The results of a statewide voting machine and policy test showed Ohio’s voting machines are unstable and could be hacked with simple techniques, according to study results released by the Secretary of State in December to Gov. Ted Strickland.

 “To put it in everyday terms, the tools needed to compromise an accurate vote count could be as simple as tampering with the paper audit trail connector or using a magnet and a personal digital assistant,” Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner said in a news release.

The $1.9 million study, called the Evaluation and Validation of Election-Related Equipment, Standards and Testing (EVEREST) project, assessed Ohio’s election procedures and voting machines made by three different companies. The study, which took place from September to Nov. 30, was developed during Brunner’s 2006 campaign because people she met said they had concerns with Ohio’s voting machines, said Patrick Gallaway, Brunner’s spokesman.

Brunner’s office developed six recommendations to fix the risky systems, including moving vote counting to a central location to eliminate points of entry, eliminating the use of machines that tabulate votes at polling locations and utilizing the AutoMark voting machine for voters with disabilities.

All ballots must be optical-scan ballots with paper ballots available for central tabulation and effective voter verification, and all special elections held in August 2008 must be voted by mail. Boards of elections should establish early — 15 days the election — and Election Day vote centers and maintain “no fault” absentee voting that enables voters to vote absentee without a reason

Athens County is already ahead of the game, said Athens Board of Elections Director Debbie Quivey.
“We already have the optical scanner, extra paper ballots and a high-speed reader,” Quivey said. “I don’t think we’ll have a problem adapting (to Brunner’s recommendations).”

The two requirements Quivey said she didn’t like were the centralized vote tabulation and early voting, but Athens will comply with Brunner’s recommendations.

“I think centralized voting would work for a larger county, but not for a rural county like Athens,” Quivey said.  “I think the 15-day voting would put a lot of strain on the poll workers and time. People can come right to our office and fill out an absentee ballot. Early voting would be time consuming, and you can already vote 25 days before the election through absentee voting.”

Brunner’s office will meet with Strickland to discuss resolutions Jan. 16, and they will also take the public’s comments, Gallaway said, adding they want to have everything ready by the general election in November.