Voting system is not in need of replacement

U.S. experience illustrates automated ballot issues, Marjaleena Repo says.

SASKATOON Saskatchewan’s Chief Electoral officer hankers after a voting system reform, which appears already to be in the works (SP, Oct. 26). His main argument for change seems to be that what we have is more than 100 years old, and for that reason it must be replaced by the new and modern.

Our present system relies on humans and their primitive tools of paper, pencil and ruler, while the new will bring us brilliant technology which will lift us from the backwoods to the bright lights of voting machines.

The ballots will be scanned and tallied by machines in the blink of an eye. (There is no suggestion that there would be a paper backup to correct the many possible shortcomings of these instruments.)

Mr. Boda does not even hint at the problems voting machines have had south of the border for more than 20 years in federal, state and municipal elections. The litany of serious mishaps by faulty machines, old or new, and glitches galore such as giving the votes of one candidate to another, have resulted in a loss of voting security.

The problems have reached such a level that people in the know are advocating returning to the paper ballot and hand counting. Organizations such as Verified Voting focus all their efforts on returning to the old, accountable and transparent system of which Mr. Boda has such a low opinion.

Would it not have been more responsible to list the known problems for all to ponder, before such a “reform” will be launched on the unsuspecting citizens (among whom some no doubt share Mr. Boda’s bottomless confidence in the latest technologies)? What we already know is that the problems are extensive, and that elections can be lost and won on the basis of flawed data which, unlike with paper ballots and hand counting, cannot be corrected even if suspected.

Mr. Boda’s dislike of the “old” seems to be based on myths: that voting is too cumbersome and slow for citizens, and that there are not enough election workers to be found, (and that those who are found are terminally exhausted after each election).

Having voted in every federal election and countless provincial elections in Ontario, Saskatchewan and B.C. since the mid-’60s, I can’t recall even one overly slow or cumbersome voting experience. Lineups, yes, but a perfect time to ponder who to vote for, and perhaps a chance to meet neighbours. Even if there would have been negative experiences now and then, I would have accepted a momentary discomfort in order to cast my vote, and believe most Canadians would do likewise.

As for Elections Saskatchewan not being able to find the 12,000 election workers required, I wonder why there would not be plenty of people who would look forward to earning extra money during an election: retired people, housewives, the unemployed no longer collecting EI, people between jobs, students, and others? Might it not be a problem with Elections Saskatchewan’s own outreach in recruiting interested and qualified people in time for the vote? Or perhaps the payment is too low and would need to be raised so the essential election workers can be found?

Mr. Boda enthuses about the speed and convenience of his “modernization” plan, but the fact remains that working with pencil, paper and ruler is still the safest method. It protects the sanctity and security of the vote in a way that no machine will ever do.

I hope our government will take a close look at what is being planned and will examine in depth the dismal experience of our southern neighbour. They might then conclude as I have: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

The fact remains that working with pencil, paper and ruler is still the safest method.