[EM] Voting machines

[Bart Ingles]

I don't recall how much price differential there is between optical-scan
and punch card equipment, but touch-screen is evidently _much_ more
expensive than either.  San Francisco recently purchased optical-scan
equipment at a cost of $3 million; the cost for touch-screen would have
been $15 million.

The cost for touch-screen in Santa Clara County has been estimated at
$20 million.

Bart



Blake Cretney wrote:
> 
> Here's an interesting way of looking at the recent American
> Presidential election.  Most Americans votes are tabulated by
> machines.  The two most common types, according to Time magazine (Nov
> 27, 2000) are punch card reader 34% and optical scanner 27%.
> 
> Punch cards are the famous "hanging chad" style.  You line up a card
> of punch holes with the names of the candidates and punch out the
> corresponding hole.  However, voting machines tend to reject a lot of
> votes.  As well, this results in more voting errors due to the need
> for correctly lining up the two cards (apparently especially by the
> elderly).
> 
> For the optical scanner you fill in a small circle by the candidate's
> name, using a pencil.  Since there is no need to line up two cards,
> there is less voter error.  If the voter notices an error, they may
> simply erase the bubble, rather than having to ask for a new card.  As
> well, there is less machine error.
> 
> Now, it's pretty clear that a district using an optical scanner is
> doing better for its residents than one using punch cards.  More votes
> will be accurately counted for the intended candidate.  This
> difference could actually decide the winner in a close election.
> 
> Punch cards have one advantage, price.  Since in the US, the
> districts buy their own machines, richer districts can afford top-of
> the line, first class democracy.  So, in the US, voting power is
> partly tied to wealth.  This helps out the Republicans, and is quite
> possible the reason that George W. Bush is now President Elect.
> Luckily, Presidential elections are usually not this close.
> 
> ---
> Blake Cretney