Daily Voting News For March 10, 2007
Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org
A recent report from the Wisconsin State Elections Board says, “The three major vendors (Diebold Election Systems,
Elections Systems and Software and Sequoia Voting Systems) have minor upgrades that would improve the administration of
elections for local election officials.” The report goes on to say, “The new federal certification process developed by
the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (US EAC) is in place, but no voting systems are currently under review. The SEB
staff believes that these changes should be evaluated by a contract reviewer to avoid the delays attendant with the
federal certification process.” In other words, the vendors say changes need to be made but the EAC and the federal
certification process cannot be relied upon in the state’s opinion so they will, instead, turn to a contractor to review
the equipment. History tells us that as bad as the ITA process is; contractors have been much worse....
NAtional: US Gov warned on messed up e-voting systems LINK
National: H.R.811: Fact & Friction -- Part II LINK
California: Kern County - Unofficial McFarland results; Council must approve its own election LINK
New Mexico: Gallup - Recount ends, runoff begins LINK
Ohio: Montgomery County - Election officials probe touch-screen complaints LINK
Pennsylvania: Northampton County - Workable voting machines primary concern for election LINK
Pennsylvania: Northampton County – Columnist - Embattled official brings lawyer along LINK
**"Daily Voting News" is meant as a comprehensive listing of reports each day concerning issues related to election and
voting news around the country regardless of quality or political slant. Therefore, items listed in "Daily Voting News"
may not reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or Scoop.**
*************
Daily Voting News For March 9, 2007
Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org
Johns-Hopkins University Professor Avi Rubin reports the following in his blog about his recent congressional testimony;
“Finally, I was asked if I thought that a DRE with a paper trail was an adequate voting system. I replied that when I
first studied the Diebold DRE in 2003, I felt that a Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) provided enough assurance.
But, I continued, after four years of studying the issue, I now believe that a DRE with a VVPAT is not a reasonable
voting system. The only system that I know of that achieves software independence as defined by NIST, is economically
viable and readily available is paper ballots with ballot marking machines for accessibility and precinct optical
scanners for counting - coupled with random audits. That is how we should be conducting elections in the US, in my
opinion.”...
NAtional: AVI RUBIN: 'After Four Years of Study, I Now Believe that a DRE (touch-screen) with a VVPAT (paper-trail) is
Not a Reasonable Voting System' LINK
National: My Congressional Testimony LINK
California: Kern County - McFarland election still in question LINK
California: Kern County - Flawed ballot count delays McFarland election results LINK
Connecticut: ‘Scorecard’ to aid election reform LINK
Florida: Florida Plan Gives Citizens Real Paper Ballots LINK
Massachusetts: New voting machines give all voters privacy LINK
Maryland: The Student Voting Rights Act would be victory for students who want more electoral involvement. LINK
New Mexico: Gallup - Misread ballots force election hand-count LINK
Ohio: Montgomery County - Inquiry sought on voting errors A group says it has 20 complaints of errant tallies by touch
screen voting machines. LINK
Ohio: Montgomery County - Election officials probe complaints about touch screens LINK
Ohio: Montgomery County - 20 Voters File Complaint Alleging Touch-Screen Vote-Flipping in Montgomery County, OH LINK
Pennsylvania: 54 counties may be poll-axed New federal standards could make most voting machines in Pa. obsolete after 1
year LINK
Pennsylvania: Montgomery County - Voting machine design gets criticism LINK
Texas: Potter County - Voting machines damaged LINK
**"Daily Voting News" is meant as a comprehensive listing of reports each day concerning issues related to election and
voting news around the country regardless of quality or political slant. Therefore, items listed in "Daily Voting News"
may not reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or Scoop.**
*************
John Gideon
Executive Director www.votersunite.org and
Member www.votetrustusa.org