Maryland's top elections official fights attempt to suspend her (BBV)

[Kadie]

Maryland's top elections official fights attempt to suspend her

By TOM STUCKEY, Associated Press


Last Updated: September 7, 2004, 04:33:00 PM PDT


ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A judge ordered Maryland's top elections official back to work Tuesday, temporarily overturning her suspension by the State Board of Elections until a hearing can take place.

Linda Lamone, criticized in recent months for advocating an entirely electronic voting system, has a hearing Friday on her suspension with pay - the first step toward firing her.

"Obviously, I'm happy to be back at work," Lamone said after walking from the courthouse to the nearby elections board office. "There's a lot to get done between now and the election."

Lamone has been criticized for the purchase of 16,000 Diebold AccuVote-TS voting machines, a model that experts have criticized, saying they leave no paper trail and are susceptible to tampering.

more...
http://www.modbee.com/24hour/nation/story/1631004p-9334936c.html

[lastknowngood]

1. This is repug shilling. The truth is she has complained about

the machines and is a Dem the repugnant gov is trying to replace her with a repug partisan before the election.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

2. Republicans are like the Nazis, just they are much more subtle.

[Eloriel]

4. She has steadfastly DEFENDED the damn machines

In Maryland BBV circles, she is loathed as a traitor to democracy (my words, not necessarily theirs).

What on earth makes you think she has "complained" about them?

[ParanoidPat]

5. Do you know who you're talking about?

Seriously? Do you? :shrug: She's f*ckin' clueless!

http://www.elections.state.md.us/about_SBE/press_07252003.html

<Snip>

Reactions to Recent Criticism of Voting Equipment - July 25, 2003

Linda H. Lamone, Administrator
Maryland State Board of Elections

Linda H. Lamone, Maryland's chief election official, expressed her, "absolute confidence in the Diebold election system" despite criticisms in a recent report issued by Aviel Rubin, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins University. Ms. Lamone points out that, "not only did the Diebold system pass a strict State and federal certification process, but it also passed the one certification process that matters most -- an election. The system performed flawlessly and earned the trust of Maryland's election officials and voters, particularly the visually impaired and blind voters."

The report contains several significant flaws that make its conclusions unreliable and certainly overstated. Ms. Lamone addressed one significant flaw by noting that, "the report only focuses on the technological aspects of the voting system and fails to take into consideration any of the legal or procedural checks and balances that Maryland has in place to safeguard elections. I am disappointed that Professor Rubin never sought the input of this office or Diebold when doing his analysis." Diebold has issued an extensive report finding flaws with the methodology and conclusions of the report.

Ms. Lamone also noted that the Diebold system has many advantages over other voting equipment including:

1. It is compliant with State and Federal law;
2. Through its audio component, visually impaired and blind voters are allowed to cast their votes in complete privacy (as opposed to needing someone to mark their ballots for them);
3. It is capable of displaying a ballot in multiple languages; and
Election results are compiled much quicker and with absolute accuracy.

Ms. Lamone also gave assurances that, "voters can continue to have complete confidence in Maryland's election process."

<More>

[depakid]

3. Don't just fire the woman investigate her

and see if there have been bribes, kickbacks or other illegal inducements- if so, then prosecute her.

[WarIsPeace]

6. These voting machines are beyond republican and democrat

People need to wake up to the fact the biggest issues of our time are above the republican vs democrat paradigm. The real battle of our time is Freedom Vs Slavery.
Republicans will tell you all day long its the Liberals who are the problem. Democrats will tell you all day long its the Republicans who are the problem. No one takes the time to realize "conservative" "liberal" "republican" and "democrat" are just labels which have "undefined definitions". Viewers are *instructed* who is a "liberal" and whos a "conservative" and theyre susposed to watch and defend their guy like its some sort of WWF wrestling match.

Im not a "conservative" and im not a "liberal", im just sick of these tyrants who are endlessly working to take away our god given rights. We need to wake up to the fact public relations teams are selling us the paradigm of republican vs democrat to keep us from realizing the real battle is Freedom Vs Slavery. I can assure you Diebold and Linda Lamone are not working for freedom. :)