Commentary

Resolution passes urging paper ballot systems in NY

With the 2008 presidential election coming closer, the goal of adopting voting machines with verifiable paper trails in New York City moved closer to realization on March 14, 2008 when the City Council unanimously passed Resolution 131-A, urging the New York State Board of Elections to promptly certify Precinct Based Optical Scan (PBOS) voting systems.

PBOS machines require voters to physically mark a paper ballot, resulting in a receipt. The ballot is then read by an optical scan device that registers the voter’s choice. This gives optical scan systems a big advantage versus competing computerized Direct Recording Electronic(DRE) systems which usually do not leave tangible evidence of the voter’s selection. Optical scan devices combine the dependability of a paper-based system with the speed offered by computers.

This resolution, calling for the use of PBOS equipment, may seem like an obscure, non-binding motion but to Teresa Hommel, creator of wheresthepaper.org, it is a significant victory for her and other grass-roots activists who support the use of voting systems that produce verifiable paper trails.

According to Hommel, the significance of this declaration lies in the fact that if the commissioners on the Board of Elections in New York City split their votes when deciding between PBOS and the strictly computerized DRE systems, the New York State Board of Elections will be more likely to honor the City Council’s preference for PBOS voting systems as stated in Resolution 131-A.

Ms. Hommel has used her background as a corporate trainer and consultant in the use computer technology to raise public awareness of the problems inherent with computerized voting machines that do not produce voter-verified paper trails. She has testified before government task forces and committees in several states, and has written articles for the NY Women’s Bar Association and the Sierra Club New York City Group.

The actions taken by Teresa Hommel to raise awareness of the need to adopt optical scan voting systems speaks volumes about her commitment to build a healthier democracy. “People cannot just show up at the polls,” she explained. It is clear to her that democracy requires the active, constant support of all citizens in order to ensure that elected officials act with the public good in mind.

© 2007 Splendid Marbles.