Diebold's "next generation" Optical Scanner has major flaw that causes votes to be rejected

[garybeck]

Ballots not being recorded at two Leon County polling places
By Angeline J. Taylor • Democrat Staff Writer • October 20, 2008

Leon County Supervisor of Elections Ion Sancho has reported that ballots at the Woodville and Northeast branches are not being read properly. The problem, he said, rests with a new machine that has been purchased for polling sites throughout the state.

The machine, deemed the OSX, has what Sancho called a sensitivity problem.

“Certain ballots are being rejected across the state,” he said. “The machine is too sensitive for differing lengths.”

If the machine reads the ballot card as too long, the OSX machine will simply not read the card.

“This is not a Leon County problem. This is a state problem,” Sancho said.
Ion said the machines are being used only at those sites.

http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20081020/BREAKINGNEWS/81020024

ON EDIT
OK, I found out what it is... it's Diebolds "next generation" of the Accuvote OS. Wonderful. Looks like they've made some real improvements. this one dosen't count the vote if the ballot isn't the perfect size. I bet they cost more too. Here's Diebold's marketing page on the item:

http://www.premierelections.com/secure_solutions/new_products/accuvote-osx.html

i changed the subject of the OP accordingly

[Tunkamerica]

1. a mac? a mutant operating system?

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. Optical scanner. n/t

[John Q. Citizen]

3. That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and secure. It's endemic. The whole voting system 's

shit is fucked up.

[billyoc]

4. It's a brand name for an optical scanner.

AccuVote-OSX

[garybeck]

5. yeah, I just figgered it out. it's the next generation after Accuvote OS

looks like they made some real improvements.

[kirby]

6. Election Supervisor...You idiot...

Why are you just 'discovering' this now? How many months/years should you have been testing? You certified this machine?

[garybeck]

7. dude, do you know who you're talking about?

Ion Sancho has done more for the election integrity movement than almost anyone. if it weren't for him there would be no Husti Hack, no Berkeley study that found illegal code on the memory cards.

Ion Sancho is a patriot and a hero. the very fact that he's exposing this problem should be noted. most others would not go to the press over this. he might have discovered a serious flaw that will help demonstrate the machines are bogus. give him some credit!

the real problem here is Diebold, not Sancho.

[kirby]

10. I hold him responsible...

Diebold is just a company (corrupt and crooked I believe). If this guy, Ion Sancho, is actually a Board of Elections official, why is he allowing the Diebold machine to be used? Why did he certify the machine without running various ballots through the machine that would have triggered this issue well before the eve of the election?

I guess I dont understand how someone running the Elections who is savvy about this stuff, would allow the machine to be certified. Kinda too late now!

The good thing about this is that with optical scanners there is a paper trail if the election is close, they can be hand recounted (assuming the law allows more than just hitting retabulate on the machine).

[Fly by night]

11. Hey moran, Google "Ion Sancho", why doncha?

You might learn something. Obviously you're a stranger in these parts, or you'd already know who Ion is.

[USofFascism]

12. Optical Scanners Can Be Rigged Too

And what makes anyone think there will ever be any realistic recounts? Nothing happened in New Hampshire when there was the golden opportunity.

The only solution is paper ballots with no electronic machines used at all.

If we have billions to waste charring innocent babies in illegal wars, I am sure we have the money to invest in elections.

You make it a national holiday. You put this story into the history books. You never forget.

The Republican Party should be disbanded. They are criminals. People need to focus on the White House Iraq Group. {Fake Democrats also need to be weeded out.}

There is a lot of work to be done, but we are on the right side of history. There is always hope.


the people united will never be defeated

[garybeck]

15. you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about

Ion Sancho is the epitome of what we need in election officials.

Ion Sancho did NOT certify any machines. the Secretary of State certifies the machines. As an election official, he is required by law to use them.

he risked his job by allowing a scientist to examine the machines he was using. this was specifically prohibited by the Diebold contract and put his job at risk. when he allowed the scientist to examine the machines, they found prohibited code on them, which sent shockwaves across the country that are still causing more followup studies and some states to ban the machines. PA and CA both banned the machines after what he did.

I'm sure would do all hand counted paper ballots and throw the machines in the Gulf if the law allowed him to.

he is not using the machines by choice.


and by the way, optical scan machines are just as hackable and rigable as the touch screen machines. that is what he discovered and he deserves a ton of credit.

go on Neflix and get the movie Hacking Democracy. I guarantee you'll apologize for any ill words you've said about Ion Sancho.

if you don't know what you're talking about, it's better to ask questions than to point fingers.

[silverojo]

8. Of all the corporations going out of business

Why the HELL can't Diebold be one of them?!? :mad:

[eridani]

9. It's a basic engineering problem

Voting just doesn't get done often enough to get adequate testing of machines under real world conditions. Therefore whenever there is a new system, the actual elections are beta tests. Unacceptable!

[zonmoy]

13. I figure by certain ballots they mean any ballot that isn't a straight republican ticket.

Anybody else as certain as I am that the fix is in for this election.

[bleever]

14. K&R.

[althecat]

16. Shame I didn't see this earlier.... reced and it said no!:

:kick:

Fascinating post.