NY: E-vote-counting not welcomed by all counties

[Bill Bored]

Optical scan voting machines not welcomed by all Mid-Hudson counties

By ARIEL ZANGLA
Freeman staff

THE FEDERAL Help America Vote Act of 2002 required, in part, that all states update their voting systems in order to enable individuals with disabilities to vote independently and privately.

In response, New York adopted the Election Reform and Modernization Act of 2005 as a way to implement the federal measure. Now, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x515260">Nassau County has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s act. The suit claims the state act violates the New York Constitution by introducing voting machines that are inaccurate and subject to tampering.

“The crux of the lawsuit is that (the act) violates the state’s Constitution and it does so vis-à-vis the introduction of machines that are inaccurate, subject to tampering and which don’t count votes in a fashion that is consistent with the mandates of New York state law,” said Nassau County Attorney John Ciampoli. “So, therefore, the use of these machines can and will result in the disenfranchisement of New York state voters.”

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“The Help America Vote Act does not mandate a switch to computerized voting machines,” said Dutchess County Legislator Joel Tyner.

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(H)e will introduce a resolution in the county Legislature, urging it to allow the county Board of Elections to join Nassau’s lawsuit, which he said could be done at no cost to taxpayers.

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VIRGINIA Martin, the Democratic commissioner of elections in Columbia County, said she and her Republican counterpart support Nassau’s litigation because it challenges the constitutionality of the state’s act.

“We find the Election Reform and Modernization Act unconstitutional because it requires election commissioners, which are constitutional officers, to verify to the accuracy of election results even though http://www.wheresthepaper.org/09/TestimonyInNYCHearingShocksAssemblymembers.htm">we don’t know how those results were compiled,” Martin said.

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Martin also said computers can be hacked, there could be an error in the programming, the calibration of the machine could be off and the computer cannot interpret the intent of the voter. She said there is no such ambiguity with lever-action machines and they are secure.

If Nassau County’s litigation is successful, Martin said, all counties in the state could be allowed to continue using the old machines.

[SocialistLez]

1. Democracy Hacked

made me regret voting on a computer.

[Bill Bored]

2. The process of un-hacking democracy starts here!

When courageous election officials like these come out and say they can't trust the machines, there can be no defense. I wish there were more like them.

Thankfully men and women of good conscience on both sides of the aisle are finally coming forward to stop what we know is an untenable system of voting.

Oh, and in case anyone's thinking New York will "audit" it's way out of this mess with the paper ballots, forget about it! The State Board of Elections, the State Legislature and most county boards of elections, want to AVOID hand counts and have pretty much put the kibosh on any efforts to make them happen.

So as in any situation where all other remedies have been tried and have failed, the courts will be the ones to decide how the votes will be counted or NOT counted in NY.

Under a system that requires computers to do the counting, the courts, rather than the voters, are the ones who would be deciding elections anyway -- unless our candidates are dumb enough to trust the software! So there is nothing to lose and everything to gain by pursuing judicial remedies now.

[Bill Bored]

3. Link to the orginal article here:

http://dailyfreeman.com/articles/2010/04/04/news/doc4bb818ea20801684554142.txt

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

4. "Wedonottrustvotingcomputers"

A group in Netherlands had a very nifty slogan, although their graphic might not fit the pro lever movement.



learn more here
http://wijvertrouwenstemcomputersniet.nl/English

They did defeat computerized vote counting.

[EFerrari]

5. K&R

[aquart]

6. Go Nassau!!!!!

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. k/r

[diva77]

8. if the litigation is successful, I hope every state will follow suit!! n/t

[Solly Mack]

9. k/r

[cal04]

10. I hope our county is successful.

Thanks for the post.

[clear eye]

11. Fingers crossed for lawsuit's success. n/t

[Wilms]

12. I like that doormat, Bill.

It's good to see it. For too long, others have put up banners saying; "Come. Rob us."