California lawmakers have voted to restrict the use of hand-counted ballots in local elections, a move prompted by Shasta County’s decision to sever ties with Dominion Voting Systems. The county, which is controlled by a conservative majority, claimed that public confidence in the voting machines provided by Dominion had been lost due to baseless allegations of fraud pushed by former President Donald Trump and his supporters. However, the county did not have a plan in place for future elections, including the crucial 2024 Republican presidential primary. In response, the California Legislature, led by Democrats, passed a bill that limits the use of hand counts, allowing them only under specific circumstances such as in small elections.
Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, the bill’s author and a former local election official, argued that hand counts are complex, imprecise, expensive, and resource-intensive. She pointed to research that consistently shows humans are not efficient at completing repetitive tasks. The bill now awaits the signature of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.
The issue of voting machines has caused a division in Shasta County, a predominantly rural area. County Clerk Cathy Darling Allen expressed hope that Newsom would sign the bill, calling it a common-sense protection for all California voters. However, Shasta County Board of Supervisors chair Patrick Henry Jones threatened to sue if the bill becomes law, claiming that state officials cannot guarantee the integrity of the machines.
Pellerin countered the argument that voting systems are easily hacked, stating that it is illegal for any part of a voting system to be connected to the internet or receive wireless communications. She emphasized that California has some of the strictest voting system standards in the country.
The push for hand counts has been fueled by conspiracy theories surrounding Dominion Voting Systems and allegations of election rigging. Former President Trump and his allies have been urging county officials across the country to conduct hand counts, but few have agreed to do so due to the high costs and time-consuming nature of the process. For example, Mohave County in Arizona rejected a plan for hand-counting ballots due to its $1.1 million price tag.
Dominion Voting Systems has also been embroiled in legal battles with Fox News, accusing the news agency of damaging its reputation by amplifying conspiracy theories. In April, Fox News agreed to pay nearly $800 million to settle the lawsuit. A judge in the case found that none of the accusations against Dominion’s machines were true.
While hand counts are occasionally performed in small jurisdictions or as part of post-election tests, experts argue that conducting full hand counts in large jurisdictions with thousands of voters would be impractical and expensive. The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU’s Law School warned that it could lead to chaos and waste money.
The bill in California aims to strike a balance between addressing concerns about voting machines and maintaining efficient and reliable election processes. By limiting hand counts to specific circumstances, lawmakers hope to ensure that elections are conducted fairly and accurately while avoiding unnecessary costs and delays.
Original Story at www.ksby.com – 2023-09-10 16:27:43
