Letters to the Editor:  Voting with L.A. County’s new system: ‘I really did enjoy myself. Honestly’

To the editor: I voted recently in Granada Hills and had a wonderful time. That sounds funny, doesn’t it? But I really did enjoy myself. Honestly. (“A new voting system in L.A. raises the stakes for California’s primary,” Feb. 24)
I have always been interested in new technology and voting ahead of the March 3 presidential primary election, and I can say that the new touch-screen system in Los Angeles County is wonderful.

After my sample ballot was scanned, information including my name and address appeared. I was good to go. I voted. I discovered that I could change any votes I cast and review all of my voting choices before I pressed “print.” Wow.

The workers in this voting center were welcoming and answered all of my questions about the new voting process. They assisted me every step of the way. Everyone was incredibly efficient.

The future of voting is now, and it could not be better.

Susanne Gordon, Granada Hills

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To the editor: Have the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or state or L.A. County health officials addressed the safe use of touch-screen voting systems? For a big primary during flu season?

I was astounded that the article beginning on the L.A. Times’ front page did not address what efforts are being taken to clean the machines between users. I see nothing about this in the recent materials mailed by the county registrar’s office either.

For weeks we’ve been watching coronavirus spread around the world while being told that the seasonal flu is a deadlier problem. In the most recent L.A. Times travel section, flight attendant Elliott Hester’s piece about air travel and germs began by noting a study found that “self-service check-in screens were the dirtiest surface at an airport.”

Of course many of us will go to vote prepared with our own hand sanitizer, but is that adequate? Public health officials should be weighing in on how to keep these new machines — and all of the places touch-screens are found — from spreading pathogens.

Carollynn Bartosh, Rancho Palos Verdes