Website Exploring Electronic Voting Machines Launched by ProCon.org

Santa Monica, CA (PRWEB) September 5, 2006

Electronic voting machines were first used in the United States in 1975. In 2004 they were used by 29.5% of all U.S. voters, thereby passing punch card ballots and lever machines for the first time ever. Their use remains controversial, and proponents and opponents continue to debate concerns over security, accuracy, accountability, cost, and efficiency, among other issues. As more and more counties and local governments weigh their voting method options for the 2006 primaries and the 2008 presidential election, the debate has heated up, become highly partisan, and taken national prominence.

ProCon.org, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in California, has invested hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars into a nonpartisan exploration of the pros and cons of electronic voting machines. The result is a free website http://www.VotingMachinesProCon.org that provides simple responses to dozens of specific questions about electronic voting machines. Examples include:

• Are electronic voting systems vulnerable to hacking?
• Should electronic voting machines have voter verified paper audit trails (VVPAT)?
• Do poll workers receive adequate training to facilitate elections conducted on electronic voting machines?

Each question has at least three pro and three con responses from various experts along with a brief biography of that individual or organization so that readers can put the pro-con statements in greater context.

The website also contains unique resources such as:

• Comparison of electronic voting machines to slot machines
• Timeline and graphs of Voting systems used in U.S. Presidential elections since 1980
• Little Known Facts about Electronic Voting Machines

Managing Editor, Kamy Akhavan, says “Some people are convinced that electronic voting machines will fundamentally change democracy for the better by forever eliminating the possibility of hanging and dimpled chads, time-consuming recounts, and non-ADA compliant voting access. Many opponents, however, are convinced that electronic voting machines are hack-able technologies, error-prone, and introduce a lack of transparency from private corporations involved in America’s democratic voting process. We are pleased to launch Voting Machines ProCon.org at a time when claims from both sides run rampant and a credible neutral perspective is desperately needed.”

For more information visit http://www.votingmachinesprocon.org or contact the Managing Editor.

About ProCon.org

ProCon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit corporation that has no government affiliations of any kind.

ProCon.org’s purpose is educational, and it does not express opinions on its research projects. Instead, ProCon.org researches issues that are complicated and important and works to present them in a balanced, comprehensive and straight forward pro-con format.

The organization formed in 2004, and has since brought its unique pro-con perspective to a variety of controversial issues including medical marijuana, the war in Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the ACLU, the origins of sexual orientation, the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance, and others.

Contact:

Kamy Akhavan kamy (at) procon.org

Managing Editor, ProCon.org

http://www.procon.org
233 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 200

Santa Monica, CA 90401

Tel: 310-587-1407

Fax: 310-393-2471

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