Media

Contact persons for media coverage:

Johanna Neumann

(410) 467-9389

(410) 318-9294 [cell]

John Schneider

(410) 544-3605

(443) 994-6472 [cell]

Most Recent News Releases

May 17, 2007

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Gov. O’Malley Signs Paper Records Bill Into Law

Implementation next key step for securing Maryland’s elections

Annapolis, MD – The Maryland Election Integrity Coalition (MD-EIC) applauded Gov. O’Malley today for signing SB 392 and putting Maryland on track to enacting meaningful voting system reform in time for the 2010 election.

Delegate Sheila E. Hixson, Chair of the Ways and Means Committee and sponsor of this voting proposal for the last two years said, ”Counting of votes is a public trust. I am delighted that we can finally have the most secure voting system possible. We must also recognize Maryland’s organizations such as MD-EIC for their advocacy and support for the passage of this bill.”

“We are pleased that the legislature and Gov. O’Malley have taken this important step toward securing Maryland’s elections,” said John Schneider, a spokesperson for MD-EIC.

The new law directs the State Board of Elections to promulgate regulations for a new voting system that would create a durable paper record.  It would allow several voting systems, including optical scan, ballot marking devices, and absentee ballots. The bill would require the standards to be met starting with the 2010 election; but is contingent on funding prior to FY09.

“We look forward to working with the state Board of Elections to get the best system in place for Maryland,” said MD-EIC spokesperson Johanna Neumann of Maryland PIRG.

The Maryland Election Integrity Coalition’s research indicates that optical scan technology is the most secure and cost-effective election system when coupled with an audit provision.  An audit verifies the election results by comparing a random sample of paper ballots with the results of the optical scanner to ensure that computerized tabulation systems functioned properly.

“Maryland Election Integrity Coalition was formed to secure passage of verifiable voting in the 2007 Legislative Session,” said Coalition administrator, Mary Howe Kiraly. “We are pleased with this outcome.  We look forward to working with the administration, the legislature, and the State Board of Elections to protect the integrity of our elections.”

April 9, 2007

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Legislature Approves Verifiable Voting Bill

Maryland will switch to an Optical Scan Voting System 

Annapolis, MD – In the final hour of the final day of the 2007 session, the House of Delegates, which had unanimously passed its own voter-verified paper record bill last month, today agreed to a modified version of the bill passed by the Senate last Friday.  The final bill leaves the implementation of audit provisions up to the SBE and incorporates important safeguards for voters with disabilities.  Maryland will transition to paper ballots and optical scan technology in 2010.

“The Senate leadership was instrumental in making this happen this year,” according to John Schneider, MD-EIC spokesperson.  “This completes the work that the House began 2 years ago to provide a voter-verified record of the vote.”

Advocates in Maryland have been attempting to ban paperless voting in Maryland since it was first introduced in 4 counties in 2002, charging that there is no way to do a meaningful recount or audit with the current system.  Most states are turning to optical scan technology for this reason.  19 of Maryland’s 24 counties used optical scan before being required to switch.

“Finally Maryland will stop sinking taxpayer dollars into a voting system that is unable to provide a paper record for meaningful recounts,” said Gus Lewis, a Board member of Common Cause-MD. “We are very pleased with this outcome.”

“Election Integrity advocates have been united around the need for a rapid transition to voter-verified paper ballots and OpScan technology for Maryland elections,” says Gina Angiola, Board Member of Democracy for Maryland, an MD-EIC partner organization.  “This bill is an exciting step in the right direction.”

April 5, 2007

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Paper Records Bill Clears Senate Committee

Election Integrity Coalition Praises Senators for Advancing Voting System Reform

Annapolis, MD – The Maryland Election Integrity Coalition (MD-EIC) commends the members of the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee for passing an amended version of SB392, putting Maryland back on track to enacting meaningful voting reform legislation this spring.

As amended, SB392 allows several voting systems, including optical scan, ballot marking devices and absentee ballots and gives the State Board of Elections the authority to promulgate regulations. The bill would require the standards to be met starting with the 2010 election, but is contingent on funding prior to FY09, waters down protections for voters with disabilities, and does not address criteria for auditing elections.”  

“This bill is a good step toward securing Maryland’s elections,” said John Schneider, a spokesperson for MD-EIC. “With this vote Maryland is closer than it has ever been to adopting legislation that would require a voter-verified paper record of the votes cast in our elections.”

“This bill does not mandate one system,” said MD-EIC spokesperson Johanna Neumann of Maryland PIRG. “Research leads us to believe that optical scan technology remains the most secure and cost-effective system that meets the criteria set by this bill.”

If the amended SB392 passes the full Senate, a conference committee will likely meet to broker a compromise between SB392 and its cross-file HB18, which unanimously passed the House in March.

“Maryland Election Integrity Coalition was formed to secure passage of verifiable voting in the 2007 Legislative Session,” said Coalition administrator, Mary Howe Kiraly. “We are pleased with this committee outcome and will continue to work with legislators to pass strong voter verified paper record legislation this session.”

February 1, 2007

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 House Hears Voter-Verified Paper Record Bill

Annapolis, MD – Today citizen organizations including the Maryland Election Integrity Coalition and computer security experts, including Professor Avi Rubin of Johns Hopkins University testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in favor of transitioning Maryland to an election system that produces voter-verified paper records. Unlike our current electronic system, paper records would permit independent audits of our voting system and the ability to conduct meaningful recounts in close races.

Ways and Means Chairwoman Sheila Ellis Hixson is the lead sponsor of House Bill 18 – Voter-Verified Paper Records. The bill is almost identical to a bill that passed unanimously in the House of Delegates last spring.

If passed, HB18 would require Maryland’s election system to produce individual voter-verified paper records of each ballot and would require the system to be fully accessible to individuals with disabilities and language minorities. Additionally, the bill would require election workers to audit a random sample of ballots to verify that the electronic technology is working correctly.

Optical scan technology is a viable voting system that meets the guidelines set forth in this bill. Preliminary cost comparisons reveal that transitioning to optical scan machines would be significantly less expensive than the $55 million the state spent on touch-screen machines because 1 optical scan machine replaces 10 touch-screen machines. Long-term savings factor in as well, because annual maintenance and storage costs for optical scan machines are a fraction of the touch-screen machines’ upkeep and storage expenses.

 “With regard to cost, security or ability to hold a recount, paper ballots with optical scan technology are the best option,” said Maryland PIRG policy advocate and Maryland Election Integrity Coalition spokesperson Johanna Neumann who testified before the committee. The American Civil Liberties Union, People For the American Way, and Save Our Votes and other groups also provided testimony.

For more information, visit the coalition website, www.md-eic.org or contact the spokespersons. 

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January 9, 2007

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 Maryland Election Integrity Coalition Formed

Groups join forces to tackle voting machine problems 

Annapolis, MD — Today diverse organizations announced the formation of the Maryland Election Integrity Coalition. In the coming months MD-EIC will work with state lawmakers to pass legislation that replaces Maryland’s current electronic voting machines with optical scanning devices that rely on voter prepared paper ballots. Founding coalition partners include Maryland Public Interest Research Group (Maryland PIRG), Common Cause – Maryland, People for the American Way, ACLU, NAACP and others. 

“Accurate and verifiable elections are a core element of our democracy,” said coalition spokesperson John Schneider. “Unfortunately our current election system cannot guarantee these features.”

MD-EIC advocates replacing the touch-screen voting machines with a cost effective and accessible alternative that relies on a voter prepared paper ballot that clearly establishes voter intent, and can be verified and recounted independently of the voting machines’ tabulation system.

“Paper ballots with optical scan technology are the best option for Maryland,” said Maryland PIRG policy advocate and coalition spokesperson Johanna Neumann.

Separate paper ballots allow voters to verify their vote before it is cast and a random audit of paper ballots – comparing a sample of ballots with the outputs of the optical scan machine - would verify the scanner’s outputs. This system would cost between $10 and $20 million, the most cost-effective way to secure Maryland’s elections.

“Who is in office really matters for the environment, therefore ensuring the integrity of our electoral process matters to the Sierra Club” said Betsy Johnson, Chair of the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club a supporter of the coalition.

The coalition is working with legislators to draft legislative language, providing background and educational materials, gathering expert witnesses to testify, and researching alternate uses for the existing inventory of computerized voting equipment.

For more information, visit the coalition website, www.md-eic.org or contact the spokepersons.

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