Orange County, California, in trying to settle a dispute about voting improprieties, decided to consult with experts about tamper proof digital voting machines. Numerous experts told them the only way to guarantee that digital voting machines were recording accurate votes was by printing out receipts that voters could check.

In addition, a copy of that receipt had to be inserted in a lock box. The lock box receipts could then be checked against what the machine recorded in case of a dispute.

Does your community’s voting machines have a printed receipt?

The receipts don’t have to be cumbersome. A credit card size receipt could easily record a voter’s choices in condensed print large enough to check immediately. A much smaller copy of that receipt would be automatically dropped into the lock box. Both receipts are numerically matched and scannable.

The advantage of this process is that receipts could be randomly duplicated and checked  in order to determine that the voting machine is functioning properly... whether a dispute is issued or not.

Be sure to ask your local voting officials how they intend to secure accurate votes at any ballot. And if they offer digital voting machines, ask them whether the machines print out receipts.

Have your church, school or civic organization hire a qualified expert to check the accuracy of all voting machines and methods. Only you, the voter, can guarantee that our democratic republic is functioning as it should, and that all votes are counted accurately.

~J.D. Kinney, October 26th, 2008