Vote report from Lexington, KY - New machines HORRIBLY confusing.

[KyndCulture]

This is from a good friend of mine, I live here, but voted absentee...


The lines in Lexington are longer than usual today, although, early indications are low voter turnout. Why is this? There are a couple of reasons:
1) There are a LOT of different items for which to vote. More than I've ever seen before.
AND
2) Our "New Voting Machines" are complicated and intimidating!



The combination will almost certainly create confusion... I wonder if it will adversely affect one candidate/party more than the other... or will it be a push?

Anyway, get this! We have to show ID. Pretty much any ID will do... Credit Card, Drivers Liscense, Social Security Card... OR! If one of the Voting Officials KNOWS you... apparently that's enough...

So, after you sign in, but BEFORE you vote, there is a machine (to which the voting macines are connected) that PRINTS OUT an ACCESS CODE.
You then step to the Voting Machine and have to negotiate a very awkward interface.

There is a big white dial on the bottom right. There is NOT a Touch-Screen! You have to dial around to the first number of your access code, then hit enter. Dial to the second number... enter. Dial to the third number... enter. Dial to the fourth and enter.

THEN, you have to dial to EACH Section (turning Clockwise only)... When you get to section one, you pause for a second, then Dial down to the Candidate you want and hit Enter.... Then, Dial to the next section... pause... dial in the candidate you want... Enter... and so on, until you have cleared every section.

At the end it shows you a list of all of your votes... the Candidates Name (BUT NOT Their Political Affiliation...) Not sure what to do if you disagree with what's on the screen and you want to make a change... That was rather confusing. Fortunately, for me, the names all appeared to be correct. Hit 'Next Page' to finish double checking...

Hit Enter and you're done!

BUT! No Print Out is issued AFTER you vote.

A few things strike me as odd:

* I sign a Log and am issued an 'access code' (or is it an IDENTIFICATIN number - allowing 'them' to know exactly who I voted for?)
* They have the technology and can afford $ to print out an 'access code' BEFORE I vote, BUT not the technology and $ to print out a verifiable "Paper Trail"
* The "turny wheely thingie" was totally not necessary
* The potentially abusive "Oh, I know him.. it's OK if he votes" vs. "I don't know him and he doesn't have a Credit Card so I'm not gonna let him vote."
* The Final Check List doesn't show the Party of the person for whom you voted...

Incidently, the two people behind me were no less than 80 years old, each! I can't imagine how much trouble they had today...

[Liberal Jesus Freak]

1. I live in E. KY and just voted.

We have the same kind of machine at our precinct, along with one of the "old ones". I used the new machine with no problem, but some of the same concerns. We are very busy here and I would expect a good turn out. I would have thought with the water issue, Lexington would have record levels. One good thing: I had no trouble with ID--my mom is one of the precinct workers :)