[KriegerGeist]

This is why I'm all for a hard-copy paper-ballot and indelible ink pen. The only machine or (multiple machines) are in front of the tables where the pollsters [from both parties] hand out the ballot to the voter after showing ID and signing in.

The voter then takes their ballot behind the curtain, dots in their choices and then brings the filled-in ballot back and sticks it into the optical scan machine...or one of the machines depending the size of the polling place.

No electronic computer machine with ether-votes only on hard drives. No old lever type mechanical machines. No chads or poking holes in cards...and on and on.

The optical scan machine could even have a readout to satisify the voter and polsters that the scanned vote was counted.

I've discussed with several friends about a 'spoiled' or a mistake made on a ballot. The solution was to bring the spoiled ballot to the polster to shred in everyone's preseence and then given another new ballot.

We even discussed ballots having a 'stub' on the card with a corresponding serial number that would be given to the voter as a sort of receipt. Only the voter would know their ballot's number. Their ballot could later be checked by the voter against a printed roster that their vote actually counted and how it was tabulated. Just like checking one's lottery ticket.

I know that even though wehad these good ideas, good ideas are never adopted in elections where the outcome is intended to be predetermined.

[bassmaner]

This is why I'm all for a hard-copy paper-ballot and indelible ink pen.

Even the Iraqis got this one right: 'purple fingers' anyone?

[KarlInOhio]

We even discussed ballots having a 'stub' on the card with a corresponding serial number that would be given to the voter as a sort of receipt. Only the voter would know their ballot's number. Their ballot could later be checked by the voter against a printed roster that their vote actually counted and how it was tabulated.

The problem with individually tracked votes is that I can then give my stub to my union boss (or to Karl Rove) and get my $10 for making the right votes.