Give us paper ballots

New York Daily News ^ | 04/21/04 | Zev Chafets

[crusty codger]

On Monday, John Kerry visited Palm Beach, Fla. - the scene of the crime, as far as Democrats are concerned - and issued a stern warning. "We will challenge any place in America where you cannot trace the vote and count the votes of Americans," he said. The challenge Kerry has in mind is a legal one. He already is raising a flying squad of lawyers to fight election results Democrats regard as suspicious. In the present climate, that means every close contest they don't win.

The Republicans have lawyers, too. They will respond in kind, challenging tight Democratic victories everywhere.

This is a recipe for disaster. Polls suggest there will be evenly fought contests all over the country. If they all turn into bitter lawsuits, the system crashes.

[FactQuest]

Electronic ballots can be more easily tampered with. I don't trust the democrats any more than they trust us (apparently).

Gotta support paper ballots, even if Kerry does too.

I'm in the computer industry. I know it is too easy to scam the election without the paper trail.

We can still have the touch screens, and quick tallies. But there has to be something to compare it against, if there appears to be a problem. What if the Republican candidate got exactly 0 votes in a region like mine where Republicans hold an 8 to 2 majority? Without a paper trail, there is absolutely nothing that can be done.

[FactQuest]

Very good link, upchuck. Thanks.

[wordsofearnest]

"Voter do not have the power, those who count the votes do." Josef Stalin

[DoctorHydrocal]

The best system is the paper ballot/optical scanner. The voter physically marks the ballot and it is read by the machine. Polling place judges count the ballots handed out and compare that number with the number of ballots read by the machine. In the event of a recount, the ballots are still there to be run through the machine again.

The problem with a paperless system is what happens if the touch screen systems malfunction on election day? According to their manufacturer, the system won't accept votes if it malfunctions. That's good, but how does the voter cast a vote? With the optical scanner, the voter still votes and the ballots are run through the machine when it is operational again.

I am very much against the idea of the paper receipt that can be carried outside the polling place. That receipt is as good as cash.

[Sergio]

Lonesome...an absolutely outstanding idea. I'd be rushing to the patent office if I were you.

Best Regards

Sergio

[crusty codger]

That receipt is as good as cash.

Point well spoken!

[Ditter]

Paper ballots is probably the only thing Kerry & I agree on.

[crusty codger]

There must be a better check system available other than paper ballots. As the D's have proved since 2000, there is nothing that is beneath their attempt to regain power!

[Ditter]

I was an election judge many years ago. If an election judge wants to cheat they can find a way.

With a paper ballot you have the ballot & the stub. The stub dropped into a locked box & opened only by a state judge (if necessary) must have a matching serial number on a marked ballots. There must be the same number of signatures of voters as there are ballots & stubbs.

As I said a crooked judge can find a way but the electronic voting seems to be easy to allow cheating. Maybe because I don't fully understand how it works.

We should all become poll watchers to keep election judges honest.

[crusty codger]

DITTO!

[crusty codger]

We should all become poll watchers to keep election judges honest.

How/were can I volunteer to be a poll watcher?

[crusty codger]

h

[Ditter]

I don't know but I am going to find out. We never had any poll watchers when I worked the polls. Start by asking your Republican Party offical. I am guessing they are the ones who would know.

When I went to vote for the first time where I live now, I tried to volunteer to clerk at the polls. They acted like jerks & wouldn't even talk to me.

[WhiteGuy]

Give us paper ballots


Does anyone really believe that our votes are actually counted?

Without a paper trail, which has not existed everywhere for some time, the elections are in the hands of Diebold........................

I trust no one.....................

[DBrow]

See my #7, the reciept is also useful for union thuggery and vote buying.