High cost to meet touch-screen voting rules High cost to meet touch-screen voting rules (May 14, 2004)

Santa Clara County Executive Pete Kutras announced last week that complying with Secretary of State Kevin Shelley's 23 security measures to recertify touch-screen voting may cost between $1.4 and $2.2 million.

Shelley banned the use of all touch-screen voting systems unless they meet the 23 requirements or install a voter verified paper audit trail.

The county will not be able to meet the paper trail requirement before the November election, so the cost estimate is based on meeting the security conditions. These costs include the printing of paper ballots, poll-worker training, voting equipment and tabulations.

The county will continue to analyze the financial impact and recertification options, and report the results at the May 18 board of supervisors meeting.

-- Bay City News

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