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Thursday, June 7, 2007

Sensible federal legislation that requires all voting machines produce voter-verifiable ballots is necessary. Doing something about it next year is not. Lawmakers would be wise to slow down and get it right.

A proposed bill imposes a paper trail to instill public confidence in election results. The intent is good, but Congress should not support it without revisions to some troublesome provisions such as timeline, auditing and funding. The last thing the country needs is a fast-tracked policy that creates a chaotic 2008 election. Win or lose voters need to feel the election system is accurate.

Voting is fundamental to our democracy. But the 2000 presidential election debacle in Florida and the Ohio drama of 2004 did not inspire confidence in the integrity of our election process. Lawmakers have to be careful, however, not to overfix. No system will be flawless, but we need legislation that sets realistic standards and provides election officials the time, flexibility and resources so each vote can be properly accounted for.

A bill from Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., would require electronic voting machines to produce voter-verified paper ballots in all federal elections by 2008. The bill also calls for state audit boards to conduct hand audits in at least 3 percent of precincts after federal elections unless a candidate wins by 80 percent or runs unopposed. Also, discrepancies must be addressed before results are certified. Another provision requires printers produce a durable paper ballot that can withstand counts. In Ohio, smudges affected recounts.

The timeline is unrealistic. With 17 months before the election, trying to install new equip-ment, implement new procedures and conduct the necessary training and voter education would be a recipe for disaster. Michigan has an optical scan voting system and would not need new machines but some states will have to totally overhaul. All would have to make some adjustments. The auditing process, as outlined, raises questions about excessive bureaucracy, expense and time delay, without suspicion of inaccuracy.

Funding is also an issue. Originally slated for just $300 million the bill now calls for $1 billion but there are no guarantees. The government didn't meet previous election-related financial commitments.

In May, the bill passed out the House Administration Committee despite opposition from the National Association of Counties and the National Conference State Legislatures and others. The American Association of People with Disabilities is critical because the disabled can't cast a secret ballot without assistance. Opponents raise reasonable concerns with details of the bill -- not the over-all concept -- that deserve attention.

While Mr. Holt's bill is moving the fastest, other legislation has been introduced including a NACO supported bill by Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids, that establishes auditable paper trails. Congress should review them all and listen to those who manage elections before passing a new policy. We need a practical policy that safeguards the accuracy of electronic voting, not one that forces an impractical system on local communities.