UPDATE: Bill passes in state Senate, awaits vote in Assembly...
By Brad Friedman on 6/5/2013, 2:09pm PT  

Not to say we told ya so, but... Rachel Barnhart of Rochester's WROC-TV just tweeted this: "Wow, state assembly intro's bill to allow NYC to bring back lever machines for primary."

...And then there was this, last night, from NY1...

It's back to the future for voters in the mayor's race this fall, as a source says the old lever voting machines are set to replace the city's new high-tech optical scanning machines.

A source tells NY1 a deal has been made in the New York State legislature that will allow the old machines to be used for the September 10 primary.

New York City Board of Elections officials say the new optical scanners are too slow to allow them to plan for a likely runoff in the crowded Democratic primary race.

A runoff is necessary if no candidate wins at least 40 percent of the vote.

It's unclear if the old machines will also be used for the November 5 general election.

The city spent more than $95 million on the new optical scanning machines, which were first used in 2010.

For much more on all of this, why NY is doing what it's doing, and what's really wrong with its new, oft-failed, easily-manipulated optical-scan computer tabulation system, please see our detailed report on all of this from March: "New York City Considers Move Back to Lever Voting Machines For September Elections".

You're welcome.

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UPDATE 6/6/13: New York's Amsterdam News reports the bill to restore lever machine voting in NYC "has passed the Senate, and the Assembly is seriously considering returning to lever machines"...

State Sen. Jack Martins’ office said that lever-style voting machines are widely preferred because of their ease and availability, as opposed to alternatives, which have been found to be prohibitive both in terms of cost and practicality.

“The new scanner machines were intended to move us forward, but unfortunately were a huge step back for many,” said Martins.

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Article Categories: Election Reform, HAVA, New York, Paper Ballots Legislation, Lever Machines, Election 2013