|
S.C.
Statehouse Report
July 25, 2004
VIEW: http://www.statehousereport.com/columns/04.0725.election.htm
 COMMENTARY
Making sure every
vote counts
By
Andy Brack
SC Statehouse Report
 JULY
25, 2004 - - When people go to the polls in November, they
want to make sure their vote counts. That’s the American
way.
But as the nation saw during reporting of ballots from Florida
in the 2000 presidential election, just because you vote doesn’t
mean your vote is going to be properly counted.
To try to boost accuracy of voting in South Carolina, the
state is seeking to create a uniform statewide voting system
that uses electronic machines.
Compared to punch-card or optical-scan voting systems, electronic
machines are considered much more reliable, according to Steve
Skardon, who chaired a blue-ribbon panel of leaders that made
myriad election reform suggestions to the legislature a couple
of years ago.
In 2000, South Carolina voters in 21 counties used various
electronic machines to vote. In the presidential race, for
example, machines counted no choice on 15,563 of the 656,013
ballots cast, according to figures provided by Skardon. The
2.4 percent discrepancy could be because some voters decided
not to vote for president, some errors were made, or something
else.
 But
compare the results to the 11 counties that used punch-card
ballots - - the kind of ballots that led to the infamous “hanging
chads” of Florida. In the presidential race, some 24,123
ballots (4.2 percent) had no vote registered for president
of the 571,786 cast. In Chester County, for example, some
9.7 percent of ballots registered no presidential choice.
Again, the discrepancies might be explained by errors, voters
who didn’t want to pick a choice for president or something
else. But is it likely that almost one in 10 voters in Chester
County would decide not to vote in the biggest election of
the year? Or that punch-card systems generated twice as many
scoreless ballots as electronic machines?
Clearly, there’s something amiss with punch-card systems.
Optical scan systems, which require voters to mark ballots
by filling in little circles that are read by the machines
(much like students use in taking standardized tests), reportedly
are more error-prone, said Skardon, who also serves as executive
director of the non-profit Palmetto Project.
Fortunately, South Carolina’s legislature has adopted
many of the recommendations made by the blue-ribbon panel.
As a result, there will be better training of poll workers,
more voter education and other improvements, Skardon said.
But the big enchilada - - the statewide electronic voting
system - - wasn’t a part of the legislature’s reform
because the state didn’t have the millions needed for
the upgrade.
|
ALSO
THIS WEEK
McLEMORE'S
WORLD: Voting security
SCORECARD:
Winners and losers of the past week
SUBSCRIPTION
INFO
FEEDBACK
POLICY
We
encourage your feedback. If you'd like to respond to
something in SC Statehouse Report, please
send us an e-mail. We reserve the right to edit for
length and clarity. One submission allowed per month.
Submission of a comment grants permission to us to reprint.
Please keep your comment to 250 words or less:
feedback@statehousereport.com
|
Then along came President Bush and Congress, which in 2002
passed the Help America Vote Act. It provided more than $3.5
billion to states to develop ways to improve voting. So the
State Election Commission got together another group of leaders
to develop a plan, which was approved in September.
As explained in an opinion piece circulated by State Election
Commission Chairman John S. West of Moncks Corner, “South
Carolina’s plan is substantial and well-conceived. Reforms
include enhanced poll worker training, voter outreach and
education and improved access for voters with disabilities.
The centerpiece of the plan is a call for a uniform statewide
voting system.”
Right now, the state has the money to buy machines for 11
counties that still use punch-card ballots - - the same ones
that caused problems in Florida in 2000. It has awarded a
contract for machines and, if there is no protest by the first
week of August, the state should get the machines.
It’s unclear whether there will be a protest, but there’s
still a pall over the contract because of complaints following
a contract awarded, but rescinded, earlier in the year. The
State Law Enforcement Division is investigating.
It’s vitally important that SLED issue prompt findings.
To fail to do so might put the whole process at risk this
year, which could cause some people’s votes to not be
counted. And that would be a South Carolina shame.
RECENT COMMENTARY
McLEMORE'S WORLD
7/25: Voting security
This week's cartoon by our Bill McLemore:
LEARN MORE DAILY
 The
best way to get South Carolina news is to augment your morning
paper and TV show with SC Clips, a daily executive
news summary compiled from more than 30 state newspaper and
TV sources. It's delivered every business day and is packed
with news of statewide impact, politics, business and more.
Subscriptions are affordable at $30 per month -- and less
for business subscribers. More: SC
Clips.
SOUTH CAROLINA SCORECARD
Here's a "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" related to various
political events from the past week:
Thumbs
up
Wilkins. Hats off to House Speaker David Wilkins for
winning a national award for leadership from a group of state
lawmakers.
Sanford. Congrats to Gov. Mark Sanford for being selected
to chair the National Governors Association's economic development
and commerce committee.
Thumbs
down
Greenville County employees. Thumbs down for continuing
to keep the county from celebrating the Martin Luther King
holiday.
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
How you can subscribe to the full edition
of the report
The above version of S.C. Statehouse Report is the
free edition. Our paid version, which costs about $100 per
month, offer a weekly legislative forecast packed with information
that can keep you and your business on the cutting edge.
Notes veteran lawmaker Sen. Glenn McConnell: "Statehouse
Report gives an inside practical report of weekly problems
with and progress of legislation. It reviews the whole landscape."
In each issue of Statehouse Report, you'll get::
Hot issue -- an early peek at weekly commentary
on something really big. Last year, we continually beat
other news organizations in finding major trends in issues,
from teacher and budget cuts to wetlands proposals.
Agenda -- a weekly forecast of the coming week's
floor agenda
Radar Screen -- a behind-the-scenes look at what's
really going on in the General Assembly
McLemore's World -- an early view of our respected
cartoonist Bill McLemore.
Tally Sheet -- a weekly review of all of the new
bills introduced in the legislature in everyday language
Scorecard -- A Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down of major
political/policy events for the week.
Calendar -- a weekly list of major meetings for
the House, Senate and state agencies.
Megaphone -- a quote of the week that you'll find
illuminating.
To learn more about subscriptions, contact Andy Brack at:
brack@statehousereport.com
|
