Study Refutes Beliefs about Punch-card Voting

Media Relations, University of Missouri-Kansas City ^ | Jan. 12, 2001 | Heather Haas

[Doctor Raoul]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 12, 2001 #350
Contact: Heather Haas
(816) 235-1601

Study Refutes Beliefs about Punch-card Voting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- In the wake of the 2000 presidential election, two widespread perceptions emerged: that punch-card voting equipment was prevalent in counties with a large minority population and that members of lower economic classes are more likely to use punch card and other antiquated balloting equipment.

A study authored by Martha Kropf, assistant professor of political science at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and Stephen Knack, associate fellow with the Center for Institutional Reform and the Informal Sector at the University of Maryland, contradicts these beliefs. "Who Uses Inferior Voting Technology?" concludes that there is "little support for the view that resource constraints cause poorer counties with large minority populations to retain antiquated or inferior voting equipment."

The study analyzed county-level Census data combined with voting equipment data from Election Data Services, Inc. In a state-by-state analysis, the authors found that in a majority of states, whites, the non-poor and Republican voters are more likely to reside in punch-card counties than African-Americans, the poor and Democratic voters.

Other key findings of the study include:

o Nationally, racial differences in punch-card use are negligible because 31.9 percent of whites and 31.4 percent of African-Americans live in counties that use this voting technology.

o African-Americans are more likely than whites to live in counties that use electronic voting or lever machines, in which "overvoting" is impossible if the equipment is programmed correctly.

o Hispanics are more likely to live in punch-card counties than blacks or whites, but this disparity is attributable entirely to the use of punch-card voting in Los Angeles County. In most states, whites are actually more likely than Hispanics to live in punch-card counties.

o Based on national presidential voting patterns in 1996, Democratic and Republican voters were equally likely to live in punch-card counties. Unluckily for Vice President Al Gore, Florida happened to be one of the few states in which Democratic voters were substantially more likely than Republicans to vote using punch card technology.

o Counties with punch card systems tend to have higher incomes, higher tax revenues, and larger populations than do counties with more modern voting equipment.

o In counties using electronic voting systems -- the most expensive type -- per capita incomes and property tax revenues are actually lower than in counties using punch card or any other voting technology.

o Controlling for county size and other variables, a larger African-American population significantly reduces the probability that a county uses punch-card voting equipment.

The study addresses only the question of who uses punch-card and other voting systems, and does not explore the question of why punch-card voting is associated with a greater number of invalidated ballots in precincts with larger numbers of poor persons and minorities. Nor does it take a position on any of the other political or legal controversies surrounding the election in Florida.

For more information, call Kropf at (816) 235-5948 or Knack at (202) 458-9712. People with speech or hearing impairments may call Relay Missouri at (800) 735-2966 (TT) or (800) 735-2466 (voice).

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UMKC University Communications Media Relations

bytes@umkc.edu   newsbureau@umkc.edu

[Chad Fairbanks]

Counties with punch card systems tend to have higher incomes, higher tax revenues, and larger populations than do counties with more modern voting equipment.

In other words - the whole 'minorities are being disenfranchized' argument is a load of crap.

[L.N. Smithee]

Good work, Doc.

[jwalsh07]

Nice post Doc. Any chance of sticking it on the heads of three Ninth Circuit Kangaroos?

[Robert A Cook PE]

Amazing.

Just amazing what happens when you DON'T bow to the ignorant minions at ABCCNBCBS.......

[Verginius Rufus]

Actually, Gore was lucky that more Democrats were in counties with punch-card ballots, since those were also the counties where the election officials were more likely to be Democrats. If all the ballots had been counted properly to begin with, he wouldn't have had any basis to challenge the outcome. His only hope was having officials tamper with the ballots or "interpret" a ballot with a vote for nobody as a vote for Gore.

[Angelwood]

Great job -- thanks for posting this interesting research data.

[Lancey Howard]

Great article. Bookmarked.

However, although it is certainly likely that the 9th Circus Court of Appeals believes that minority communities are too stupid to figure out punch-card voting, I am pretty sure that the corrupt court made their ruling delaying the recall election because they were told to do so by their political masters.

[Lancey Howard]

Nice post Doc. Any chance of sticking it on the heads of three Ninth Circuit Kangaroos?

I think this kind of study is irrelevant to the Ninth Circus. They were told to rule the way they did by their political masters, and so they ruled as they were told.

You have to remember that the Ninth Circus has a long-time reputation as being nothing more than a filthy rest stop on the highway to the Supreme Court. If you have to stop there you avoid eye contact, wash your hands, and get out as fast as you can.

[Terry Mross]

Now it's obvious why the 9th circuit postponed the elections. According to this study more rich whites live in the counties with punch card voting. Therefore, since there are six counties in California with punch card voting there will me more Republicans voting in those counties. Thus, the election must be stopped to make it fair.

[PA Engineer]

o African-Americans are more likely than whites to live in counties that use electronic voting or lever machines, in which "overvoting" is impossible if the equipment is programmed correctly.

This conclusion bothers me considering the history of voter fraud in the democratic party.

[Lancey Howard]

"You have to remember that the Ninth Circus has a long-time reputation as being nothing more than a filthy rest stop on the highway to the Supreme Court. If you have to stop there you avoid eye contact, wash your hands, and get out as fast as you can."

To wit:

"The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' liberal record ... and its reputation as the most overturned court in the country ... have almost grown to the status of an urban myth," said Steven Fitschen, president of the National Legal Foundation. Mr. Fitschen noted that in 1996-97, the Supreme Court issued opinions in nearly 90 cases. "It reversed 27 of the 28 rulings it got from the 9th Circuit, and 17 times, the reversals were unanimous," he said.

In a nutshell, the Ninth Circus is a pack of corrupt, jack-in-the-box clowns.

[Erasmus]

You have to remember that the Ninth Circus has a long-time reputation as being nothing more than a filthy rest stop on the highway to the Supreme Court. If you have to stop there you avoid eye contact, wash your hands, and get out as fast as you can.

To quote Robert Klein (from a way different context!), "Hover! Squat! Use someone else's ass if you have to! But DON'T TOUCH THAT TOILET SEAT!!!"

<]B^}

[Lancey Howard]

To quote Robert Klein (from a way different context!), "Hover! Squat! Use someone else's ass if you have to! But DON'T TOUCH THAT TOILET SEAT!!!"

LOL!! Yep, that's the Ninth Circus alrighty.

[tbpiper]

I don't remember any problems with punch cards here in Florida until Al Gore & company showed up.

[Chad Fairbanks]

I've never had to use punch cards. THe first time I voted, was in the New Hampshire Primary years ago, and I simply had to pull a lever... SInce then, here in Washingtom I've used ballots where I had to mark with a black felt marker type thingy, and recently I've used electronic voting...

[Samwise]

Please quit trying to confuse things with the facts. /sarcasm

[Buck W.]

"In other words - the whole 'minorities are being disenfranchized' argument is a load of crap."

I am so tired of hearing about disenfranchisement. If someone is forced to pay a poll tax or is physically restrained from voting, that's disenfranchisement. If the voter is inconvenienced or is too stupid to follow the directions, that's natural selection.

Today we have a wake up call (I hate that phrase, too) regarding court appointments. We see how dangerous a courtful of judges self-endowed with a legislative mandate can be.