Those who can't do, teach

Secretary of State Nancy Worley (D-Alabama) announced on 27 May 2005 that she had selected Diebold, Inc., to provide Alabama it's new voter registration system. The system will connect all 67 counties with her office, which would be the new residence of the official list of registered voters for the entire state. Under the federal Help America Vote Act, this system is to be up and running by 1 January 2006.

Word under the capitol dome is that, despite making that announcement over two months ago and having only five months left to prepare and install the software and computer, no contract has been signed between the state and Diebold. This, despite a document from Diebold indicating that they would begin working on the project in mid-July.

Perhaps Worley was more prescient than she knew when she included in her comments that Alabama would have a modernized voter registration system

"[i]f we reach agreement with Diebold on the new statewide system ..."

The delay comes after Worley was criticized for dismissing the recommendation of an advisory committee regarding the selection of the new computer system. As the Decatur Daily reported:

"A 24-member advisory committee, which includes Democratic and Republican public officials as well as private citizens, spent more than a year in deliberations and unanimously recommended the partnership of ES&S and Unisys."

According to the Decatur Daily, State Representative Ken Guin (D-Carbon Hill) stated that

"... since Worley chose Diebold over the committee's wishes, she will get all the credit or all the blame, depending on how her selection turns out. "

Keeping Guin's comments in mind, I imagine that State Auditor Beth Chapman (R-Alabama) is watching these developments with interest. She has often been mentioned as the Republican favorite for challenging Worley in the 2006 election year.