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Compuware testing ohio machines Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
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Voting Machines
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The state's 88 counties must have new voting systems in place by the November 2004 presidential election, but elections officials want some counties to try them in the March primary, Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell's office says.
The state Controlling Board on Monday unanimously approved a $170,000 contract with Compuware Corp., one of two companies that will test the new systems' security.
Once security checks are complete, likely by mid-November, county boards of election will get one month to select a system from one of four vendors. Blackwell's office said 16 or 17 counties could have them in place by the March 2 primary.
"There will be plenty of time for them to do everything they need," said David Kennedy, a lobbyist for Blackwell's office.
Detroit-based Compuware was chosen to replace Science Application International Corp. of San Diego. Blackwell's office disqualified SAIC because it had a conflict resulting from an investment tied to one of the vendors whose machines it would be evaluating, Kennedy said.
"They never were under contract. They disclosed a financial interest in one of the qualified election vendors. Because of that disclosure, Secretary of State Blackwell felt the need to look for another vendor," Blackwell spokesman Carlo LoParo said.
Four vendors were chosen to supply new electronic or optical scan systems: Diebold Elections Systems; Election Systems & Software; Maximus/Hart Intercivic/DFM Associates; and Sequoia Voting Systems.
Compuware will check the new systems for computer security codes, the potential for tampering and other possible points of failure, Blackwell's office said in its request to the Controlling Board.
The federal Help America Vote Act is paying for the changes. Ohio is in line to get $155 million of the $3.9 billion that Congress appropriated to upgrade voting systems nationwide. Ohio so far has received $41 million and another $32 million is expected soon, Kennedy said.
Congress authorized the spending after the 2000 presidential election, when disputes over punch card ballots in Florida threw the election into court. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, ruled that George W. Bush, a Republican, was the winner over Al Gore, a Democrat.
When Congress passed the act, 69 Ohio counties used punch-card ballots and two used mechanical lever machines. Several counties are making the switch to electronic touch-pad or optical scan machines, which read pencil marks made next to voters' choices.
The new systems are designed to eliminate voter error, LoParo said. Error can be caused by overvotes for the same office, and the punch-card and lever systems don't always catch them.
Electronic and optical scan machines can be designed to refuse to accept ballots with errors and allow voters to recast them, LoParo said.
The new systems also require a paper ballot trail so ballots that are challenged can be audited.
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On the Net:
Secretary of State: http://www.state.oh.us/sos
Controlling Board:
http://www.obm.ohio.gov/information/ControllingBoard/ControllingBoard.asp
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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