Wednesday, August 15, 2001
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Wednesday, August 15, 2001 |
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Election reform needed here, speaker says By CAROLYN
CARY
Florida may not be the only state to have voting machine problems, according to Robert Ray, a Georgia assistant secretary of state. Ray spoke on the election process during the Fayette County Civitan Club's recent meeting. It was determined that the undercount vote in Georgia was at 3.5 percent, compared to a 2.9 percent undercount in Florida, Ray told the Civitans. "There are four different types of voting machines in Georgia," he said, "and our office feels that all 159 counties must have the same kind. The only way this can be done is to have the state of Georgia purchase them. "The one we recommend is an electronic one," he said. "You would touch the screen to place your vote, and then call up a screen showing just what you had done, and another touch would complete the process. The precinct totals would be available within minutes after closing." The secretary of state's office will ask the 2002 legislature for the funds to put these machines in 13 cities chosen from around the state to be used as a test. The electronic machines could also handle Braille voting as well as the text appearing in Spanish. The long range goal would be each voter having a card similar to one used at ATMs, allowing you to vote anywhere in Georgia, Ray said.
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