Reply #20: Beware potential pitfalls of electronic voting

[rumpel]

Letters to the editor

October 6, 2006

After witnessing a disturbing demonstration video on how simple it is to tamper with electronic voting machines, I felt obligated to try to make as many citizens aware of this potential opportunity for criminals to steal our votes. A video based on a Princeton study, can be viewed at http://itpolicy.princeton.edu/voting/.


Read the investigative report, "Will the Next Election Be Hacked?" in the Oct. 5 issue of Rolling Stone magazine. Then ask your elected state and federal officials if they are aware of this situation and what they are doing to protect us. Also, ask them to support emergency legislation that will ensure that all states have access to paper ballots at all polling locations. Finally, contact Election Systems and Software (ES&S) officials and ask them to publicly state what security measures are being taken to ensure that we have secure, transparent and independently verifiable election results.
Amazingly, the four privately owned, for-profit electronic voting machine companies (Diebold, ES&S, Sequoia Voting Systems, and Hart InterCivic) have been allowed to certify themselves without oversight from state election officials. We desperately need independent verification of all ballots that will be cast on Election Day so that we can maintain confidence in the democratic foundations that are the bedrock of our great country.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061006/OPINION01/610060385/-1/ZONES04