I submitted the following to the Virginia Board of Elections, because it seemed like a fun thing to do, rather than letting it slide.
While waiting to receive my voting card, I saw many people getting paper ballots. I asked if electronic voting was available. I was told that it was “strongly recommended” that I use a paper ballot. I said I preferred to use electronic voting and my voting card was returned to me. I brought it to the poll worker managing electronic voting machines, and when he escorted me to them he said “you know this is old technology, right?” He then took my voting card and left me to vote.
I feel it is inappropriate for poll workers to recommend, suggest, or choose by default a particular method for voters when more than one method is available. If one method is preferred by the state, that method should be the only one available. If multiple methods MUST be offered, but one is still preferred, then a sign stating “Electronic Voting Available” or “Paper Ballots Available” should be displayed, and voters should not be steered toward a standard method if they request an alternative method.
It was a little better worded when I wrote it the first time, but they require under 1000 characters…so this is 996.
Added: My friend had this to say: “Pollworkers are NOT supposed to suggest ANYTHING. Big no-no.”