On August 6, New York’s Governor signed A 9363 into law. It repeals a state law, saying old-fashioned lever voting machines must be replaced by September 1, 2007. That bill had been introduced on July 26 and passed the entire legislative process in less than a week. The bill does not set a future date for replacing the machines. The new state law conflicts with federal law. New York officials are hoping Congress passes a bill this year letting them keep the old machines in 2008. Thanks to Election Administration Reports for this news.
The real question is whether or not the State will have to give back the money they took from the Feds to implement introduction of the machines. Once again, the New York State Legislature procrastinated to the point where they not only had to reverse their own legislation, but may have to give back already spent money. Somewhere on this site, there was a report about what one of the Presidential candidates answers was to the question as to whether third party candidates should be included in the debates. Someone asked, essentially, should a no name third party candidate be on the same stage with a senator or congressman? Here’s my response. The New York State Legislature is one of the places where these “highly respected” senators and congressmen and women eventually come from. Given their track record in governing the state, I think it’s imperative that we open up the debates to unknown, but new blood.