Just this past year an election in Arizona fell victim to punch card issues. In a mayoral and city council race in Apache Junction, Arizona, two precincts inadvertently had punch card ballots switched. This resulted in votes counting for the wrong candidate. Unfortunately, the county election official, conducting the election for the city, did not pick up the error during the first count of the ballots. Free and fair elections are the foundation of American democracy.
Public confidence is the cornerstone of that foundation.