As a longtime poll worker in Chester County, I strongly support paper ballots. Paper is much cheaper than expensive machines, doesn’t require regular maintenance, doesn’t break down on Election Day or cause long lines of frustrated voters waiting to use the limited machines to vote. Plus, there isn’t any need to deliver and pick up machines from polling places, or provide costly maintenance, updates and storage throughout the year.
A paper ballot easily allows a voter to discover a mistake, void their ballot and revote on a new ballot.
Paper ballots can be recounted as many times as needed, stored for years and don’t require expanded storage facilities, which also cost taxpayers.
Since paper ballots allow more people to vote at the same time, each precinct can easily serve more voters and cut down on polling expenses.
Westmoreland County is listed as one of 18 counties in which officials accepted gifts from equipment vendors competing for machine contracts in 2020 (Feb. 23, 2019, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale news release). Paper ballots are cheaper and more ethical. You see what you have.
P.J. Zalewski
Hempfield