The 2000 presidential-election fiasco in Florida forced politicians to examine common American voting practices.
The resulting Help America Vote Act required modification of voting machines for those counties that currently do not meet national standards of accuracy.
Salt Lake County was found in violation of such ideals. The federal government mandated new voting machines in place by 2006.
Proponents of the change argue that as systems age, the chance of failure grows until it is inevitable.
However, forcing Salt Lake County to update with such urgency is irrational since we are now adopting a brand-new system that may still have mechanical and programmatic inconsistencies.
Rather than rushing to meet an arbitrary deadline, Salt Lake County should be allowed to examine further updates with the careful consideration necessary to make the best choice for the people.
There will come a day when Salt Lake County will be too large for punch cards, true. But that day is not today.
To ease the change, the federal government has sent about $28 million to Utah-about $10 million to Salt Lake County alone.
Though the federal government has sent money along with its requirements, the sum is only about half of what is required.
Taxpayers are forced to bear the rest of the burden, a cost of $5 million to $20 million. This may increase Utah taxes in the future or divert funds from other needs.
Many voters consider such a cost unjustifiable, especially since our current punch-card system has yet to fail or pose significant inconvenience.
If we took time to discover the best solution, we will find systems without the imperfections replacement systems may have.
A primary flaw of electronic voting machines is they have no verifiable paper trail.
If there were a blackout or system failure during an election, we run the risk that voting records could be lost. Or worse-without documentation, election tampering can occur.
Printers can be added to the machines, but they carry an additional expense for the county. New machines also require extensive and costly accommodations.
The large machines need periodic maintenance and must be stored in specific warehouses when not in use. Machine technicians and monitors must accompany them to any election.
Also, it is not inconceivable that the technology may quickly become out-of-date, since computers are advancing at such a rapid pace in today’s society.
Electronic systems may also dissuade many from voting on critical election days. The technologically unsavvy or the elderly may feel too much pressure and confusion, leading them to stay home.
In many elections, these demographics drastically affect election results.
Politics must keep current with changes in society and the people it serves, but that does not mean rushing to implement reform without adequate funds, guaranteed results or need.