State’s Election Chief Seeks $230 Million for Upgrades

The state’s top election official on Wednesday proposed several election system changes, including a proposal to give counties $230 million for better voting technology.

Secretary of State Bill Jones said that while no major problems were evident in California’s election, Florida’s ongoing recount of votes for president shows the need for a strong set of election procedures.

“Think of the thousands and thousands and thousands of elections in California where nobody has said a word. We have a good system, but it can get better,” Jones said.

The $230-million package is less than the $300 million proposed Tuesday by Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg.

The money would probably be used to buy touch-screen computers that voters can use to cast a ballot electronically.

Proponents of the computers point out that they are not networked and thus have a reduced chance of being struck by viruses or hackers.

Wider use of computer voting machines could prevent the double-punching and no-punch problems that have surfaced in Florida. About 70% of Californians currently use the punch-card system.

Touch-screen computers were used in early voting programs in eight counties during the November election.