PROPOSED EQUIPMENT TESTING RULE SLAMMED BY EDITORIAL PAGES, CANDIDATES

Ever since the 2000 general election fiasco, there have been concerns about the intregrity of our elections, especially with voting machines which do not have a "paper trail" where the electorate can be assured that their ballots were counted correctly. Among those who have taken a leadership role in this subject is Leon County Supervisor of Elections Ion Sancho because of his efforts to insure that, in his county, the equipment used is the most foolproof possible.

Sadly, Mr. Sancho has been looked upon by scorn by many in the Florida Division of Elections and Secretary of State Sue Cobb's office because his work and questions has embarrassed some there. They are now considering a rule which, if approved by Ms. Cobb, would prevent county supervisors of elections --- all but one constitutionally elected officers --- from running tests of voting equipment that his or her county is using or considering purchasing without permission from the state elections office.

Some are seeing this for what it is, a threat to the intregity of the office of the county supervisors of elections, and thus to the very process. This rule would simply decrease voters' confidence in a process whose credibility is already rather strained. Sunday, the Tallahassee Democrat in Mr. Sancho's home county of Leon came out opposed to the proposed rule in a well-written editorial. And Monday, Congressman and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis of Tampa called on Ms. Cobb to reject the proposed rule.

“The new rule offered by Florida’s secretary of state will make it harder for local supervisors of elections to test the integrity and accuracy of voting equipment. We should be making it easier for supervisors of elections to conduct free and fair elections, not making harder to independently test voting machines in advance of Election Day.”

"Florida's locally elected supervisors of elections are responsible for carrying out free and fair elections, and they should continue to have the ability to thoroughly and independently evaluate the voting machines they are supposed to operate."

Amen, brother!