STATE VOTING SYSTEMS MUST BE MODERNIZED - Calhoun Ahead Of The Game

(04/11/2003)

At least fifteen West Virginia counties are being forced to scrap their voting systems by 2004. Under a federal proposal to modernize the nation's voting systems and make it fairer and more foolproof, changes must be made. West Virginia will spend $20 million dollars to comply, mostly financed by county governments. "Calhoun is currently in pretty good shape," said Clerk Richard Kirby. "We went ahead and installed the Optical Scanning System and got ahead of the mandate. The commissioners were thinking ahead." The scan cards used by Calhoun are not targeted for change. Directly affected are punch card or lever machines. The state's most populated counties, including Kanawha, Ohio, Mercer, Monongalia. Berkley and Putnam must purchase new systems. New machines must be installed in the state's 2,024 precincts to assist voters who cannot read, said Kirby.

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