Gov Richardson:“I didn’t want my state to be an embarrassment like Ohio &

[kpete]

Officials Wary of Electronic Voting Machines
Chris Gardner/Associated Press


By IAN URBINA
Published: September 24, 2006
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 — A growing number of state and local officials are getting cold feet about electronic voting technology, and many are making last-minute efforts to limit or reverse the rollout of new machines in the November elections.

Less than two months before voters head to the polls, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. of Maryland this week became the most recent official to raise concerns publicly. Mr. Ehrlich, a Republican, said he lacked confidence in the state’s new $106 million electronic voting system and suggested a return to paper ballots.

.........................

Like Mr. Ehrlich, other state officials have decided on a late-hour change of course. In January, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico decided to reverse plans to use the touch-screen machines, opting instead to return to paper ballots with optical scanners. Last month, the Connecticut secretary of state, Susan Bysiewicz, decided to do the same.

“I didn’t want my state to continue being an embarrassment like Ohio and Florida every four years,” said Mr. Richardson, a Democrat, adding, “I also thought we needed to restore voter confidence, and that wasn’t going to happen with the touch-screen machines.”

more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/us/politics/24voting.html?hp&ex=1159070400&en=298fa45bfb12e669&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[skids]

1. Heheh. I guess we take what we can get...

...not impressed with Richardson overall on voting or in general, but I'll keep my mouth shut about him as long as he says stuff like this to the press. For a while at least.

[MissWaverly]

2. Sorry, Gov. Ehrlich, our election already is an embarrassment

though now it has spread to the most affluent suburb in the state, Montgomery County,
this bodes no good for the elite power structure, their base has suffered the indignity
of having their voting rights denied.

[BeFree]

3. Gosh

The elite had their votes hacked? Oh no! I wonder how that happened?

[MissWaverly]

8. it was okay as long as it was somewhere else

I think they are beginning to realize that the monster is coming after them too.

[smtpgirl]

5. Can't trust a fake-haired guy anyway

he only acknowledged what people have been saying about the voting for SIX YEARS, that the votes can be "fixed", only when that asshole might lose an election


GO O'Malley

[MissWaverly]

9. No, their base is threatened with having their influence stolen

the important thing is that they are losing their base, if Montgomery County doesn't have
influence then who does?

[smtpgirl]

6. The Montgomery County primaries

were a load of shit, some voters were given scraps of paper in order to write in their vote!!!

[MissWaverly]

10. hey, I was told I voted before I walked in the door/MD in 2006

and in 2004, my machine defaulted 5 times to Bush when I tried to vote for Kerry, I have
not been able to really vote now for 4 years.

[MissWaverly]

13. Montgomery County voters have a right to be pissed

they are good folks, they care about the environment and are leaders in progressive thought
in our state, and they can justly be proud of the way they run their county. What I am
saying is that politicians have a way of ignoring problems until they reach those who
they identify as their "core" voters. This problem is not going to go away and we are
all at risk. I am sad that we have thrown millions of dollars at a system that nobody
can prove works. If ever there was a group of people that I would bet on to move the politicans in our State Senate that continue to support Diebold; it is the folks
from Montgomery County.

[babylonsister]

4. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Richardson the guy who

blessed destroying the votes after the '04 election when there were still unanswered questions? :eyes:

[Wilms]

7. Ding! Ding!

You're the winner!

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

11. yep, Richardson blocked the recount of NM n/t

[blm]

14. Yep - but now HE might be running and wants to make sure HE gets HIS

votes. After this all comes out, I hope Kerry hauls off and punches him in the nose.

[kster]

12. I'm not worthy Richardson, heres the machines you selected

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2204808