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Connecticut Seeking Voting Machines
Posted by Rebecca Bolin on Monday, January 31 @ 17:50:02 EST Governance
Connecticut is in the process of getting new voting machines, and it is seriously considering blackbox computerized elction systems, as theoretically allowed by the state constitution:
In all elections of officers of the state, or members of the general assembly, the votes of the electors shall be by ballot, either written or printed, except that voting machines or other mechanical devices for voting may be used in all elections in the state, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law. No voting machine or device used at any state or local election shall be equipped with a straight ticket device. The right of secret voting shall be preserved. C.G.S.A. Const. Art. 6, ยง 5
Now, I'm no Connecticut law expert. In fact, I've been here almost two years, and I have never seen the Connecticut constitution before; but I am quite certain that "voting machines" in this context does not mean what it means today. This language of "voting machines or other mechanical devices" has been in the Connecticut constitution since 1905, which corresponds to the introduction of lever voting machines. This makes the term "machine" a literal one for a physical machine which marks votes, which doesn't include software.

I'd like to see Connecticut keep up with the technology, as it did with a 1905 constitutional amendment, by passing legislation requiring a voter-verified paper trail or requiring optical scan ballots. I'd also like to see Connecticut merge its voting system priorities with the state government's new dedication to transparency by checking potentially corrupt systems.

 
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Re: Connecticut Seeking Voting Machines (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Monday, February 14 @ 14:28:54 EST
In Connecticut we have mechanical voting machines which are already, in effect, black boxes. There is no way for the casual voter to inspect the boxes; we take it upon faith that the 1970's eara machines count votes correctly. So, the new voting machines aren't much different --- unfortunately.


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