http://times-standard.com/local/ci_6356975

Voter Confidence Committee issues report on November election

The Times-Standard

Article Launched: 07/12/2007 04:14:10 AM PDT

EUREKA -- A report from an election reform advocacy group analyzing the election of November 2006 outlines several issues with the system and potential improvements.

The report by the Voter Confidence Committee, addresses its biggest beef with the county election system -- the use of Diebold ballot-counting machines, which the committee says can't be trusted.

”Under current conditions, vote counting is done in secret, using proprietary voting equipment that requires the public to accept election results with 'blind trust,'” says the report. “While a perfect voting system may not yet exist, it will be clear to readers of this report that many practical election reforms can still move us closer to the realistic idea of establishing a basis for voter confidence in election results.”

The report also looks at how the Humboldt County Elections Department trains its volunteers and poll workers, and recommended that time for training be expanded, among other things, to make sure the workers are better prepared.

Accessibility, proper noticing, and the procedures for counting the ballots are also discussed.

The Voter Confidence Committee has long advocated counting all ballots by hand to restore voter confidence in elections.

For more information, visit www.voterconfidencecommittee.org.