
> Touch-screen systems
> --------------------
>
> * The screen is blank or the machine is non-operational.
>
> * You touch a candidate's name, but nothing happens.
>
> * You touch one candidate's name, but another's lights up.
>
> * The machine does not allow you to change your choices.
>
> * The paper-trail printer gets jammed.
>
> * The paper trail is misprinted or otherwise illegible.
>
>
> * * *
>
>
> Help us monitor these problems so we can help ensure that
> votes will be counted accurately in the future!
>
> We at the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project are interested
> in hearing about any problems that you encounter (especially
> if you are an election judge).
>
> Please send your report to problems@ballot-integrity.org
>
> In a week or so, we will post a compilation of all the
> reports we received. You will be able to view the entire
> compilation by visiting--
>
> http://e-grapevine.org/problems
>
> For privacy reasons, we will disguise or blank out all
> individual names and email addresses in the posted
> reports.
>
> * * *
>
> Founded in September 2003, the Illinois Ballot Integrity
> Project is dedicated to promoting the acceptance of paper
> ballots as the sole official vote document. Paper ballots
> are necessary because of the proven unreliability and
> vulnerability of digital voting technology.
>
> For more information on this issue, please visit our website,
> http://ballot-integrity.org
>
> Thank you,
>
> Roy Lipscomb
> Director of Technology
> The Illinois Ballot Integrity Project
> http://ballot-integrity.org
> contact@ballot-integrity.org