Panic in Annapolis
Today's Washington Post has this story on Governor Robert Ehrlich's proposal to switch from electronic voting to paper ballots. It's not the best way to approach the problem, in my opinion.

The issues surrounding Maryland's election actually appear to involve at least four distinct issues: 1) the elementary mistake of failing to bring authorization cards to polling places in Montgomery County on election day, as discussed here; 2) the human resources problems experienced in Baltimore and Prince George's counties, including the failure of some poll workers to show up on time; 3) the security risks surrounding the Diebold AccuVote TS system, addressed in the Princeton paper discussed here; and 4) problems with the electronic poll books used for the first time in Maryland's election earlier this month.

It might relieve pressure on polling places if some voters cast absentee ballots, as Governor Ehrlich is now suggesting. But mail-in ballots have problems of their own, such as increasing the possibility of fraud and coercion, as well as mistakes on the part of voters. Far better to fix the procedural and personnel issues that were the main cause of Maryland's recent troubles. - posted by Dan Tokaji @ 6:35 PM