Daily News, November 4, 2003
Give Voters Easier Time at the Polls
Liz Krueger

Voters going to the polls today can expect the usual malfunctioning voting machines, unreliable registration lists and physical and cultural barriers that will deny some of them access to the polls. These deep-rooted problems have become an accepted part of New York's election process.

Clearly, the state's election system is in need of a major overhaul. Fortunately, there is a federal measure called HAVA - the Help America Vote Act - that offers New York the opportunity to upgrade its voting machines and registration processes and invest in poll-worker training so we can have fair elections at every level. HAVA can provide New York with up to $235 million in federal funds to complete these reforms by 2005.

But to ensure that these reforms are done properly, Albany must make sure that a fair and reliable voting system is put in place. That is why I strongly back a package of HAVA reforms that could mean great things for democracy in New York State.

We already know that New York will eventually move to electronic voting machines. But since a new Johns Hopkins University report demonstrates how easily electronic machines can be manipulated without detection, it is vital that voters be able to confirm their votes on the spot from a paper printout.

That means requiring that all new voting machines leave a voter-verified paper trail. Voters would be able to visually confirm their vote by reviewing a printout under glass.

New voting machines should also have the technology to make voting accessible for the disabled as well as New Yorkers with limited proficiency in English.

New York must establish a clear, inclusive list of acceptable forms of identification. In most states, a driver's license is required for registration and poll admittance. But in New York City, only 25% of residents have driver's licenses. If city election officials are not allowed to use other forms of identification, large portions of the population will be denied the right to vote.

To ensure that every eligible voter is given a chance to vote, registration lists should be well-maintained and updated. Individuals whose registration is in doubt should be able to vote provisionally until their status can be confirmed.

The experience in Florida in the 2000 presidential election shows that the single most important reform is to ensure the accuracy of vote counts. State contracts to purchase new voting machines must be based on achieving that goal, not on political favoritism.

New York State must also eliminate its so-called full-face ballot requirement, which requires that all ballot information appear on a single page. That makes no sense in the era of electronic voting machines, which cannot legibly display that much information on their screens but can easily scroll through the different races one at a time. Clearly, there is a lot at stake in making sure we carry out HAVA properly. Otherwise, we run the risk of disenfranchising tens of thousands of voters, particularly those in minority communities and those with disabilities.

The right kind of reforms will help ensure that the election process is open and fair to every eligible voter.