Pocono News Section

Group Pickets Commissioners Over New Voting Machines

Group Pickets Commissioners Over New Voting Machines - Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 2:51PM EST

Reported by: David DeCosmo
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 @02:51pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- The Lackawanna County Commissioners are taking some flack for their selection of new electronic voting machines.

Several members of a group called Operation Democracy set up a picket line at the County Administration Building on Tuesday morning. Those individuals want some sort of voting machine that offers what they call 'a paper trail' so that election results can be rechecked after an election.

The county was forced to pick some new type of voting machine after the electronic units they purchased two years ago were de-certified by the State. The Board of Commissioners have selected another electronic voting machine and plan to buy 600 units with money from a 1.7 million dollar state grant.

The new machines are expected to be delivered early next month. The county will then need time to train poll workers and the public in the use of the new voting machines.