Marcy Kaptur: “this evening I wish to talk about the elections of 2004 and how we prepare for them across our country, and I wish to…”

“this evening I wish to talk about the elections of 2004 and how we prepare for them across our country, and I wish to attach an article from the Cleveland Plain Dealer today entitled, ``Computer Voting Is Not Fool-proof'' and also a front-page story from the New York Times entitled ``Replacement Near, Old Vote Machines Are New York Issue.'' Computer Voting Isn't Fool-Proof (By Lawrence M. Krauss) Anyone who was not in a coma in November 2000 remembers the agony caused by the now infamous butterfly ballots and hanging chads. Concerns about the possible repeat of events almost caused the California recall election to be delayed. Following the election debacle in Florida, Congress became determined that in the next elections the winners actually would be determined by all the votes casts. Last October, they passed the Help America Vote Act in order to help states prepare for the next election. Unfortunately, the solutions being proposed, involving an assortment of computer-voting systems, may be worse than the problems they were designated to fix. We are used to depending on computers for almost every aspect of our lives, from governing our bank accounts to controlling our cars. So it doesn't seem highly radical to suggest computer-aided voting. That is, until you think of the possible problems. How can you be assured after you vote that the machine actually recorded your vote?”