Voting Machines Under New Scrutiny; Legislative panel to look at security issues

Originally published in the Columbus Dispatch (Ohio) February 28, 2004

Copyright 2004 The Columbus Dispatch  



By Jon Craig

Leaders of the House and Senate set up a special panel yesterday to probe security issues surrounding electronic-voting devices that Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell wants to buy for Ohio.

The move puts into limbo Blackwell's request before the state Controlling Board to spend more than $128 million on new voting machines. Blackwell hoped to replace punch-card ballots in at least 29 of the current 69 counties by the November presidential election.

"The proposed delay would virtually eliminate the possibility of any deployment of new voting machines in 2004," Blackwell said in a letter to legislative leaders and Gov. Bob Taft.

"With Ohio slated by both national parties as a battleground state, the possibility of a close (presidential) election with punch cards as the state's primary voting device invites a Florida-like calamity."

Senate President Doug White and House Speaker Larry Householder formed a 10-member joint committee at the request of Sens. Teresa Fedor, D-Toledo, and Jeff Jacobson, R-Vandalia.

"We need to get this right the first time and we cannot afford to get this wrong," Fedor said.

Blackwell lamented the lack of legislative cooperation despite his "significant efforts" to keep lawmakers informed.

"As we have gone to great lengths to include the legislature in this process, it seems reasonable to request your assistance to aid us in clarifying your intentions," Blackwell said, noting that only two of the General Assembly's 132 lawmakers attended a Feb. 19 briefing on voting machines.

In a separate letter to Fedor, Blackwell said every risk identified in a Maryland Legislative Report on voting machines has been addressed in Ohio.

Carlo LoParo, a spokesman for Blackwell, said all remaining questions can be answered in time for the spending request to be considered by the Controlling Board as scheduled on March 8.

"We feel we can quickly address their concerns," he said.

But Maggie Mitchell, a spokeswoman for White, said, "I don't expect the committee will be done in a week."

Dispatch reporter Lee Leonard contributed to this story.