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Counties Required by North Carolina State Law to Replace their machines by January 2006:
Only Punch Card and Lever must be replaced. Hand counted paper ballots are not banned! Studies by computer scientist indicate that hand counting of paper ballots is the most accurate method of tabulating the vote. In fact, that is why we have precincts, to keep the votes in a managable amount at given localities. Optical scanners out-perform DREs when it comes to undervotes. DREs have 10 times the number of undervotes, and no Voter Verified Paper Ballot.
Punchcard - Cabarrus, Duplin, Forsyth, Onslow, Vance, Watauga
Lever - Chowan, Hoke, Scotland, Swain
Cabarrus
August 10, 2004.
Cabarrus County still uses Punchcard voting machines and the Board has decided to stay with the punchcard until the Federal Government develops it's standards. My understanding is that will be some time next year.
Duplin
August 10, 2004. Duplin Co is still using punchcard. We expect to have something else by the Jan 2006 date.
Suzanne W. Southerland, Director
Forsyth
August 10, 2004. Kathie Cooper, Director. She is considering paperless DREs. Want to lease Diebold TS (bad choice), ES&S (they don't seem to know what model) and also Advanced Voting Solutions (WinVote). They seem to be oblivious to the track-record of these machines, and do not care that the Diebold TS was de-certified in Ohio and California.
Onslow
August 10, 2004. According to our County Commissioner's, we will be using the old punch card system through 2005.
We are looking at optical scanners as a replacement for the current system.
Thank you,
Rose Whitehurst, Director
Vance
No reply yet.
Watauga
August 10, 2004. yes...we are using punch-card and will be replacing them by 1/1/06
Jane Ann Hodges, Director
Chowan
Aug 10, 2004. Chowan County still uses the lever machines. We are in the process of researching different types of voting machines, but are waiting to see if there is a consensus on which type of voting machine is best. However, we will start using new machines by January 2006.
Rennie Harrington, Director
Hoke
August 11, 2004. Hoke County used AVM Lever machines from May 1996 until November 2003.
We tested ES&S Optical Scan (M100 Tabulators) in 2002 for Absentee and One-stop voting; and opted to purchase this equipment for precinct use when it was approved in March of 2004. We used the M-100's on July 20th, 2004 for the first in the precincts.
We plan to add the ADA handicap adaptors by 2006.
It has not been easy to determine the best voting system, but we feel that a paper ballot and tabulator is best for the voters in Hoke County.
Caroline Shook, Director
Hoke County Board of Elections
Scotland
August 10, 2004. Scotland County has not made a change and will probably not turn lose of the AVM Lever Machines until we absolutely have to. We have tested MicroVote Infinity and Advanced Voting Solutions WinVote but aren't overly impressed we are not going to make any hasty decision.
Judy Riggins
Swain
August 10, 2004. Swain Co Will be using Micro Vote Infinity in 2004.
Joan Weeks, Director
HAND COUNTED PAPER BALLOTS NOT BANNED BY NC LAW OR BY HAVA!
Graham, Hyde and Tyrell Counties will be happily and confidently using hand counted paper ballots this November.
They will be 3 counties with the most reliable and trustworthy method is to be used. The NC Coalition for Verified Voting thanks the directors of these counties for fighting for the best interests of the citizens. | 
