Alabama electronic vote counting system law re "write-in voting"

[jody]

Code of Alabama, Section 17-24-3 says,

Requirements for approval of system.
(a) The governing body of any county or municipality or other political subdivision of the state may, in its discretion, by adoption of an appropriate resolution, authorize, adopt, and direct the use of electronic vote counting systems for use in all elections held in such county or municipality or other political subdivision or any portion thereof; and such resolution, a copy of which shall be filed with the Secretary of State, shall specify the particular type of equipment to be used and a procedure for implementation.
(b) Provided, however, that no such electronic vote counting system shall be used unless it has been constructed so that it shall:
* * * * * * * * * * *
(8) Provide a method for write-in voting.

If a voter exercises her/his right to "write-in voting", then how can votes be counted without a paper-trail?

Corollary question, how do other states deal with the "write-in voting" problem?

[NMDemDist2]

1. in NM you write it in if there is a write in candidate available and mark

the ballot next to "write in"

when the scanner sees that oval marked it actually diverts it to a different bin in the ballot box. if it is a real write in (not donald duck or mickey mouse or some such) it is hand tallied in the precinct and added to the totals

these are ES&S M-100 models mandated statewide by Bill Richardson

[PeterPan]

2. Two things

1. Alabama is using a statewide paper ballot optical scan system with AutoMARK ballot marking devices for disabled voters so the issue is moot at least for now.

2. All direct recording electronic voting machines provide voters the opportunity to "write in" a candidate. Its often cumbersome but it can be done. Whether that writein vote is counted or not is of course another issue entirely.

[jody]

3. Understand re Alabama. What would happen if a large number of voters decided

to "write-in" the name of all their choices rather than using a machine like Diebold's with attendant questions about whether votes are counted or not?

A legitimate, peaceful protest against electronic voting machines.

I believe in the contested Florida 2000 election, votes were counted if a voter marked a ballot for a presidential candidate and also wrote in that candidate's name.