Many are reporting that there may have to be a recount in the 18th Congressional District special election.

As VoteAllegheny has been saying for 13 years to all who will listen, with the agreement of many experts, these particular counties — and three-fourths of Pennsylvania — vote on unrecountable machines, on which the votes cannot be audited.

We can never know whether the votes were properly counted. We vote by faith — faith that when we touch a screen our vote is counted as intended. We do not know the software on the machines in these counties, and what few machines are minimally “tested” (only in Allegheny) cannot be used in the election.

A few weeks ago, The New York Times Magazine cited a study/​report by one of our founding members, David Eckhardt, in this regard. See VoteAllegheny.org’s website for our documentation and external links to many sources.

This state is vulnerable and needs new machines and systems in most counties — now. The Legislature needs to budget for this.

For now, a recount? The machine will spit back out the same thing it recorded, voter intent or not.

AUDREY N. GLICKMAN
Secretary/​Treasurer
VoteAllegheny
Greenfield

First Published: March 15, 2018, 4:00 a.m.