WP: Plugging Into Voting Insecurities (Electronic Voting)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42085-2003Aug10.html

The Virginia State Board of Elections had a seemingly simple task before it: Certify an upgrade to the state's electronic voting machines. But with a recent report by Johns Hopkins University computer scientists warning that the system's software could easily be hacked into and election results tampered with, the once perfunctory vote now seemed to carry the weight of democracy and the people's trust along with it.

An outside consultant assured the three-member panel recently that the report was nonsense.

"I hope you're right," Chairman Michael G. Brown said, taking a leap of faith and approving Diebold Election System's upgrades. "Because when they get ready to hang the three of us in effigy, you won't be here."

Since being released two weeks ago, the Hopkins report has sent shock waves across the country. Some states have backed away from purchasing any kind of electronic voting machine, despite a new federal law that has created a gold rush by allocating billions to buy the machines and requiring all states to replace antiquated voting equipment by 2006.

"The rush to buy equipment this year or next year just doesn't make sense to us anymore," said Cory Fong, North Dakota's deputy secretary of state.

[Stephanie]

1. An outside consultant?

Who might that be?

[TrogL]

5. SAIC

Hardly an unbiased source of information.

[hedda_foil]

2. This is a really good article and better yet ....

It's on page one of the WP.

GO TEAM BEV!

[MoonRiver]

3. "a new federal law that has created a gold rush by allocating billions...

to buy the machines", says it all about what Rove and his diabolical fellow plotters have in store for we voters. I just hope and pray that all rational non-rightwingnut dominated states will get a clue and outlaw this latest and greatest attempt to steal our democracy, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. :nuke:

[Vadem]

4. We must all write LTE on this excellent story on the WP

but what would be the most cogent and succinct way to get our concerns out to the public. Any of you wonderful writers out there who can draft up something we can use to re-write in our own words to send to the WP?

[TruthIsAll]

6. Leap of faith? He really said that?

I hope you're right," Chairman Michael G. Brown said, taking a leap of faith and approving Diebold Election System's upgrades. "Because when they get ready to hang the three of us in effigy, you won't be here."

So now its state election officials saying that the Johns Hopkins computer experts don't know squat?

Has it come down to this? Laymen debating experts about technical matters in which they are totally ignorant?

They are way out of their domain. This is rediculous. Its no contest.

[w4rma]

7. People are brainwashed... (n/t)

[Rose Siding]

9. He didn't say "leap of faith"

That's how the reporter characterized the approval. He did say "I hope you're right" which keynotes just how little work he's done to understand it. He is buying snake oil. But he's hopeful!

[hedda_foil]

8. This needs to be seen by everyone.

[Gin]

12. Hedda Foil....this is the name of the consultant working for VA and GA.

This was sent to me by Matt Bell in VA.
I have attached a report below that was created by Virginia's Independent Test Authority (ITA), Dr. Britain Williams. Dr. Williams is contracted by Virginia to review all voting systems during the State's certification process. Dr. Williams acts in the same capacity for the State of Georgia. You may not be aware that Georgia has recently decided to use the Diebold AccuVote TS R6 touch screen system statewide. I think that his report, created for concerned Georgians, will be most helpful to you in understanding the inherent security in not only the touch screen voting systems but in the election process here in Virginia as well.

[stickdog]

13. Could they be more obvious? (NT)

[DrBB]

14. Isn't that the guy in Rob's (rob-georgia) story

Same damn "certifier" if I'm not mistaken. What a joker. Oh I think he's eligible for hanging in effigy too. If effigy is all it comes to.

Reminds me of a great and highly apt CCR tune, matter of fact.

Last night
I saw a fire burning on
The palace lawn.
O'er the land
The humble subjects watched in mixed
Emotion.

CHORUS:
Who is burnin'?
Who is burnin'?
Effigy.
Who is burnin'?
Who is burnin'?
Effigy.

Last night
I saw the fire spreadin' to
The palace door.
Silent majority
Weren't keepin' quiet
Anymore.

CHORUS

Last night
I saw the fire spreadin' to
The country side.
In the mornin'
Few were left to watch
The ashes die.

CHORUS

Why?
Why?
Why?
Effigy.

[Rose Siding]

10. omg, check out the fed spin!

snip>
"The computer scientists are saying, 'The machinery you vote on is inaccurate and could be threatened; therefore, don't go. Your vote doesn't mean anything,' " said Penelope Bonsall, director of the Office of Election Administration at the Federal Election Commission. "That negative perception takes years to turn around."
end snip>

NO ONE is saying that! The implication is that the govt shouldn't use flawed machines. I can see this emerging as the govt defense- "patriotism (by voting) vs science"

[VolcanoJen]

11. Kick!!!

:dem:

[4dog]

15. a kick for the link and the comments

but surely there are other threads on this big story?