Punch cards used for voting got bad press in the last presidential election. Now, everybody seems to be clamoring for the use of "touch screens" for voting. Let me point out a few facts:

1. I have worked with computers and data gathering since computers were made using vacuum tubes for such applications as collecting weather data, and recording data for long distance telephone calls.

   The last is interesting because the "originate" and "terminate" times were recorded using a "Calculagraph" which stamped an image of a clock on the card, the originating and terminating numbers were penciled in on the card to be "Mark Sensed". Later the time stamps were penciled in, by humans. Then, the graphite pencil marks were read by electrical conductivity and punched into the same card, using an IBM 519. This was accurate enough for telephone billing for years. And by law these original cards had to be kept, as legal records for several years. (As I recall it was seven years, but I am not sure of the exact law.) The weakness was first: the human error, and second the detection of the pencil graphite; but rarely if ever the punched holes.

2. I have seen no medium more reliable, longer life, more difficult to alter, and more verifiable than the punched card. And they can be hand signed, so any changes would amount to forgery. With little care they keep their data for literally thousands of years, and can be read hundreds of times. No other computer media can come anywhere near this durability and reliability, punched paper tape could come close; but in my experience it is far to susceptible to human miss-handling.
3. A simple hand powered card punch would cost far less than any "Touch Screen" and it does not require electrical power and could be used in the most remote locations. The punch should be a real punch, not something little more than a paper clip that helps already punched chads fall out. It would need to have only one punch and die, and the punched medium could be positioned where the hole is wanted. Has anyone seen the old hand punches train conductors used to use?
4. Any electronic computer data can be modified, and with a little forethought evidence of the modification can be eliminated.
5. I believe if "touch screens" are used for voting, for 100 million dollars I can make the election results turn out any way you desire. (That price is to hire a few good hackers, and give them enough they can live in exile.)