A surefire election forecast By Ed Quillen Denver Post Columnist.

[Crunchy Frog]

Here is a safe prediction for this year's general election: If any contest is remotely close, there will be litigation about the accuracy of the vote. Indeed, there already has been litigation. Denver District Judge Lawrence Manzares ruled last week that the electronic voting machines to be used in this election do not comply with the security procedures required by state law. Even so, he declared, to switch to another voting method now, just six weeks before the election, "would create more problems than it would solve."

~snip~

The Accuvote is a small computer that runs off a memory card which stores its program and data. It is inside a locked compartment. The researchers found that the key to the locked compartment is a common type - one from a hotel mini-bar could open the machine. Even without the key, one student could pick the lock in 10 seconds. Or just remove some screws and open the machine from the back. The old memory card can then be pulled out and replaced with one with malicious software. Reboot the machine, then put the original memory card back in place, with the malicious software still controlling the machine. This can be done in a minute or less.

What does the malicious software do? Every so often, three or four times a minute, it checks the vote tally, then adjusts vote totals to reach its programmed goals. It also makes the same changes in the backup file. There's no way to detect these changes because the total number of votes matches the total number of voters, and at the end of the election, the program erases itself.

~snip~

So we face an election where a Colorado judge has said the state did an "abysmal" job of testing and certification. It has been demonstrated that it's quite possible to hack at least one brand of voting machine to have it produce whatever results the hacker desires. This comes as no surprise to my high-tech friends who are programmers, technicians and administrators. As one of them told me, "The more you know about computers, the less you trust them." So, unless every contest is a landslide this fall, look for a lot of litigation based on the voting machinery.
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_4394653

I've been out of state for awhile, and was not even aware of these machines. Are these being used in all Colorado elections? It's not an issue for me, since I voted absentee, but I'm wondering how bad it's going to be for the election overall.

[hlthe2b]

1. This is why several big Metro Counties,

including Denver & Jefferson have gone on record as recommending absentee voting. The problem is that the ballot is so damned big (hell, the voter guide is 55 pages) that it requires extra postage to mail back in several counties. If people don't do so, the ballots may not get delivered. :shrug:

This is so damned fucked....

[eleny]

2. I read that the Postal Service will deliver ballots

Here's one article in the Denver Post that talks about that issue in relation to Denver county.

The post office pledges to deliver the completed absentee ballots, billing Denver for the difference.
By George Merritt
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated:10/12/2006 11:53:22 PM MDT

""Any voter who drops their absentee ballot in any mailbox, regardless of how much postage is on there, it's going to get to us," Gaydeski (Executive Director Denver Election Commission) said.

The U.S. Postal Service will bill Denver for the difference, Dillard said. A spokeswoman for Sequoia said the company will then cover Denver's expenses."
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4484716

[hlthe2b]

3. Yes, but I heard a radio piece that Larimer & some other counties

will not....:shrug:

(assholes)

[fizzgig]

4. actually larimer county will cover the difference

if there isn't enough postage

[hlthe2b]

5. Good to hear...

:toast:

[eleny]

6. Looks like the news has gotten better

This is one time that anyone who does the wrong thing or who doesn't step up will really look bad to the public.

Btw, we live in Jeffco and I'm dropping them off in person. The polling location is a mile down the road. Taking no chances! :hi:

[hlthe2b]

7. I live in Denver, work in Jeffco...plan on doing the same...

(drop off in person Monday).

BTW, I was in the Jeffco Courts & Admin building all day on Friday (aka the Taj)and noted the early voting stations were not as busy as I'd like to see. Then again, maybe they are voting absentee..:shrug:

[eleny]

8. We'll have to check the % of absentee voting this year

It's been encouraged in Colorado for many years now. And the polling stations throughout Jeffco are so convenient. Like ours in the Motor Vehicle office on Wadsworth and 20th. It's in a little strip mall with lots of easy parking.

To vote at the Taj, you have to park and then walk more of a distance. So I'm guessing that it's the last place people would choose to vote.

[DonMeyer]

9. Mail in ballots are best.

Don't make it a problem, vote early.

We don't want Diebold counting our votes.