Judge denies electronic voting challenge to March 2 elections
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/business/7984115.htm
A Sacramento County Superior Court judge rejected a legal challenge Wednesday to California's March 2 election over allegations that new electronic voting systems are vulnerable to hackers.
Judge Raymond Cadei denied a temporary restraining order sought against voting machine maker Diebold Election Systems Inc., saying there isn't enough evidence of security threats to justify interfering in an election just 13 days away. Diebold is based in North Canton, Ohio.
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27 February 2004
Diebold, Electronic Voting And The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy
By Bob Fitrakis
February 24, 2004
FROM: http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2004/834
The Governor of Ohio, Bob Taft, and other prominent state officials, commute to their downtown Columbus offices on Broad Street. This is the so-called ''Golden Finger,'' the safe route through the majority black inner-city near east side. The Broad Street BP station, just east of downtown, is the place where affluent suburbanites from Bexley can stop, gas up, get their coffee and New York Times. Those in need of cash visit BP’s Diebold manufactured CashSource+ ATM machine which provides a paper receipt of the transaction to all customers upon request.
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By Bob Fitrakis
February 24, 2004
FROM: http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2004/834
The Governor of Ohio, Bob Taft, and other prominent state officials, commute to their downtown Columbus offices on Broad Street. This is the so-called ''Golden Finger,'' the safe route through the majority black inner-city near east side. The Broad Street BP station, just east of downtown, is the place where affluent suburbanites from Bexley can stop, gas up, get their coffee and New York Times. Those in need of cash visit BP’s Diebold manufactured CashSource+ ATM machine which provides a paper receipt of the transaction to all customers upon request.
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Rigged American Democracy and its Two-Headed Beast
By Manuel Valenzuela, Contributing Editor Axis Of Logic
Feb 23, 2004
From: http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_5275.shtml
True democracy in the United States is today but an empty, lifeless crater scarring our land, a stark remnant of the searing ball of fire that is the Corporate Leviathan and its legions of unscrupulous puppets and leaches that occupy American politics. The halls of Washington and those of our state capitals have been besieged by the scum of the Earth, the lowliest form of humanity whose virtues are vices and morals but passions of disintegrating integrity. Our most sacred institutions of democracy have been overrun by pimps and turned into bordellos where a legal form of prostitution has spawned the most decadent years in the great history of our political system.
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By Manuel Valenzuela, Contributing Editor Axis Of Logic
Feb 23, 2004
From: http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_5275.shtml
True democracy in the United States is today but an empty, lifeless crater scarring our land, a stark remnant of the searing ball of fire that is the Corporate Leviathan and its legions of unscrupulous puppets and leaches that occupy American politics. The halls of Washington and those of our state capitals have been besieged by the scum of the Earth, the lowliest form of humanity whose virtues are vices and morals but passions of disintegrating integrity. Our most sacred institutions of democracy have been overrun by pimps and turned into bordellos where a legal form of prostitution has spawned the most decadent years in the great history of our political system.
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Restraining Order Sought Against Diebold ES
Wednesday, 18 February 2004
Article: Bev Harris
Bev Harris and Jim March seek restraining order against Diebold Election Systems
From Bev Harris and Andy Stephenson
http://www.blackboxvoting.org
On Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. at the Sacramento Superior Court (Dept. 53, on 800 9th St., Sacramento California) Plaintiffs Jim March, Bev Harris, Joseph Holder, Jim Hamilton, Douglas McDonald, and the Community Labor Alliance will seek a restraining order against Diebold Election Systems. Diebold attorneys have been sent a copy of this lawsuit, which seeks an order requiring the DIEBOLD defendants to disgorge and make restitution of any money or property acquired by means of their unlawful, unfair and fraudulent acts and practices.
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Wednesday, 18 February 2004
Article: Bev Harris
Bev Harris and Jim March seek restraining order against Diebold Election Systems
From Bev Harris and Andy Stephenson
http://www.blackboxvoting.org
On Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. at the Sacramento Superior Court (Dept. 53, on 800 9th St., Sacramento California) Plaintiffs Jim March, Bev Harris, Joseph Holder, Jim Hamilton, Douglas McDonald, and the Community Labor Alliance will seek a restraining order against Diebold Election Systems. Diebold attorneys have been sent a copy of this lawsuit, which seeks an order requiring the DIEBOLD defendants to disgorge and make restitution of any money or property acquired by means of their unlawful, unfair and fraudulent acts and practices.
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Questions Mount Over New Hampshire's Primary
by Lynn Landes
10 February 2004
It's been all downhill for Howard Dean since he lost the New Hampshire primary by a significant margin. But, now questions are being raised about the security of New Hampshire's voting system in the wake of a recent analysis of the election results. It could add up to nothing, but it does underscore how easily technology can be used to sabotage the voting process.
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by Lynn Landes
10 February 2004
It's been all downhill for Howard Dean since he lost the New Hampshire primary by a significant margin. But, now questions are being raised about the security of New Hampshire's voting system in the wake of a recent analysis of the election results. It could add up to nothing, but it does underscore how easily technology can be used to sabotage the voting process.
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Dems Mixed Signals in Voting Technology Debate
Thursday, 15 January 2004, 2:20 pm
Opinion: www.ecotalk.org - Lynn Landes
Democrats Send Mixed Signals in Voting Technology Debate
by Lynn Landes
12th January 2004
There's something strange going on in the Democratic Party. While George Bush's buddies dominate the vote counting business with no apologies to anyone about this rather incredible conflict-of-interest, Democrats are sending mixed signals on this continuing train wreck for democracy.
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Thursday, 15 January 2004, 2:20 pm
Opinion: www.ecotalk.org - Lynn Landes
Democrats Send Mixed Signals in Voting Technology Debate
by Lynn Landes
12th January 2004
There's something strange going on in the Democratic Party. While George Bush's buddies dominate the vote counting business with no apologies to anyone about this rather incredible conflict-of-interest, Democrats are sending mixed signals on this continuing train wreck for democracy.
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11 February 2004
Subject: Kerry Beat Dean in New Hampshire by Only 1.5% When Computers Weren’t Doing the Counting
2004-02-03
Kerry Beat Dean in New Hampshire by Only 1.5% When Computers Were Not Doing the Counting
In the New Hampshire Democratic Primary, exit polls, which are seldom far wrong, indicated a very close race. The final vote was not close. A close race would have constituted a win for Dean, given expectations. There is serious reason to be dubious of computerized vote counting systems (see Verified Voting or Black Box Voting for details). Such systems were used in New Hampshire, especially those of Diebold, the company that has attracted the most controversy, so I decided to analyze the New Hampshire Democratic primary vote in terms of who was doing the tabulation. According to the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office there are three possibilities:
Some ballots are counted by Diebold machines.
Some ballots are counted by ES&S machines.
Some ballots are counted by hand.
Let me note that neither the Diebold nor the ES&S ballots lack a paper trail in this case. These are optical-scan systems, where the voter marks a paper ballot that is subsequently counted by computer. There is, then, the possibility of a recount, but only if the issue is forced, since the election was not considered close enough to mandate an automatic recount. Given the problems demonstrated with Diebold systems and the serious allegations made against ES&S, perhaps such a recount should be pursued. In any case, here are the vote totals and percentages for the big five candidates, grouped by vote tallying method (percentages are percentages of the big five vote, i.e., it does not include the minor candidates)).
--snip
Given that Kerry won by all accounts, does this matter? Yes it does. Had Dean gotten close to winning, as low as he had been the week before, he would have gotten the momentum to remain competitive, but instead New Hampshire seems to have doomed him. This may therefore go down as the pivotal election of this primary. Also, the election is not winner-take-all; delegates are assigned proportionally.
--snip
The Dean campaign has cause for a recount, in my opinion. Whether they have a legal case, I don’t know. I think it would be better if a suit demanding recount were brought by a third party, however,rather than the Dean campaign, even though they are the (possibly) offended party.
At the very least, the possibility should be investigated. Someone with access to lawyers should inquire whether the ballots are still available for recount and how long they should remain available, according to law.
[*See also: Methodology and Code of New Hampshire Analysis --by Martin Bento]
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2004-02-03
Kerry Beat Dean in New Hampshire by Only 1.5% When Computers Were Not Doing the Counting
In the New Hampshire Democratic Primary, exit polls, which are seldom far wrong, indicated a very close race. The final vote was not close. A close race would have constituted a win for Dean, given expectations. There is serious reason to be dubious of computerized vote counting systems (see Verified Voting or Black Box Voting for details). Such systems were used in New Hampshire, especially those of Diebold, the company that has attracted the most controversy, so I decided to analyze the New Hampshire Democratic primary vote in terms of who was doing the tabulation. According to the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office there are three possibilities:
Some ballots are counted by Diebold machines.
Some ballots are counted by ES&S machines.
Some ballots are counted by hand.
Let me note that neither the Diebold nor the ES&S ballots lack a paper trail in this case. These are optical-scan systems, where the voter marks a paper ballot that is subsequently counted by computer. There is, then, the possibility of a recount, but only if the issue is forced, since the election was not considered close enough to mandate an automatic recount. Given the problems demonstrated with Diebold systems and the serious allegations made against ES&S, perhaps such a recount should be pursued. In any case, here are the vote totals and percentages for the big five candidates, grouped by vote tallying method (percentages are percentages of the big five vote, i.e., it does not include the minor candidates)).
--snip
Given that Kerry won by all accounts, does this matter? Yes it does. Had Dean gotten close to winning, as low as he had been the week before, he would have gotten the momentum to remain competitive, but instead New Hampshire seems to have doomed him. This may therefore go down as the pivotal election of this primary. Also, the election is not winner-take-all; delegates are assigned proportionally.
--snip
The Dean campaign has cause for a recount, in my opinion. Whether they have a legal case, I don’t know. I think it would be better if a suit demanding recount were brought by a third party, however,rather than the Dean campaign, even though they are the (possibly) offended party.
At the very least, the possibility should be investigated. Someone with access to lawyers should inquire whether the ballots are still available for recount and how long they should remain available, according to law.
[*See also: Methodology and Code of New Hampshire Analysis --by Martin Bento]
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09 February 2004
Citizens For Legitimate Government Launches B.Y.O.B., Bring Your Own (paper) Ballot, Campaign for "Election" 2004
CLG Founder and Honorary Chair, Michael D. Rectenwald, announced the CLG's inauguration of the B.Y.O.B., Bring Your Own (paper) Ballot, campaign. The group calls for voters in the 2004 presidential contest to print, fill-out, and notarize their own copy of the CLG paper ballot receipt, as a safeguard against known flaws and vulnerabilities of touch-screen voting and the recent history of discarding votes and overthrowing election results.
Press release from www.legitgov.org
CLG Founder and Honorary Chair, Michael D. Rectenwald, announced the CLG's inauguration of the B.Y.O.B., Bring Your Own (paper) Ballot, campaign. The group calls for voters in the 2004 presidential contest to print, fill-out, and notarize their own copy of the CLG paper ballot receipt, as a safeguard against known flaws and vulnerabilities of touch-screen voting and the recent history of discarding votes and overthrowing election results.
Press release from www.legitgov.org
Officials challenge Wexler's suit for state paper ballots
By Kathy Bushouse
Sun-Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted February 7 2004
U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler's lawsuit to require paper ballots for the state's voting machines should be dismissed or transferred out of Palm Beach County, attorneys for the county elections supervisor and Florida secretary of state argued Friday.
In an hourlong hearing before Palm Beach County Circuit Court Judge Karen Miller, attorneys for Supervisor of Elections Theresa LePore and Secretary of State Glenda Hood said that the rules governing elections are made in Tallahassee, making that the proper venue for the case.
--snip
"The problem is not with where the decisions are made," Wexler said. " ... We're being denied the right to have our vote counted."
Miller said she needed time to go over the arguments and documents in the case, and didn't say when she would issue a ruling.
Dozens packed the hallway outside the courtroom, waiting to cheer on Wexler. They clapped and cheered as he answered questions. About 20 people watched the proceedings inside the small courtroom.
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By Kathy Bushouse
Sun-Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted February 7 2004
U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler's lawsuit to require paper ballots for the state's voting machines should be dismissed or transferred out of Palm Beach County, attorneys for the county elections supervisor and Florida secretary of state argued Friday.
In an hourlong hearing before Palm Beach County Circuit Court Judge Karen Miller, attorneys for Supervisor of Elections Theresa LePore and Secretary of State Glenda Hood said that the rules governing elections are made in Tallahassee, making that the proper venue for the case.
--snip
"The problem is not with where the decisions are made," Wexler said. " ... We're being denied the right to have our vote counted."
Miller said she needed time to go over the arguments and documents in the case, and didn't say when she would issue a ruling.
Dozens packed the hallway outside the courtroom, waiting to cheer on Wexler. They clapped and cheered as he answered questions. About 20 people watched the proceedings inside the small courtroom.
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TOUCH-SCREEN ELECTIONS - State to shun voting backup
Lawmakers say there's no need to add paper to touch-screen voting machines since they're confident the state's election reforms are satisfactory.
BY ERIKA BOLSTAD
Feb. 06, 2004
Lawmakers: Paper not needed
Touch-screen voting technology, on the cutting edge of election innovation just a few years ago, now is regarded with growing unease by voters who worry their choices won't be correctly counted.
Despite mounting pressure for change, Florida lawmakers are unlikely to require the paper receipts that some experts insist are the only way to ensure voting security.
Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach county leaders agreed last week to press the Legislature to let them add printers that would create a paper record of each ballot. Voters could review the record before they press the ''vote'' button on touch-screen machines.
But Gov. Jeb Bush and lawmakers who have the authority to back such legislation say they're not interested.
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Lawmakers say there's no need to add paper to touch-screen voting machines since they're confident the state's election reforms are satisfactory.
BY ERIKA BOLSTAD
Feb. 06, 2004
Lawmakers: Paper not needed
Touch-screen voting technology, on the cutting edge of election innovation just a few years ago, now is regarded with growing unease by voters who worry their choices won't be correctly counted.
Despite mounting pressure for change, Florida lawmakers are unlikely to require the paper receipts that some experts insist are the only way to ensure voting security.
Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach county leaders agreed last week to press the Legislature to let them add printers that would create a paper record of each ballot. Voters could review the record before they press the ''vote'' button on touch-screen machines.
But Gov. Jeb Bush and lawmakers who have the authority to back such legislation say they're not interested.
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Pentagon E-Voting Program Drops out of the Race
By Cynthia L. Webb
washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
Friday, February 6, 2004; 10:00 AM
The Internet's role in campaigns and elections continues to grow, but security snags continue to mar e-voting efforts. Amid a public outcry over security, the Pentagon said it would pull the plug on its plan to let U.S. citizens living abroad cast their votes online in the upcoming presidential election.
The news is an about-face for the Defense Department, which had virulently defended an expansion of its e-voting program, despite a recent report by computer security experts that called for it to be tanked because of the potential for security problems and hacker attacks that could change votes or taint information.
Seems the Pentagon brass finally listened to the criticism, mostly from four computer scientists who were part of a group that reviewed the merits -- and pitfalls -- of the test system, called the Secure Electronic Registration and Voting Experiment.
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By Cynthia L. Webb
washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
Friday, February 6, 2004; 10:00 AM
The Internet's role in campaigns and elections continues to grow, but security snags continue to mar e-voting efforts. Amid a public outcry over security, the Pentagon said it would pull the plug on its plan to let U.S. citizens living abroad cast their votes online in the upcoming presidential election.
The news is an about-face for the Defense Department, which had virulently defended an expansion of its e-voting program, despite a recent report by computer security experts that called for it to be tanked because of the potential for security problems and hacker attacks that could change votes or taint information.
Seems the Pentagon brass finally listened to the criticism, mostly from four computer scientists who were part of a group that reviewed the merits -- and pitfalls -- of the test system, called the Secure Electronic Registration and Voting Experiment.
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02 February 2004
Electronic votes could be hanging chads of 2004: experts
Feb 2, 2004
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Thousands of Americans who go to the polls on Tuesday will vote using computers instead of casting paper ballots, but experts warn the high-tech systems could cause more problems than they solve.
After the botched 2000 presidential election, when confusing ballots in Florida and legal wrangling left the nation in political limbo for 36 days, the federal government set aside billions of dollars to buy modern voting machines.
But experts say the computers -- which leave no paper record of ballots -- have gaping holes in their security that would allow hackers to tamper with or alter the vote count.
Forbes magazine called paperless voting a "worst technology" of 2003 and three bills are before Congress to stop it.
"The machines are in use with what I consider extremely serious security flaws," University of Iowa computer professor Douglas Jones said.
He said he told the machines' manufacturer, Diebold, about the security problems five years ago but nothing has been done to fix it.
"It's very clear that, despite a public scolding, the company had never repaired the security flaw and the company was continuing to sell the machine with that flaw and many other flaws," he said.
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Feb 2, 2004
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Thousands of Americans who go to the polls on Tuesday will vote using computers instead of casting paper ballots, but experts warn the high-tech systems could cause more problems than they solve.
After the botched 2000 presidential election, when confusing ballots in Florida and legal wrangling left the nation in political limbo for 36 days, the federal government set aside billions of dollars to buy modern voting machines.
But experts say the computers -- which leave no paper record of ballots -- have gaping holes in their security that would allow hackers to tamper with or alter the vote count.
Forbes magazine called paperless voting a "worst technology" of 2003 and three bills are before Congress to stop it.
"The machines are in use with what I consider extremely serious security flaws," University of Iowa computer professor Douglas Jones said.
He said he told the machines' manufacturer, Diebold, about the security problems five years ago but nothing has been done to fix it.
"It's very clear that, despite a public scolding, the company had never repaired the security flaw and the company was continuing to sell the machine with that flaw and many other flaws," he said.
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Primary Voters must vow they are Democrats
Party hopes to deter Republicans from voting by requiring oath in Tuesday’s S.C. primary
Feb. 01, 2004
JENNIFER TALHELM
Staff Writer
Voters in Tuesday’s presidential primary must declare they are Democrats or they cannot vote.
That has observers predicting that some people will stay away, rather than committing to the Democratic Party — even for a day.
Voters who appear at their polling places will be asked to sign an oath swearing that “I consider myself to be a Democrat” before casting their ballots.
If they don’t sign, they can’t vote.
Democrats say they don’t want to keep independents away, but they do hope to deter Republicans from voting in the primary and interfering with the results. (!!!!!!!)
The pledge is legal because the Democratic Party — not the state Election Commission — runs and pays for the presidential primary, said Donna Royson, deputy executive director of the Election Commission. South Carolina requires only that voters declare they have participated in just one party’s primary.
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Party hopes to deter Republicans from voting by requiring oath in Tuesday’s S.C. primary
Feb. 01, 2004
JENNIFER TALHELM
Staff Writer
Voters in Tuesday’s presidential primary must declare they are Democrats or they cannot vote.
That has observers predicting that some people will stay away, rather than committing to the Democratic Party — even for a day.
Voters who appear at their polling places will be asked to sign an oath swearing that “I consider myself to be a Democrat” before casting their ballots.
If they don’t sign, they can’t vote.
Democrats say they don’t want to keep independents away, but they do hope to deter Republicans from voting in the primary and interfering with the results. (!!!!!!!)
The pledge is legal because the Democratic Party — not the state Election Commission — runs and pays for the presidential primary, said Donna Royson, deputy executive director of the Election Commission. South Carolina requires only that voters declare they have participated in just one party’s primary.
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How to Hack an Election
New York Times
January 31, 2004
Today's Editorials
Concerned citizens have been warning that new electronic voting technology being rolled out nationwide can be used to steal elections. Now there is proof. When the State of Maryland hired a computer security firm to test its new machines, these paid hackers had little trouble casting multiple votes and taking over the machines' vote-recording mechanisms. The Maryland study shows convincingly that more security is needed for electronic voting, starting with voter-verified paper trails.
When Maryland decided to buy 16,000 AccuVote-TS voting machines, there was considerable opposition. Critics charged that the new touch-screen machines, which do not create a paper record of votes cast, were vulnerable to vote theft. The state commissioned a staged attack on the machines, in which computer-security experts would try to foil the safeguards and interfere with an election.
They were disturbingly successful. It was an "easy matter," they reported, to reprogram the access cards used by voters and vote multiple times. They were able to attach a keyboard to a voting terminal and change its vote count. And by exploiting a software flaw and using a modem, they were able to change votes from a remote location.
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New York Times
January 31, 2004
Today's Editorials
Concerned citizens have been warning that new electronic voting technology being rolled out nationwide can be used to steal elections. Now there is proof. When the State of Maryland hired a computer security firm to test its new machines, these paid hackers had little trouble casting multiple votes and taking over the machines' vote-recording mechanisms. The Maryland study shows convincingly that more security is needed for electronic voting, starting with voter-verified paper trails.
When Maryland decided to buy 16,000 AccuVote-TS voting machines, there was considerable opposition. Critics charged that the new touch-screen machines, which do not create a paper record of votes cast, were vulnerable to vote theft. The state commissioned a staged attack on the machines, in which computer-security experts would try to foil the safeguards and interfere with an election.
They were disturbingly successful. It was an "easy matter," they reported, to reprogram the access cards used by voters and vote multiple times. They were able to attach a keyboard to a voting terminal and change its vote count. And by exploiting a software flaw and using a modem, they were able to change votes from a remote location.
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