December 26, 2005

CA County Among Many to Miss Poll Access Deadline

Humboldt County, CA is likely not the only place that isn't meeting its January 1 deadlines under the Help America Vote Act.

"County Clerk Carolyn Crnich said the county will miss the date for two reasons -- the accessibility requirements for polling places have not been met; and the system the county has chosen to meet the minimum requirements set under HAVA has yet to be certified by the state," according to a story in the Eureka (CA) Times Standard last week.

The electronic voting system the county selected to improve accessibility -- Diebold touch screens -- has yet to be certified by the state and would require "further federal evaluation."

The county has been using churches and other private buildings for polling sites, the paper reported, and few are accessible.

"I would be surprised if there was any county in the state that would have all the accessibility issues addressed by Jan. 1," Crnich told reporters.

Read "County to miss federal election deadline," (Times-Standard).

Posted on December 26, 2005