Diebold says it will sell to Leon County (Ion Sancho)

[seafan]

Diebold says it will sell to Leon County

Firm backtracks on prior refusal
By Jeff Burlew
April 14, 2006

Diebold Election Systems finally has agreed to do business with Leon County.

The county missed a Jan. 1 deadline to provide voting equipment for people who are disabled after its deal with Diebold broke down. On Thursday, Diebold representatives agreed to sell new touch-screen voting devices to the county for $691,373. Supervisor of Elections Ion Sancho said the final amount might be less because he wants to use his technical staff. He called Diebold's decision "responsible."

snip

The company had refused to sell after Sancho conducted tests that showed Diebold memory cards had security flaws. When two other vendors certified in Florida declined to sell to Sancho, the county missed the deadline for the Help America Vote Act, which requires voting machines for the disabled in all voting locations. That resulted in the county losing more than $500,000 in grant money.

http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060414/NEWS01/604140333/1010

Leon County, FL Supervisor of Elections, Ion Sancho (photo credit Washington Post)


So, it looks like Diebold caved in the face of a potential lawsuit aimed at them. You go, Mr. Sancho.

[Stevepol]

1. Does this mean that Sancho's lawsuit is off the table now?

I believe there was a lawsuit against the voting machine companies, maybe for collusion in refusing to sell any machines to Leon County.

[AndyA]

2. So how is this a good thing?

Leon County will get touch screen Diebolt machines that we know can be compromised. Sounds like Leon County voters lose out big time, and Sancho sold out. Am I overlooking something? (I hope I am.)

[seafan]

4. The Leon County memory cards will probably be deadly accurate, lol.

The last thing Diebold wants is scrutiny. And they know that Mr. Sancho has their number.

I wish the other counties in FL had as dedicated an Elections Supervisor as Ion Sancho. I think this is only a small step in the long journey to election accountability.

Patience and perseverance are key.

[Land Shark]

3. it may moot the lawsuit out, it all depends

kind of a mixed bag, it's a catch-22 because while Sancho doesn't want diebold he's legally compelled to have something. Given the alternative of the antitrust lawsuit with its discovery and risks, it was the best the vendors could do, and to do it soon, as they have.