Published: October 18, 2009 09:18 pm      

New voting system will have long-term savings, benefits

New voting system will have long-term savings, benefits

To the Editor:

I would like to respond to your recent article, “New voting system could also mean new expenses.” (Oct. 8 Times-News, Page 1A). There appears to be a misunderstanding about the nature of the new voting system and about the costs involved in its purchase.

The new voting system will not be another touchscreen system, as the article reported. Rather, the legislation, passed in 2007, will move the state to an accessible paper ballot/optical scan system. This means that most voters will be voting on verifiable paper ballots in the gubernatorial election in 2010.

It is true that the counties will continue to pay for the lease on the current touch screen system for several years, no matter which system is used in 2010.

However, for counties, such as Allegany, which began using touch screens in 2002, this computer system has reached its life expectancy. The costs to repair, transport, and maintain that system are in addition to lease payments and have escalated dramatically.

The consequence is that counties, including Allegany, should see long-term cost savings with the purchase of the new system.

Currently, one touchscreen can serve up to 250 voters and multiple units are needed in each polling place. One optical scanner will serve up to 3,500 voters and only one scanner will be need for the average polling place.

As a result, there will be an 80 percent reduction in voting machinery, and the costs associated with maintaining them.

More significant than resulting cost savings, a new voting system will restore the confidence of Maryland voters in the integrity of the voting system and permit meaningful and accurate audits and recounts.

As your article noted, the Maryland Attorney General is suing the manufacturer of the current system (Diebold/Premier Election Solutions) for failing to meet its contractual obligations to provide a secure and accurate system. The state has spent approximately $8 million to correct the identified flaws in that system.

Cynthia M. Boersma, legislative director

American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland