New voting system, a step backward

NOT QUICKER, NOT EASIER, NOT MORE SECURE

STRAIGHT PARTY VOTING WILL BECOME PREFERRED OPTION

Well, yesterday was our first experience with our new voting system.

I was not positively impressed nor were the local poll workers.

If this operation works like it did yesterday it will take days to allow everyone to vote. It will be particularly hard for the elderly who will need to bring their reading glasses, a portable chair and possibly lunch. They will need an army of volunteer poll workers to keep things moving in an efficient way.

It is true that no one trusted the integrity of the electronic machines. Paper ballots are the oldest and can be the most secure if properly handled.

Ok, it is not going to be changed for the 2020 elections so what can be done to make it better and not discourage voting.

1. There needs to be an education of the public by the media and the election authorities.

2. Cross filing should no longer be allowed, the vast majority of people, particularity having possibly waited in lines for hours, will be inclined to mark a straight party vote, this will at least speed up the whole process, but without a doubt will become more prevalent.

3. For security, each ballet should have the number of the voter placed in the corner. When I voted there was a stack of ballots and I was instructed to just take one. In an overloaded and chaotic day, no one will know who has verified their registration and who has just walked in and took a ballot. Also if there is a number placed on the ballot that coincides with a registered voter the whole vote can be resurrected if the ballots are lost or destroyed. So, when a new voter comes and checks registration a number should be placed on the ballot, then the ballot is handed to the voter. Ballots should be kept secure, 1 person 1 ballot. This has been the policy forever first voter in is #1.

4. You now need a larger group of  trained volunteer poll workers, to instruct, to verify proper voting and make an orderly and efficient process.

5. I saw no second or back-up scanner, they better have some back-up.

This whole voting machine debacle is just another symptom of throwing out the proven, working and secure functioning system for something new that is costing the taxpayers millions every year. It is also helping to lose faith in our election system. The old mechanical machines did it all, but that is now water over the dam. This system can be made to work and will be very cost efficient if perfected.