Makipag-ugnayan:

Christy Setzer, New Heights Communications, christy@newheightscommunications.com, (202) 724-6380

Susan Greenhalgh, Common Cause, segreenhalgh@gmail.com, (917)-796-8782

Mary Boyle, Common Cause, mboyle@commoncause.org, (202) 736-5770

Ang paghahanda sa makina ng pagboto ay "nangangailangan ng pagpapabuti," ngunit maaaring gawin ang mga pagbabago bago ang Nob. 6

WASHINGTON – A lack of effective voter protection measures places South Carolina near the bottom of a ranking of states based upon its preparedness to successfully manage voting machine failures on Election Day, a new, national voting report finds.

The report, “Counting Votes 2012: A State by State Look at Voting Technology Preparedness,” was released Wednesday by three non-partisan organizations focused on voting – the Verified Voting Foundation, the Rutgers Law School Constitutional Litigation Clinic, and Common Cause. Despite South Carolina’s low rating, the report emphasizes that election officials still have time to make changes in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 6 election.

“After thorny technology issues in recent elections, South Carolina is on the cusp of transitioning into a more resilient voting system. In the meantime, there are actions that can be taken to prepare for the upcoming election,” said Pamela Smith, president of Verified Voting. “For example, we recommend an update to the current rules that restrict the quantity of emergency ballots at the polling place to ten percent of registered voters or less. Past experience, and the age of the current voting systems, would indicate more emergency ballots may be needed on Election Day to ensure voters are not disenfranchised.”

South Carolina can improve its election procedures before Nov. 6 by doing things like: upgrading its ballot accounting and reconciliation practices, which would be able to catch any machine errors; encouraging overseas and military voters to cast ballots by mail even if they have the option to vote via e-mail or fax; and ensuring that comprehensive contingency plans are in place (re-enforcing best practices from the secretary of state on down, for example).

Many states have neglected to address or prepare for voting machine malfunction, and in every national election in the past decade, voting systems have failed. In 2008 – the last presidential election year – more than 1,800 problems were reported nationally.

"Kung ang kasaysayan ay anumang indikasyon, ang mga makina ngayong Nobyembre ay mabibigo sa US at ang mga boto ay mawawala," sabi ni Susannah Goodman ng Common Cause. "Ang mga backup na sistema tulad ng mga papel na balota, pag-audit at mahusay na mga kasanayan sa pagkakasundo sa balota ay kailangang ilagay upang matiyak na tama ang mga resulta."

South Carolina received an overall rating of “Needs Improvement” based on its performance in five areas:

– Ang estado ba ay nangangailangan ng mga papel na balota o mga talaan ng bawat boto? (Kapag ang mga pagkabigo sa computer o mga pagkakamali ng tao ay nagdudulot ng maling pagbibilang ng makina, maaaring gamitin ng mga opisyal ng halalan ang orihinal na mga balota upang matukoy ang mga tamang kabuuan. Bukod pa rito, ang mga papel na balota ay maaaring gamitin sa pag-audit ng mga bilang ng makina.)

– Ang estado ba ay may sapat na contingency plan sa bawat lugar ng botohan kung sakaling mabigo ang makina?

– Pinoprotektahan ba ng estado ang mga botante sa militar at sa ibang bansa at ang kanilang mga balota mula sa pagbabago, pagmamanipula at mga paglabag sa privacy sa pamamagitan ng pagtiyak na ang mga minarkahang balota ay hindi naipapalabas online?

– Nagsimula ba ang estado ng pag-audit pagkatapos ng halalan upang matukoy kung tama ang mga resultang iniulat sa elektronikong paraan?

– Gumagamit ba ang estado ng matibay na pagkakasundo sa balota at mga gawi sa tabulation upang makatulong na matiyak na walang mawawala o idinagdag na mga balota habang ang mga boto ay binibilang at pinagsama-sama mula sa lokal hanggang sa antas ng estado?

In addition to South Carolina, five other states were ranked near the bottom of the list – Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi – while five states were ranked near the top – Minnesota, New Hampshire, Ohio, Vermont and Wisconsin.

“No vote should be lost in 2012,” said Penny Venetis, co-director of the Rutgers Law School Constitutional Litigation Clinic. “Technology exists to verify votes, and procedures could be in place around the country to make sure that every vote is counted, as the constitution requires.”

Election Day is more than three months away, and that leaves time for states like South Carolina to make simple changes in some of the categories ranked by the study.