Ballot Security II
The State of Texas is debating purchasing high tech security ballots, quite possibly from a single source, Authentix of Texas. Now, Republicans of many states, including Texas have passed many ballot measures designed to discourage and penalize voters that Republicans do not want to vote. However, for the purpose of this article, I will focus on this new proposal for ballot security that will actually focus on ballot security
Getting rid of electronic voting machines is great. All they actually tell you is their version of the results. Always get it in writing. If you have doubts about the count, you can always go back to the paper ballots and count the ballots for yourself. I can't help imagining a central voting machine in Washington DC printing out, "The winner of the latest presidential election is SYNTAX ERROR"
There is no credible evidence of any counterfeit ballots of any kind or amount in any modern Texas election. Such accusations are based on fear and the out-of-control imaginations of Republicans who refuse to believe that a significant chunk of the American people vote differently than Republicans
The security measures proposed are completely over the top and insanely high tech and unnecessary. These new security measures are more appropriate for a new thousand dollar bill
That said, the proposed new security measures are TOTALLY COOL. I love them. The idea that our American ballots should be covered with fancy security measures that we don't really need is so totally American we should adopt them for every American state. America is totally cool. Our ballots should be totally cool.
The cost of the new ballots is controversial. I saw an article in The Washington Post that quoted a price of $2.10 per ballot. PLEASE. Even I'm not that cheap. I've spend more money on day-old baked goods. I personally would sign off on security ballots of up to five dollars without any questions or objections. Please people, elections are only once a year. The price is not that important
The bottom line is that I would support this style of ballot security for my state. If I saw this type of measure on my ballot, I would vote for the new security ballots in a heartbeat.
However, no number of sophisticated security measures will ever convince Republicans that an election that they lost was secure or fair or honest. Any official or company that, in any way, certifies an election that Republicans do not win will be denounced by Republican voters as traitors. Sorry, that's just the way it is.