The article “Commission recommends Pennsylvania security measures for elections” (Jan. 29, TribLIVE) references David Hickton’s concern for Pennsylvania voting machines possibly being hacked, although they’ve found no evidence of hacking. Have they even tried to hack into one of the currently used machines?

That made me think that I’ve seen this argument before. Where was it? Oh yes, here it is, on the editorial page of the Oct. 10, 1999, Orlando Sentinel: “The great state of Florida, under our great county judges of elections, who collectively approved the greatest punch-ballot designs in history, will forever continue to require future elections to ‘be conducted with human-readable paper ballots.’ This process will begin with the great Presidential election to be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2000.”

So where were the Blue Ribbon Commissions in 2002 or so, when paper ballots were being scrapped, and the tidal wave of electronic voting methods overflowed the land? Did they ever ask, “What could possibly go wrong”?

It’s good to see that politicians and attorneys have learned a few things in the last 17 years and can now see that paper is the way to go. Even though we wasted $125 million on those darn ol’ non-paper machines.

What idiots required those electronic voting machines years ago? And what idiots are now requiring that we go back to paper? If you guessed lawyers and politicians, punch your ballot here > . What could possibly go wrong?

Boy, I sure am glad Hickton hasn’t yet started his campaign for electronic toilet paper. Ouch!

Don Carrera

Penn Township, Westmoreland County

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