CO lost court fight on voting machines

[bobbolink]

I was afraid of this. So, don't count on Colorado for Nov. Thanks again to all the Coloradans who have been fighting this fight since 2004!!

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_4381355

Judge approves voting machines
A judge said today he would not decertify electronic voting machines used across the state despite the failure by the secretary of state's office to comply with state law.

Denver District Judge Lawrence Manzanares said the four kinds of electronic voting machines used in Colorado will have to go through a new certification process after the November election.

Manzanares also ordered Secretary of State Gigi Dennis to make sure counties had adequate security measures in place.

"Essentially, (Manzanares) decertified these machines after this election," plaintiff's attorney Andrew Efaw said after the ruling.

Officials in Dennis' office were quick to reassure voters that the voting machines they will use in this election - which counties have spent millions buying - are secure and reliable. The judge reinforced that sentiment saying his decision did not mean the machines are "unreasonably unreliable."

[Land Shark]

1. Essence: These machines are Horrible, LET'S USE THEM!

we can't have egg on our face, after all, from rushing to do a proper election...

On the one hand the plaintiffs won (machines are abysmal, new procedures needed) but on the other hand the system did it's same old thing (it's all good...let's still use these machines in November)

[bobbolink]

2. Victory for the corporations

That's, news, right?

:nuke:

[JanusAscending]

3. I'll tell you what,....

If I was a resident of Colorado, I would send in my ballot "absentee"!! Especially we Democrats. DC

[bobbolink]

13. The counties in CO are telling people to vote absentee...

Actually, it was in this morning's paper, and I should post that, also.

Some other damming comments about the machines..

I think this one has people's attention.. maybe..?

[Warpy]

4. Don't despair yet

This still has to go to the state supreme court, right?

With all the negative publicity on EV lately, I sincerely doubt the state supreme court will rule in their favor.

Keep the faith.

[Stevepol]

5. I think the activists and John Gideon are ecstatic with the decision.

It's true that the judge felt it was too late to change the voting machines now, but after this election, the judge directed that the machines be immediately de-certified and that extremely strict requirements be used for future certification. And the lawyer on the Diebold side thinks that none of the voting machine companies can accommodate the new rules the judge has required.

The activists celebrated after the decision and John Gideon is ecstatic as well.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5015947,00.html

Here's Gideon's comment from yesterday:

"This was a resounding win for the voters of the state. The state's DREs will be used in Nov. but they will be decertified immediately after and may not be re-certified. Great job by the legal team including VoterAction"

The activists who sued had half expected this outcome because the decision came so close to November and would have put such a burden on the elections staff of the state.

[bobbolink]

6. As I said in my post, I"m very proud and grateful of the people

who have worked so hard on this since 2004! OK?

But, that doesn't mean that this is a victory.

We lose this election.

[BeFree]

7. However

Can they get the judge to listen to one more plea?

'Cause if they can, they may be able to convince the judge to allow copies of the software to be made, say just before the election. That way a real study of the machines can be done after the election using the exact code that counted the election.

Oh, and set the clocks back on the study machines. That way if it is to lay an 'egg' the same should happen in the study.

[bobbolink]

8. At the least, that should happen.

Maybe send this to the judge by subconscious suggestion?

:evilgrin:

[rumpel]

9. Can the voters request paper?

So the ruling was for "after" the election.
He could have required paper.

Why would a voter have to vote on a machine that is going to be decertified, because of problems -

where does voter confidence step in here...what a mess - CO should sue the US for HAVA as unimplementable - maybe others will join
I know easy to say, hard to do.

I can already see Hastert will get busy swearing in "members" before any cases are heard in any state court.

[bobbolink]

10. Only absentee, and many won't remember that the deadline for that is

very soon.

Also, the absentee are counted by Optiscan now.

:nuke:

[rumpel]

11. can an organization run a media blitz?

on this deadline - call in to the radio stations - make people aware

op-ed, letters to the editor

sigh

[bobbolink]

12. I don't know if they will. When I posted my disappointment about this

"decision", I was told that the supporters of the lawsuit were "ecstatic" and celebrating, so I guess they're not in a fighting mood.

sigh, indeed.....

[bobbolink]

14. Here's today's article--this just gets better and better ^_^

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2227781