An open letter to TimesLedger Newspapers columnist Bill Lewis:
This is 2012. Many years ago, we sent a man to the moon. We have developed search engines and new technologies and a computerized society that knows everything about everything.
But we cannot produce a voting machine that allows you to pull a lever and verify the correct vote with ease. Instead, it makes you mark paper ballots, leave the sanctity of the voting booth and hope that the scanner says you marked everything correctly. If not, go back and do it again.
By the way, this reasoning also applies to why, in the year 2012, we cannot figure out how some kids can read their diplomas and other cannot. If you call me back, I will tell you why.
Another area for a fascinating column would be totaling up the amount of money each of the four Democrats seeking their party’s nomination in the 6th Congressional District seat race raised. Divide the actual money spent by their total votes and see how much it cost per vote for each of the four candidates.
Also, total up the full amount that all four candidates spent divided by the total vote of all four and figure out how much it cost for each vote cast. Add the cost of inspectors and hidden monies spent, but not reported, and we can all say, “Hail to free [?] elections.”
Kenneth Lloyd Brown
Forest Hills
