BBV: Florida ... acknowledged as the most comprehensive and rigorous in

[Noordam]

nation.

Started digging up old emails from the time before Hillsborough County in Florida picked their voting machine replacement.

The then Supervisor of Elections, Pam Iorio, pick Touch Screens without a paper trial over other methods with an audit trial. IMHO this unethicial SoE then used the new no audit trial touchscreen to get elected Mayor of Tampa. Tampa Mayor's election was held after the 2002 election.

Call me a :tinfoilhat: but my numbers on the 2002 election lead me to believe around 12% of the "Jeb" votes in Hillsborough county were really McBride votes. IMHO the first test of voter fraud using touchscreens were in Florida with the 2002 election.

Anyway I was replying to a Florida Dem about Vote Trakker made by Avante system that does have a paper trial and dug up the August 15, 2001 email from Pam to me over an email I sent on problems with touchscreens without paper trials. I am including it in full for Bev and others to read, BUT I have bolded a couple things :evilgrin:


From:
Date: Wednesday, August 15, 2001 09:43:32
To:
Subject: Touch Screen Voting Machines


Thank you for your message. The following information is provided in response
to your our concerns regarding security and the absence of a paper ballot
when using a touch screen voting system.

Voting systems must be certified in Florida by the Division of Elections in
Tallahassee before they can be purchased. Voting systems experts at the
Division of Elections Florida accomplish the certification testing which is
acknowledged as the most comprehensive and rigorous in the nation.
This is what Pam was telling the County Commissioners and anybody that questioned her.
I wonder who was her source for the "most comprehensive and rigorous in the nation"
Consequently, if a voting system is certified in the state of Florida, it has
been extensively tested to ensure that it has the required security features,
operational redundancy and the accuracy to produce a successful election.

Security is fundamental to the election process. Touch screen voting systems
are specifically designed to include numerous security features that prevent
tampering or the introduction of malicious software while ensuring system
reliability, accuracy and the integrity of the votes that are cast.

Before touch screen units are used at the polling place, they are set up and
pre tested by employees of the Supervisor of Elections office. In addition,
the Canvassing Board performs a logic and accuracy test
this is easy to fool if the machine knows the REAL DATE
to verify that the
machines are counting votes properly before they are delivered to the polling
place. On election day prior to opening the polls, a poll worker uses an
integral printer built into each unit to print out a hard copy of the results
report that shows all candidates or issues for that precinct.
The system she picked did have a printer but it was not set up to print an audit trial
The poll worker
verifies that no votes are indicated on the results report before the machine
is placed into operation.

After the voter casts his or her ballot, the touch screen system records the
individual votes in two or more independent memory locations. The touch
screen unit then performs an internal cross-check of the redundant memory
areas. This cross check makes sure the multiple memories are identical down
to the bit level including vote totals and ballot images. Any discrepancy is
cause for halting the voting process on the machine. Next, an internal
recount is performed. This recount validates each ballot image and
recalculates the summary totals from the ballot image data. Any mismatch
between the ballot image totals and the summary total counters will be
detected. After the successful cross-check, the machine can be activated for
use by the next voter.

If a machine malfunctions during the day, the voter and poll worker are
notified and it is taken out of service. The votes cast up until the point of
failure are saved in the redundant flash memory locations so they are not
lost.

After the polls close, a poll worker uses the integral printer to print out
the results from each touch screen unit. The paper copy of the results and
the electronic cartridge from each machine are sent to the central tabulation
center where the votes are electronically tabulated. If for some reason the
electronic cartridge is damaged or lost, the electronically recorded votes
can be obtained directly from the touch screen unit storage location.

Touch screen voting systems create and retain a ballot image record for every
ballot that is cast. Each ballot image is stored in a random location so that
it cannot be attributed to the actual voter who cast the ballot. If
necessary, the ballot images can be printed from each machine in order to
verify the accuracy of the overall electronic vote totals.

When recounts are required, the individual ballot images are reread and
tabulated again, not just a rereading of the tally counters. These images
leave no room for human determination of "voter intent" such as light marks,
smudges, checks, X's, circling of candidate names, or other creative voting
approaches on optical scan paper ballots. Again, if the accuracy of the
tabulation software is in doubt, it is possible to print out paper copies and
hand count the ballot images.

While touch screen voting systems are new to Florida, these systems have been
used very successfully in other jurisdictions. For example, Riverside,
California purchased 4,250 touch screen voting units to support their 660,000
registered voters. The machines performed flawlessly during the November,
2000 general election and several elections since that time.

During the last several months, we conducted an extensive analysis to
determine what new voting system is best for the voters and the taxpayers of
Hillsborough County. We have carefully examined the pros and cons of the
Optical Scan Mark Sense machines and the Touch Screen Direct Recording
Electronic (DRE) systems. We have paid particular attention to the issues of
security, reliability, the ease of voting, potential for every vote to count,
and accessibility for disabled voters. We have sought input from voters and
have tested the various systems with a diverse group of citizens. We have
looked at every aspect of election administration to determine what system is
best for the voter and the poll worker. We have also looked to the future and
analyzed what voting system offers the greatest flexibility to adapt to new
requirements and developments in the voting process.

On August 2, 2001, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners
approved by recommendation to acquire a touch screen voting system. I made
this recommendation based upon the following conclusions.

The touch screen voting system:

Is easy for voters to use and displays the ballot in a fashion that lessens
confusion.
Will completely eliminate the over vote error. More votes will count at each
election.
Allows visually impaired voters to vote without assistance.
Can accommodate any ballot length.
Can accommodate multiple languages.
Saves in operational costs for printing of ballots for each election.
Offers consistency in recount totals and election night totals. Discerning
the intent of the voter will not be a subjective process -- as it is with
paper ballots.
Addresses the future. Ability to merge precincts in the future that have
differing ballot styles. Can easily accommodate "early voting."
Is better suited for a large, urban county with numerous ballot styles,
different language requirements and large numbers of voters in precincts.

If you would like to review the complete written report which addresses our
analysis of voting systems, please visit our web site at
www.votehillsborough.org and click on "Supervisor of Elections Pam Iorio
Recommends New Voting System" in the "What's New" box on our home page.

Sincerely,

Pam Iorio
Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections

[oasis]

1. Good, informative article, thanks.

:thumbsup:

[madfloridian]

2. She's a Democrat, isn't she?

:hi:

[Noordam]

5. Claims to be a Democrat but really isn't

Maybe it is me, but 6 months after the 2002 election Tampa had it's Mayor election. IMHO it is unethical for a Supervisor of Elections to use her new 14 million or so dollars worth of touchscreens to run for the Mayor of Tampa.

[DEMActivist]

3. But, but, but.....

Dr. Britian Williams says Georgia is acknowledged as the most comprehensive and rigorous testing in the nation!

Someone is lying!!!!!!! </sarcasm>

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. It's the 2002 Florida Primary

Where the fraud really started. Remember the fiasco is Dade and Broward County with the new touchscreen systems that no one knew how to operate?

Janet Reno was the winner of the primary, just like Gore was the winner in 2000. However, because of the fiasco the nomination went to McBride, who just about did everything he could to hand the election to Jeb and even then Jeb probably had to cheat to get his supposed landslide.

[Noordam]

6. Short note on the questioniable 13% in Hillborough.

IF in Hillsborough, Gore lost to George Bush by 1% and Class Size Amendment lost by 2% BUT Statewide Class Size PASSED by 4% THEN WHERE OH WHERE did the 13% spread in Hillsborough and Statewide on Jeb come from.

Jeb got more of the votes in 2002 in Hillsborough THAN George Bush did. BUT the CLASS SIZE (which Jeb and the Repugs where against) vote count percentage was inline with the 2000 election in Hillsborough.

I believe the spread differences were Touchscreen Fraud.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Not just Hillsborough,

most of the state had an even wider spread. Plus up to the week before the election, McBride was ahead or even with Jeb in the polls. Also, the election in Florida is one of the big reasons why they decided not to release the exit polling data.

No fraud here, just move along.

[Noordam]

8. I worked hard on the McBride campaign

and will admit he blew a number of things. One was his running mate. He picked a old white male nobody. He should have pick a running mate that would have pushed a part of the Democratic Base.

In my heart can I believe McBride lost my 1-2% yes. BUT NO FUCKING WAY BY 13-14%.

[dusty64]

9. Hmmm.

x

[RedEagle]

10. Florida has or had someone on the Voting Systems Committee

Paul Craft (Croft?)

Along with Brit Williams?

Funny how the shuck and jive from both states sounds the same.

I believe the Paul person said there is no way he'd certify a voter verified Touch Screen in Florida.

[Noordam]

11. I wonder how many other Repug States

are using the same "canned scripts".