Reply #13: Iowa: Culver Willing To Back Plan To Buy New Voting Machines

[livvy]

February 9, 2008


Culver willing to back plan to buy new voting machines

By JENNIFER JACOBS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

Gov. Chet Culver is backing down on his plan for updating Iowa's election technology after weeks of disagreement over how to ensure a paper trail for every voting machine.

Culver said Friday he is now willing to use state money to help counties switch to one uniform system with paper ballots.

Iowa's top election official, Michael Mauro, has been pushing a $9.7 million plan that would give every voter an actual paper ballot that could be recounted later, and would give every county the same equipment.

Two weeks ago, Culver called that plan "irresponsible" because it would cost the state too much money. He wanted to stick with a cheaper plan that lawmakers approved last year: spend $2 million to equip touch-screen voting machines, which have electronic ballots, with a special printer that shows voters their choices on a continuous roll of paper.

Watchdog groups, who distrust the electronic ballots and the printers, criticized Culver's plan as "chasing good money after bad."

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http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080209/NEWS10/802090336/1011