Several counties estimated it would cost $10,000-$20,000 extra to audit a
few hundred votes in a single precinct - costs that would average out to
more than $50 per ballot.
The truth is, voting with paper ballots/optical scan machines are 30-40
percent less expensive than voting on the unverifiable DREs. That is because
a single optical scan machine can do the work of more than 10 DREs,
reducing both the time it takes citizens to vote and reducing the unnecessary
expense of storing, transporting, programming, testing and retesting so many unneeded DREs.
Studies in North Carolina, Maryland and Florida have confirmed these
savings.
It is important that we implement the TVCA as intended before the 2010
elections. Tennessee took a big step forward last year in improving voter
confidence with the TVCA. There are no good arguments for delaying this vital law. Democracy delayed is democracy denied.
Ellis is an organizer for Gathering To Save Our Democracy. Parsley is the
state action chair of the League of Women Voters. For more information
about the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act please visit votesafetn.org. A version of this op-ed previously appeared in the (Nashville) Tennessean.
(http://www.scripps.com/) (http://www.scripps.com/)
© 2008 Knoxville News SJoanJoanentinel
5985 Fly Hollow Road, Santa Fe, TN 38482
www.votesafeTN.org
Call Bernie Ellis (931/682-2864) or Email: VoteSafeTN@comcast.net
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
