Verified Voting Blog: Verified Voting Statement on the Acquisition of Premier Election Solutions

The recently announced acquisition of Premier Election Solutions (formerly Diebold) by its largest competitor, Election Services & Software (ES&S), requires close scrutiny, as it raises greater concerns about the security, transparency and cost of elections and creates a profound anti-competitive effect in the shrinking marketplace for voting systems. We welcome the call by Senator Charles E. Schumer, chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, for a Department of Justice probe of the Premier sale,[1. http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/record.cfm?id=317761] and we hope the Department acts promptly on the recommendation. In addition, a judge for the US District Court in New Jersey has set a date for a hearing on an injunction to block the merger.[2. http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2009/09/judge-sets-hearing-on-injunction-to-block-voting-machine-merger.html] Verified Voting estimates that some 64 percent of the nation’s registered voters live in jurisdictions where ES&S or Premier vote tabulating equipment is used. The request was brought by a vendor who argues that the resulting stranglehold on the market raises a “threat of irreparable harm” to voters.[3. Based on 2008 voter registration data. http://verifiedvoting.org/verifier]

What can we expect to see? In the near future, many election jurisdictions, especially those using direct-recording electronic voting systems, may need to replace their current voting systems as equipment purchased to comply with the Help America Vote Act of 2002 nears the end of its expected life. With ES&S’ acquisition of Premier’s contracts, it dominates the marketplace.[4. “Ongoing Challenges in Voting System Certification.” By Douglas W. Jones. Presented at the Innovations in Election Technology Conference, May 28, 2009. http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~jones/voting/uminn09.shtml]

The Voting News Daily: Fix Tennessee broken elections, Hawaii prime for open source voting,Voting machines made in China?

NYTimes Slams Diebold/ES&S Merger, Succeeds In Not Using Word ‘Paperless’ Even Once!…Is the Supreme Court about to turn the US into a corporate democracy?…Senator Feingold and Representative Ellison for Introducing Same Day Voter Registration Bill…Military ballot law means some states must move up primaries… Humboldt County uses the Hart Voting System for the 1st time…Controversy…

The Voting News Daily: Trust, Antitrust and Your Vote, GA. seeks voter id approval, VA. votes still at risk

Trust, Antitrust and Your Vote (or ES&S buys Diebold)…Your papers please: Georgia’s State Board of Elections seeks DOJ approval of law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote…Correction: Voting news should have said Wyoming County New York yesterday: Pilot is beginning of Wyoming County New York’s switch to electronic voting, officials incorrectly cite HAVA…

National: In Industry First, Voting Machine Company to Publish Source Code | WIRED

Sequoia Voting Systems plans to publicly release the source code for its new optical scan voting system, the company announced Tuesday — a remarkable reversal for a voting machine maker long criticized for resisting public examination of its proprietary systems. The company’s new public source optical-scan voting system, called Frontier Election System, will be submitted for federal certification and testing in the first quarter of next year. The code will be released for public review in November, the company said, on its web site. Sequoia’s proprietary, closed systems are currently used in 16 states and the District of Columbia. The announcement comes five days after a non-profit foundation announced the release of its open-source election software for public review. Sequoia spokeswoman Michelle Shafer says the timing of its release is unrelated to the foundation’s announcement. … Sequoia in fact has been a champion of security through obscurity since it’s been selling voting systems. The company has long had a reputation for vigorously fighting any efforts by academics, voting activists and others to examine the source code in its proprietary systems, and even threatened to sue Princeton University computer scientists if they disclosed anything learned from a court-ordered review of its software.

The Voting News Daily: Sequoia new open source voting system, Indiana exports e-voting to East Africa, India’s e-voting rigged say candidates

Industry First, Sequoia Voting Machine Company to Publish Source Code: “Security through obfuscation and secrecy is not security,” said Eric D. Coomer, PhD, Vice President of Research and Product Development at Sequoia Voting Systems. This ought to be against the law: Indiana County palms off 600 old Microvote machines to West Africa…Absentee ballot blues: Hamburg…

The Voting News Daily: Expert to aid Tennessee paper ballot case, Cyber warfare vs internet voting, NY official won’t certify election IF

Tennessee Common Cause calls in big guns – asks expert Doug Jones to aid in paper ballot case…Is signing a petition a public or private act?…Absentee ballot blues: La Plata County Colorado sent some voters 2 ballots, Tulare County CA must re-send some ballots, Nearly 500 Hamburg Michigan voters don’t have absentee ballots…No one on…

Verified Voting Blog: NY-23 and the Voting Machine Pilot Program

For the first time, NY-23 will vote on paper ballots

The special election for the seat in the NY-23 Congressional district has begun to draw national attention, being seen by some as a bellwether of the strength of conservative Republicans. Unnoted by the mainstream media is the fact that the election will be conducted on new voting systems that are being used for the first time as part of the state’s pilot program. The pilot, which permits use of the as yet uncertified machines on a provisional basis, was designed to allow local Boards of Elections try out the new systems in an off year election when turnout is typically low and few races for state or national offices are held. However, the vacancy in the NY-23 seat created by the resignation of Representative John McHugh and the political makeup of the district, always strongly Republican, creates a high tension atmosphere where the eyes of the nation will focus on northern New York on November 3rd. The performance of the new voting machines as well as the procedures used to manage and secure the paper ballots will be under intense scrutiny.

The Voting News Daily: Diebold audit log bug under investigation, Why ES&S Diebold merger bad for NY and US, Election official touts open source

California investigating Diebold audit log bugs…Absentee ballot blues: 7% of Route County CO absentee ballots undeliverable…Tennessee Judge may force state To provide voting paper Trail and election officials get course on running paper ballot elections….Sequoia voting source code story hits mainstream media…why the ES&S/Premier merger is bad for New York State and the Country…Election official…

The Voting News Daily: Pima CO fights ballot audit, 9,000 Absentee ballots returned-to-sender, Sequoia laid bare

Is a Fair Election in Afghanistan Possible?…Tuscon wants hand count audit, Pima County says NO…9000 absentee ballots undeliverable in El Paso County Colorado… Indiana Secy of State gives up on criminalizing use of election data…Nevada is prosecuting ACORN itself, not just individuals…Employee for Ohio pro casino group indicted on 5 counts voter registration fraud -Casino…

The Voting News Daily: Sequoia e-voting code out, Vote flipping in Tennessee, Will Afghan voters turnout for do-over?

Aspen Colorado citizen wins effort to stop destruction of May 5 ballots…New Jersey’s anti-exit polling law…Election Defense Alliance has election databases from Riverside County that Sequoia insisted on “redacting” first, Sequoia Voting Systems inadvertently released the SQL code for its voting databases…Wow! Diebold (OSX) scanners are picky about ink colors on ballots…”The next question is…

Verified Voting Blog: EAC Response to Burstein and Hall

The Election Assistance Commission has sent this response to Aaron Burstein and Joseph Lorenzo Hall’s comments on the EAC’s Voting System Test Lab and the California Top to Bottom Review of Voting Systems.

Thank you for your letter dated October 13, 2009, concerning the federally accredited Voting System Test Lab’s (VSTL) consideration of the California Secretary of State’s Top-To-Bottom Review (TTBR) in developing the test plan for the Premier Assure 1.2 voting system. The VSTL that tested the Premier Assure 1.2, iBeta Laboratories, closely reviewed the findings of the TTBR during the development of its test plan in accordance with the requirements of EAC’s Testing and Certification program and the “Evolution of Testing” requirement contained in Section 1.5 of the 2002 Voting System Standards (VSS). In addition, the VSTL reviewed the results of the Kentucky, Ohio, and Connecticut Reports which resulted in an update of the Security Test Case to verify that Connecticut’s recommended tamper-resistant seals were incorporated into the Premier Technical Data Package (TDP). The review of the 3 March 2009 California Secretary of State report. was also reviewed as well as the Premier Product Advisory Notices. Finally, please note that the software and firmware versions of each component of the system reviewed by California were an earlier version than that tested by the EAC VSTL. A comparison is listed below for your information.

The Voting News Daily: Calls for Open Source voting systems, Diebold OSX WARNING, Afghanistan election disaster

SOS project call on Sen Schumer for Open Source voting machines… Pre-Election Diebold Op-Scan Failure in FL; ‘Reform’ or Legislative Obscenity? – WARNING on Diebold OSX optical scanner…California considers how to regulate electronic campaigning…DOJ spikes Georgia voter voter registration matching/citizenship checks again…Washington State OP: “Ballot secrecy is being eroded.”…Afghanistan: anatomy of an election disaster…Estonia automatically…

The Voting News Daily: Florida hogs HAVA $ that counties need, Virginia violated overseas voters rights, Aghanistan runoff?

Interview with Dr. Ulrich Wiesner who won Germany lawsuit claiming E-Voting unconstitutional…Colorado mail elections raise issue of electioneering at the post office…Show us the money, SOS Browning: Florida State earns interest on $67 million in HAVA funds while counties like Bradford and Miami Dade can’t afford new paper ballot systems…Judge Says Virginia Violated Rights of…

The Voting News Daily: FVAP: unsecure means ok for troop vote, Scientists blast approval of faulty voting systems, Citizens assail GA Supreme Court ruling

October 15. Who will stand up for our troops vote? Soldiers to Choose Risking Democracy on Electronic Voting – FVAP says ok for troops send ballots by “unsecure electronic means” as long as its voluntary…CA Computer Scientists Charge U.S. EAC Misused Security Findings from Landmark E-Voting Study…Citizens Assail GA Supreme Court Voting Decision…Applause: NC State…

The Voting News Daily: Hasta La Vista Transparency, Absentee ballot blues, E-voting spreads in Texas

Schwarzenegger Vetoes Election Integrity Bills…Absentee Ballot Blues: Santa Barbara Mayor warns of lost ballots in Vote-by-Mail election, and 800 Franklin County OH voters told to redo absentee ballot requests… Panel to evaluate Hawaii elections chief’s work…Bo Lipari report on New York’s Voting Machine Pilot Part 1…Paperless voting spreads in Texas…Wisconsin Lawmakers approve plan to study…

The Voting News Daily: To EAC: Fix problems BEFORE voting systems certified, Tenn. can avert election fiascos, New Jersey Bad Ballot

TTBR Investigators letter to EAC – fix vulnerabilities before systems are certified and sold…More Media complaining about a low turnout elections but as usual forget their own part in stoking voter interest….Minneapolis election could take 8 weeks to count…Recount Confirms Voting Machines’ Tally In Pott County Nebraska…Instant Run-Off Voting Debate Returns in Burlington.. Common Cause…

Verified Voting Blog: California Top-to-Bottom Reviewers Letter to the Election Assistance Commission

We write to you on behalf of those individuals listed below from the California Secretary of State’s Top-To-Bottom Review (TTBR) in 2007. The TTBR was an unprecedented, in-depth evaluation of California’s voting systems, which allowed investigators to gain a better understanding of their vulnerabilities. As you know, the EAC recently certified Premier’s Assure 1.2 voting system as conforming to the 2002 Voting System Standards (VSS). This system was tested by iBeta Laboratories (iBeta), one of the accredited Voting System Test Labs (VSTLs). According to the posted test plan—the roadmap for a VSTL’s evaluation of a voting system during certification testing—for Premier Assure 1.2, iBeta interpreted the TTBR studies of the Premier system’s predecessor to have “concluded that the vulnerabilities within the system depend almost entirely on the effectiveness of the election procedures.” On the basis of this interpretation, iBeta developed a test plan that called for “no additional testing” of the Premier system’s security properties. The EAC approved this plan. Taken together, iBeta’s misunderstanding of the significance of the TTBR findings and the EAC’s approval of a test plan that was designed around this misunderstanding, represent a missed opportunity to use the testing and certification process to improve voting system integrity and reliability.

The Voting News Daily: Internet Voting Pilot in Washington, More HAVA audit shocks, Tennessee nears paper ballot finish line

Larimer County Colorado voting by mail in Nov…Colorado allows all mail elections in odd years…Fulton County GA Elections backroom debacle – “There is no practical way to know how many Fulton County voters,who requested absentee ballots, ultimately did not vote,” Attorney Norman Underwood … Audit questions thousands spent by the Palm Beach County elections office…Lawsuit…

The Voting News Daily: Senate panel to review Diebold sale,Florida’s $67 Mill HAVA hoard, Federal Bills moving along

The Senate Rules and Administration Committee will examine Diebold sale…California Top-2 ballot measure would shrink ballot access…Corporate ‘personhood’ must be challenged in Citizens United v FEC…Recount in West Haven CT ends lawsuit…Florida withholding $67 million 2002 HAVA funds from counties…Federal Bill to help military vote goes to conference…H.R.1719 the Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2009…

The Voting News Daily: Maryland paper ballots on track, saving the Military vote, Open Source Momentum

U.S. House Passes Military and Overseas Voter Act…Verified Voting comments on voting system guidelines…Disenfranchised prisoners used to gerrymander districts… Maryland’s new voting machines on track…Post election audits proposed for Massachusetts…Minneapolis explains ranked choice voting process…New York’s 23rd Absentee ballots missing Congress candidates..Voting glitch in Franklin Co Tenn…Courts best resort for Tennessee paper ballot law?….Should Judicial…

The Voting News Daily: WA’s voter reg system crash, E-voting not safe says hacker, Hursti wins award

Famous cyber expert Rop Gonggrijp says: “electronic voting does not work.” …..E-Voting Investigator Harri Hursti wins Pioneer Award from EFF…Albuquerque Muni Election -confusion and accessible equipment broken and not set up…Early voting increases campaign costs… Florida spends $700K on single candidate contest…Hamilton County OH suspects absentee ballot fraud… New Jersey’s unfair ballot design discriminates…Allen County…

The Voting News Daily: New York Military ballots at risk, Tenn. voting issue drags on, ES&S-Diebold monopoly game cont’d

Kenneth Blackwell of Ohio 04 fame wants a BIG overhaul of US.voter registration. system..Early voting makes candidates work harder, spend more in ST.Petersburg FL… NY voting system tests, Final day finds bug.. New York’s military votes at risk but help available from Overseas Vote Foundation. Tennessee courts may trump lawmakers in Tennessee voting machine decision.…

The Voting News Daily: Hawaii election chief postpones problems,Diebold ES&S a “worst case scenario”, Georgians need paper ballots

John Oxendine, GOP rival of Georgia SOS Karen Handel did not like the Georgia Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the use of the paperless voting machines. Oxendine’s reaction: ”With all due respect and appreciation for the Supreme Court of Georgia, I am deeply disappointed in the decision today to reject the challenge to touch-screen electronic…