In an email discussion yesterday among a group of Election Integrity advocates, in reply to the horrendous San Diego Union-Tribune coverage of the Busby/Bilbray issue, Yolo County, CA Registrar of Voters Freddie Oakley posted a crystal clear statement on the concerns of sending voting machines home with poll workers prior to elections.
“As an election official, I understand the practical issues involved here perfectly. I am strongly of the opinion that it is exactly this kind of practical issue that should give election officials serious reservations about deploying electronic voting machines,” Oakley wrote.
“If, as a practical matter, [the electronic voting machines deployed prior to an election] can’t be secured, then perhaps they ought not be used at all. Period. Until the impediment can be removed,” her email statement read.
Her comment was in direct reply to a discussion about how voting machines, in the post-Hursti Hack age, might be deployed now that sending them home unsecured for “overnights” with poll workers is no longer a secure option. That hack, in Leon County, Florida in December 2005 of a Diebold optical scan voting system, has set off a chain reaction revealing massive vulnerabilities in these systems, forcing both federal and state authorities to issue extraordinary security requirements for the machines in just the last few months. Those requirements were subsequently all but ignored in the June 6th Busby/Bilbray U.S. House special election — the first federal election in the nation to be administered since the additional mitigation requirements were put in place.
Oakley’s responsible comments are in direct contradiction to the irresponsible statements by San Diego County Registrar Mikel Haas, given to the Union-Tribune, in which Haas dismisses concerns of election integrity advocates. Haas claims that proper procedures were followed (they were not) and that the practice of sending home voting machines with poll workers “has been followed without incident for about 40 years.” Haas ignores, along with his other prevarications, that these eminently hackable electronic voting machines were not in use during all but the last few of those 40 years. The U-T didn’t bother to quote, or apparently even attempt to contact, anyone who could reply directly to Haas’ deceptive comments.
Registrar Oakley’s entire statement — a grand slam as far as I’m concerned — should be read in full. It follows below…
At 11:29 AM 6/29/2006, Freddie Oakley wrote:
I think the business of machine sleepovers is very, very serious. And I think it may provide a useful P.R. issue. I am thinking of hiring [University of California computer scientist and security expert, Prof.] Matt Bishop to be a poll worker and sending a machine home with him for a sleepover. I wonder what he could achieve over a long weekend?
As to the first requirement [in the March 22nd, 2006 federal security memorandum spelling out the new security requirements for certifictation of these systems] — election official shall maintain custody — that is easily satisfied if poll workers are deputized before the machines are placed in their custody. My colleagues argue that we have “always sent paper ballots home with poll workers…” True, but paper has such quaint trackability… They also argue that, “We have to trust our poll workers…” To this I can only say…only if they are incorruptible.
Freddie Oakley
Yolo County, CA Clerk-Recorder
Our marriage proposal to Ms. Oakley has so far gone unanswered.
Finally an example of what an election official should say about the matter.
The other election war lords like Haas are aliens to the election realm they “labor” in. Free, fair, open, and legal elections in which there can be confidence is the least we want, not the most. In addition to good elections we want honest election officials.
The faith based systems hawked by lazy blind faith adherents have got to go.
Faith is for church, solid and democratic principles which champion clarity, certainty, and scientific principles are for elections.
Freddie Oakley
Thank you for speaking out on this subject. I see that you clearly understand the issue at hand.
Hoping our Registrar wakes up too!
BB2, Sacramento
I find your website informative, but it is extremely difficult to read. Orange on black (difficult), black on lime green (almost impossible to read). I have to be extremely interested in an article to take the trouble to override your colors in order to be able to read it. Please have mercy on your readers.
OK, so at least we now know Brad’s true motivation for leading this pro-democracy movement…he’s trying to get hitched!
Honestly, he must have proposed at least 2 or 3 times in the course of his “democracy protection” work. More like “domestic recruitment” work if you ask me. 😉
I’m jealous, although isn’t this why people always get politically involved? 😉
HEY LARS, IF YOU CAN READ THIS, HIT THE PRINT VERSION BUTTON JUST BELOW THE ARTICLE, IT WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO READ
(I know, he’s not deaf, but it might help):)
FLORIDIOT
The print button helps folks as far as the article is concerned, but does nothing for the comments.
Its strange how some folks have a green background and some have black. I have viewed it on my home computer, two at work and my kid’s computer – all have black. My friend on the otherhand has green.
I prefer the black to the green, and have become quit used to it and find it easy to read.
Now back to the show – It sure is good to see that at least some registrars are starting to get it. Hopefully they will be a catalyst to get others looking at it.
OT
Oops!
Looks like Limbaugh, Coulter, O’Reilly and Fox are taking a dive!
BB2, it’s all goood
I’ll second Dredd. It’s what they should be saying because they should be doing their jobs. It’s a matter of competence in the scope of their resonsibilities. Good American concept, right?
Thank you Registrar Oakley for showing that integrity of purpose still exists in the field of election administration.
On most browsers you can press Ctrl–+ (i.e. hold the Ctrl key down and press the Plus key) to make the fonts larger. That makes all the color combinations easier to read.
or you can use Ctrl–– (i.e. Ctrl Minus) to make it smaller and more difficult to read. It’s your choice. It’s a free country, isn’t it? Maybe a little bit?
Whoa Winter – I learn something new every day!
Enough +’s and I can read it one letter at a time! Cool!
Oops – forgot where I started from!
Something we must not forget as we focus on these machines: Elections Are Still Stolen the Old-Fashioned Way
Oh yeah? No kidding? We’ve been saying it since 2000!
That’s true y’all. If, by some miracle, we were to get VVPB today, we’d still have a whole lot to do to guarantee free and fair elections… Let’s get busy. Fight the bastahds on every front.
shw
BlueBear2 #7
That could be because the trolls from those sites are spending too much time here.
Perhaps they have been recalled now, and we have a brief period of trolless blogging. Enjoy 🙂 !
Freddie “Straight Shooting Annie” Oakley has the old time honesty it seems to me. There are two other old timers, like her, that get it.
One is Mr. Dugger, and another is Mr. Saltman.
All are good reading, and Brad The Younger keeps that good American spirit going.
Brad the younger,.. (giggle),..
That boy is going to be a crusty,..old,.. withered,..
cantankerous fart,… when this is over and done.
MAYBE ? !!!!
GOD Bless Him !!!!!
This lady ROCKS! With only a few more like her, and Ion Sanchez, and (brain fart – the guy in Utah), we might actually start a revolution.
Let freedom ring, let freedom ring. Let the truth be heard.
First they ignore us.
Then they laugh at us.
Then they fight us.
Then WE WIN!!
It’s all good!
Bluebear,
I read that article a day or so ago & I have to confess I found it a little annoying! Like BigDan says, ALOT of progressives (I’m trying to stop saying ‘leftists’) have known this for ages & have been talking about it.
Things I wish people would quit saying:
“Democrats are ‘in disarray'”
If you’re looking for disarray, look at the Republican party. Many, many conservatives are upset with bushco’s policies. Breaking the law, twisting the Constitution into knots, trampling on Americans’ rights & liberties and fiscal insanity are NOT consistent with conservative values.
“Democrats have no plan”
Democrats have articulated a plan & a platform, over & over & over. Being deaf, dumb & blind in regard to it does not render it non-existent.
“Democrats and Republicans are equally corrupt”
If we could put all indictments & convictions on a scale – R’s on one side, D’s on the other – the R side would topple it over with a resounding crash.
I’m sure there are quite a few other R talking points that are repeated ad nauseam as if they’re true. They’re not. Not that this is news to anyone with ears, eyes & a brain.