High-Tech Voting Raises Election Anxiety

Hundreds Of Counties Re-Training Poll Workers To Run Electronic Machines

(CBS)  Like hundreds of counties, Lehigh, Pa. is re-training its poll workers to run electronic, touch-screen voting machines, CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports.

Sal Cordaro is a veteran election judge suffering a bit of election anxiety. He's nervous because Pennsylvania, like 14 other states, does not offer voters a way to see their votes on paper before machines count them.

"What concerns me is after the person voted, I have no way of verifying what that voter did," Cordaro explains.

With 1.4 million poll workers now averaging 70 years of age, man — not machine — could hold the key November 7.

"The concern with new technology is not so much whether the machines work, but whether the people operating them can make them work," says Doug Chapin, director of Electionline.org.

There are concerns in some 18,000 precincts over security and technical support, and the paper printout that is critical in any recount.

Diebold is the largest supplier of electronic voting machines. The absolute control over the election process that a company like Diebold potentially could have — from tabulation, to the software that's inside, to the certification — it's concerning to people.

"It shouldn't be," says Mark Radke, director of Diebold marketing. "I'll be blunt. Diebold does not control the elections. We provide the election equipment."

In fact, Radke says the machines are more secure and accurate than the paper machines.

"We can't lose that information because it's redundantly stored within the unit, and it's encrypted," he says.

Even if your vote is saved in multiple places, some question the reliability of the machines because vendors choose and pay the labs that test them. Critics say that's like a trial lawyer being able to pick a judge.

"Many voting systems that have been analyzed have met these standards, have been certified, and are totally insecure," says Avi Rubin, author of "Brave New Ballot."

And election officials admit that systems errors – computer or human – often go unreported by worried poll workers.

"They don't want their mistakes to be out in a public forum," says Alice Miller, executive director of the Board of Elections and Ethics.

So next Tuesday may well be a referendum not only on who we vote for, but how.

[jeanne021556-2009]

Diebold is PARTISAN and favors the Republican party. There should be a paper trail that matches machine totals to ensure accuracy. The fact that Diebold doesn't allow this, shows that they are PARTISAN.

[roach9703]

As an accountant, the question is whether there is a transcript or trail of each vote at least one additional secure location / server. If there is, you have some internal control. Also, are changes that a voter may make to correct his answers also recorded at a secure location? This can also show possible attempts at tampering.
This too can strengthen internal control.

[kdf2024]

The option for an additional, secure paper ballot is provided on Diebold machines, and many states have chosen to use it. I operate these machines in my home state and each completed ballot is clearly printed behind a plastic window for the voter to verify, and then stored in a secure canister. Voters who feel the need for a paper ballot and do not have such an assurance should complain to their elections officials, not Diebold.

[jacehoch]

I also vote (D) BUT it does not matter what we vote the debolt machines will decide who will win. Remember the (D) have the largest lead ever with less than a week to go. But just watch, the (R) republicans and debolt will pull of the most amazing win in history. And it will get no coverage.

[jacehoch]

I also vote (D) BUT it does not matter what we vote the diebold machines will decide who will win. Remember the (D) have the largest lead ever with less than a week to go. But just watch, the (R) republicans and diebold will pull of the most amazing win in history. And it will get no coverage.

[jacehoch]

It has already started in the early voting in Florida and Ohio voters are saying they pushed the (D) ... and it is coming up "thanks for voting [R)... (D) will win, but diebold and the (R) have it rigged to make sure that does not happen

[prometheus31-2009]

As much as I'd also like to see voter verified paper trails, they're not a panacea. For a more objective view of the serious problems with electronic voting machines, read this:

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061101-8131.html

[newsthought1]

If you see voting irregularities at your local polling place- like malfunctions, people turned away, not enough ballots or machines, huge lines, or voter intimidation- GRAB A CAMERA AND RECORD THE PROBLEM. The following website will be collecting and reporting the problems:

http://videothevote.org/

Their promo video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaEECHjWptU


HERE IS THE REAL STORY ON THE DIEBOLD MACHINES-
Princeton University Security Analysis of the Diebold AccuVote-TS Voting Machine- How it could be used to steal votes!!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGQPxsigQIM

The republicans are historically FAMOUS for dirty tricks- and they are desperate. Expect trouble, and be vigilant and strong.

[zakk_coffee]

If anyone have noticed ever time they used computerrize voting machine they always mess up why is that you all think? I have been woundering about this for along time I have been thinking that they want to mess them up so they will have to misscount the vote to cheat or something.

[observantx]

Here's an idea.

How about taking out our driver's licenses or any ID with our pictures on them and holding them next to the screen as we select our votes but before we submit it to the machine. We then take our digital cameras or the camera on our cell phones and take pictures of our licenses and the screen and our votes.

Voila' Vote traceability.

If the machine changes your vote, you now have evidence to show the poll worker and force a recount.

[random_radar]

Electronic voting machines make ballot box stuffing obsolete. Think of all the trees we can save now that election officials can steal the election electronically instead of creating paper ballots.

There is no way to audit electronic voting at all. The software could be changed by swapping a small memory chip or loading a different program. We can never be sure of election results at all anymore.

I have twenty years experience in computer programming, and I believe that electronic voting machines are the ultimate tool of election fraud. You don't have to believe me, but I do know something about computers and voting machines are bad news.

I recommend that you lobby your officials to go back to paper ballots. Paper trails are a good thing when it comes to secret ballots and voting.

[adventurepa]

HBO tonight has a show about the voting machines and how they can be hacked.

All of America should watch this and it should be shown on every TV station 3 times a day so nobody misses it.

Congress must pass a law that mandates fair voting. Paper trail and reciept.
If not, don't believe the results.

If it's possible, it will be taken advantage of.
Because it's like an open check book.
More money then you can believe.
Somebody is going to try and take it.

[gotv1]

GoTV Networks, the mobile TV channel, is now airing an investigation on the vulnerabilities of electronic voting machines, including a whistleblower who is a former Diebold contractor. You must see this before casting your vote!

[pendragon679]

I live in Ohio, where our Republican candidate for Governor made a fortune early in his career by investing in Diebold (not "Diebolt") stock. The majority of our 88 counties have gone to electronic "touch-screen" voting after the 2004 election. Anyone care to guess which company made the machines? As for my wife and myself, we vote(d) absentee this year, by mail. No, I don't trust electronic voting, and I won't until there is a verifiable, voter-audited, paper trail. Someone had the idea of photographing his/her vote. Not a bad idea, but illegal, I think. What's needed in this country is meaningful election reform, which I fear will never happen until enough elections are stolen that the electorate itself demands accountability. Your local Board of Elections is NOT necessarily the best recourse, either; they're not always unbiased, even though they're supposed to be bipartisan.

[pendragon679]

My thoughts on how to reform our electoral process, just MHO, your mileage may vary.
--All elections must be publicly funded. Corporate contributions to political campaigns would be illegal, with individual contributions not to exceed 10% of one's annual gross income, or $100,000.00, whichever is the LESSER amount.
--Every registered voter is to receive, by mail, a paper ballot, printed with the voter's name, current address, and the last 4 digits of their Social Security Number. This information is to be verified by the voter and signed.
--The ballot itself is in three parts, to be filled out in black ink. The original is to be retained by the voter until the next election as a receipt. The first copy is to be sent to the local Board of Elections, the second copy to a central location. Both copies are counted, the count verified by an independent agency (the same way ballots are counted for the Academy Awards), and a winner declared.
But, then again, this wouldn't happen in the USA; we're too in love with technology.

[observantx]

To pendragon679

Why would it be illegal to photgraph my own vote? It is MY vote. If I photographed some other voters vote, THAT would be iilegal.

I just want to make sure I am not cheated out of my most fundamental right as a citizen of this country.

No paper or other sort of vote traceability on electronic voting machines is fraud waiting to happen.