Computerized Voting

Computerized Voting

Task force tells Florida to trash paper ballots

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — A Task force recommended Friday that Florida get rid of punchcard and paper ballots and use optical scanning equipment in all 67 counties during the 2002 election.

However, the panel said the state should hold off on investing up to $200 million for touch-screen voting technology, citing a recent study which found the equipment may have as high an error rate as the much-maligned punchcards:

"Instead of investing a huge amount of money now for an entire revamping of the Florida election system, we should spend enough money to have a universal system for the next election or two", task force co-chairman Tad Foote said. Gov. Jeb Bush formed the task force after the November presidential election dragged out five weeks while Al Gore challenged George W. Bush's 537-vote victory.

Elmira [New York] Star Gazette

February 24, 2001