For Immediate Release:
October 31, 2006

Contact:
Susan Martin: 415-955-6120
smartin@pacificresearch.org

Open source software mandates and new “paper trail” requirements are risky and may disenfranchise American voters on Election Day

SAN FRANCISCO – "E-voting" machines are a safe way to cast votes on Election Day, but efforts to add burdensome regulations may diminish their benefits, according to a new edition of a policy study released today by the Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a non-partisan think tank based in California. Upgrading America's Ballot Box: The Rise of E-voting, 2nd edition, highlights recent evidence that finds using Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) devices are more secure and effective than traditional ballots. The study also offers recommendations to resolve concerns about hardware reliability, faulty software, and voter fraud.

“As we approach Election Day, there’s been a lot of attention focused on the perils of e-voting, said Vince Vasquez, PRI technology fellow and co-author of the study. “But American elections have turned a real corner with the widespread adoption of e-voting machines. With new security measures and high-tech features to aid the elderly and disabled, DREs have helped the country break away from its antiquated punch card past.”

On November 7, more than 65 million Americans will be able to use these innovative machines at the ballot booth. But as PRI’s study points out, some government officials and candidates for elected office have proposed new regulations for e-voting such as open source software and voter paper trails, which are unnecessary and may actually open up systems to new delays and security threats on Election Day.

Though some cities and counties have faced challenges with converting their election systems to e-voting, Mr. Vasquez notes that problems have been few and far between. Furthermore, responsible government officials can take additional steps to safeguard DRE voting, such as hiring experts to examine proprietary software code, conducting a competitive vendor bidding process, commission citizen electorate councils, and professionalize poll workers.

“Open source advocates and paper trail champions want to steer e-voting off a cliff,” said Vasquez. “Rather than demanding utopian machines and spreading conspiracy theories for political gain, they should re-focus their energy in a way that actually helps American voters.”

###

About PRI
For 27 years, the Pacific Research Institute (PRI) has championed freedom, opportunity, and individual responsibility through free-market policy solutions. PRI is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. For more information please visit our web site at http://www.pacificresearch.org/