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Florida Literally Scraps Touch-Screen Voting

Posted by kdawson on from the do-not-want dept.

Kaseijin writes "Florida Governor Charlie Crist is getting his wish. The New York Times reports the state will replace touch-screen voting machines with optical-scan models by July 1, 2008 — the most aggressive timetable of any jurisdiciton rethinking this approach to voting. The touch-screen machines most likely will be sold to other jurisdictions or stripped for parts."

15 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. great idea by ILuvRamen · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think we should buy one for each Slashdot 10th anniversary party and smash them.

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  2. Parts? by Klaidas · · Score: 4, Funny

    Stripped for parts? Am I the only one thinking there won't be much of a demand for those? :/

    1. Re:Parts? by larry+bagina · · Score: 2, Funny
      My interest waned after looking at the Specs:
      • 38-40 pounds
      • (possibly related) lead acid battery
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      Do you even lift?

      These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

    2. Re:Parts? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Imagine a Beowulf cluster of voting machine parts!

    3. Re:Parts? by nilbud · · Score: 2, Funny

      Performance measured in chads per second.

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      never let a man put his dirty how-do-you-do into your bajingo
    4. Re:Parts? by thegnu · · Score: 2, Funny

      "Proprietary firmware on closed system prevents hacker access"

      The proof is in the pudding. The elections were NOT hacked, because it's not hacking if you have a password. :-)
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      Please stop stalking me, bro.
  3. ah my eyes! by quaketripp · · Score: 3, Funny

    At first I was equating optical to retinal scan voting -- "Sorry, the correct choice was --" "AHHH! MY EYES!" In more rational terms, this is good, there should be a paper trail which is key to our voting process. You fill the circle in with a marker, slide the ballot in the dealy, it counts, and you can do a manual recount if needed. That's what is truly required.

  4. Literally? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    As opposed to figuratively?

    1. Re:Literally? by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 3, Funny

      "As opposed to figuratively?"

      Gah, don't be so literal.

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      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  5. Re:It wont matter by WPIDalamar · · Score: 4, Funny

    Also won't matter since Florida voters can't seem to figure out the whole voting thing anyways...

  6. Do they blend? by WindowlessView · · Score: 2, Funny

    Aggh,someone had to ask it.

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    Leave the gun, take the cannolis.
  7. Another benefit of optical scan counting by Colin+Smith · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is that you can design the voting form in such a way to fix one of the fundamental problems with democracy. You can make it confusing enough that those with insufficient I.Q. are able only to spoil their ballots, thereby improving the overall level of decision making by the then elected government.

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    Deleted
  8. I LIKE eVOTING because... by JackMeyhoff · · Score: 3, Funny

    .. I take along my PERMENANT marker and place a HUGE BLACK [X] on the SCREEN :)

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    http://www.rense.com/general79/wdx1.htm
  9. Re:Will the new system be any more reliable? by courseofhumanevents · · Score: 2, Funny

    I just drew penises all over the ballet sheet. Accomplishes the same thing, takes less effort.

  10. Re:Paper? by noidentity · · Score: 3, Funny

    "As a Canadian, I've never voted with anything other than a paper ballot, and I have never had a reason to question the voting process as a result."

    America is the land of opportunity, like the opportunity to question the integrity of the voting process! I hope I've answered your question.