Pot Calling the Kettle Black: US Raises Concerns About E-Vote-Counting...in the Philipines!

[Bill Bored]

This one really takes the cake!

U.S. SOLON FEARS POLL FRAUD IN RP ELECTIONS

http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/hl/hl109617.htm

MANILA, APRIL 16, 2010 (TRIBUNE) By Michaela P. del Callar - A United States lawmaker has expressed concerns on the upcoming nationwide automated polls in the Philippines, expressing fears of fraud and massive disenfranchisement of voters during election day on May 10.

California Rep. Ed Royce (Republican) raised the electoral fraud issue with President Arroyo during dinner in Washington DC on April 14.

Royce said he was able to take up with Arroyo his concerns over electoral fraud and the new electronic voting machines, a problem that he also raised with Assistant Secretary of State , Kurt Campbell, when he testified before the Asia Subcommittee.

“As problems arise with voting machines rejecting ballots and failing to transmit results, many are concerned that their voices won’t be heard on Election Day,” Royce said in his website. “We need to do what we can to make sure the results in May represent the will of Filipino voters.”

-snip-

[BeFree]

1. A-may-zing

WTF? They make some of our vote counters in the Philippines!

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

2. it is amazing - either they are blind or they think everyone else is stupid

It always seems bizarre for anyone from the US to point fingers on this issue.

Sheesh. The US talking about other countries fraudulent elections?

[Wilms]

3. Agreed. Though it was more than bizarre to have a CIA cybersecurity expert say so.

"I follow the vote. And wherever the vote becomes an electron and touches a computer, that's an opportunity for a malicious actor potentially to...make bad things happen," CIA cybersecurity expert Steven Stigall explained, in a stunning presentation to a U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) field hearing held one month ago in Orlando.

As initially reported earlier this week by Greg Gordon at McClatchy, "Stigall said that voting equipment connected to the Internet could be hacked, and machines that weren't connected could be compromised wirelessly. Eleven U.S. states have banned or limited wireless capability in voting equipment, but Stigall said that election officials didn't always know it when wireless cards were embedded in their machines."

"The CIA got interested in electronic systems a few years ago," Gordon reports Stigall as explaining at the EAC hearing, "after concluding that foreigners might try to hack U.S. election systems."

But as disturbing as Stigall's presentation was, what's almost as disturbing is that it took more than 11 days, McClatchy's coverage, a number of FOIA requests from VotersUnite's John Gideon (a frequent guest blogger here), and a couple of articles from BRAD BLOG alum, Michael Richardson of the Examiner (his coverage is here and here), before the EAC finally released the complete transcript of the meeting , including Stigall's remarks.

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7021

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

5. CIA cybersecurity expert warns of internet connect, so now we pass internet voting pilots

WVA boasts they will be first in the MOVE internet voting pilots for overseas military.

I found out belatedly that my state (NC) years ago, passed a law enabling email return of ballots by overseas military. They think its ok since it is a pdf of the ballot, and the troop will (maybe) mail in the original ballot. Turns out NC only now is going to push this option but was sleeping on it for years.

[Bill Bored]

4. Thanks for including this article and others about this part of the world in Voting News! nt

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

6. UR welcome. It seems to provide perspective, also deja vu

Avi Rubin was shocked to see that Israel is pushing a bizarre form of computer voting that
utilized radio frequencies. Israels ballots are basically you pick a party/ballot paper
and put that paper in the box. No reason to make it more complex.

Then in the Philippines and Nigeria they claim that computer vote counting will reduce fraud.
Maybe they really believe that.

[Golden Raisin]

7. But fraud and massive

disenfranchisment of voters right here in the U.S.A. by electronic manipulation is just fine and dandy. As is selection and installation of Presidents by the Supreme Court.

[Melissa G]

8. K&R

:kick:

[Wilms]

9. .

:wow:

:hi:

[Melissa G]

11. _

:hi:

[diva77]

10. IFES has its fingers in Philippines with their "election reform project"

I know they have a bad habit of pushing for computerized voting around the world...

http://www.ifes.org/philippines.html

Election Reform Project

IFES currently assists the efforts of both electoral officials and civil society stakeholders to advance comprehensive electoral reform programs for greater legitimacy to the electoral process. Specifically, IFES focuses on building the capacity of the COMELEC to modernize, conduct credible elections, and promote mechanisms that build internal capacities and support transparent administrative practices. Additionally, IFES engages civil society in developing effective advocacy and cooperation to retain gains in reform and equip citizens and COMELEC with skills and knowledge to support implementation of successful elections in the long run.

-----------------------
The IFES Board includes such luminaries as Kenneth Blackwell and Steny Hoyer (1 of the 4 authors of HAVA)
http://www.ifes.org/board.html

[Bill Bored]

12. Steny Hoyer? You mean the guy who keeps killing Rush Holt's bills and calls himself a Democrat?

How is he on national health care -- run by insurance companies -- and other issues?