New York City voting entered the 21st century yesterday, after the Board of Elections selected a high-tech ballot-scanning machine that will replace the creaky, lever-operated old ones.
Under pressure to meet a statewide deadline, the board overwhelmingly chose a machine by Elections Systems & Software that will scan paper ballots on which voters fill in ovals beside candidates’ names.
The machines have touch screens that allow voters to read instructions in different languages, among other things.
“There’s a new way of voting in New York City,” said Commissioner J.C. Polanco of the machines, which will be in place for the September 2010 primaries.
The machines — expected to cost about $6,500 each — hold up to 3,000 paper ballots in a locked storehouse beneath the machines.
Still to be decided is how the board will create a “privacy booth” to protect voters’ rights to a secret ballot.
ES & S beat out rival Dominion for the right to the $50 million contract, which will involve 5,000 to 7,000 machines.
Every county in the state was required to pick new machines, or face Albany making the choice for them, after federal officials sued the state for not complying with guidelines put in place after the Florida recount debacle in 2000.
maggie.haberman
@nypost.com