California Removes Electronic Voting for November

The LA Times is reporting that the Secretary of State in California has pulled his support for electronic voting, a move that is likely to keep at least several counties from using some of the most controversial Diebold machines for the presidential election in November.

I'm actually waiting to hear what my state will do. I decided sometime back that rather than submit to an electronic vote on these machines considering the election of 2000, I'll apply for and submit an absentee paper ballot (in VT, most votes have always been done on paper or even by hand). As it happens, there's a significant chance I'll be traveling around election time so this move serves two purposes. If, however, we disallow "no trail" electronic voting, I'd make more of an effort to be here to cast my vote.

Mind you, ultimately, I think computerized voting will be fine. But we must protect the way it's done, and to have Mr. Bush push into law his "Help America Vote (for Me Whether They Planned to Or Not) Act" is ... uh.. worrisome. That's the word.