Mario, you need to do your research. Vote counting should be no slower. The paper ballots are processed by optical scanners. The advantage is that there is a paper trail that can be checked if necessary against the machine results. It may be slower to mark the ballots and feed them in, but the count should not be slower by much if at all.

Many counties are getting rid of the touch screens without a paper trail, for reasons that are obvious. This move is the right one to take.
barb | Homepage | 01.13.06 - 5:22 pm | #

Barb you are correct. Election accountablity is everything. Letitia Montoya, Demo. Candidate is an Outstanding Candidate for Sec. of State that is endorsing a paper trail Elections for New Mexico. Go Letitia Go. Eli Chavez, Independent
Eli Chavez | 01.14.06 - 11:18 am | #

Manana to most people means "tomorrow". Manana in New Mexico means "not today". There's a big difference in the meaning of the two.

That said, paper ballots didn't work in Las Cruces or Portales a few years back when boxes of them happened to be lost (hidden) in closets for days after the election. You can't hide or shred electronic votes.

I can only imagine Herrera and the kids down at the county trying to count a bunch of paper ballots when they can't add together the numbers printed out from the electronic machines.
Bob Cornelius | 01.15.06 - 11:57 pm | #

Bob, machines called optical scanners will be counting the ballots, not humans. You certainly can hide electronic votes -- go read the GAO report on this if you want the facts.
barb | Homepage | 01.16.06 - 11:37 am | #