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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/09/nyc-mayoral-primary-vintage-lever-machines-dusted-off

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NYC mayoral primary: share your views on those vintage lever machines NYC mayoral primary: share your views on those vintage lever machines
(8 days later)
What's old is new again – and again – as the New York elections board pulls out old-school mechanical lever machines for the city's primary vote Tuesday. What's old is new again – and again – as the New York elections board pulls out old-school mechanical lever machines for the city's primary vote Tuesday. 
The $95m electronic system implemented by the state of New York in 2010 used optical scanning to count votes, but long lines and assorted voting disasters prompted the board to haul out 5,100 cumbersome – but generally reliable – machines of the lever pull variety.The $95m electronic system implemented by the state of New York in 2010 used optical scanning to count votes, but long lines and assorted voting disasters prompted the board to haul out 5,100 cumbersome – but generally reliable – machines of the lever pull variety.
There are worries the decades-old machines might not make it through one more cycle, but according to Michael J Ryan, executive director of the Board of Elections, "it’s the only solution." There are worries the decades-old machines might not make it through one more cycle, but according to Michael J Ryan, executive director of the Board of Elections, "it’s the only solution." 
During our daily news meeting, some of us not registered to vote in New York (or in this country) were mystified about the literal clunkiness of the voting process, and wanted to know more about how these machines worked. So we asked our readers: During our daily news meeting, some of us not registered to vote in New York (or in this country) were mystified about the literal clunkiness of the voting process, and wanted to know more about how these machines worked. So we asked our readers: 
Responses were mostly positive. One reader even provided us with a video of how the machines sound (skip to the 1:40 mark).Responses were mostly positive. One reader even provided us with a video of how the machines sound (skip to the 1:40 mark).
It's good, tried & true, pretty safe. But hand counted paper ballots would be even safer RT @GuardianUS: Care to elaborate?It's good, tried & true, pretty safe. But hand counted paper ballots would be even safer RT @GuardianUS: Care to elaborate?
Have something to add? Leave your thoughts about the NYC lever pull-v-optical scan in the comments below. Have something to add? Leave your thoughts about the NYC lever pull-v-optical scan in the comments below. 
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