The Danger of Touch Screen Voting

[chequita guevara]

"[W]e need to make sure the press never finds out this because we don't want them to know we have a problem."

"We just didn't want a document floating around saying the election industry is in trouble, so they decided to put together a lobbying campaign."

Walden O'Dell, the CEO of Diebold, is a major fundraiser for President Bush. In a letter to fellow Republicans, O'Dell said that he was "COMMITTED TO HELPING OHIO DELIVER ITS ELECTORAL VOTES TO THE PRESIDENT NEXT YEAR."

The problem is this: the touch screen voting systems that California and many other states aer planning to use have a MAJOR security flaw. The data isn't secure. Anyone can go in using MS Access and change the voting results. In fact, if you know what you're doing, you can do it over the internet!

The story is here. You'll have to go through an advert to have access to it. Do it. Your democracy depends on this info getting out.

[Ecthy]

I bet you benefit from every click on that advert.

[Garth Vader]

The other problem is that the voting software is closed source and there is NO paper trail. You have no proof that your vote was counted properly, and no recourse if it wasn't.

[Harry Seldon]

Do you read anything besides Salon? I prefer http://www.americanfreepress.net/ myself, or http://propagandamatrix.com

[Japher]

They should electronic signature validated software. There's a lot out there, many GMP facilities use one type or another...

[Richard Bruns]

That's scary, and they seem to provide a decent amount of proof. I remember thinking as I voted last election that I had no way of knowing how my vote was really counted.

But then, paper ballot boxes get stuffed too, and it is hard to prove that they have been stuffed.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Harry Seldon
Do you read anything besides Salon?

It depends. Salon is a reputable new magainze.

[Harry Seldon]

Fair enough. For my two cents:
I think that if votes are going to be tampered with, they will be tampered with. Technology is just a means to an end.

[chequita guevara]

Here's the thing. Most of these companies are owned by Republicans. There were serious problems with the election in Georgia and there were six surprise outcomes, all benefitting Repiblicans, including the defeat of one incumbant with an 11 point lead.

[The Andy-Man]

good, maybe this will stop the damn reds getting in

[Ming]

Tampering is an art form in Chicago. They can "find" an extra million votes whenever the Dems need them

[Harry Seldon]

In Alabama they just keep sending 'em to the polls. It's one of the activities we pride ourselves on equal opportunity.

[rah]

A surprise outcome does not prove anything. And I'm sure you'll find that most CEOs are Republicans.

And how are the dead in chicago going to vote using touch screen? But I'm sure the Dems will figure it out.

[Immortal Wombat]

And how are the dead in chicago going to vote using touch screen?

If the mountain won't go to Mohammed...

[mrmitchell]

In fact, if you know what you're doing, you can do it over the internet!

However, fortunately, most people who know what they're doing will spend their time changing Bush's middle name to 'Abigail' anyways.