Diebold and ES&S warn Volusia not to use Automark -

[cyberpj]

Volusia Vote-Machine Idea Runs Into Corporate Problem (FL)

by Kevin P. Connolly, Orlando Sentinel
August 2nd, 2005

DELAND -- For months, a ballot-marking device called AutoMark has been touted as a possible solution to Volusia's voting-equipment debate.

The device, marketed by Election Systems & Software based in Omaha, Neb., allows visually disabled people to vote independently, and it leaves behind printed ballots -- seemingly satisfying major concerns of the visually disabled and paper-ballot supporters.

It also appeals to some county officials because of its advertised compatibility with other vendors' equipment. But AutoMark, approved at the federal level, faces a new obstacle that threatens to keep it out of voting booths in Volusia and elsewhere in Florida in the near future.

Officials with ES&S competitor Diebold Election Systems are warning state and county officials against using Diebold equipment and software with other products. Diebold Election Systems Inc. is a McKinney, Texas-based subsidiary of Diebold Inc.

http://www.verifiedvotingfoundation.org/article.php?id=6253

[GentryLange]

1. Kick

This is an interesting story. For some time I've wondered if they have contracts that say that we can't reflash the software.

Say you wanted to use the already bought Diebold Optical Scanner with Publicly Owned Open Source Software.... well then wouldn't you end up with a conflict with this same "clause" in the contract Diebold is asserting here?

[eridani]

2. Diebold proudly usese open source--

--on its ATMS. Seems that bankers prefer to not buy pigs in pokes, but Diebold insists that voters should be satisfied with that.

[cyberpj]

3. Sounds about right to me... nt.