Tabulator questions (Ohio)

[emlev]

This has been puzzling me for awhile, and tonight I spent some time researching it on the internet, but didn't find answers.

GEMS is Diebold's tabulation program, which I understand is used for op-scan ballots and DRE non-ballots. Triad's tabulators tabulated punch card ballots in something like 41 Ohio counties. What is the difference between these two types of tabulators? In other words, why is one used for op-scan and DRE votes and the other for punch card votes?

I think I've heard of Triad supplying the "tabulation machines" for nearly half of Ohio's counties, but all references to their accessing technology in Boards of Election offices in conjunction with the recount refer to computers that seemed to belong to the BOE offices, including one that was 15 years old (and I'm under the impression Triad hasn't been around that long, at least not in its current incarnation). Is what Triad provides actually software (like GEMS), not hardware? It looks to me like all of the counties Triad "served" (as in "on a plate to the Republicans") were punchcard counties, and that ES&S tabulated most if not all of the centrally-tabulated op-scan counties (there was one precinct-tabulated op-scan county in Ohio). If I'm wrong about this, someone please correct me.

Hmm. This just occurred to me. I have a computer at my company office. I buy some software to use to do my Very Important Job. But rather than learning how to use the software myself or have one of my employees do it, I depend on company "tech support" to come out and change the settings for me? Are there industries that work this way?

Here's Triad's Mission Statement, for your entertainment pleasure. It's about the only thing on their website, unless you're a customer with a log-in (or a hacker, I suppose).

"Mission Statement
"The mission of TRIAD GSI is to establish a partnership with all of our customers.  It is our desire to develop the highest quality election software and hardware systems available in the elections business. We are committed to providing excellent training, support, and service for our clientele. We stand with our customers at the leading edge of innovative technology to set the pace for election systems in the 21st Century!"
triadgsi.com

[punpirate]

1. My understanding is...

... that Triad provided both servers and software to handle their side of the balloting.

What may be confusing is that in most cases, the equipment is purchased by the various BOEs under contract, but those contracts typically include service addenda to cover whatever is purchased, including the hardware and software. It's very common with the voting machine companies--even to the extent of BOEs making it part of the contract for the vendor to create and print their ballots for them.

I suppose you're referring to the reports that Triad people were fiddling with equipment before the recount. Triad covers its butt by saying that was work done under contract.

Could there be a fifteen-year-old computer in a BOE office used for some purpose? Sure. Doesn't necessarily mean it's under contract to Triad.

Cheers.

[Wilms]

2. Great question.

BillBored better show up here and answer that.

I think these systems do use regular PC's in places. So I'll bet they could have Triad supply only software, but perhaps the whole lot as well.