Don’t rush to judgment
We've been hearing the complaints about the new voting machines that were used in Fulton County's elections Tuesday.
Some voters were upset about the steps the new system requires. Some complained about a lack of privacy. Some didn't like having to indicate their votes with a marker. And others simply didn't like the change in procedure.
People may be tempted to curse the paper ballots and Flair markers, but before they rush to judgment, we encourage them to give the new system a chance. It probably isn't going to go away, so people should adapt to the new procedure and be patient. Sometimes, change is difficult, but we learn to accept it and move on.
We're confident this new electronic voting method is an improvement over the old, outdated lever-voting machines, whose parts are now largely unavailable.
On Tuesday, voters who went to the polls signed in, received a blank ballot, marked their choices with a black marker and fed the ballot into a computerized machine that tabulates the votes.
Granted, there were some glitches: A few of the machines malfunctioned in several towns and some people had some trouble understanding how to feed the ballots into the machine.
One of the biggest concerns may have been the lack of privacy. Voters filled out their ballots in small, partitioned stands that had no curtains, and in some cases, election officials had to help voters insert the ballots into the machine. This compromised privacy to some extent.
Election officials should take note of the privacy concern and work toward making the process more secure in the next election. For the most part, however, we were pleased with the new system. We hope to see voters embrace it.
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Joseph
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11-09-09 3:30 PM
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People, the old voting machines knew exactly how each of us voted. When you signed in you were voter 345 (for example), that cross referenced to the voting machine which tabulated your vote. Who cares if you know how I vote. If I have that much ofa problem with it maybe I am voting fro the wrong person for the wrong reason (like my beloved Grandmother did for years. She told me that she voted republican across the board each and every year just because she didn't beleive in abortion.) Then we wonder why we have the people who are in office. None of us vote for teh best person as the party affiliation always sways each and every one of us. It is time to eliminate the party system and run on individual platforms. Then and only then will we actually get something done in Washington. That is all.
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taxpayer2
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11-08-09 10:55 AM
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As far as the broken down lever machines.Heres an idea MAKE NEW ONES
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dringr3
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11-08-09 8:54 AM
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Would have been better if the resolutions were on the same side as the candidates,privacy is of no concern to me as we lost all that during the Bush Regime.
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Knickman
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11-06-09 6:29 PM
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They should have gradually phased this in, not go whole hog. Saratoga county started w/ 3 towns in the primary and 6 towns in the election. That would equate to 1 town- primary and 2 towns election in Fulton county.
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ipaymyway
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11-06-09 9:31 AM
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awe dont be sore stratford, obamas has let his dems down and now alot of dems are getting the boot. just remember talk is cheap, and all obamas little promises have not come true. i really wished that they would have, because we wouldnt be sitting at 10% unemployment. lets just keep printing money and bailing people out. oh i didnt get a bail out , my taxes just keep going up.
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stratford
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11-05-09 9:36 PM
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I could care less about the machine. I would vote with pebbles if a democrat won the 23rd, wait one DID!!!
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Ricktavious
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11-05-09 8:50 PM
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I didn't mind the voting system,but,dipping my finger in the blue ink was a little messy.
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codder
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11-05-09 8:49 PM
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what an impatient group!! Yours is a system new to the town and to the election workers. Be patient, optical scanners are really simple and easy to use. Not sure why new machines did not work properly, but they should have been tested prior to the election. No excuse for lack of privacy. We use scanners in my town and we have small curtained booths into which we take our ballots to mark them. The privacy sleeves should have been offered. We seldom use them in our town but they are on the table for voters to take. When you feed your ballot into the box, it should be able to be fed with either side up. Generally there is a blank side, although I understand that your ballots were being marked on both sides. I think that is unusual. As I said in my comments last week, I have been an election monitor for about 5 yrs and we occasionally have a problem, but they are minimal. ZTraining is important so that the poll workers understand the machines and the process. Be patient.
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NottaPinko
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11-05-09 5:13 PM
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BS. Every time a "new & improved" version of anything comes out it is always a move closer to ridiculous. The voting changes are the postercild of ridiculous. Why not leave well enough alone. It's gotten so that our best & brightest aren't so best & bright..... Why not put an airbag on it, in case someones trips while voting???
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IKnooow
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11-05-09 1:13 PM
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The privacy issue isn't really an issue. The idea for voter privacy is so a voter isn't influenced, or feel influenced, at the polls by another person. Not wanting others to see who you voted for isn't the point. Unless you think there will be repercussions against you for your vote, why the need for secrecy? Have the courage of your convictions. We live in America,where freedom still reigns.
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Discobulous
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11-05-09 12:30 PM
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They could make these machines more user-friendly if they gave them names. I voted on Sally.
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SNOWGRINCH
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11-05-09 12:01 PM
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Other than the easily corrected privacy issues, I like the new voting machines. They are easy to use, smaller and I like the idea of having a paper ballot that can be counted if the machines do fail.
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oldskool
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11-05-09 11:55 AM
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Now think about those with disablities, ones preventing them from actually filling in the little boxes neat and perfectly with the marker, that had to have somebody mark their votes for them?
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oldskool
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11-05-09 11:54 AM
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Even though each site was not set up the same, this editorial oversimplfies some of the issues. For example "Voters filled out their ballots in small, partitioned stands that had no curtains, and in some cases, election officials had to help voters insert the ballots into the machine. This compromised privacy to some extent" is an understament in so many ways. Privacy was not compromised "somewhwat" where I voted, it was compromised - period. Explain how standing in one line waiting to vote while being able to read over the shoulder of someone voting as well as being able to read an already completed ballot in another persona hands is not a full violation of ne voting privacy? Now further explain how an election offcial (or anyone) actually taking the ballot and feeding into the machines in not a violation? Now think about those with disablities, ones preventing them from actually filling in the little boxes neat and perfectly with the marker, that had to have
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Discobulous
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11-05-09 11:30 AM
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I tried to embrace this new machine but it rebuffed me with a slight shock, just like my wife after she turned 50.
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