The Chicago "Davis machine" must be bringing in computer experts as we speak, to try and figure out how to rig this machine so dead people can punch the screen.
City, county agree punch card voting must go
October 9, 2003
BY CURTIS LAWRENCE AND ABDON M. PALLASCH Staff Reporters
Two civil rights groups have reached a settlement with Cook County and the City of Chicago they say will bring an end to the confusion over dimpled chads that dominated the last presidential election.
The settlement, filed in U.S. District Court, will retire by March 2006 "the outdated, error-prone punch card voting system that has left uncounted the votes of thousand of citizens in recent national and statewide elections," said Harvey Grossman, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.
The ACLU and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed lawsuits against Cook County, Chicago, the State Board of Elections and other cities and counties in 2001.
The suits demanded best efforts to have new systems in place by the first election after January 2006.
"I think the most important thing about this settlement is that it brings to an end any further litigation," said ACLU spokesman Edwin C. Yohnka.
Cook County and Chicago election officials say they likely would have upgraded to the new technology by 2006 anyway. They also say the current punch card system that allows voters a second chance if they made mistakes is serving voters well.
The Legislature has already voted to allow touch-screen voting.
The settlement filed Wednesday requires a few conditions: Public funds such as those from the Help America Vote Act must be made available for the purchase of the new technology, and the system must meet the needs of the Chicago and Cook County election boards.
suntimes.com |
