Bob Fitrakis files lawsuit in Ohio re untested software inserted into voting machines

[Bill USA]

Looks like the GOP is planning another counterfeit election. They need Ohio. so if you can't win it in a real election, just scramble the votes a bit and voila! Ohio goes for Rmoney!!

Democracy, it's been good to know ya.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014291694

[thereismore]

1. Why does a state like Ohio use no paper trail? It is driving me bonkers. nt

[PuppyBismark]

2. Every Ohio County gets to pick their voting machines

So, yes many, like Franklin County, Columbus, have paper trails, but not all of them. We don't want to step on the feet of the local boards of election and mandate anything like common equipment or processes.

[liberal N proud]

3. Call the Ohio Secretary of State's office at 1-877-767-6446 - Do it RIGHT NOW!!!!

Please do it right now. Call the Ohio Secretary of State's office at 1-877-767-6446


http://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPublic/id:29568.12940025935/rid:e5a510d4021c9fbc6a347ef5bb5b8d75

[Bill USA]

4. here's a link to Freepress story. Emails to FreePress might be a good idea too.

http://freepress.org/departments/display/19/2012/4779

[font size="3"]Ohio election law does not allow software or hardware to be used in election until it has been tested or certified by the Ohio Board of Voting Machine Examiners unless it is experimental. The confidential internal memos indicate that this software was never tested because of claims that it is not involved with the tabulation or communication of votes. Reporting election results from county tabulation systems to the secretary of state's office, which is the purpose of this software as explained by McClellan, is in fact communication of votes.[/font]

The potential federal illegality of this software has been hidden from public scrutiny by the Secretary of State's Election Counsel Brandi Seske. In a September 29 memo, Seske wrote, "Please see the attached letter from Matt Masterson regarding de minimis changes - one submitted by ES&S and one by Dominion Voting Systems. He has reviewed and approved the changes." "De minimis" is a legal term for minute. Federal election regulations have a very specific definition of de minimis. This definition was clarified to all state level agencies in a federal Elections Assistance Commission memo dated February 8, 2012 entitled "Software and Firmware modifications are not de minimis changes."

Ohio election law provides for experimental equipment only in a limited number of precincts per county. Installing uncertified and untested software on central tabulation equipment essential affects every single precinct in a given county. Nowhere in the memos circulated by Seske, nor in the contract, is the software called "experimental."

The Secretary of State's office has given one questionable justification to its own Board of Voting Machine Examiners and another to the public.
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