Despite Changes, Reform Advocates Still Favor Election Bill

Despite Changes, Reform Advocates Still Favor Election Bill

Though recent changes in the bill have delayed the deadline for durable individual paper ballots until 2012, Iowa advocates for voting equipment reform still favor election reform bill HR811. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the legislation sponsored by Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., Thursday.

Sean Flaherty of Iowans for Voting Integrity told Iowa Independent said that the language slated for the vote is a "manager's mark," a compromise between Hold And Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the House Majority Leader. "It came from some people in the Democratic leadership," said Flaherty, adding that disability advocates were concerned about Holt's original language and election officials were worried about deadlines.

"The bill is still worth supporting," said Flaherty. "It's moving us forward, but there's still some controversial language."

Under the new language, all touch-screen voting machines would have to have a paper trail for the 2008 presidential election. However, a continuous roll of paper, dubbed a "toilet paper roll" by critics, would be acceptable. Equipment reform advocates prefer a durable, individual ballot, arguing that rolls are more prone to damage and degradation over time.

Computer scientists would be allowed to inspect equipment source code under the new bill, but only after signing confidentiality agreements that would limit their public statements to general issues with the code and not specifics.

Equipment reform's future is less certain in the Senate. Flaherty said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-CA, the sponsor of the main Senate bill, is planning to hold hearings in the wake of reports that California equipment had security flaws.

"Chances are very good" for House passage, said Flaherty. "When people start focusing on machines again, wondering if electronic voting machines across the country work properly, there could be momentum toward papering up in 2008. This is the shot we've got to keep tens of millions of people from voting on paperless systems in the 2008 election."