Nassau elections officials were given assurances that they will have technicians on site from now until Election Day to fix faulty voting equipment for the handicapped that has already been delivered -- and may even get local testing to recertify the borken machines.
That was the upshot of a day-long meeting with state, and federal officials as well as a representative of Sequoia Voting systems, said William Biamonte, Nassau's Democratic elections commissioner, said.
Sequoia, with five representatives on site, was reviewing the condition of the 129 machines already delivered, of which local elections officials say only 23 are working. Biamonte said that he expects Sequoia to develop a schedule for return or repair of the equipment, known as ballot-marking devices.
He said state elections officials indicated they may be willing to recertify machines locally, but need to check with state elections board members first. Biamonte credited board co-chairman Douglas Kellner of New York City and board member Gregory Peterson of Nassau County for acting on the county's complaints. Another meeting will be scheduled for within several weeks to check on progress.
Rick Brand