Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News, Monday 12/18/05

[Wilms]

All members welcome and encouraged to participate.

Please post Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News on this thread.

If you can:

1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web.

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x397093

3. Re-post stories and announcements you find on DU, providing a link to the original thread with thanks to the Original Poster, too.

4. Start a discussion thread by re-posting a story you see on this thread.




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[Wilms]

1. BradBlog - NY TIMES: 'Counting of Votes is a Public Trust'

NY TIMES: 'Counting of Votes is a Public Trust, Diebold Doesn't Get It'

Op/Ed Slams Diebold, Though Elsewhere in Paper it's Still Nothing More Than 'Conspiracy Theories'

by Brad

12/18/2005

"The counting of votes is a public trust. Diebold, whose machines count many votes, has never acted as if it understood this."

So writes the NY Times correctly in a very good Op/Ed in today's Sunday paper. The piece smartly summarizes the bad week for Diebold and their years-long failure to understand the importance of the role they have been entrusted with in participating in our public elections process. We appreciate the coverage, if only because paper's news side didn't devote any ink, as far as we know, to Diebold's growing troubles all week long.

snip

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002174.htm

Discussion:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x405891

[Wilms]

2. BRAD BLOG: Jeb Concerned About Elections in Light of Leon County Hack Test

Florida Gov. Bush Expresses Concern About State Election Systems in Light of Leon County Hack Test
Counters Previous Positions by both the Acting Secretary of State and Voting Machine Company Diebold


Over the weekend, at least two reports out of mainstream Florida papers -- one in the Miami Herald and one in the Tallahassee Democrat -- report that Gov. Jeb Bush himself is now questioning the reliability of Florida's electronic voting system in light of the recent hack test in Leon County, home of the state's capitol Tallahassee. That security test, carried out last week, successfully flipped the results of a simple mock election test held on Diebold, Inc. voting equipment. The hack, which changed the results of an election from 2-6 to 7-1, left no trace of evidence behind.

After reports of the test were released, Florida's Sec. of State's office had initially criticized the messenger, Leon County's Director of Elections, Ion Sancho, suggesting that the matter was not the state's concern, but rather was an issue between Diebold and the county. That, despite the fact that it was the state of Florida who had certified the particular Diebold made machinery for use in the Sunshine State.

Diebold, predictably, also attempted to blame Sancho for the test results. Bush now seems to disagree, along with Sancho who comments on the attacks as well...

FULL REPORT:
http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002173.htm

GD Discussion:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5629661

[Wilms]

3. John Gideon: Top Five Voting News Stories Dec. 12-18, 2005

Top Five Voting News Stories - Dec. 12-18, 2005

By John Gideon, Information Manager, VoteTrustUSA

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=593&Itemid=1

[Wilms]

4. electionline.org: Help America Vote Act: The Endgame, Part II

electionline Weekly – December 15, 2005

electionline.org

I. In Focus This Week

Help America Vote Act: The Endgame, Part II
HAVA’s Voter ID rules spurred change far beyond bill

EDITOR’S NOTE: With two weeks to go before the ball drops in Times Square – marking, of course, the deadline for Help America Vote Act (HAVA) compliance on statewide voter registration databases and the mandate for one accessible voting machine per polling place, electionline.org examines the “endgame.”

In the first installment, Mindy Moretti detailed problems some states have had completing their databases. This week, she examines how HAVA’s minimum voter ID requirement altered the election landscape across the country. The final story will examine how states are coping with the requirement for accessible voting machines and how some states succeeded – or are failing – in their efforts to replace lever and punch-card machines.

By M. Mindy Moretti

Of all the mandates of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) the voter identification requirement was perhaps the least complicated, least costly and least labor intensive.

It was also the most divisive and partisan.

Republican Sen. Kit Bond, (Mo.), pointing to what he said was evidence of voter fraud in his home state and beyond, wanted voter identification to be mandatory at polling places. Democrats, led by Sen. Chris Dodd, (Conn.), said fraud fears were overstated, but the risks of some people being disenfranchised or intimidated by voter ID rules were not.

The result was HAVA’s compromise, a classic Capitol Hill truce which required a small segment of all voters to show one of a number of forms of verification before casting ballots.

That balance, however, has shifted in favor of the Bond position.

snip

http://www.electionline.org/Newsletters/tabid/87/ctl/Detail/mid/643/xmid/167/xmfid/3/Default.aspx

[Wilms]

5. NC LTTE: Don't buy from Diebold

Don't buy from Diebold

To the editor:

North Carolina's recent history of elections problems raised concerns among citizens, statewide, casting doubt on a process that must be beyond question, beyond suspicion, beyond reproach.

Warren County's own history of elections problems has tainted the county's citizens' opinion of our local board of elections even though the county officials involved have been, thankfully, long removed from office.

It has only been during the past two years that any level of citizen confidence has been restored in the integrity, credibility and competence of the Warren County Board of Elections.

It is the opinion of the Warren County Republican Party that this confidence may again be shaken due to the lack of clarity surrounding the North Carolina State Board of Elections certification of Diebold as a provider of electronic voting machines for use in our state.

snip

http://www.hendersondispatch.com/articles/2005/12/17/news/letters/let02.txt

Discussion:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x405771

[Wilms]

6. Media That Matters Seeking Election Related Short Film Entries.

CALL FOR ENTRIES:

Sixth Annual Media That Matters Film Festival
Deadline: January 6, 2006

snip

If a film is made and no one sees it, does it make an impact? Submit your film to Media That Matters and be heard.

snip

Seeking films on any social or environmental issue – we are particularly interested in submissions on Fair Use, Response to Katrina, Elections and Democracy, Food Politics, Criminal Justice, LGBT Rights, Youth Activism, Health Advocacy, Racial Justice, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS

snip

http://www.mediarights.org/apply/mtm06/index.php

Discussion:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x405821

[Wilms]

7. CA SoS Announces Creation of Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee

California Secretary of State Announces Creation of Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee

Dec 14, 2005

By News Staff

Secretary of State Bruce McPherson announced last week that he has established the Secretary of State's Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee (VAAC) and named its 10 members.

"Ensuring access at the polling place for voters with disabilities is one of my top priorities as Secretary of State," said McPherson. "New federal law requires that all voters be able to vote privately and independently. I want those who understand this issue best to be among those advising me on polling place and voting systems accessibility."

The committee will meet regularly and advise the Secretary of State's Office on issues relating to access to the electoral process by voters with disabilities. Issues include access to the polling place, independent and confidential operation of voting systems and voter education for individuals with disabilities.

McPherson announced the following appointments to the Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee:

* Ana Acton, Freed Center for Independent Living, Grass Valley
* Ardis Bazyn, President, Bazyn Communications, Burbank
* HolLynn D'lil, Accessibility Consultant, Graton
* Margaret Jakobson-Johnson, Protection and Advocacy, Inc., San Diego
* Tim Johnson, Tuolumne County Auditor-Clerk, Sonora
* Mary Ann Jones, Executive Director, Westside Center for Independent Living, Los Angeles
* Debbie Martin, Los Angeles Assistant Registrar-Recorder, Norwalk
* Shawn Casey O'Brien, Disability Rights Advocate, Santa Monica
* Gail Pellerin, Santa Cruz County Clerk, Santa Cruz
* Sally Pujol, Sacramento County Precinct Operations Manager, Sacramento


http://www.govtech.net/magazine/channel_story.php/97603

Discussion?:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x405737

[Wilms]

8. CA: Poll hacking

Poll hacking

Orange County can breathe a sigh of relief that it doesn't have Diebold electronic voting machines. In May, Finnish security expert Harri Hursti was invited to Leon County, Fla., and given the same access to the voting machines as elections officials. He quickly hacked the system so that a trial election was thrown way off from how the actual votes had been cast and, "Are we having fun yet?" flashed on the computer screens.

California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson is considering inviting Hursti to participate in the state's testing of Diebold systems, for which 14 counties here are seeking certification.

Meanwhile, Cypress' Darlene Little is concerned that Orange County might have similar problems with its Hart InterCivic electronic voting machines. Working as part of studycaliforniaballots.org, Little ran an exit poll during the Dec. 6 election at a Laguna Beach polling place and got responses from 52 percent of those casting ballots there. While Democrat Steve Young officially got 52 percent of the vote, Little's exit poll showed him getting 64 percent. She says something might be written into the software code to limit the percent of votes a Democrat receives at any given polling place.

Both acting Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley and Hart InterCivic Vice President Phillip Braithwaite pooh-poohed the notion, saying that Hart InterCivic had experienced none of the shortcomings of Diebold and had passed numerous tests.

(snip)

Just to be sure, a backup system will go into action next year, in which each machine saves a paper ballot that the voter can review.

snip

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/columns/article_903198.php

GD Discussion:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5634932

[Wilms]

9. WA: Council to rethink mail-only vote

December 19, 2005

Council to rethink mail-only vote
When a Democrat-controlled Snohomish County Council starts work in January it will reconsider a change in how we vote.

By Jeff Switzer
Herald Writer

The Snohomish County Council is setting the table for a January vote to say goodbye to electronic voting machines and switch to all-mail ballots.

This afternoon, Democrat County Councilman Dave Gossett plans to discuss the issue in committee.

State law now requires the county's electronic voting machines be connected to expensive paper audit devices that would cost $1 million. A federal grant would cover just 16 percent of the cost. Also, most of the devices probably wouldn't be needed in coming years as more Snohomish County voters switch to absentee mail-in ballots.

To avoid the expense, the county could go to all-mail elections.

snip

http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/05/12/19/100loc_a1voting001.cfm

GD Discussion

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5637819

[Wilms]

10. CA: County will miss voting-machine deadline

December 19, 2005

County will miss voting-machine deadline

By Brian Seals

SEntinel staff writer

Santa Cruz County will not meet a Jan. 1 deadline requiring disabled access voting systems to be in place at polling sites.

snip

The problem is, only a few companies manufacture voting machines, leaving counties around the state and nation in the same situation as Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz County negotiated with Sequoia Voting Systems Inc. for a contract on a blended voting system that would include one electronic touch-screen voting machine with a paper trail in each polling place along with traditional mark-a-vote style ballots somewhat similar to what the county has used in the past.

But the approximately $2 million contract has been put on hold because Sequoia's machines were conditionally, but not fully, certified to be used in elections by the Secretary of State's office.

snip

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2005/December/19/local/stories/05local.htm

[Algorem]

11. Diebold Signs Deal With Bank of China

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?feed=AP&Date=20051219&ID=5365993

Associated Press News

NORTH CANTON, Ohio (AP) - Diebold Inc., a maker of automated teller machines, said Monday it signed a "multi-million dollar" agreement with the Bank of China to provide it with 642 Opteva ATMs.

The company did not release specific financial details of the deal.