University of Connecticut Approves State's Choice of Optical Scan Voting Technology

A report released last week by the University of Connecticut (UConn) Voting Technology Research Center (VoTeR Center) commends the Connecticut Secretary of State for her choice of optical scan voting technology to replace the state's lever voting machines.

According to the report, optical scan voting technology is safer and more secure than other electronic voting technologies. UConn also emphasized the critical importance of tight physical custody procedures to ensure the reliability and accuracy of elections. The university has reviewed and approved the procedures put in place by the Office of the Secretary of the State to further safeguard the election process. Finally, UConn endorses Secretary Bysiewicz's decision to conduct a random audit in the 25 towns that will be using optical scan voting machines on November 7th to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the machines.

"The UConn Voting Technology Research (VoTeR) Center, including Drs. A. Kiayias, L. Michel, and A. Russell, has been working closely with the Office of the Secretary of the State in evaluating voting technology and advising on its safe use," said Dr. Shvartsman, one of the authors of the report. "We strongly support the choice of the optical scan technology that provides a voter-verified paper trail, which is inherently safer than the touch-screen technology. We are pleased that Secretary Bysiewicz took the initiative in asking us to evaluate voting technology and incorporated our recommendations in time for the November 7th election, including tamper-evident protection of the voting machines, strict chain of custody and post-election random audits. We are honored to be a part of this effort, and we believe that our state is among the leading states in the nation with respect to the safe use voting technology."

"Our partnership with UConn," said Secretary Bysiewicz, "and the assistance we have received from voter advocates like TrueVoteCT, will help to ensure the integrity of our elections, both in this year and in the years to come. I am grateful for this valuable expertise and I know that it will serve our state well.

"When we considered possible new voting technologies," continued Bysiewicz, "security was paramount. Optical scan machines are the most secure form of voting technology, and the fact that there is a paper record of each vote adds significantly to our confidence in this technology. Connecticut voters can expect this state's history of reliable, accurate elections to continue."