UPDATED Many Times With the Latest Bowen Watch News & A Few Things to Look at While Waiting
PLUS: Now an Open Thread as We Wait...Announcement Now to Come at 11:45pm PT...
By Brad Friedman on 8/3/2007, 5:32pm PT  

Blogged by Brad, just minutes down the road from Diebold Election Systems Inc. in Plano, TX...

[UPDATED MANY TIMES. ANNOUNCEMENT NOW TO COME AT 11:45pm PT, ACCORDING TO SOS OFFICE. SEE BOTTOM OF ARTICLE FOR LATEST UPDATES. DETAILS OF PRESS CONFERENCE NOW POSTED HERE.]

We were hearing "five o'clock hour." Now, the latest we're hearing for CA SoS Debra Bowen's announcement about what she plans to do with CA's electronic voting systems in light of her "Top-to-Bottom Review" (news of which has all but taken over The BRAD BLOG for the past week or so) is "around or after six PM tonight."

That would be 6pm Pacific Time. Around or after. We will, of course, let you know whatever we learn as soon as we learn it.

To review: Bowen has essentially three basic options that she can choose to make...

a) Do nothing, let everyone use the previously certified crappy, hackable, non-disabled accessible voting systems as are.
b) Decertify any or all of those systems.
c) Re-certify any or all of the "conditionally" with new security mitigation procedures in place --- such as no more voting machine "sleepovers," extra-large post-election audits, etc --- long enough to get the state through the February '08 primaries and/or November '08 general elections.

Or any combination of any of the above.

The SoS office is being exceptionally tight-lipped about their plans. And so, on pins and needles, we wait...Stay tuned...

UPDATE: By the way, while we're waiting --- and as I am currently parked literally minutes from the main headquarters of Diebold Election Systems, Inc., in Plano, TX --- feel free to check out their main web page. I don't know about other browsers, but using Firefox, all kinds of HTML code is sticking out that shouldn't be visible. These jackasses can't even code a webpage and we're relying on them to code our elections?! Oh, please someone save me...

UPDATE 5:50pm PT: Also, while waiting, you might enjoy this:

A busted computer system hamstrung the House (video link courtesy Breitbart.tv) for at least 45 minutes Friday on one of the tensest legislative days of the year.

The House electronic voting system malfunctioned at approximately 2 p.m. as lawmakers began a vote on a procedural motion sponsored by Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.).
...
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said he had consulted with a House technical expert who advised that the system be taken down for 30 minutes to fix the problem. He suggested vacating the vote and revoting once the system was fixed.

Nice that Hoyer and friends have the luxury of voting later and/or re-voting if they feel like it after their voting computer breaks down. Would that every American...

UPDATE 6:26pm PT from Emily Levy: Bowen press conference to be streamed live San Francisco Air America affiliate KQKE (960 AM) announced they will interrupt regular programming with the press conference when it takes place. However, no time has yet been announced. KQKE can be streamed online right here. (Click on "Listen Live.")

UPDATE 7:00pm PT: The good John Gideon reminds us that Bowen has until Midnight tonight (Pacific Time) to make her decisions. It's getting late here in TX, so we'll hope she doesn't wait that long. Her staff is still being frustratingly tight-lipped as of the past few mins...

UPDATE 8:33pm PT: Yes. In case you were wondering. We're still up and waiting...

UPDATE 9:49pm PT: More to look at while you wait...A 'Toon of the Moment' if there ever was one...

Comments below have become an Open Thread with guesses, speculation, and other questions about what Bowen may or may not do...Join us if ya like...

UPDATE 10:15pm PT: This just in via email from Bowen's press office:

TONIGHT: Secretary of State Debra Bowen Will Announce Her Decisions on California Voting System Certifications

UPDATE on tonight's Sacramento press conference regarding Secretary of State Debra Bowen's voting system certification decisions...

We have heard a couple of people unaffiliated with the Secretary of State's office passed along some incorrect information earlier today. I wanted to let you know we still do not have an exact time for gathering here for the press conference but, pursuant to Elections Code 19222, Secretary Bowen will announce her decisions tonight. We will send out an advisory with press conference details as soon as they are confirmed.

Thank you again for your patience during these unique circumstances,

Nicole Winger
Deputy Secretary of State, Communications
Office of California Secretary of State Debra Bowen

UPDATE 11:15pm PT: Word just in from Bowen's office. Announcement to come (emphasis in original) "TONIGHT at 11:45 p.m." Here's the full press release...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 3, 2007

MEDIA ADVISORY

Secretary of State Debra Bowen to Announce
Her Decisions on California Voting System Certifications

WHAT:
After eight weeks of an unprecedented top-to-bottom review of voting systems currently used in California elections, Secretary of State Debra Bowen has made her decisions about future certifications.

Secretary Bowen’s decisions on system certifications follow her thorough review of detailed academic findings by teams of nationally respected computer experts, as well as extensive input from voters, voting system vendors, and national, state and local elections experts.

Secretary Bowen designed the top-to-bottom review to ensure that California voters are being asked to cast their ballots on machines that are as secure, accurate, reliable and accessible as possible. State law requires that all voting systems used in California be certified by the Secretary of State, and that the Secretary conduct periodic reviews of those voting systems to determine whether they are defective, obsolete or otherwise unacceptable.

For a county-by-county list of voting systems, go to http://www.sos.ca.gov/el.../systemsinuse_110606.pdf

To read expert reports, public comments and more about the top-to-bottom review, visit http://www.sos.ca.gov/el...ctions/elections_vsr.htm.

WHEN:
TONIGHT at 11:45 p.m.

WHERE:
Secretary of State’s Building
First Floor Multipurpose Room
1500 11th Street
Sacramento

###

UPDATE 8/4/07 1:08am PT: Details from press conference and Bowen's decertification/recertification of voting systems now posted here...

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