The Allegheny County Board of Elections was right to move forward with plans to acquire a new paper balloting system ahead of next year’s election, but there are flaws with the new system and they should not be forgotten. Efforts should begin promptly to ensure that no voter is marginalized.
The board of elections tested a number of options and picked Election Systems & Software, the largest voting equipment vendor in the United States. The final cost could top $10 million.
Despite the hefty price tag, it’s a system that will have problems for people with disabilities. Ballots completed using an American with Disabilities Act-compliant ballot-marking device will represent the vote with a bar code, meaning voters who use it cannot review and verify their choices.
Votes cast by people with disabilities are not second-class. Every citizen has a right to vote, and the county has an obligation to ensure that each vote is accurate, secure and counted.
There are ways to correct the issue. The implementation of accessible bar code readers, used to verify that the bar code receipt reflects the correct vote, is one option. Another is to alter how the receipt is printed altogether. Colorado recently passed legislation requiring the state’s voting equipment vendor, Dominion, to create a software upgrade that will print out receipts with the choices marked with darkened ovals, identical to how hand-marked ballots would look.
Allegheny County officials should work with ES&S to find a solution that makes its system work for all voters.
First Published: October 9, 2019, 10:00 a.m.