A Tangible Record That Your Vote Counted

Re “Electronic Voting Receipts Urged,” May 6: What is the point of asking for expert advice and then ignoring it? As a voter who is software systems savvy, I will never trust electronic voting systems that don’t have a backup paper system, are “highly vulnerable to hackers” and lack “security safeguards.”

I am appalled that system testing has not included independent verification and validation, and that detected problems have not been rectified. Billions have been spent to upgrade voting systems with the Help America Vote Act, yet the systems are faulty and prone to election tampering. Suspect election systems will lead to even more distrust of the election process.

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission needs to issue national standards requiring paper receipts, especially as they pertain to national elections.

Joan Forman

Redondo Beach

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If punch votes don’t work and electronic votes are unreliable and don’t leave a trail, what’s wrong with pencil and paper, which worked well for hundreds of years and is more trusted and cheaper?

John Wilcock

Ojai