LETTERS: MACHINES COUNT VOTES WITHOUT ANY SUBJECTIVITY

To the editor:

Elections come and go. But, as we are aware, this presidential election has sparked considerable debate. We all -- yes, even the Republicans -- revere the sanctity of every vote. Regardless of the outcome, existing laws should not be modified or set aside in order to ensure a 100 percent vote count. We should not be attempting to divine voters' intent. This can become a slippery slope indeed.

In a recent letter to the editor, Alan Journet equated the vote count with supermarket checkout machines. His analogy is flawed. The checker doesn't also try to interpret what the price could or should be. Perhaps Journet thinks the checker should evaluate the price of other items in the cart and then apply the probable price.

Voters are responsible for their ballots, a concept totally foreign to segments of our society. When Florida's voting machines were analyzed, they were 100 percent accurate with correctly punched ballots. Subjective analysis after the fact violates voter sanctity and secrecy and can only lead to potentates who refuse to accept the present outcome.

STEVE SHELTON

Sikeston, Mo.