Alabama Officials Investigate Possible Improper Access, Tampering Into ES&S Voting System

Share article:

More disturbing news for voters who are forced to rely on the historically dreadful ES&S electronic voting system, this time in Alabama, on the paper-ballot system in Autauga County which uses a computer to tally votes:

PRATTVILLE — District Attorney Randall Houston is investigating possible voting improprieties in Autauga County after someone allegedly gained improper access to the circuit clerk’s computer.

At issue is a vote cast in the name of a Prattville man. His name wasn’t on the list of final absentee voters Circuit Clerk Whit Moncrief produced the night before the primary election. After the election, the man’s name was on the list as having voted absentee.

Houston said he is confident the veracity of the countywide vote tally hasn’t been compromised. Autauga County is a strong Republican county, and news of the recount of the GOP nomination for governor has been front page news for the past two weeks.

[Houston said,] “[W]e are in the early stages of the investigation. We have to go where the evidence takes us. We may find other problems as we go forward with this matter.”

“I ran a final report of all absentee voters the night before the election and this man’s name was not on the list,” Moncrief said. “From my recollection and the records at my disposal, this man didn’t vote absentee. How his name got on the absentee list following the election is beyond me.

“The only thing I can think of is someone tapped into the computer used for absentees from outside my office.”

The computer that records absentee information sits beside Moncrief’s desk in his courthouse office. Access is double-password protected, and Moncrief said he hasn’t given his passwords to anyone. When the problem regarding the security of the system came to light about mid-week, he said that he changed both of his passwords.

[Hat-tip Joyce McCloy of Voting News.]

Share article:

Reader Comments on

Alabama Officials Investigate Possible Improper Access, Tampering Into ES&S Voting System

7 Comments

(Comments are now closed.)


7 Responses

  1. 3)
    mr.ed said on 6/20/2010 @ 2:53am PT: [Permalink]

    Gosh, could the two passwords be “Randa11” and “H0ust0n?” Would that be a stretch?

  2. 4)
    Dan-in-PA said on 6/20/2010 @ 5:15am PT: [Permalink]

    Check the firewall. Remember the Florida firewall intrusion that occurred thanks to unpatched Windows machines and a poorly (Intentionally?) configured Cisco firewall?

  3. 5)
    Floridiot said on 6/20/2010 @ 6:05am PT: [Permalink]

    Like I’ve been saying, Voting for the registered non-voter by hack is the easiest way to do it because…The fucking tabulation and voter registration machines are hooked to the fucking internet!!!

    What part about that don’t they get?

  4. 7)
    anon said on 6/20/2010 @ 5:07pm PT: [Permalink]

    Brad you should add this to the post…
    http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com / article/20100601/NEWS/100601042/Autauga-County-vote-totals-delayed

    “Vote totals are being delayed in Autauga County due to a malfunction with the machine that tabulates ballots.”

    “Two of the four packs brought in so far from the county’s 27 polling locations have been input electronically. Election officials are manually inputting vote totals for each race for the packs that are not reading properly.”

(Comments are now closed.)


BB SIDEBAR NOTICE

Thanks to you, The BRAD BLOG has been trouble-making and muckraking for … 22 YEARS!!!

Please help The BRAD BLOG, BradCast and Green News Report remain independent and 100% reader and listener supported in our 23rd YEAR!!!

ONE TIME
any amount...

MONTHLY
any amount...

OR VIA SNAIL MAIL
Make check out to...
Brad Friedman / BRAD BLOG
7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594
Los Angeles, CA 90028

RECENT POSTS

Offshore Oil Rig Fire in SoCal a Preview of Trump’s NEXT Huge Failure: ‘BradCast’ 5/12/2026

Guest: Brady Bradshaw of Center for Biological Diversity; Also: Inflation spiked to 3-year high in April; Dems still favored to win House, despite GOP map rigging...

‘Green News Report’ – May 12, 2026

With Brad Friedman and Desi Doyen

Virginia Supremes Void Special Election on Redistricting Referendum in Huge Gift to Vote Rigging GOP: ‘BradCast’ 5/11/2026

Voting rights disappearing, Jim Crow returning before our eyes in GOP-controlled state after state; Callers ring in...

Sunday ‘Redlining Democracy’ Toons

THIS WEEK: The Voting Whites Act ... Iran and Iran We Go ... Happy Mother's Day! ...

Repubs Seek Immunity Law for Big Oil; White South Rising Again After SCOTUS Ruling: ‘BradCast’ 5/7/2026

Guest: Laura Peterson of Union of Concerned Scientists; Also: Trump panel calls for FEMA cuts as MS slammed by another tornado swarm...

‘Green News Report’ – May 7, 2026

With Brad Friedman and Desi Doyen

Time to Reform our Illegitimate Supreme Court: ‘BradCast’ 5/6/2026

Guest: Alicia Bannon of NYU's Brennan Center for Justice; Also: Primary and special election results in OH, IN, MI...

The Corrupt Hypocrisy of SCOTUS’ VRA Ruling in the Middle of Primary Election Season: ‘BradCast’ 5/5/2026

Also: 'Project Deadlock' in Strait of Hormuz as Admin pretends ill-fated, unlawful, continuing Iran War is over; The conflict's very real, if ironic, upside...

‘Green News Report’ – May 5, 2026

With Brad Friedman and Desi Doyen

Billionaires Spending Millions to Fight Against, Lie to Voters About CA’s Proposed, One-Time Billionaires Tax: ‘BradCast’ 5/4/2026

Guest: Harold Meyerson of 'The American Prospect'; Also: GOP states scramble to write Black districts out of existence; A warning for CA vote-by-mail voters...

Steyer Facing Deceptive Fire in CA Gubernatorial Race for Call to Eliminate ‘Trump Loophole’

Trump-allied GOP opponent lying about progressive billionaire's proposal to end state's corporate 'property transfer loophole'...

Sunday ‘Dead to Rights’ Toons

THIS WEEK: RIP VRA ... '86 47' by the Seashore ... Ballroom Grift ...

‘86 47’ or ‘Weekend at Donnie’s’: ‘BradCast’ 4/30/2026

Guests: Heather Digby Parton of Salon, 'Driftglass' of 'Pro Left Podcast' on the SCOTUS VRA ruling and fallout, the ballroom, Iran, Comey, Kimmel and much more!...

‘Green News Report’ – April 30, 2026

With Brad Friedman and Desi Doyen

Corrupt SCOTUS Undermines U.S. Constitution, Guts Last Remaining Protections of Voting Rights Act: ‘BradCast’ 4/29/2026

Guest: Redistricting expert Dan Vicuña of Common Cause; Also: Comey's dumb new indictment; E. Jean Carroll wins again; More new lows for Trump approval...

About Brad Friedman...

Brad is an independent investigative journalist, blogger and broadcaster. Full Bio & Testimonials… Media Appearance Archive… Articles & Editorials Elsewhere… Contact…

He has contributed chapters to these books…
…And is featured in these documentary films…

BRAD BLOG ON THE AIR!

THE BRADCAST on KPFK/Pacifica Radio Network (90.7FM Los Angeles, 98.7FM Santa Barbara, 93.7FM N. San Diego and nationally on many other affiliate stations! ALSO VIA PODCAST: RSS/XML feed | Pandora | TuneInApple Podcasts/iTunesiHeartAmazon Music

GREEN NEWS REPORT, nationally syndicated, with new episodes on Tuesday and Thursday. ALSO VIA PODCAST: RSS/XML feed | Pandora | TuneInApple Podcasts/iTunesiHeartAmazon Music

Media Appearance Archives…

AD
CONTENT

ADDITIONAL STUFF

Brad Friedman/
The BRAD BLOG Named...

Buzz Flash's 'Wings of Justice' Honoree
Project Censored 2010 Award Recipient
The 2008 Weblog Awards