Wireless Use in Presidential Primary Draws Positive Reviews

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 19, 2004 -- Tens of thousands of Virginia voters who went to the polls on February 10 voted on a new touch screen electronic voting system. Based on initial surveys, over 90% of voters using the WINvote touch screen system rated it either "easy" or "very easy" to use.

Voter Beverly Knox from Richmond, VA stated that the WINvote was, "Little old lady proof. It was so easy!" Caroline County Registrar Roger Edwards said, "The voters in our county loved it, especially the seniors."

The WINvote, made by Advanced Voting Solutions, is the first voting technology to use secure wireless technology, known as WiFi. The wireless technology is used to quickly and securely load the ballots to the voting terminals and open and close the polls on Election Day.

"Once again, we saw the value of using our secure wireless technology to dramatically ease the burden on elections staff and poll workers on Election Day," stated Bryan D. Finney, Government Relations Director for AVS. "Our encrypted wireless technology is a significant leap forward for the elections industry. This technology saves significant time and county resources, while reducing the possibility of human error."

Kirk Showalter, the Registrar of Richmond, VA indicated her initial reports from voters and poll workers were, "Very positive. In fact, one of our poll workers told us that the system 'knocked their socks off."

Maggie Luca, Registrar of Fairfax County, Virginia's largest jurisdiction, stated, "I'm delighted. Everything has really been terrific!" Fairfax County purchased the WINvote last year.

At 8.9 lbs, the WINvote is the lightest-weight touch screen voting system certified for use in the United States. The WINvote is designed to allow blind voters and those with other physical disabilities to cast a ballot independently.

Responding to questions about the security of wireless technology, Mr. Finney of AVS stated, "Our wireless technology has multiple layers of encryption and other proprietary security protections. Importantly, the wireless network is not used to transmit votes, has a limited range of a few hundred feet and is only used for a few minutes at a time."

Finney then quoted a January 12th headline from USA Today, "The best minds in technology have looked into the future and it has no wires."

SOURCE Advanced Voting Solutions

Web Site: http://www.advancedvoting.com