I am providing my comments as a voting systems expert. I have done work in this area for more than a decade and my research team has developed a secure, accessible and usable voting technology called Prime III that has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, http://www.PrimeVotingSystem.org, http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0738175 and see http://www.eac.gov/payments_and_grants/accessible_voting_technology_grant_winners.aspx, and multiple electronic voting system companies.

I support the comments of Jeremy Epsein, Timothy Kendall, Peter Birk and others that do not recommend the certification of the WinVote Direct Recording Electronic (DRE), but specifically any DRE that does not produce a paper trail. As required by the law, voting must be accessible for all voters. Therefore, I would recommend a move to universal voting machines that produce a paper ballot vs. optical scan voting that requires people to physically mark a ballot. There are many solutions available including open source options that New Hampshire will be using in 2016, ES&S has ExpressVote, EveryOne Counts, and others. Optical scan has failed, but has not received much attention. Look at Minnesota in 2008, specifically, the Al Franken, Norm Coleman Senate race. Look at 2010 Alaska Senate race with Lisa Murkowski (R), Joe Miller (R), and Scott McAdams (D). These are just a few examples of issues that occur with optical scan that haven't received much attention as a voting issue. 

Again, I strongly recommend a universal design approach to voting. Universal design approaches provide a solution for all voters independent of the abiity or disability. The law requires voting to be accessible for everyone eligible voter. I am happy to explain my comments in further detail if necessary. 

Sincerely,

Juan E. Gilbert, Ph.D. 
Andrew Banks Family Preeminence Endowed Chair 
Computer & Information Science & Engineering Department 
University of Florida 
P.O. Box 116120 
Gainesville, FL 32611 
352.562.0784 (V)
juan@ufl.edu
Twitter: @DrJuanGilbert 
http://www.juangilbert.com/