Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org
Voting systems are tested for federal certification by a “Voting Systems Test Lab” (VSTL) against the voting systems standards. So, one would expect, if a voting system fails to meet the standards it fails testing and cannot be certified. One would expect. However, the voting systems standards give the vendors and the VSTLs an out. B.5 of Appendix B of Volume II of the 2002 VSS and the 2005 VVSG says, “….any uncorrected deficiency that does not involve the loss or corruption of voting data shall not necessarily be cause for rejection.” A Premier voting system was recently recommended for certification by Systest, one of the VSTLs. In the test report Systest reported 79 discrepancies. 77 of those discrepancies were serious but fell within the B.5 “get out of jail free card.” Two of the 79 were serious discrepancies that report loss of data and are not covered by the “get out of jail free card.” Yet the system was recommended for certification and the EAC is considering following that recommendation. (See article immediately below)…
- NAtional: Voting System Standards: All Form and No Substance
http://washburnsworld.blogspot.com/2008/06/voting-system-standards-all-form-and-no.html - AR: CabinWindow: Elections
They have to be right
http://www.thecabin.net/stories/061208/opi_0612080021.shtml - AR: White County — Opinion – In search of devotion
http://www.thedailycitizen.com/articles/2008/06/12/news/opinion/opinion03.txt - AZ: Voters’ advocates blast plan to cut sample ballots
http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=864930 - FL: Duval County – Possible record turnout means lots of preparation
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=50221 - GA: Georgia preparing for busy elections
Officials expect a high voter turnout and are reviewing their systems.
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061208/geo_289328414.shtml - ND: Voters scarce in ND primary: 20.6 percent turnout
http://www.in-forum.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D91867MG0 - OH: More volleys over Project Everest
http://www.bedfordtimesregister.com/news/article/3926781 - OH: Secretary of State Brunner says she’ll keep pushing legislature on voting issues
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1213259598300501.xml&coll=2 - PA: Centre County – Cost concerns top debate
Voting machine opponents say change would save money
http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/story/651160.html - PA: Schuylkill County – Schuylkill officials trade accusations
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_1schuylkill.6455749jun12,0,4356542.story - TN: Editorial – Tennessee going back to paper ballots, and that’s a good thing
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19766174&BRD=1211&PAG=461&dept_id=169692&rfi=6
**”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 BradBlog.Com**
I can’t help but think, after all these huge backdoors are apparently built into these systems, that the spec for them included backwards compatibility with the way elections have been run for decades. That is, rather than just solving the Programming 101 problem of counting votes, the electronic machines are giving visibility to a corruption that goes far far farther than we ever imagined.
Where are our Judges and prosecutors?
Heaven help us.
Thank you, John.
This is just a simple matter of accounting. What if it were money instead of votes? Would anyone think that a computerized system of handling checks and money was just fine if money went missing all the time with no explanation? Can you imagine anyone arguing that such a system is fine just because it wasn’t very MUCH money that went missing?