RE: electronic voting tomorrow

["Dan Bale" <dbale@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I think very very few people understood the implications.

The mind boggles.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx / rick baird
> Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 5:05 PM
> 
> I've told this story before, but it bears repeating.
> 
> In Indianapolis last november, we tried our first election with
> optical scanners.
> 
> just before the election (maybe 2-3 weeks) the Election machine
> company came out and did 'routine maintenance' to all the data
> collection servers.
> 
> the election went off with not much of a hitch.
> 
> a couple weeks after, they returned for more 'routine maintenance'.
> 
> It was later discovered, (3 months later) that the 1st maintenance
> involved completely reloading the software that tabulates the votes
> from the sattelite servers.  New software, not tested and approved by
> election officials.
> 
> the 2nd maintenance involved restoring the software back to what it
> was before visit 1, effectively covering thier tracks.
> 
> So, we had an election (a small, not very important one, granted),
> using collection software that was not tested by election officials
> and that no one had or can verify worked properly,
> 
> There was very little to NO outrage.
> 
> I think very very few people understood the implications