The threat of internet voting looms closer as the Defense Authorization bill (S1390), that allows for military email voting, is on the verge of passing from a conference committee. The dangerous idea of email/internet voting has spread to North Carolina: the popular NC paper, the Greensboro News and Record ran an OpEd that endorses having…
The group Voter Action is challenging the merger of Election Systems and Software and Diebold. “This transaction threatens the democratic process itself,” Voter Action’s letter states. “The ES&S/Premier acquisition is absolutely unique in its potential for disturbing U.S. election processes and results.” Meanwhile, Diebold is cutting jobs at touchscreen factory in Lexington NC. Could ES&S…
Georgia’s State Supreme Court threw out the e-voting case because the voters could not prove fraud on the paperless voting machines. What a pity. After all, the whole point is that we voters should be able to prove that our election results are legitimate, but without a tangible record of the vote we cannot do…
We appreciate the opportunity to comment on the most recent iteration of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (1.1). We understand that the goal is to move forward on specific elements from the prior draft which were widely supported. The exclusion of some key principles warrant great concern and if left out of any approved version going forward, will delay progress toward greater reliability of voting systems. We support the comments made by A Center for Correct, Usable, Reliable, Auditable and Transparent Elections (ACCURATE), and add our comments on three main points below.
1. SOFTWARE INDEPENDENCE
Software independence (SI), or the “quality of a voting system or voting device such that a previously undetected change or fault in software cannot cause an undetectable change or error in election outcome,” is the foundation of an auditable voting system. Verified Voting strongly supports software independence. Leaving out this core element from the prior draft in the current VVSG 1.1 will delay essential progress in voting system reliability and security. We strongly recommend the reinstatement of the principle of software independence into the VVSG to be enacted as quickly as possible. For security, nothing is as crucial as auditing an auditable voting system. Without the ability to detect changes or problems in the voting system confidence in the integrity of electoral outcomes is unfounded.
Diebold return our money: group says Diebold should refund $100 million to California taxpayers.Extreme fundraising? South Carolina politician holds a “Machine Gun Social” to raise funds.Unintended consequences? The House legislation meant to defund ACORN may apply to a wide range of organizations and corporations.Mass. fills seat left by death of Senator Edward Kennedy. Boulder County…
ES&S Diebold shotgun wedding comes to a halt: Federal Judge Robert Kugler in Camden, NJ., agreed late Friday to hear a request for an emergency injunction that could halt Election Systems & Software’s Sept. 2 announced acquisition of Diebold Inc.’s Premier Election Solutions. “…when one considers ES&S’ reckless performance as an election provider the real…
Sarasota County officials thought they saw the last of ES&S after booting them out 2 years ago. Now, unless the Justice Dept intervenes, Sarasota officials will once again have to deal with a vendor they ditched thanks to ES&S’ purchase of Diebold:“I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt as much as I…
Internet Voting Whack-A-Mole continues: Australia considers internet voting. Oshawa Ontario politicians want internet voting but will put it off until 2014.London plans to use electronic voting in 2012.The Justice Dept is probing ACORN and meanwhile ACORN is suing the film producers who secretly recorded embarrassing videos.Is New York ready for voting machines yet? A local…
The ES&S Diebold monopoly is a problem, but it is also a symptom of the way the US runs elections. “ES&S acted like a monopoly even before it decided to become a monopoly,”~Ion Sancho, Supervisor of Elections in Leon County Florida. “We need to deploy a system that our election administrators and voters can understand…
ES&S purchase of Diebold “The Most Ominous Monopoly”. Congratulations to Brad Friedman, who has a piece about the Acorn controversy published in the Guardian UK.Florida has a bill, HB 131 that would allow overseas voters to cast ballots by email.New Jersey’s early voting (by mail) could diminish effect of “October Surprise”? Boulder Co releases report…
Our apologies. A representative of the Florida Voters Coalition advised me that I had incorrectly referred to the Florida Voters Coalition in the first paragraph of this blog, when I should have referred to the Florida Fair Elections Coalition. The only change is within the first paragraph, and typed in bold: Concerned citizens: Florida is…
Concerned citizens: Florida is set to adopt a dangerous rule that that could make voter caging easier. The Florida Department of state has issued new notice regarding the proposed rule 1S-2.041 “to address and eligibility records maintenance.” The Florida Fair Elections Coalition warns that “If Florida passes proposed Rule 1S-2.041, it will permit officially sanctioned…
Plug pulled on electronic voting trials in Australia, deemed “too expensive“.Conversely, Bangladesh considers electronic voting trials to save money.Meanwhile, in the US there were voting machine problems reported in NY and OH.Internet Voting? “Given its current architecture and engineering, the Internet provides neither high assurance data security and integrity, nor reliable information transmission protected from…
An Indiana appellate court threw out the law on voter ID that the US Supreme Court had said was constitutional, saying that it violated Indiana’s constitution.A federal lawsuit Demands More Equal Population for U.S. House DistrictsThe United States is one of few democratic nations that place the entire burden of registering to vote on individual…
Comedy Central in the voting news: When Jon Stewart makes fun of you, you’re in trouble and last night he made fun of the Acorn video scandal. Stephen Colbert comments on “Citizens United v FEC”. Videos of both.DRES and cost overruns: The Kane County Illinois elections Clerk requests additional $1million to run elections but says…
A Hawaii Judge issues order blocking the use of direct record electronic (DRE)voting machines. She saw them coming: Putnam Co Tennessee Election official argues that no qualified voting machines will be federally certified in time for the 2010 election and that by the 2010 census, new requirements would likely be issued and those machines would…
The Diebold sale to ES&S has hit the fan:Senator Schumer seeks DOJ probe of Diebold’s sale of voting-machine business.Hart Intercivic files antitrust suit against Diebold and ES&S. See “Your Once-Public Elections & Your Once-Public Elections on ES&S Monopoly Steroids” ~ Brad Friedman of Bradblog.Again, why is “Citizens United v FEC” so important? “Campaign money and…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 14, 2009 SCHUMER URGES JUSTICE DEPT. TO PROBE DIEBOLD’S PROPOSED SALE OF ELECTION MACHINE BUSINESS TO ITS BIGGEST COMPETITOR; SAYS DEAL COULD HAVE ‘ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES’ FOR HOW AMERICA VOTES Schumer, As Senate Rules Chairman, Raises Flags Over Proposed Merger On Antitrust Grounds Says Deal Could Give One Company Control Over 75…
ES&S charged Vanderburg Co IN $120 for carboard boxes containing tape, forms, rubber bands and pens – Election workers could make this same “kit” for $1.00 each. Kinston City Council NC candidate offers hotdogs and handshakes to lure early voters.A Illinois elections clerk writes: “A Dangerous Proposal for Voter Registration.” In Kentucky, a guilty plea…
Editorials on Diebold’s sale to ES&S pouring in: “The Diebold name was snake-bitten, the product didn’t satisfy, and changing the name didn’t help much.” ~ the Dayton Daily News. “The combination of the Election Systems & Software and Diebold American voting machine divisions raises classic antitrust concerns.” ~ The New York Times.Citizens United v. the…
The Florida Fair Elections Coalition warns that rules proposed by the Florida Dept of Elections would make voter caging easier. Rule 1S-2.041 is intended to address maintenance of voter registration rolls. The new rules make it easier for persons to maliciously, frivolously or fraudulently send in false or inaccurate claims of voter address changes. Any…
Arguments on Citizens United vs FEC were heard by US Supreme Court today:“The Supreme Court signaled Wednesday it may let businesses and unions spend freely to help their favored candidates in time for next year’s elections.” ~ AP.ACORN turns in Fla. workers on voter fraud charges. (Remember, ACORN & other agencies – do not register…
Tomorrow, on 9/9/09, the Supreme Court begins hearing re-arguments in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission at 10 a.m. “A bad decision in this case could open the floodgates of corporate money in our elections.” ~ Public Citizen. “We are moving toward a deregulated federal campaign finance system, where money flows freely and perhaps only…
Why should you care about “Citizens United vs FEC”? The case “if decided wrongly, could surrender control of our democracy to corporate interests.” – EJ Dionne of WaPo. The Supreme Court case is set for argument on Wednesday, Sept. 9.The IEEE (electrical engineering standards group) has something to say about the Diebold sale: “Good riddance.”A…
Voting machine monopoly cont’d: “ES&S Acquires Premier Election Solutions. This is just wrong on so many levels….All this (problems with ES&S) and we keep buying their machines and now ES&S is rewarded with a bigger market share.” Diebold stock surges as voting co sold at $45 million loss. “The sale represents the end of an…
Monopoly anyone? This just in. ES&S buys Premier Election and Data Information Management Systems Inc aka Diebold . Here’s an article in the Ohio Plain Dealer and also an email from Aldo Tesi, President and CEO of Election Systems and Software, Inc. ES&S is buying up the stock and the assets. This has huge implications.…
The big news is that ES&S bought Diebold’s election division, creating a virtual monopoly for ES&S. “It’s a massive consolidation of voting-system vendors,” – Candice Hoke, election law prof. at Cleveland State U. “The move, if allowed to go forward, is sure to raise further concerns among the U.S. Election Integrity community who have, for…
OpenSecrets.org to have live web chat on landmark campaign finance case “Citizens United vs FEC” on Thurs. Public Citizen youtubes the issue in “Don’t get rolled.”Wired News finds 2 members of Fed committee (TGDC) that sets standards for voting vendors have conflicts of interests. Statewide voter rolls vs local voter rolls: an Alabama city may…
*Our apologies. Title to yesterday’s voting news dated 9/1 title incorrectly said for Oregon voters to bring ID. It should have read “Utah voters bring ID”. We apologize for any problems this may have caused. The subject line to yesterday’s news has been corrected and can be viewed here at this link:http://votingnews.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-citizens-united-matters-iowa-co.html Here is incorrect…
Tues Sept 1. “Five Reasons Why Citizens United Is a Truly Momentous Case”. Paper is in: “You can actually run a modern and efficient election on paper,”Hovav Shacham prof of computer science at UC San Diego. An Iowa County develops own e-poll book softwareVirginia standardizes student registration. A Jackson City GA councilman charged with rigging…