Election fraud,...is (categorically) impossible ????,...
Because,... of tight security measures implemented by state and local (election) officialdumb.

Oh that's a relief,....

Nothing to worry about,...
Nothing to see,...
Nothing happened here,...
We've got it all under control,...

Just move along,...

They just proved that it can be done. Politicians can do risk management. If only they try.

The facts show that the machines can do the greatest damage.

The facts show that voters can do little damage.

One machine can change the vote by tens, thousands, or hundreds of thousands, in a nano second. Without a trace.

A fraudy voter can only effect one vote at a time, and only a few if maxed out. It would take hundreds of thousands (a big conspiracy) for voters to change that many votes.

And hundreds of thousands of voters would be noticable ... thats a lot of bodies to hide. And that is easy to trace by comparison.

So, in risk management science, you get rid of the greatest risk. Getting rid of buggy and risky machines that can do great damage is the way to get rid of the great risk instantly.

Good for the state of Maryland ... they make sense.

Interesting in light of an article few weeks ago the Washington Post printed. It was about how the Republican party is making plans to take MD, long a democratic stronghold. Also interesting in light of the serious democratic challanges faced by Republican Gov. Ehlich in an upcoming election. In '04 they continued to lose district races but were carefull to point out how close they came--"we didn't win but look how much headway we've made," said Republicans, more or less. At the time I was suspicious that they were laying the groundwork for future election fraud by making future Republican victories seem feasable. What is the Governer/Republican party up to now? --Still laying groundwork for future fraud?--trying to seem reasonable to middle of the road voters in a close election? --or, (in fairness we have to entertain this possibility) are his concerns sincerely felt?

"Election fraud,...is (categorically) impossible ????,...
Because,... of tight security measures implemented by state and local (election) officialdumb."

When I made inquiries of my county here in Oregon (which is all mail-in ballots but counted with opti-scans) I was given an equally ridiculous response: "there are checks and balanced in place," but she failed to describe them. It boils down to "trust us." And I don't.

What does Lamone say about the successful hack tests? Did she comment on those tests?

Also, is it still true these machines cannot be recounted?

I still cannot, for the life of me, figure out why whomever it is that's getting these media quotes from people like Lamone, cannot ask a follow-up question like, "What do you say about the successful hack tests?" Why do they just give them an unchallenged forum to spout lies and propoganda, with no intelligent follow-up questions?

Do they think we're just going to say, "Well, Lamone said they're OK"...???????????? And just drop it??? WTF????

Here's a link to the actual bill:

MD HB244

Ah, a breath of fresh air!!!!

Big Dan, they are not "recountable" in a "serious" sense. That is, you can hit the "recount" button and it will (presumably) rescan the DB and give you the counts of the items stored internally..

The problem is, you don't know if what was "stored internally" is what was pushed on the screen. That is, you push A, and B goes in the database.. later you push "recount" and your vote is counted as B (again).. And, if there are 20,000 votes for A that "didn't get put in the database", then hitting "recount" will still NOT show those 20,000 votes. And, when there's a HUGE discrepency (like with the exit polls in 2004), there is no "clean" wan to "recount" other than hitting that "button"..

With paper ballots, you have the paper in your hand to "recount with".. and if the machines are susptected as to be being funky, you can hand count.. No paper = no accountability or validation..

To be clear, Maryland's Diebold touch-screen machines (like Georgia's an elsewhere's) are even more UN-recountable than most places, since they don't even include the crappy toilet-paper roll "voter verified paper trail".

At least most Diebold touch-screens now being sold (AccuVote TSx) include the little printer device. For what little it is worth. The machines in use across the entire state of Maryland are the AccuVote TS systems which don't even include the paper-trail printer!

Sandy #4

I hear ya.

When you actually take action, yourself, you hit a wall that's difficult to penetrate & very few want to actually help beyond lip service.

I commend you for your efforts.
Like myself, you are actually on the front lines, taking the blows & trying to make change.

HOO---RAH!

The truth on the fired high school teacher

:(
In DuPage County, Illinois, they have gone to using Diebold machines this year for the first time. This is strong Republican country, but in 2004, it amazingly registered well over 40% Democrats. I can't help but think that the import of Diebold machines is an effort to ensure that the Democrat total never exceeds 45%.
This year is the first also for "early voting" (because the computers make it so easy), when I saw the machines and asked questions, I was told I was "uninformed, " "don't believe the media" and when I persisted, I was told I was "electioneering" and that is not allowed. I was told "no one has been indicted." I did not vote today. I am calling the Commission tomorrow.

I am very interested this theme, with attention I will read following informations.