Voting machine company behind so many surprise wins this year raises some questions

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

After initially focusing on the surprisingly lopsided results of the senatorial election in Kentucky, DCReport broadened our scope to look at the electronic vote-counting software and electronic voting systems that we rely on to tally our votes. This prompted us to raise questions about Electronic Systems & Software (ES&S), America's largest voting machine company. What we found was a revolving door between government officials and ES&S.

Voting results in three states that saw surprising majorities by vulnerable incumbent Republican senators—Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina—were almost all tabulated on ES&S machines.

Trump and his inept legal team have barely mentioned ES&S, focusing almost exclusively on Dominion Voting Systems.
snip---
DCReport placed numerous calls and emails to ES&S at its headquarters on John Galt Boulevard in Omaha. Only once was the phone answered by someone who would not put us through saying "they are not going to be able to talk to you.". DCReport was directed to ES&S's website. DCReport submitted the form repeatedly but got no reply.

https://www.rawstory.com/voting-machine/

The Biden DOJ may seriously benefit the people of the US if they do a thorough investigation of ES&S.

[grumpyduck]

1. Just the fact that donnie's minions barely mentioned ES&S

would tend to make a naturally suspicious mind... suspicious.

[NoRoadUntravelled]

2. Jennifer Cohn has been sounding the alarm bell about ES&S since 2016.

Here's a recent article.

Snip~

"Democrats proposed the SAFE Act, which would have required robust manual audits for all federal races this year and banned most of the touchscreen voting machines currently in use. It also would have banned internet connectivity to voting systems. But the GOP killed the SAFE Act."

snip~
"Republicans nonetheless have the audacity to complain after the election about lack of security and transparency, knowing full well that they are primarily responsible for these problems, that they did better (not worse) than polls predicted, and that they went out of their way to block manual recounts in the presidential elections of 2000 and 2016."

https://jennycohn1.medium.com/es-s-is-americas-largest-voting-machine-vendor-7ac10934a923

[Grasswire2]

3. expert on election security Jennifer Cohn has been screaming about ES&S forever

The origins of ES&S are suspect. As are its record.

I, personally, came across some info in deep research about ES&S in the year 2000 that was both frightening and suspicious. Jenny Cohn has that info now.

[CaptainTruth]

23. +1

[moonscape]

4. SC didn't surprise me but Maine did. n/t

[Cracklin Charlie]

7. Some senators are desperate to hold their seats.

None of these are surprising to me.

Friggin’ cheaters.

[wnylib]

26. I wonder about Kentucky.

[jaxexpat]

37. When I was younger I wandered about Kentucky.

I read a surprising statistic today. Despite the shameless attraction and mating habits of fools, idiots and kin fol to each other in that old Kentucky home, the average IQ was NOT the US's lowest.

[NoRoadUntravelled]

5. "Chinese parts, hidden ownership, growing scrutiny: Inside America's biggest maker of voting machine

of voting machines.
Scrutiny of the U.S. election system, spurred by Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, has put Election Systems & Software in the political spotlight."

Snip~ "NBC News examined publicly available online shipping records for ES&S for the past five years and found that many parts, including electronics and tablets, were made in China and the Philippines, raising concerns about technology theft or sabotage."

https://securityledger.com/2019/12/study-finds-chinese-hardware-powers-u-s-voting-machine/

[BarackTheVote]

6. Lemme guess

ES&S machines don’t produce a paper trail?

[central scrutinizer]

8. John Galt Boulevard?

WTF?

[MsLeopard]

28. Ayn Rand Expressway

Would probably go over their heads too. But it really does align with their disgusting ideology.

[Nasruddin]

32. Yep

[link:http://douglascohistory.net/Education_StreetNames5.htm|]

[Bernardo de La Paz]

67. Connects 108th Street and ... wait for it ... Q Street. . . . . nt

[central scrutinizer]

48. If John Galt boulevard crossed Ayn Rand expressway

By law, there would be no traffic controls, in either direction. A bridge or overpass or underpass would require socialist expenditures. Floor it!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

66. Noticed that. Unlikely to be the John Galt born in 1700s & head of the Canada Company. . . . nt

[fmdaddio]

9. Susan Collins

Worked out for her too. ES&S machines and her way down in the polls. Her win was the big surprise of the night in my opinion.

[SunSeeker]

27. Yup, I saw no polls with her in the lead within a month of the election.

Then she ends up winning by a fairly large margin.

[Botany]

10. ES&S machines allow for

Last edited Wed Dec 30, 2020, 04:37 PM - Edit history (1)

Looking at the voting data
Manipulating the voting data
Leaving no "electronic fingerprints"
In some cases remote access to the machines too

No doubt that Trump got "help" from ES&S and other electronic voting machines but the
overwhelming # of votes Biden got overwhelmed the machines' "fudge factor."

Moscow Mitch knows that "they win dirty" with the machines and that is why he has blocked
any can of upgrade in voting security upgrades.

Brunner EVEREST Study

[burrowowl]

33. ES&S touchscreen machines are CRAP!

[Botany]

34. The "electronic backdoors" that were programed into the machines operating systems were no mistake..

... or glitch. In 2016 Putin spent millions "looking into" the hardware and software of the
operating systems of both electronic voting machines and the central tabulators. And he
wasn't doing that "just to have a look around." In 2016 the exit polls had HRC winning
WI, MI, PA, N.C. and FL.

Exit polls used to agree w/the vote but from 1988 on and especially after "they" pushed through
HAVA (help america vote act in 2002) they stopped matching.

when we used these
the exit polls matched the vote.

[whopis01]

43. What's with the "1 1/2 VOTES" option?

I realize it is just a fake ballot - but when would you ever have a "1.5 votes" option?

[DFW]

11. ESS has been reporting "surprise Republican upset election victories" since the beginning

I'm convinced that a thorough forensic investigation of their machines would turn up massive cheating, and all favoring Republicans. Actually ESS never disguised their political preferences. It's just that few ever guessed how far they'd go to influence the elections, and even fewer ever made a serious effort to find out.

[uponit7771]

12. K&R, Either the US has the worst polling of any developed country on planet Earth or voting is off

[moondust]

13. Jennifer Cohn in 2018.

All electronic vote tallies can be hacked through the internet

~
This is because “all voting machines must accept electronic input files” via a “cartridge or memory card … prepared on an Election Management (EMS) computer” that is itself likely connected to the internet from time to time.
~
Moreover, results from the precincts are often transmitted into a central tabulator over a local area network, so that the “chain-of-custody of the images is not provable, and images may be manipulated in transmission by network-based attacks.”

Central tabulators, in turn, transmit results to online Election Night Reporting Systems, creating another opportunity for internet hacking of voting machine tallies.
~
All electronic vote tallies can be hacked through the internet, even if the voting machines themselves are not directly connected to it.

There may also be concern for "back doors" in the software/tabulators created by programmers at companies that support the GOP and their voter suppression tactics.

And by the way...LOOK OVER THERE AT DOMINION!!!! DOMINION!!! LOOK AT THEM AND THEIR VOTER FRAUD!!! DEMOCRATS CHEATING!!! IT'S THEM!!!!

[questionseverything]

14. We need standards of transparency

No matter which company it is, no citizen can go into the machine and check the software

Hand counted paper ballots, counted in full public view with a tight chain of custody are the answer

[RANDYWILDMAN]

15. Shocking: didn't we think something was fishy is just these state elections ?

Anyone who watched all the black box stuff and diebold, nothing here is a surprise.

[True Blue American]

41. Yes, I remember those dreadful

Diebold machines and Memory cards. We had 4 with 12 machines. They did force them to put a paper trail. Those twisted. We spent half the day straightening the paper. You could get into them with a tiny key.

[zaj]

16. Sorry, but disappointing election results

... is not sufficient reason for the federal government to start an investigation.

That's exactly what Trump is trying to do, but with the politics reversed.

The left runs the same risks of anti-democratic populism.as the right, and we need to hold ourselves accountable to strong standards.

[Super Iridium]

24. Thank you

Zaj, you are correct, and I'm kind of disappointed that DU is allowing tripe like this to be featured on the front page.

[Botany]

35. I'm kind of disappointed (in) DU .... your concern is noted

BTW I have 16 + years doing election protection work and other DUers are professors,
teachers, engineers, scientists, mathematicians, election workers, and or are very
knowledgeable about elections and voting.

I like horses do you?

[mdelaguna]

56. +1

[stopdiggin]

36. 100% correct

conspiracy theory nonsense. The article has nothing in the way of direct evidence -- but excels at innuendo. "They wouldn't talk to us .. Waaah. Deeply suspicious!" Yeah, and they're not particularly interested in talking to that other nut job, Sidney Powell, either! Or Alex Jones, or Q-Anon.

Unfortunately, DU does do a lot of this. We wear our own tin foil. Sometimes stridently.

[spooky3]

58. The issue is not "disappointing"; it is that the results were far away

Last edited Thu Dec 31, 2020, 04:18 PM - Edit history (1)

From predictions based on careful polling AND that previous investigations of some vote counting machinery and software HAVE found problems. Virginia is one of the states that replaced nearly all of its electronic voting machines that lacked a paper trail and had other problems.

It’s not a conspiracy theory; it’s a legitimate issue that needs investigation.

See the link I posted below from The State newspaper in South Carolina in 2019.

[zaj]

70. Sending in Federal authoritaries is massive overreach

We presume everyone innocent, including voting machine companies and Republicans. There is a rational, evidence based middle ground here are we need to hold each other accountable to occupying it.

[spooky3]

72. Investigation is not presuming guilt.

It is absolutely the responsibility of authorities at any level to investigate credible accusations of wrongdoing and to pursue justice if wrongdoing is found.

[zaj]

73. Police need real evidence in order to begin investigating.

This is complete speculation. Journalism and citizens can work on this, because they have limits on their power (and thus the potential for abuse).

That's where this can and should live. Just like with Trump's post election conspiracy nonsense.

This might be a potentially more legitimate concern, but we can't ignore the guardrails on the power of the government. If we cross those lines a small amount, they public will rationalize the massive abuse by the GOP that will follow.

[spooky3]

75. It is NOT speculation. You refuse to look at evidence I linked

in another post and ignore the fact I cited earlier—that states such as Virginia looked at the evidence others cited here, and replaced their very expensive electronic voting machines. So it’s pointless to continue this.

Have a happy new year!

[uponit7771]

74. +1, either the US has the worst polling of any developed country on the planet ever or ...

... some voting bullshit is happening

[intheflow]

62. Except there is a long history with Republicans and ESS.

Here's former Rep Peter King (R) talking on election day 2004, when DU was a-buzz with fear for possible voting fraud by the Republicans using ES&S and other e-voting machines:

Here's an article from St. John's Law Review outlining ongoing problems with ES&S systems (among others): https://scholarship.law.stjohns.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1247&context=lawreview

This ain't new, they stole the Dominion voting machine fraud rant from us (with no evidence), but we have 16 years of reporting the ES&S machines are unsecure and subject to tampering.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

17. GOPers always project -- they accuse, therefore, they did it.

Paper ballots are needed everywhere.



DU actblue link for Warnock, Ossoff, Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight:

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dufor2020runoff

A few questions: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=14520874

and answers: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=14520972

[badboy67]

18. Definitely suspicious.

[certainot]

19. someone higher up GOP told trump the election was rigged so he was expecting to win but and

keep senate but they couldn't trust him with details - like it was the ES&S machines - and the whole rw media went after dominion because they were used in states he needed.

if dedms win georgia and senate, the cons are going to drag those senate seats out for months with bullshit

this goes back to the national rw media/radio freakout in 2000 over 'hanging chads' - used to sell electronic voting - ES&S

biden admins going to have to do full bipartisan investigation in public where the cons can't decide where to look.

[Historic NY]

20. John Galt Boulevard

really...

[stopdiggin]

51. It's there. (about 3 minutes from one of the major interchanges)

You have to remember that many of our "luminaries" have expressed their admiration ...
Getting a street named isn't much of a stretch. Sadly.

[housecat]

21. So we really did get the Senate. Must follow through with this.

Can we sue the company to get discovery?

[Nictuku]

22. Anyone know if they use ES&S in Georgia?

[subterranean]

29. Georgia uses Dominion voting machines.

[DFW]

55. And that is probably why the Republicans are so worried about the GA Senate seats

If they used ESS machines, they wouldn‘t be in such a panic.

[AlexSFCA]

59. if ess was so good for then why gop ga government purchased dominion systems?

[DFW]

61. That would depend on when the purchase was made.

When was that purchase completed?

If it was a Republican administration that bought Dominion, it could have been for reasons of cost or overconfidence. But PA has had a Democratic governor for the last couple of years.

[niyad]

25. What was the name of the company that grassley had his sticky fingers in during the 2000 and

Last edited Wed Dec 30, 2020, 07:42 PM - Edit history (1)

2004 elections? Was it ESS?

[OMGWTF]

47. Maybe; could have been Diebold too.

Diebold makes ATMs too and I wanted to make up stickers to put after their name on the ATM so it would read "Diebold is stealing your vote."

[intheflow]

60. Yes, ESS was a problem in 2004. n/t

[C Moon]

30. Pay no attention...

[Mr. Sparkle]

31. This sounds so suspicious, normal companies dont act that way.

"headquarters on John Galt Boulevard in Omaha. Only once was the phone answered by someone who would not put us through saying "they are not going to be able to talk to you."."

[stopdiggin]

39. "Normal" companies act like this every day.

This is SOP -- and particularly during a media storm. Everything goes through the chief information officer (desk/office). And, no, they probably don't have time -- or want to make time -- for Internet Andy (or the Daily Beast). So -- getting a stiff arm from the information desk -- NOT suspicious. At all!

[Mr. Sparkle]

40. This company has no media storm. Nobody in the media is talking about them.

Companies that want more business answer the phone. Even if to knock back requests from journalists.

[stopdiggin]

45. No media storm?

Okay, now I'm laughing. But you have a good one! --- ---

[Mr. Sparkle]

49. Just keep smokin what your smokin!

[Lokee11]

38. Like someone said in a different thread a week or so ago

The biggest reason why Captain Dipshit truly believes Joe cheated to win, is because they cheated!


FDT!

[judesedit]

42. About fricking time. Should have been done for every election from 2000 til now

[OMGWTF]

44. Moscow Mitch has an 18% approval rating in KY. NFW did he win honestly. NFW!

[malaise]

46. Hope it explains MoscowMitch's numbers n/t

[Lucinda]

50. KNR

[Ponietz]

52. This plays right into the we want a new election crowd

[Blue Owl]

53. Smells like ESS

[MustLoveBeagles]

54. K&R

[spooky3]

57. This article says SC bought ESS machines contrary to recommendations:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.thestate.com/news/politics-government/election/article246806162.html

This is a legit newspaper:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_State_(newspaper)

Polls showed Harrison and Graham neck and neck.

[intheflow]

63. Waiting for the DUers who spend countless hours defending McConnell's win

to chime in about this being a conspiracy theory in 3... 2...

[bucolic_frolic]

64. GOP are afraid of having their secrets divulged

And I'm sure both sides have proprietary methods of GOTV that would disadvantageous if the other side learned them. So the status quo is a stalemate.

[highnooner]

65. Hold this info until 1/21/21

This is walking into a trap set by those who rigged elections. If you start questioning these results, then you open the Pandora's box. We can start investigating it then.

[AllaN01Bear]

68. and the fact that software patches were installed a few weeks before the election.

[ecstatic]

69. Remember, trump ALWAYS projects. So I'm really glad people are finally

looking into this. Instead of blindly assuming polls are wrong, we should take a closer look at the situation.

[brooklynite]

71. Name one Democratic candidate complaining the voting machines were rigged.