Attorney General's Office ATTN: LeRoy Gravunder PO Bo.x 12548 Austin, Texas 78711 It has come to my attention vou are keeping an open file on Gregg County. I would like to add an inrident to that file. During a recount of the vote after an election it can to my attention that the counters on the Voting Machines, we now use, can be defeated by pulling a bronze nin from the levers. Ibis keeps the counter at zero whenever a party lever is pulled. I initiated an investigation into the machines and several alarming facts were evident: I. The type Voting Machine we use is only 77% accurate. - ihe bronze pins being pulled out, or falling out, - can affect the outcome of elections. 3. It is easy to switch lever controls between candidates. using the same type 4. In an election in Louisiana, the machine with a machines, a man was caught "rigging" car door tool. I wrote a letter to County .judge Henry Atkinson requesL ing to speak to the Commissioners COurt. He refuc,:ed tO place me on the agenda until he had spoken to me. I went to the Commissioners Court and a verbal battle ensued between myself and the judge. When he couldn't get a vote to adjourn, he declared the meeting closed and walked out. The four Commissioners stayed to listen to my presentation. A new .--,-;ystem was tried during the Constitutional Election. Both Political Parties expressed a.desire for the new ystem. Public Hearinos were held, at the insistance of the County Judge. A total of 67% of the people at those hearings expressed a desire for the new system. A tie vote was broken by the Judde and the system was voted down. I have several enclosures for yp.ur information. Even though our machines do not comply with the lexas Election Code, the nw system more accurate 1J9.3%), it is much moreeconomical and it provides a positive recount system, we are still using the :1 cisys=;tem. There must be some reason tor continued use r4 the old machine? Any ac,:sistanre you can give us would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Bob Robinson 802 W. Fairlane Drive Longview, Texas 75604