Also reported in Anchorage Daily News via Slashdot more documentation of technical difficulties with Diebold voting machines. According to Election coordinator Lauri Wilson, several Diebold touchscreen machines in Southeast Alaska, the Interior and near Nome did not upload their votes into the Division of Elections’ central computing system as modems did not get a dial tone. Also, in one precinct, an optical scanner voting machine was unable to connect by modem.
Democratic Party response below
Alaska Democratic Party spokeswoman Kay Brown
“I can say there are many systematic problems with Diebold machines that have been identified in many contexts. That there were technical glitches with the machines is not surprising, and it’s one indication of the kinds of things that can go wrong with the machines and it’s something to be concerned about.”
The Democratic party encouraged voters to request paper ballots, and not use the touchscreen machine, further claiming that Diebold’s touch screen machines may be insecure and vulnerable to attack. As a result, in 2005, legislation was enacted tht requires a mandatory hand count of the ballots in a randomly chosen precint, in every district.
Despite the questions raised about The 2004 (S)election, Diebold claims the machines are secure if/when proper procedures are followed by election officials.
The incidents reported in Alaska and the statement by Diebold raise questions about procedures used in the development/ testing/maintainance of the software that is used to record and tabulate votes. Diebold claim is the software used is proprietary, and the code used in the software is therefore a “trade secret” and unavailable for public view or testing. Compare this to the state of Nevada having access to software that is used in slot machines. In addition, the equipment/software is certified by a public agency and the public is allowed questions. The public has no access to the results of testing that is done on election software.
As written by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,
Voting, as Thomas Paine said, ”is the right upon which all other rights depend.” Unless we ensure that right, everything else we hold dear is in jeopardy.
In order to do so, it is necessary for input from the public regarding the development and testing of all voting software.
