Political Updates
Chapter Four: The Politics of Elections and Parties

Voting Systems, pg. 139

In addition to paper ballots and manually operated voting machines, Texas uses three different types of electronic voting machines. These methods include optical scan systems (like Scantrons), punch-card machines, and direct record electronic equipment (or touch screen). The accuracy of punch-card machines was questioned as a result of the controversial 2000 presidential election. A study conducted by the Office of the Texas Secretary of State disclosed higher votes (in which voters select more than one candidate for an office) and under votes (in which voters do not clearly select any candidate for a specific office) in those 14 Texas counties that used punch-card machines. Although Secretary of State Henry Cueller and many Texas legislators favored prohibiting the use of punch-card machines, costs of a replacement voting system were too expensive. Instead the 77th Legislature directed counties to phase out the use of punch-card machines by disallowing the purchase of new punch-card machines (except for early-voting equipment) after September 1, 2001.