Throw the machines out

About a week ago, the Secretary of State in Ohio concluded that all of Ohio's voting machines were unreliable. Today, Colorado came to a similar conclusion:

Colorado's secretary of state has declared many of the state's electronic voting machines to be unreliable, saying its own tests show that the federal process of certifying the machines falls short.

Secretary of State Mike Coffman decertified three of the four equipment manufacturers allowed in the state. That affects six of Colorado's 10 most populous counties.

"The results today will have national repercussions across the country," Coffman said Monday during a news conference. "What we have found is that the federal certification process is inadequate."

The decision means electronic voting machines used in Denver, Arapahoe, Pueblo, Mesa and Elbert counties cannot be used in the general election next November because of problems with accuracy and security. A number of electronic scanners used to count ballots were also decertified.

It's time to dump these machines altogether. Frankly, what the hell was wrong with paper ballots? And, who cares if it takes several days to count them?