Printers to be added to all touch-screen voting machines around
county
Morgan Hill – In preparation for the June 6 election, local election officer Robert “Pi” Silverstein is demonstrating to interested groups how the new e-voting paper trail machines work.
The new printers will be added to all touch screen voting machines next Tuesday when the polls open at 8am.
Silverstein, who’s been a volunteer with the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters for nearly 30 years, has been educating the public about the printers along with hundreds of other election officers across the South Bay to help voters cast their ballots with confidence.
The machines are manufactured by Sequoia Voting Systems.
The county has been conducting elections on Sequoia’s touch screen voting machines since November 2003.
The electronic voting machines have been controversial from the start, but a big concern for voters and election officials alike has been the lack of a so-called “paper trail” when using the machines, which debuted in Morgan Hill during the 2004 elections.
The machines that voters will use next Tuesday, Silverstein said, have been modified so the printer is attached. In the case of a question about election results, the machines can print the desired paper trail.
The longtime election volunteer said he isn’t interested in talking about politics, nor in encouraging people to go out and vote, which he feels is, in itself, “being political” Silverstein wants to help residents feel comfortable using the machines.
“I want them, when and if they go to vote, not to be intimidated by the machine,” he said. “I thought, if they have a chance to see how it works, even to try it out beforehand, they’re going to do a lot better come election day.”
Silverstein said he called the county election office and made his proposal.
He was allowed to take one of the machines and to arrange demonstrations with various community groups.
He has taken his show on the road to the Morgan Hill Senior Center, several senior mobile home parks and other community groups.
“I have had very positive responses to my short demonstrations, especially from those who actually did a test vote using humorous names to vote for such as Ben Franklin, Helen Keller and Albert Einstein,” he said.
Silverstein, who began volunteering for the county during elections in 1977, said he is still arranging demonstrations for groups.
The presentation does not take long, he said, though, if the group wants to “practice” voting, it needs to allow more time for the demonstration.
Any group interested in a demonstration should call Silverstein at 683-4319.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or at md****@*************es.com.
