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E-Voting Undermined by Sloppiness: Arnold Won with Rigged Voting Machines
(Wired.com, December 17, 2003)
An audit of Diebold Election Systems voting machines in California has revealed that the company installed uncertified software in all 17 counties that use its electronic voting equipment. . . . California certification procedures require that voting systems be qualified by independent testing authorities at the federal level and certified by the National Association of State Election Directors before the state can certify them for use. . . . Diebold admitted wrongdoing Tuesday at a meeting of the state's Voting Systems Panel, or VSP . . . But Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, who made an unprecedented appearance before the VSP, said he was disturbed by the company's actions and would not rule out the possibility of decertifying the machines in California. . . . "The core of our American democracy is the right to vote," Shelley said. "Implicit in that right is the notion that that vote be private, that vote be secure, and that vote be counted as it was intended when it was cast by the voter. And I think what we're encountering is a pivotal moment in our democracy where all of that is being called into question." . . . The audit was ordered last month after the VSP learned Oct. 29 that the company installed uncertified software on systems in two California counties that use its touch-screen voting machines. The software was used in at least two elections, including the gubernatorial recall in October. . . . A source in the secretary of state's office said a Diebold employee provided the information. [COMMENT: Hurray for Whistleblowers. They may be our last hope to save this nation from the Fascist takeover that is now in full bloom.] . . . At least five counties were using versions of software or firmware that were different from what Diebold indicated they were using. . . . All counties were using uncertified software, but the most serious issues related to the tabulation software known as GEMS, or global election management system. GEMS sits on a server in each county election office, counting the votes and producing summary reports of totals. . . . Auditors couldn't examine eight machines in various counties because they failed to boot up when turned on. Another 12 machines were in the Diebold plant in McKinney, Texas, being "repaired."

posted by Lorenzo 11:44 AM