Honest Voting

You have to feel for the people in Florida, you really do. Very few people want a repeat of the 2000 election in 2008. West Palm Beach, Florida winces at the memory more than most cities might, and they’re bringing in brand-new equipment to make sure there’s no sequel: optical scanners.

Dr. Arthur Anderson, Palm Beach County’s Supervisor of Elections, told the local TV station WPTV that he’s “anxious for all 15 of the counties that are having to make this transition.” The Optech scanners that Palm Beach County will be using are products of Sequoia Voting Systems.

Reading things like the following makes me want to bang my head against the wall, though. I’m touched at Dr. Anderson’s faith in the new optical scanning system, especially under the circumstances:

Anderson said some activists are concerned that the countywide implementation of the new equipment won’t go so smoothly.

Most polling stations will only have one scanner, and none will have more than two, Anderson said.

“Numerous individuals have approached me with serious concern of whether the [voting] will slow down with long lines,” he said.

Voting delays will be kept at a minimum, even when the system goes countywide, said Charmaine Kelly, the chief deputy supervisor of elections.

Though precincts will have only have the one or two scanners, large groups of voters will be able to simultaneously prepare their ballots in privacy booths before depositing ballots in the scanners.

Nothing could possibly go wrong!

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