EAC - Voluntary Voting System Guidelines

Name : | Ron Crane
Organization : | N/A
Post Date : | 9/30/2005
General Comments
Comment : | 3. The Guidelines provide no metrics to weigh different kinds of systems' advantages and disadvantages, either in an absolute sense or for particular uses. For example, touchscreenstyle machines provide no benefit for non-disabled voters beyond the ability to report over and under-votes,2 while essentially eliminating citizens' ability directly to supervise the voting process, and introducing a host of security risks. On the other hand, touchscreen-style machines can help the disabled vote independently,3 a substantial benefit that, to some extent, weighs against the machines' lack of transparency and security risks. The Guidelines should help jurisdictions determine how to balance these risks and benefits, rather than forcing them to rely upon vendors' sales representatives. For example, a jurisdiction might choose to provide touchscreen-style machines for use only by disabled voters, while providing non-disabled voters with a more transparent and secure system, such as precinctbased hand-counted paper. Or, a jurisdiction might choose to purchase or to develop an accessible paper-based system, such as one using bumps and analog audio recordings.