New voting machines spur battle over write-ins

Thursday, October 26, 2006
BY SHARON SMITH
Of The Patriot-News
Dauphin County is ready to battle the state over when voters should be allowed to write in candidates' names rather than touch a screen.

Dauphin County has allowed residents for years to cast write-in votes for candidates whose names are on the ballot, and the county does not want to give up the practice.

But the Pennsylvania Department of State is warning Dauphin County and the rest of the state that the practice violates the election code, which requires voters to use the machine rather than write in a candidate's name if the name is on the ballot...

The Department of State is advising voters to cast their votes electronically rather than write them in if a candidate's name is on the ballot.

"If they write it in, any ballot cast would be void," Amoros said, adding that if it's a close election a judge will end up deciding whether those votes count.

The Department of State has been reminding counties of the provision, Amoros said. She wasn't sure if Dauphin County is alone in disagreeing with it...


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"This is a sticky situation," Chiavetta said. "Maybe it will end up in court."

NOTA-PA.org -- 'None Of The Above' -- sent out a news release and posted an advisory on PaCleanSweep's Web site asking voters to write in the names of candidates to ensure their votes count.

The group took the advisory off the Web site this week after learning voters would be disenfranchised if they did that...

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