by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
In an effort to assure voters that not only will their vote count but also be traceable if needed, Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland is securing funding to buy 330 printers compatible with the office’s optical scan voting machines.
The printers cost $600 each and Holland doesn’t expect to start implementing them until at least the spring elections, if not later.
“Absolutely no way,” said Holland of them being available for the Sept. 5 primary or Nov. 7 general election. “Ideally, we’ll have them by the next presidential election (November 2008). It would be iffy to have them by spring.”
The funding is available and the initiative has public backing. City Council member Lake Ray has sponsored a bill that officially gives the paper trail the full blessing of Council. Ray said he supports creating a paper trail, especially considering the amount of electronic hacking going on these days.
“Every time I turn my computer on, it warns me that I may have a virus,” said Ray. “Given the way computer systems are today, nothing says a voting machine won’t be invaded. I think the public is concerned enough about this (to warrant legislation). To me, it’s strange that you can walk in, cast a ballot and there’s no record of it.
“I think this is a very important thing. It’s about ensuring the process is true. We need to be able to go back any time and verify the validity of the computer system.”
Holland said he will install a printer at all 285 precincts in Duval County. The printers will also be compatible with the touch screen voting machines which allow the visually-impaired to vote discreetly by listening to the ballot.
“We can’t do this until the state certifies the touch screen with the paper attachment,” said Holland.
The final piece of the voting technology puzzle is also on Holland’s agenda. He is planning to slowly phase in the Electronic Voting Identification System. This system allows voters to swipe their valid drivers licenses and sign an electronic key pad as opposed to a paper sign in sheet. Holland said the larger precincts — there are a handful in the 3,000-3,4000 range, but most are under 3,000 registered voters — will get the EVI system first before it’s phased to the rest of the city.
Early voting begins Aug. 21 and runs through Sept. 3. No one can vote Sept. 4, the day before the primary. Holland said the early voting results are an indicator of voter turnout, but he’s still only expecting a 28-29 percent turnout.
“What we are hoping is that early voting bumps that up, but it’s hard to say,” said Holland, who admits it isn’t good when nearly 70 percent of the 530,000 registered voters don’t go to the polls.
“We want the voters to be informed,” said Holland, explaining that there’s a referendum on the November ballot in Arizona that would establish a lottery-like raffle. Everyone who votes would be put into a raffle for $1 million.