Machines need some work

Providence Journal: The widespread shift to new voting systems caused problems across the country last week. But given the potential difficulties -- more than a third of U.S. voters cast their first electronic ballots -- the midterm elections went far better than they might have. Officials must now focus on the upcoming 2008 vote, and vow to further reduce the kinds of problems that marred the last two presidential contests.
The bitterly disputed 2000 presidential race caused Congress to pass the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). It provided money for states to replace old mechanical systems with newer technology. Some bought optical-scanner systems that electronically read paper ballots. But numerous others acquired touch-screen machines that resemble bank ATMs.
These remain vulnerable to hacking, and undetected vote theft. Unnoticed computer glitches in these machines could also shift thousands of votes.
One of the main problems last week was that, in many places, the new equipment either failed to work properly or simply baffled poll workers.
In Indiana, for example, hundreds of voters gave up and left after computer glitches could not be straightened out. Voting-machine problems led hundreds of precincts in Ohio and Florida to switch to paper ballots. Illinois and Georgia struggled with malfunctioning computer software.
A few omissions
In many places, voters complained that their names were not to be found on the new statewide voter registration lists inspired by HAVA. (Among them was former President Bill Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, whose name was missing from New York City rolls.)
Old-fashioned human error occurred as well. In Bostonnumerous districts with large minority populations ran out of ballots. Commendably, William F. Galvin, the secretary of state, announced two days afterward that he would take control of the Boston Election Department.
More than two dozen states now require that their electronic touch-screen systems leave a paper trail. But the crude setup that has been devised (a roll of paper similar to what comes out of bank machines) makes recounts laborious. In disputed elections, the process could take days.
Clearly, the work of HAVA is only partially finished. New methods to assure the integrity of electronic voting must be devised. And more work is needed to match voters with the correct districts. The good news about last week was that turnout was relatively high. Improving the system is the best way to ensure that voters return -- and that their votes are counted justly and accurately.