Maryland orders review of Diebold system...

[Epoch]

At least Ehrlich did something right. I received this from the Chief of Staff to Sen. Harris who is the Sen. Minority Whip and is a big gun on this issue. Maybe they'll discover that something is actually wrong with these machines. Apparently, they are against the law because of an amendment that Harris got passed which required that these machines have a paper audit trail.

-Epoch



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Shareese N. DeLeaver

Wednesday, August 6, 2003 Henry P. Fawell

[phone]



Governor Ehrlich Orders Independent Review of Electronic Voting System



ANNAPOLIS - Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. today directed the Department of Budget & Management and the State Board of Elections to initiate an independent review of the Diebold Election Systems, Inc. electronic voting system that the State is scheduled to install as its voting system this year. Science Application International Corp. (SAIC), under an existing contract for security services with the State, will conduct the review and submit its findings to the State in four weeks.



"Government has no more fundamental obligation than to ensure the integrity of the democratic election process," said Governor Ehrlich. "In an effort to strengthen public confidence in Maryland's election process, I have ordered a thorough, fully-independent review of the Diebold system by a third party leader in information security. I believe this is an appropriate step toward ensuring the voter's fundamental right to an accessible, accurate and accountable election process."



The review will include a test bed using the relevant Diebold hardware and software configurations. The test will be built as dictated by State Board of Elections regulations, standards and procedures developed for polling places. SAIC will review guideline and procedural documentation from the State Board and the Local Boards of Election that used the Diebold system in the 2002 election and conduct interviews with election directors, local IT offices and election judge poll workers. Once adapted to a simulated Maryland election environment, SAIC will evaluate the claims of voting security and integrity vulnerabilities. SAIC's report will be in the form of a risk assessment that addresses identified risks and the State Board of Elections mitigation process.



"I welcome Governor Ehrlich's decision to order an independent review of Diebold's electronic voting system," said Gilles Burger, Chairman of the State Board of Elections. "We at the State Board have confidence in the Diebold system and our tailored implementation methodology. We hold the utmost value in voter integrity and security and take credible claims of vulnerability seriously. We are also a learning organization. We are wholly committed to taking all appropriate steps to safeguard the voters' right to an accurate election process. This review is an important step toward that goal."

[Trajan]

1. YEAH ! ......

DAMN: .... this train has got a HUGE head of steam and is ROLLING down the grade .....

Bev ? ..... We ADORE you ! ...

[Zan_of_Texas]

2. Damn

Okay, call me skeptical.

Then, do your own research.

Read twenty or thirty entries on this privately-held company.

Science Application International Corp. (SAIC)

Then tell me you're pleased and really feeling secure about them guarding your elections.

SAIC is tight with the Department of Defense.

They have a DARPA contract. http://www.ausa-ft-mon.org/techWinter2002.htm

One website, and I have no way to know if it's accurate, implies that SAIC was one of a "Pentagon chorus" contracted to overthrow a government in Africa. http://webnetarts.com/socialjustice/rwarchv2.html

They have a Saudi Arabian partner. And, see what they specialize in.

http://www.ap.com.sa/aboutus.htm
Assets Protection Company is a division of Saudi Petro Gas Company, which was established in 1998 by the owners of the International Development Group (IDG) and NAF Group. It is 100% Saudi Arabian owned.

<snip> The company achieved its goal by entering into a syndicated agreement with Science Application International Corp. (SAIC), a U.S. based company represented by its local partner, Saudi Science Application International (SSAI). SAIC, is a global leader of security and safety services and products specializing in US Certified Security Training, Alarm Monitoring Systems, Identification Security Systems, Automated Fingerprinting Identification, Real-Time Facial Recognition Systems, Protective Services and Fire Protection and Safety Systems.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. Boxes inside boxes.......

[Zan_of_Texas]

4. Bev Harris has started a thread talking about this.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=128&topic_id=8487