Regarding recent articles about voting methods, Chatham County, like many other counties, is faced with having to buy new voting machines. For once, 1) the fairest thing to do, 2) the right thing to do, 3) the least complex thing to do, and 4) the least expensive thing to do, coincide!

Surely it is crystal clear that the optical scan voting machines:

1) Are the simplest; 2) require the least maintenance; 3) have citizen-marked paper ballots which make transparent re-count possible, if necessary; 4) require only one machine for each polling place and 5) are the least expensive.

The touch screen voting machines:

1) Require a voting machine for each voting booth (for my polling place this would mean six machines rather than the one required for the optical scan system); 2) require a new, air-conditioned facility to store them; 3) create significantly higher maintenance costs; 4) use a machine-marked ballot, rather than citizen-marked ballot system; 5) need more difficult on-site testing; 6) are much more expensive.

We are hoping that state Board of Elections members and our county commissioners will not be misled by self-serving pressures and will come to the same conclusion.

Margaret Fallers

Chapel Hill