One association official estimated the proposed changes could cost billions of dollars to implement. Officials from the organization are expected to meet with Sens. Punch card ballots under scrutiny Election practices have come under close scrutiny because of the slim margin of the Bush victory last year. That result was upheld by a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision based on a challenge to the vote count by Democratic candidate Al Gore. Ballots are then counted by computer.
Critics say that system is prone to mistakes.
On Thursday, a task force appointed by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush voted unanimously to recommend that punch card-style ballots be prohibited from elections by next year. The task force said it will tell the governor and the Legislature to adopt a statewide electronic system that would be designed to eliminate voter mistakes by next year's congressional and gubernatorial contests. The task force called for a statewide ballot system in which voters use a pencil to fill in bubbles next to their candidates' names. If there is a mistake, the system would reject the ballot on the spot and voters could immediately correct their errors. On January 11, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission heard complaints from black voters in Florida who said they were wrongly turned away from the polls in November's presidential election.