County finds few options for voting machines

[Wilms]

County finds few options for voting machines

Provo DAILY HERALD

Amie Rose

27 April 2005

A Utah County study has found only one of four possible alternatives to direct-recording electronic voting machines meets federal voting standards but the county's quest to find a cheaper voting system continues.

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AutoMARK machines are between $5,000 and $5,500 a piece, while DRE systems are $3,000 to $3,500 each. Both systems are being considered by the state, which will make a decision on the replacement machines in the next few months.

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Jackson's report found punchcard and optical scan systems with tactile or Braille ballots and open voting consortium software don't meet federal standards for providing access to the disabled. The Open Consortium Software may meet the standards, but not enough work has been done on it and it hasn't been used anywhere yet.

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One alternative could be adding one electronic or optical scan machine to each polling place, and keeping the punchcard machines for non-disabled voters. That would mean buying 125 machines, plus a few extras in case of a breakdown.

AutoMARK with central counters

One time cost to county $1,552,409

Total per election cost $524,579

Total annual cost $713,425

AutoMARK with precinct counters

One-time cost to county $2,105,643

Total per election cost $529,539

Total annual cost $783,815

Full DRE implementation

One-time cost $7,677,328

Total per election cost $409,719

Total annual cost $1,314,860

One DRE per polling place

One-time cost $1,140,059

Total per election $533,559

Total annual cost $671,098


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http://www.newutah.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=53690&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

[Carolab]

1. I see. So it's all about the cost and the disabled. What a joke. n/t

[Paul Dlugokencky]

2. Looks like a great business to be in!

http://www.cafepress.com/kickindemocrats