Voting Receipts Debated

The Washington Post
February 11, 2004

Critics of Maryland's new $55 million electronic voting system came out in favor of a bill yesterday that would require paper receipts to be printed, verifying each vote.

The receipts, which would be collected by elections officials, would provide a tangible backup to the computerized system if the network failed, advocates said. They would also allow voters to ensure that they cast their ballot as intended, they said.

"I think the citizens of the state would like to have something in their hand, an account of how they voted," Del. Joan Cadden (D-Anne Arundel), a sponsor of the measure, told the House Ways and Means Committee yesterday.

The bill was created after studies showed that the new voting system is vulnerable to hackers, who could corrupt the system.

"The concern is that Florida 2000 could become Maryland 2004," said Linda Schade, director of the Campaign for Fresh Air & Clean Politics, referring to the disputed presidential election.

"We're taking extraordinary steps to safeguard this election," said Linda H. Lamone, administrator of the State Board of Elections, who defended the system.

She said that printed receipts could become cumbersome and prone to human error. Also, all voting systems have to meet federal standards and there are currently no standards for the printers that would be attached to the voting machines, she noted.

The added feature would cost as much as $2,000 per machine, by one estimate, and could not be in place before the 2006 elections.

Copyright 2004 The Washington Post Company.