Devices can smooth election (Wayne Cnty IN buys ES&S BBV machines)

[Bushfire]

"There's no way you could have a recount with this," Lower said about the iVotronics. Recounts were possible with the old voting method, optical scans.

The new voting machines come equipped with battery backup, and they can operate for four to six hours on battery power alone.

John Groh, senior vice president of Election Systems & Software, contends that, over time, the iVotronics cost less than the old machines.

"A DRE (Digital Record Electronic) will have a lifetime lower cost ... because you've eliminated the cost of printing ballots," Groh said.

more...

http://www.pal-item.com/news/stories/20030930/localnews/361911.html

They might as well tell you the article was written by ES&S, as it offered no opposing viewpoint. The paper serves the Richmond, IN area. It's a Gannett rag btw, and the writer does not have contact info available, but the production room does:

Jackson, Rich Managing Editor [phone]

[e-mail]

Feel free to let them know what you think.

[Bushfire]

1. My LTTE

Hello,

I recently read your papers article on the new iVotronic voting machines. No offense, but it seemed like a PR piece written by the manufacturer of the machines. There was no mention of the recent John Hopkins study that is critical of just these type of machines from one of their competitors. Will you write a follow up story after taking a look at the questions to pose to vendors written by one of the authors of this study?

http://avirubin.com/vote/questions.html

here is the article that I refer to:

http://www.pal-item.com/news/stories/20030930/localnews/361911.html

I look forward to your reply. I would have written Rebecca Helmes directly, but no email was available. Please share my concerns with her if possible.

Sincerely,

XXX XXXXXX

[alfredo]

2. Ask for a copy of the contract and the EULA

See who owns the copyright to the data created by the machines. Ask also what rights do voters have to inspect the process.

[Kelvin Mace]

5. Also point out

that SAIC's report also backed up Rubin, though the state of Maryland chose to ignore the report.

David Allen
Plan Nine Publishing
www.plan9.org
www.blackboxvoting.com

Diebold Voting Machines
We vote for you, so you don't have to!

[Maine-i-acs]

3. Where's Jimmy Carter when you need him?

Seriously ... we need some oversight when questions arise about automatic vote-counting machines.

An unscrupulous businessman could implant a chip in them allowing remote control of the data.

[Eloriel]

4. Or rig the software

which is exactly what they HAVE done, if you're talking about Diebold machines.

See http://blackboxvoting.com

LOTS and LOTS of DU threads, and a gazillion other articles and sites on the internet.

Welcome to DU.

Eloriel

[BiggJawn]

6. Local story about this yesterday.

I posted it in GD, but since I didn't include "Clark deflowers pre-schoolers" in the subject line, it sank like a stone...

Here's a clip from the story, available at www.wlfi.com click on "news" look about half-way down.

"But, Tippecanoe County Clerk Linda Phillips says there's a long line of security measures to ensure someone can not tamper with the system. And she says voters can be confident in our voting machines. "If somebody was going to tamper with that machines they'd have to break into the courthouse," said Phillips. "They'd have to break into the room where it's stored...which is keyed with two locks, the Republicans have a key and the Democrats have a key." Spafford said this kind of misuse can happen at many different levels. It could happen at the vendor, or where the machines are stored, or set up. (computer expert Eugene) Spafford says he wants to see independent audits performed on the voting software, but so far, no manufacturers have agreed to that."

Oh, my! TWO keys? And one with a Democrat, and one with a Republican?

And how many with the Janitor, and the building maintenance supervisor, and.....

Methinks the clerk here is none too bright about security...