CA Secretary of State Decertifies Majority LA County E-voting Machines
By Logan Murphy Friday Aug 03, 2007 4:35pm
Via the Sacbee: (h/t Nate)
California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, bowing to fears of computer fraud, Friday decertified Los Angeles County's electronic voting system and sharply curtailed the use of two other machines that California counties had hoped to use to conduct the February 2008 presidential primary.
She said she would allow unlimited use of one system, Hart InterCivic, as long as security and auditing safeguards are implemented.
But in the case of two major companies -- Diebold Election Systems and Sequoia Voting Systems -- Bowen said she would allow just one machine per polling place, apparently to provide an accessible option for disabled voters.
Electronic voting critics had unsuccessfully lobbied Bowen's predecessor to stop the machines' use in California. More than three dozen California counties have invested millions of dollars in the technology and some will be forced to replace many machines by February under Bowen's order.
"I reject the notion that I should not require changes in security simply because counties already own (the machines)," Bowen said. Read more...
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Paper Ballots!
You go getem' gurly!
No more stolen elections!
Oh my God. There is a resistance!
[Deleted. Blogwhoring]
In order to stay abreast of the latest voting machine horror stories, go to either www.blackboxvoting.org (this is a bipartisan voting rights group who are responsible for the first successful hack of a DRE (electronic touch screen voting machine) called the "Harri Hursti Hack" and also produced the award winning HBO documentary entitled "Hacking Democracy". This is a "must see" film.
Also, keep checking into www.bradblog.com because Brad brings you the latest national stories on the abysmal condition of our voting hardware and software.
Educate yourself as much as you can. Things are changing rapidly all around us - spinning out of control. Wisdom and knowledge become power.
AP - 8 minutes ago
MINNEAPOLIS - President Bush pledged Saturday to cut red tape that could delay rebuilding a highway bridge that once arched over the Mississippi River but now lies crumbled in muddy water concealing some victims.
Watch the Cons will try to sneak another tax cut into this causing the Dems to have to delay funding until it's removed and Rove will have his bud Ruppert blast the Dems on Fox for being obstructionists.
Bush is acting like this is a big decision even though he knows the taxpayers will flip the bill and he'll never have to contribute a dime.
Now the State of California needs to sue the asses off the manufacturers of the defective voting machines.
And if other states are using those machines, those states should join in the suit.
SHOW NO MERCY!!!
In a nutshell, here's the scoop: DRE's have been and still can be hacked. The Holt Bill is a smokescreen to assuage people's concerns about "paperless" voting machines. Herein lies the problem with the new "paper trail" machines - yes, an individual pencils in his choice; yes, it is inserted into what's called an "opti-scanner" to tally the pencil marks. Yes, the number in equals the number out - so the numbers tally at the end of the day. That's about where the credibility ends, folks.
The number of votes will balance out at the end of the day; however, the allocation of those votes is in serious question at this point. Evidently, these "opti scan machines" have software - whoops! Here we go again! And, unfortunately, these opti-scan machines can also be hacked.
So, we will have a paper trail which is basically worthless because all it will tell us is that the number of papers inserted into the gizmo equals the number on the final tabulation tape. How it is allocated is the "trick"!! The little opti scan machine's software will be in charge of that - it's a grave and serious problem and no one is addressing it at this point.
My guess is that the election in 08 will be won by the individual(s) who get into the software last. That'd be my best estimate.
Diebold -Because elections are too important to be left up to the voters!
Amazing that Technology has managed to screw us for the most part rather then help us. Or is it simply technology getting into the hands of the wrong people?
Of course, if this will remain the case then why should candidates spend this amoral amount of money on their campaigns? Do we really need the ostentatious displays of waste during the Democratic and Republican National Conventions? It's become quite appalling actually. People starving in other parts of the world while we throw money to throw these two horrible shindigs glorifying people who get into office and betray us. What is wrong with this picture?
Hooray for common sense. Until these electronic manufacturers can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is no way these machines can be hacked into, and until they can provide a paper trail, there is no reason to trust them. If every computerized cash register in every restaurant and bar can provide a paper printout, then it shouldn't be difficult for electronic voting machine manufacturers to do the same.
I believe the statement is attibuted to Stalin who said something to the effect that "it's not the votes that count in an election; it's the people who count the votes that matters"....something to that effect. And, unfortunately, we now know that it's been true all this time.
:) :) :)
[Deleted. Waaaay off topic blogwhoring]
What fascinates me to no end is that Diebold has been making flawless ATM's for a very long time; yet, they have an intentional vulnerability in their DRE's?? hah! Ironic, isn't it that Diebold was a major contributor in Ohio to Bush/Cheney 04 and in cahoots with Kenneth Blackwell, Supervisor of Elections for the state of Ohio during that time while functioning as Co-Chair of Bush/Cheney 04. Hmmm....
"I am committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president." -- Diebold CEO Wally O'Dell ca. 2004
myiq2xu @ 9:
myiq2xu @ 9:
http://journalism.berkeley.edu/projects/election2004/images/diebold%20vo...
Sorry for the double quote
veritas @ 16:
Ya beat me to it!
If Diebold's ATM software was as shitty as the votin' software no bank would use 'em.
L.A. Confidential @ 6:
If not a tax cut, he'll have his remaining GOP rubberstampers tack the money for the new bridge on some really heinous bill to outlaw unions or repeal civil rights or something the Democrats will never vote for - then they can blame the Democrats for not passing it.
Remember - Al Franken will be running for the Senate in Minnesota. This way his opponent, the GOP incumbent, can claim credit for voting for the bill even though it didn't pass.
That's what ya call a twofer.
Please no more private voting machines in any country. The public good is too important to risk to some corporatists who will say the supply side economics crowd won the races
I am glad someone is on the ball! I don't trust those machines with my vote for a second!
All kinds of props to Bev Harris & all the folks at Black Box Voting:
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/
These people havin' been workin' hard fer years tryin' to eradicate these corruptable votin' machines.
This hopeful. Once Diane-traitor-Feinstein announced that she couldn't be bothered to correct the system, I assumed the entire country would follow suit. Essentially she gave legitimacy to another stolen election. How DARE she be so fucking criminal? What a fucking asshole she is. Let's hope the rest of the states will be forced into following California's lead. Six years late and finally some movement.
AS far as Bush's promise to get Federal help for Minnesota, his entire history of promises has proven to be lpacked with lies. He promised New York help after 9/11 and lied about that. What about his promises to help rebuild New Orleans after Katrina? Oh sorry!! That meant helping black people, so he lied about that. What about No Child Left Behind? What about his promise to lead a government free of corruption? What a joke!! What about his promise about WMD? The entire world knows all about his lie. And a million other promises.Why would Minnesota be any different?
Actually I err. Bush did keep his promise to one person. Sharon. Sorry about that.
Hmm, a small step forward in sunny Californy. Actually, we need to immediately dump all electronic computerized voting machines and vote tabulating machines into the nearest body of water and return to hand-counted paper ballots for the 2008 elections. Otherwise, the GOP criminals will find a way to rig, hack, flip and steal another Presidential Election, a la 2000 and 2004. These Republicans and Bush-followers are all traitors to democracy, traitors to our Bill of Rights, traitors to our Constitution and traitors to America.
In 1776, Bush and Cheney and their fellow gangsters would have been tarred and feathered and run out of town on a rail. Now we are treated to the spectacle of Senate Democrats kowtowing to the traitor Bush and voting to increase his illegal spying on Democrats and others resisting der Bush. Talk about masochistic...
This could be end up in court.
Ah PROGRESS through high tech. Theives are working hard to win this one. Thanks Arnold (you Pig) for bringing these abominations back into CA voiting.
Dave @ 17:
And that's precisely what Diebold did! Now it's time to hold little Wally O accountable for what he did to make it all happen.
James Kjaer @ 30:
... they are also trying to change the way electoral votes are assigned as well. (It is currently a winner take all system)
james k. sayre @ 28:
You've got it right! Back to hand counted paper ballots with oversight on everyone counting the ballots - just like old times when the people at least believed that their vote counted....operative word here: "believed". We no longer believe in anything going on in this government. Thanks to the mainstream media for their complicity and lack of accurate reporting (Iraq War, case in point - see Bill Moyers special last night anyone??) and you've got the 'prescription for disaster' which is precisely what we've got going on right now....a total Bush disaster.
and just as we did to ensure the quality and veracity of the Iraq elections which were so incredibly important to us at the time, maybe we need police protection and oversight at the polls, too?? After all, we did it for the Iraqis when Bush wanted to prove his point about their fledgling democracy, didn't we?
james k. sayre @ 28:
Don't let any of them (including Feinstein) tell us that we can't have paper ballots and the people to count them.
We've got paper, and we've got people who can count.
Technology is a corporate curse in the case of fair elections. If we regain ownership of our votes, we can throw the batch of traitors and hypocrites out of our government.
And I think that in 1776, the two traitors you mentioned would have had a far harsher sentence and would not have simply been run out of town.
Thank you Secretary of State Bowen. Finally some sanity. Now let's put the heat on Senator Feinstein (who by the way, voted to give Bush his expanded FISA yesterday). She said last week that reforming electronic voting would cause "chaos" for the 2008 elections and wants to table it until 2010. HORSESHIT! WE HAVE HAD 7 YEARS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WHICH IS CENTRAL TO THE WELL BEING OF OUR DEMOCRACY! Go back to the goddamn paper ballots counted by hand until this is resolved. Californians, call Feinstein and light a fire under her lazy and/or corrupt ass!
DC Address: The ??? Honorable ??? Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-0504
DC Phone: 202-224-3841
DC Fax: 202-228-3954
Email Address: http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/
I don't get it. My bank uses computers and software and I use a touch screen to deposit and withdraw money, and the bank has audit trails. Sometimes I question an entry but overall the bank's system is 99.99999% accurate. How is it that voting machines are so far off of this standard? One would have to conclude that it is intentional. Maybe some people do not want 100% accuracy on voting.
This may be a step in the right direction, but how many Diebolds does it take to 'fix' an election?
One per polling place should do it.
Moral Relativism is also rejected by the right wing capitalists in America. How has democracy benefited Americans? Oh yeah:
1. 2000 Stolen Election
2. Voting Fraud consistently
3. Fraudulent electronic voting machines
4. Hurricane Katrina (levee upkeep ignored by the capitalist state)
5. Bridge Collapse in Minnesota
6. Corrupt leaders
This includes both the Democrats as well as the Republicans, for failing their civic duties on behalf of all Americans. I would say the Republicans are more at fault when it comes to voter fraud and fixing elections.
Right wingers view moral absolutism based on good versus evil as the prevailing standard, along with a nativism based on authoritarianism, chauvinism and all kinds of bigotry exemplified by the capitalist-corporatists who seek to dehumanize people as they make profits----you know profits over people.
Capitalists do not need democracies but democracy needs a capitalist system to survive. Again, Capitalists do not need democracy. Capitalism can thrive under leaders such as Pinochet and the military junta in Greece, which ruled from 1967 to 1974. Whenever people rise up against the capitalists the capitalist state uses words to demonize those in opposition whether it be "liberals," or "communists," and now "terrorists." It is just done to put more power and control into the hands and arms of the capitalist state and hold the rabble in line. Yes, it surely always is, "profits over people," your rights damned!
It should be illegal to utilize any voting method that cannot be accurately audited and verified. Having to trust the machine and its manufacturers is a license to steal elections.
BRAVO!
About time.
The programmer who designed the breach points testified before congress more than 5 years ago that the Diebold machines were set up to "flip the vote".
When I heard that testimony I thought it was the Smoking Gun for voting fraud.... at the time:(
WE HAVE HAD 7 YEARS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WHICH IS CENTRAL TO THE WELL BEING OF OUR DEMOCRACY! Go back to the goddamn paper ballots counted by hand until this is resolved. Californians, call Feinstein and light a fire under her lazy and/or corrupt ass!
DC Address: The ??? Honorable ??? Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-0504
DC Phone: 202-224-3841
DC Fax: 202-228-3954
Email Address: http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/
----------------------
NOTE: My e-mail was returned because I do not live in California. Have to phone.
Isn't it strange that the Bush-league administration fired several US attorneys because they wouldn't file charges right before an election on what were, at most, a handful of ineligible voters registering to vote, but they won't even investigate allegations of massive voter fraud that may have helped the GOP to win several elections.
On second thought, it's not strange at all.
Just Me @ 7:
I'm with that 100%! That was my first thought too, that the guilty responsible parties should be held accountable. An old fashioned American conservative idea I know.
Test
http://video.google.de/videoplay?docid=-365586126885215066&q=Hacking+Dem...
Just Me @ 35:
If I remember my history correctly being tarred and feathered and rode on a rail did result in a much hasher sentence then being simply run out of town. And I support it whole heartedly in this case.
the 4th Reich is rising @ 45:
Yep, link´s working.
In case you haven´t watched the film "Hacking Democracy" yet please do it NOW!
San Diego County Registrar of Voters - Debra Seiler - Former Sales Rep for Deibold
San Diego County Assistant Registrar of Voters - Michael Vu - Former Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Elections Board Director
San Diego County is FUCKED.
This is in response to your deleting my post #15 because its "[Deleted. Waaaay off topic blogwhoring]" If you had an open thread, I would have been glad to post it there. My blog is strictly used to enlist help for different kinds activism related to civil rights for the GLBT community. I thought "Crooks and Liars" might be a good place to post it for your GLBT readers who might be interested in helping fight the kind of victimization of our community that occurred at Yankee's stadium.
I guess you wouldn't understand that sentiment, as "blogwhoring" connotes some kind of attempt by me to "gain" from my posting a reference to the Pink Panthers action. I understand you deleting it for being way off topic, but I take exception to the "blogwhoring" remark. Unlike "Crooks and Liars", I have no commercial interest in my blog. Your blog has been used as a good vehicle for advocacy in the past, so I thought you wouldn't mind my post. Again, I looked for an open thread for today before just posting it in the current thread.
The "off topic" aspect was my mistake. The "blogwhoring" comment isn't appreciated, but you can "name call" all you want since this is your blog.
PLEASE READ THIS
I just read the chapter in Greg Palast's book, Armed Madhouse about how the election was stolen the last two times (yes, twice and it really made me think. His point is that the electronic voting machines have become kind of a red herring for the GOP. They are NOT how votes are stolen. It can be done just as easily through throwing ballots out, caging lists, spoiled ballots, etc, and a bill that passed on New Year's day that leaves the counting and throwing out of ballots to the Secretary of State (remember Katherine Harris?). These fuckers have many tricks up their sleeves for stealing elections and none of them are dependent upon electronic voting machines. And you can bet your ass that each time the Republicans get behind an "election reform" bill, there is something much more sinister going on behind the scenes. Case in point: the "Help America Vote Act" which of course is anything but. The bill was ostensibly designed to provide provisional ballots to those whose votes may be challenged (ie. blacks, hispanics, etc.) and many liberals got behind this thing because of their fear of EVMs. It was gleefully signed into law by Bush (without any mention in the law about having to USE those ballots) and then used to cherry pick out any Republicans and toss out the "darker" votes. there is pretty good documentation behind this and the guy has done his homework. I definitely recommend reading the book, this is mainstream news just about everywhere else in the world. STAY ON TOP OF YOUR GAME - DO NOT FALL FOR ANY OF THEIR SHIT GUYS - YOU KNOW HOW ROVE & CO THINK BY NOW!
"California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, bowing to fears of computer fraud,"
Bowing to fears?!?! That's what she ran and got elected on.
Also, San Diego also had MAJOR problems last few elections.
good. i will be ecstatic when these machines are removed from use alltogether.
Does this mean the machines will be accurate when they vote Diane Fienstein out of town on a rail?
As a Texan, I have been admiring California's SOS Ms. Bowen's dedication and patriotic efforts to restore voting rights to Americans and reclaim democracy. She is truly one-in-a-million who is unimpressed by the powers that be from a wealthy voting machine oligopoly and unafraid to do what is right for our country. Thank You, Ms Bowen
Two allow just one machine per polling place for the disabled is a good thing, especially sense there organization that speaks for them are indebted to these black box criminals as they were suckered to take huge monetary contributions. (yes we do have that knowledge of this shit and sense they want to promote them, then we should grant the very small group of people that are doing all the complaining they need these trumped up machines, because average American don't want or need them at all).
I new this was the right person to put in that office. Debra Bowen ran a very tough campaign and she promised to fix the problems all over the dominate State of California, which is so critical to our election process.
California holds the key to the office of President of the United States with the 54, electoral votes that one of these people running for office will have to grab.
She needs to keep an eye on the republican party as I heard they are seriously trying desperately to change that make up. I don't know what these bastards are doing, but they bear watching as we need to keep our eye on the prize.
Now if we could just get these fools State Secretaries of Election Offices all over the country to do exactly what Ms. Bowen is doing, we will be well on our way to making sure these freaks, are not about to stuff right wing votes are stashed and we may be able to re-count if necessary.
The excuse these people are using of not enough time to fix the problem is bogas. How much time do they need to print paper ballots?
Thank you Secretary of State Debra Bowen for having the intelligence to see what many of us have seen sense the 2000, stolen election.
I'm glad I supported and voted for Debra!
rainyseason @ 50:
Excellent points. While D. Bowen has done us all a great service this past week (yay me for voting for her and rallying even more votes via my friends and family), there is still a great deal of GOP duplicity to be dealt with.
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