Paper Ballots Will Return In MD and VA

cheezitmike writes "According to a story in the Washington Post, 'Maryland and Virginia are going old school after Tuesday's election. Maryland will scrap its $65 million electronic system and go back to paper ballots in time for the 2010 midterm elections. In Virginia, localities are moving to paper after the General Assembly voted last year to phase out electronic voting machines as they wear out. "The battle for the hearts and minds of voters on whether electronic systems are good or bad has been lost," Brace said. The academics and computer scientists who said they were unreliable "have won that battle."'"

Comments

Welcome to your local polling place...

[timpintsch]

Will that be paper or plastic?

Makes it sound bad?

[nine-times]

The academics and computer scientists who said they were unreliable "have won that battle."'

Damn those stupid, fearful academics and computer scientists! Always standing in the way of progress!

Seriously, though, what's the tone they're going for there?

Re:Makes it sound bad?

[Col. Klink (retired)]

To be fair, the people supporting the machines have done a pretty good job of showing how bad they are. Here's a guy "debunking" the myth that the machines are nefariously changing your vote. He shows that it's just miscalibrated, shows how easy it is to recalibrate, then shows how well it works after that (except that selecting "Republican Ticket" selects Ralph Nader).

This just in, we'll no longer be doing e-voting

[CrazyJim1]

And due to low voter turnout, we figure no one cares if we phase out paper voting too.

Re:This just in, we'll no longer be doing e-voting

[Anonymous Coward]

Future presidential elections will be done by a show of hands.

Re:This just in, we'll no longer be doing e-voting

[Anonymous Coward]

Until we phase out hands.

I want my money back!

[Subm]

I paid Diebold good money for thousands of votes in those districts in that election.

If they don't deliver I expect my money back!

Re:Random thoughts.

[east coast]

Oh oh! This will be like 9/11 times 2000. That's right, 1,822,000!

Actually, 9/11 * 2000 = 1636.3636363636

Re:suddenoutbreakofcommonsense

[Qzukk]

This story is nothing more than an "isolatedpocketofcommonsense"

I'd save your complaints until people start using the "suddenpandemicofcommonsense" tag.

Say what???

[HangingChad]

...to me it's interesting to note that all your examples are idiocy in America.

There are other countries in the world? When did that happen?

Next you're going to be telling me they all don't speak English as a native language. Everyone can understand English if you say it loud enough.

Re:suddenoutbreakofcommonsense

[snspdaarf]

In politics, experience is not necessary in the first person, such as "our candidate." It is only in the third person, "their candidate", that experience is a requirement.

Re:suddenoutbreakofcommonsense

[HTH NE1]

Indeed, there should be a comparison video of Sarah Palin talking around what periodicals she reads vs. Miss Teen USA talking about the global map shortage.

Re:suddenoutbreakofcommonsense

[Anonymous Coward]

I think "batshit insane" is a bit too mild a term.

Yeah, European here.

The European view of the US election, in Star Wars characters:

Obama: Luke. Young and inexperienced, but a candidate for hope.
Biden: Han Solo. Technically on the side of good, but a mercenary at heart.
McCain: Palpatine. Aged, evil politician, with undoubted experience but doubtfully the people's good at heart.
Palin: Jar-Jar Binks. Irritating as all heck.

Re:suddenoutbreakofcommonsense

[geobeck]

She doesn't believe in dinosaurs?! Even with her running mate's first-hand accounts?

Re:suddenoutbreakofcommonsense

[El Royo]

... would advocate ... I are good grammar using.