NH named in lawsuit over computerized ballot voting

Wednesday, Sep. 26, 2007

Concord – New Hampshire is among 10 states named in a federal lawsuit attempting to prevent the use of computerized balloting in the 2008 primary and general elections.

We the People Congress Inc., included New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner among those named in the suit, filed in New York. The group is challenging the use of computer voting systems, many of which do not provide a paper trail voters can check for accuracy. The group wants paper restored to the voting system as well as a transparent vote-counting system.

Besides New Hampshire, the suit names Iowa, Florida, South Carolina, Ohio, California, New York, Oregon, Texas and Illinois.

Doug Bersaw, of Richmond, N.H. is among the plaintiffs, one of whom lives in each state named as a defendant. He said New Hampshire's vote-counting procedures, which rely primarily on optical scanners, rank among the best in the nation, but he said that to get a true hand count in the state, a candidate has to request a recount.

"We have questions and we want a court to decide them," Bersaw said. "If a court finds our system is as open and verifiable as can be, we're fine with that."