Optical scan

Another overhaul of how Floridians vote could be underway.

Gov. Charlie Crist wants to scrap the controversial touch-screen voting machines used in Broward, Palm Beach and 13 other counties and replace them with optical scanners that would count paper ballots, a South Florida congressman said Tuesday.

The Republican governor will detail the change at a joint appearance Thursday with the state's leading critic of touch-screen voting machines, U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, in the heart of Wexler's district west of Delray Beach.

Wexler said the governor would propose spending more than $20 million on optical scanners for the 15 counties with touch-screen machines when he presents his proposed budget to the Legislature on Friday.

He credited Crist with proposing a "bold and comprehensive" plan. "We are about to resolve, once and for all, the election integrity problem in Florida, and we are about to realize the dream of creating a paper trail for every voter in the state of Florida," Wexler said.

The change would affect millions of Florida voters, who would be allowed to cast their ballots on paper rather than using the electronic devices with screens similar to automated teller machines. Touch-screen voting has been controversial nationally. Arizona, California and Pennsylvania have considered getting rid of them and New Mexico passed a law last year ending their use.

I'm all for votes getting counted properly etc. We don't need another 2000 Presidential or Florida 13th debacle. However no system is perfect, for they are designed by man. Nothing is foolproof as long as there are fools. Sure change to Optical scanners, but it will only be a matter of time before flaws are found in this system also.

Linked to- Right Wing Nation, Third World County, Samantha Burns,