Vote scanning system worked, but some miss privacy
For some, it was quick and easy, with less pressure. But privacy was an issue for others.
That seemed to be the Election Day consensus as many area voters used electronic scanners for the first time during a general election, replacing the time-tested lever machines.
“It was fast enough, but I’m not sure how I feel about write-ins,” said Amy Burns, an Amherst voter, after leaving her polling place at Sweet Home High School. “There was a lack of privacy, I thought.”
The new procedure is part of the Federal Election Commission’s Help America Vote Act of 2000 mandating that states upgrade their voting systems. The county’s program is the largest pilot program in the state, said Democratic Elections Commissioner Dennis Ward.
“It was actually easier. You can sit down, read [the ballot], take your time and not worry about a line behind you,” said Patricia Niederpruem of Kenmore.
The fact that the propositions were on the back side of the ballot was a plus to Ron Huya of Cheektowaga, who voted in JFK High School.
“You can take as long as you like to read them,” he said.
Other voters prefered the old lever system.
“The new ones worked fine, just as good as the lever system. I’m just old-fashioned,” said Walter Pangborn, a Kenmore voter.
Irene Nowotarski, who voted at JFK High School in Sloan, said she will get used to the new machines in time.
“Anything new I don’t like right away. I guess I’m getting old,” she said.
The process was hardly private, said many. It was too easy to look onto the ballot of the person next to you. A more formidable enclosure would have been preferable, they said.
“They say it’s faster and supposed to be more accurate, but there was no privacy. People can look over the cardboard [enclosure],” said Dennis Tasca, a voter at JFK High School.
“I leaned over to get a manila folder, and I could have looked on his ballot if I wanted to,” Burns said.
Also a problem for some voters, including Amherst resident Karla Crowley, was the distraction of others talking.
“The process was easy. It was OK. My only problem was people talking next to me. It was a distraction,” she said. “I feel there should have been more privacy.”
“We can’t give everybody a sound proof booth, but we can take it into consideration and analyze complaints, suggestions and comments to see if we can develop a plan in the future,” Ward said.
The method of distribution for the manila folders was flawed. Instead of handing them directly to the voters, inspectors at some polling locations put the folders on the table next to the privacy booths, Ward said.
“The theory was when you went over to the tables to mark down [choices], you picked up a manila folder [to carry your completed ballot to the scanning machine],” Ward said. “But of course, if you didn’t see it, you wouldn’t have one.”
It is one of the issues Ward and Republican Elections Commissioner Ralph Mohr will continue to work on.
Ward also noted that the largest number of calls to election headquarters from poll workers was because of one of two plugs not being connected. And the most common problem was ballots getting jammed in the optical scanning machine.
Mohr said three machines that had jammed were replaced as a precautionary measure to make sure they would be functioning at peak hours. Two were in West Seneca and the third in Lancaster, Mohr said.
In Niagara County, ballot scanners were used in Royalton and Hartland. One problem was ballots not always scanning properly, if inspectors didn’t tear them smoothly off the perforated pad of blank ballots, said Nancy L. Smith, Democratic election commissioner.
But overall, the new system found favor with many.
“It was efficient and workable,” said Elena Delgado of Orchard Park.
Log into MyBuffalo to post a comment
MyBuffalo is the new social network from Buffalo.com. Your MyBuffalo account lets you comment on and rate stories at buffalonews.com. You can also head over to mybuffalo.com to share your blog posts, stories, photos, and videos with the community. Join now or learn more.
Reader comments