Maine has taken an important step to strengthen democracy and improve access to the ballot box with the approval of a new law, sponsored by Rep. Hannah Pingree, approved by the Legislature and just signed by Gov. John Baldacci. “An Act To Ensure the Accurate Counting of Votes” is part of our state’s ongoing effort to make sure Maine’s remarkable and record-setting democracy grows even stronger in the new century.

This law is one of many changes occurring across the country under the Help America Vote Act, a package of federal reforms that resulted from the presidential election of 2000. The Department of the Secretary of State and Rep. Pingree worked together on this new Maine law, which will allow more voters than ever to cast their ballot independently and privately.

While many people may take for granted their right to vote in privacy, a confidential ballot has not been available for all voters. Individuals with limited or no eyesight, for example, may require assistance in reading and marking Maine’s traditional paper ballot. Voting with assistance is certainly preferable to not voting at all, but requiring help from another person eliminates the possibility of casting a secret ballot.

Under new federal and state laws, Maine voters with a variety of disabilities will be offered new technology for reading and marking their own ballot. Many of these individuals will be voting privately and independently for the first time in their lives.

Unlike some states, which are replacing their entire voting system with new technology, Maine plans to make the new technology available, but to keep its voting system otherwise unchanged. Under Maine’s current system, all voters cast a paper ballot, which is counted either by hand or machine. It is a system that works well for Maine.

Along with its promise of greater participation and a stronger democracy, the use of technology raised some concerns about election security. The heart of the issue is our confidence in the familiar paper ballot and our confidence in any new equipment.

All of these new voting devices, which are sometimes called Direct Recording Electronic voting machines or DREs, produce a paper record that can be audited by election officials at the close of the polls or during a recount. Some of the machines also produce a paper record that can be confirmed by the voter, while others use an electronic display for confirmation by the voter or, in the case of a voter with no vision, an audio confirmation can be used.

With the help of Maine’s new law, the Department of the Secretary of State will be working with the Legislature and local election officials across the state to make sure our voting system remains reliable, that any security concerns are addressed, and that new technology is a good fit for Maine. For now, that will mean limiting Maine’s use of this technology to one machine in every voting place and requiring official election results to be submitted on paper, among other safeguards.

Perhaps most importantly, it will mean making sure that local election officials and voters are closely involved in helping to evaluate new voting technology. The Department of the Secretary of State will be working to coordinate that evaluation over the next year.

If there comes a time when Maine wants to use more of this new equipment, the law requires those additional machines to produce a paper trail not only for election officials, but also for voters. The Legislature can consider changing the law in the future to allow more widespread use of this equipment if it wants to do so, but these safeguards make good sense for our state today.

At this point, there is no need to rush to judgment in Maine for or against the new technology. The machines are not required by law in Maine until 2006. Yet the new technology certainly holds great promise. Maine’s new law recognizes that we should not deny the right of a secure and secret ballot to voters who could benefit from new voting equipment. Greater opportunity for participation improves democracy not only for the individuals who will use the equipment, but for all of us.

Election officials and voters in Maine work hard to make sure that every voter can cast a ballot, and that every vote is accurately counted. With the new law, Maine is well positioned to continue that important work in the new century.

Dan Gwadosky is the Maine secretary of state.