Why is it so hard to run an honest election?

[billyskank]

This guy (Bruce Schneier) does not go so far as to accuse the GOP of rigging the election (that's our job), but he does certainly understand computer security.

What's Wrong With Electronic Voting Machines?
http://www.schneier.com/essay-068.html
In the aftermath of the American presidential election on 2 November 2004, electronic voting machines are again in the news. Computerised machines lost votes, subtracted votes, and doubled some votes too. And because many of these machines have no paper audit trails, a large number of votes will never be counted.

Getting Out the Vote
Why is it so hard to run an honest election?
http://www.schneier.com/essay-067.html
Four years after the Florida debacle of 2000 and two years after Congress passed the Help America Vote Act, voting problems are again in the news: confusing ballots, malfunctioning voting machines, problems over who's registered and who isn't. All this brings up a basic question: Why is it so hard to run an election?

Also:

The Non-Security of Secrecy
http://www.schneier.com/essay-056.html
Considerable confusion exists between the different concepts of secrecy and security, which often causes bad security and surprising political arguments. Secrecy usually contributes only to a false sense of security.


There is much more on his site you may find interesting.

[petgoat]

1. Interesting Essays, Billy

I'd like to recommend also Chuck Herrin, a Republican hacker/security
consultant with strong opinions on electronic voting. He has insightful
essays also about how liberals can discuss the issue with conservatives
and vice versa.

http://www.chuckherrin.com/hackthevote.htm

Also everybody should read (and widely redistribute!) Mark Crispin
Miller's excellent essay in the August Harpers about the Ohio election.

[drmom]

2. It's so hard b/c so much is at stake, and politicians by nature are greedy

Can't you just see the repukes drooling over power...

[billyskank]

3. Kick