Spitzer Calls Optical Scan Voting Systems "Proven Technology", Voices Concern About Electronic Voting

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (pictured at right) has published a statement voicing concerns about the reliability and even the potential for election fraud with electronic voting after speaking with local activist groups around New York state. In the statement Spitzer asks the state to implement "a vigorous testing regime" or consider an alternative to electronic machines called 'Paper Ballot with Precinct Based Optical Scan', also known as PBOS.

"Albany's implementation of the Help America Vote Act has been a well-publicized disaster," Spitzer said in the statement, "State government's failure of leadership is especially disconcerting in light of widespread reports of the unreliability and potential for fraud of electronic voting machines."

Optical Scan systems are popular in a number of other states. Within the past year, the states of New Mexico and Connecticut have decided to use statewide optical scan systems to comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).The complete Optical scan system includes ballot marking technology which allows a paper ballot based system to provide accessible, private and independent voting for voters with disabilities. HAVA requires new voting machines for New York by 2007.

"Eliot Spitzer has recognized that both public funds and the integrity of the election process are better served by Precinct Based Optical Scanning of Paper Ballots", said Alan Goldston of Democracy for Westchester, a local Democracy for New York group. "Any election officials in New York who ignore his sober advice had better be prepared to explain why they would choose to both waste public money and jeopardize the election process."

The full text of Eliot Spitzer's statement follows:

"Albany's implementation of the Help America Vote Act has been a well-publicized disaster. It was a mistake from the start for the State Legislature to pass the buck to our counties rather than craft legislation that would have specified a single technology for adoption statewide. As a result, we're looking at the very real possibility of a patchwork of different voting machines with different levels of accuracy and accessibility throughout the State.

State government's failure of leadership is especially disconcerting in light of widespread reports of the unreliability and potential for fraud of electronic voting machines. The State must address these concerns through a vigorous testing regime or should consider certifying the proven and less expensive Paper Ballot with Precinct Based Optical Scan technology."