Letter to Atlanta Paper

[Jose Diablo]

From a news article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution dated 7/25/03
we hear Michael Barnes of the Georgia Election Committee report:

“A state election official said Thursday he is "very confident" in the security of Georgia's new touch-screen voting system, despite a study that concluded it is highly vulnerable to fraud.”

I wonder how this follows what is reported in the Boston Globe dated 8/2/03:

“Representatives from Diebold, which sells both systems, told the council that Boston was better off with the optical scanners. John Silvestro, president of the company, said the optical scanning system reduces lines at polling places and helps preserve the integrity of elections by leaving a paper ''audit trail.'' He also said the touch-screen system would cost the city about six times as much money, and that companies like his are still working the kinks out of the touch-screen machines, a newer technology.”

Maybe the Diebold representatives should get their stories straight.

I have wondered why the good people of Georgia selected Chambliss over Max Cleland in the 2002 Senatorial race. I remember Chambliss running a ad showing a picture of Osama ben Laden, Sadam Hussien and Max Cleland together. Implying Max was ‘soft’ on terrorism.

Isn’t Max the guy with no legs, left them in ‘nam?

I ask myself how voters could have selected ‘chickenhawk’ Chambliss over Max Cleland.

Maybe the voters didn’t. But we will never know will we, because there is no ‘paper’ trail.

[Prodemsouth]

1. They don't want to admit- they were not doing their job.

Recall Cathy Cox, GA. Sec of State!!

[Rose Siding]

2. Send the Globe quote and link to the AJC

And send it to the GA Election Committee!

They should be clobbered with it. Welcome to DU, JellyBean :hi:

[Jose Diablo]

3. I sent this letter to AJC

n/t

[Rose Siding]

5. Oh. Great!

I thought you read it there. Sometimes folks post letters that they read in the paper this way.

[burned]

4. Max Cleland

Lost two legs and an arm in a grenade accident in vietnam.

He's still really pissed that he 'lost', and so am I.

Chambliss's ads were disgusting.

[newyawker99]

6. Hi burned!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[DEMActivist]

7. Let's bury the AJC in email

I have personally sent Colin Campbell and Jay Bookman at the AJC letters every week begging them to cover this story. Months and months of unanswered letters.....

How about we bury them this time?

[e-mail]
[e-mail]

Will you help?

[Jose Diablo]

10. Uh..I sent it to cynthia..

the editor. Should I have sent it elsewhere?

[DEMActivist]

8. AJC's Jay Bookman on 2/9/03 live chat

Jay Bookman: The move toward electronic voting, with its lack of a paper trail, has raised the fear in some that the system can be fixed and manipulated to produce a certain outcome. I've looked into it a bit, enough to satisfy myself that based on available evidence it is a nonissue. There is absolutely no indication that anything of that sort has taken place. That's why you haven't read much about it in this or other newspapers.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/ajclive

[gristy]

9. thanks for the info, Jellybean!

Welcome to DU! :hi:

The link to the article Jellybean refers to is
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/214/metro/Menino_OK_s_new_voting_machines+.shtml

That is an amazing quote from the Diebold president. So amazing, in fact, I repeat it here:

Representatives from Diebold, which sells both systems, told the council that Boston was better off with the optical scanners. John Silvestro, president of the company, said the optical scanning system reduces lines at polling places and helps preserve the integrity of elections by leaving a paper ''audit trail.'' He also said the touch-screen system would cost the city about six times as much money, and that companies like his are still working the kinks out of the touch-screen machines, a newer technology.

Hey you Boston folk: write some letters or make some calls, thanking them for making the right decision!

Mayor: Thomas M. Menino
Secretary of the Commonwealth: William F. Galvin
Elections Department Head: Nancy Lo