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DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 10:38 AM Nov 2020

Judge freezes voting machines in three Georgia counties

Source: Politico



The suit is one of two cases filed in federal courts last week by Sidney Powell, an outspoken Texas attorney.

By JOSH GERSTEIN

11/30/2020 08:20 AM EST

A judge assigned to a Republican-led lawsuit alleging widespread fraud in the presidential election in Georgia issued an order late Sunday night blocking plans to wipe or reset voting machines used in three counties in the state.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Batten Sr. revealed in his four-page directive that he held a hearing via Zoom Sunday evening on the suit — one of two cases filed in federal courts last week by Sidney Powell, an outspoken Texas attorney who joined President Donald Trump’s legal team earlier this month only to be dismissed from it a few days later.

The hearing was not announced on the court’s docket and appears not to have been open to the press or public. It seems to have focused on claims that the election results in Georgia were wildly inaccurate due to use of machines from a leading vendor of voting equipment — Dominion Election Systems.

Powell has alleged, based on scant evidence, that the firm’s foreign ties allowed hostile governments to meddle in the U.S. election via a conspiracy that involved both Democratic and Republican U.S. officials.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/30/judge-freezes-voting-machines-georgia-counties-441342

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Judge freezes voting machines in three Georgia counties (Original Post) DonViejo Nov 2020 OP
Sounds good to me. If they find alterations truthisfreedom Nov 2020 #1
I doubt that. Muriel Nov 2020 #29
Interesting precedent they are setting exboyfil Nov 2020 #2
To kick the tires on these machines, could we have someone vote 100 times? KS Toronado Nov 2020 #11
Do you really think nobody tested the machines before using them? LisaL Nov 2020 #16
The patch right before early voting, or night before Election Day? lostnfound Nov 2020 #19
LOL I wonder how many votes they stole from Biden. IsItJustMe Nov 2020 #24
In these counties it would be obvious if that were the case. oldsoftie Nov 2020 #39
They went judge shopping and it looks like they may have found one. IsItJustMe Nov 2020 #27
I'm sure they were tested before the election, nothing wrong with rechecking after the election, KS Toronado Nov 2020 #32
And you think Sidney Powell is the perfect person to examine voting machines? LisaL Nov 2020 #35
HELL NO, she's a tRumper, can't trust any tRumper!!!!!!!!!!! KS Toronado Nov 2020 #58
What do you think Sidney is suing for? LisaL Nov 2020 #60
Maybe have another audit, this time on the senatorial races. LiberalArkie Nov 2020 #33
The last audit added votes to Perdue. But not enough. oldsoftie Nov 2020 #41
Just need to reaudit the audit until all the d's win or Georgia is bankrupt. LiberalArkie Nov 2020 #42
that doesn't seem all that out of line dsc Nov 2020 #50
I have a better idea: Trueblue Texan Nov 2020 #54
Yeah. Let's kick out the machine votes and count only the paper mail-in ballots. NCjack Nov 2020 #64
"The hearing was not announced... and not open to the press or public." thucythucy Nov 2020 #3
+1 bronxiteforever Nov 2020 #7
The hearing was not announced on the court's docket and appears not to have been open to the press o patricia92243 Nov 2020 #4
+1 bronxiteforever Nov 2020 #6
certainly does. And probably is. Judge shopping pays off after 30 tries?? Evolve Dammit Nov 2020 #30
Stop the squeal!!! The Jungle 1 Nov 2020 #5
And for how long will the machines be "frozen"? LisaL Nov 2020 #8
Yep, this is about hamstringing the GA elections coming up I suspect. Pobeka Nov 2020 #12
Or setting them up to favor wnylib Nov 2020 #28
more likely.... getagrip_already Nov 2020 #43
They'll pull anything. Hard to anticipate wnylib Nov 2020 #49
No problem. Mr.Bill Nov 2020 #47
Always suspected that they would plant evidence of tampering and then 'find' it wiggs Nov 2020 #9
Agreed. Nt lostnfound Nov 2020 #22
Another reason to vote by mail if that deadline to get a ballot has not passed karynnj Nov 2020 #10
If all of the voting machines in large counties are frozen, and voting starts in 2 weeks, LisaL Nov 2020 #13
This idiotic ruling needs to be appealed then - or the period they are frozen be limited karynnj Nov 2020 #18
Paper ballots are easy to print/count questionseverything Nov 2020 #65
Sounds like a reasonable action to me. Far more reasonable than erasing evidence inside the Nitram Nov 2020 #14
Well, next election in GA is in two weeks (early voting starts in two weeks). LisaL Nov 2020 #15
Standing has to do with the plaintiff's place of residence, not their attorney's. LastLiberal in PalmSprings Nov 2020 #37
They can do what normally happens in digital forensics... getagrip_already Nov 2020 #46
Perfect solution. My only concern was preserving any potential evidence that supported either side. Nitram Dec 2020 #66
It is the secrecy that is the problem - not open to public. patricia92243 Nov 2020 #17
Chris Krebs, the cyber expert fired by Trump, was on yesterday's 60 minutes karynnj Nov 2020 #20
Virginia, where I live, also scans a copy of every ballot before it is turned in. I was very worried Nitram Nov 2020 #23
The trumpers say that early ballots were accepted without sig. verification. oldsoftie Nov 2020 #45
Irony is dead "Russia, if you're listening ...." & Rudy the Ukrainian Envoy bucolic_frolic Nov 2020 #21
The same was true of the 2016 election. Clinton lost through a multiplicity of internal and Nitram Nov 2020 #26
Sidney Powell needs to be disbarred still_one Nov 2020 #25
And if was truly dismissed from the dump legal team... thenelm1 Nov 2020 #34
Excellent point still_one Nov 2020 #48
Please do. Expose the rigging for tRump. judesedit Nov 2020 #31
Which counties? Let me guess: Ilsa Nov 2020 #36
Having a 100% paper election is perfect- the GOP will not be ble to dispute when they lose RainCaster Nov 2020 #38
Bingo. All this seditious talk by the dumpster should provide leverage for paper ballots and c-rational Nov 2020 #40
Just a thought - are they checking just top of the ticket? halfulglas Nov 2020 #44
This is what I have been considering with flip votes. Someone vote Biden, vote flipped for Trump, LizBeth Nov 2020 #51
never voted on one... stillcool Nov 2020 #57
We do not get the receipt. And we would be the one to need one so we could verify it voted for who LizBeth Nov 2020 #63
Mail-in ballots is the future Grimelle Nov 2020 #52
Early voting begins on Dec 14th. Judge needs to get these machines checked out or replaced iluvtennis Nov 2020 #53
Judges are not in charge of voting machines. LisaL Nov 2020 #59
The judge should order that the senate elections on Jan 5th 2021 be all paper ballots. UCmeNdc Nov 2020 #55
These machines already print out paper ballots. LisaL Nov 2020 #62
I read something ealier on DU that this was recinded because yankeepants Nov 2020 #56
There were multiple lawsuits and hearings. LisaL Nov 2020 #61

exboyfil

(17,857 posts)
2. Interesting precedent they are setting
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 10:44 AM
Nov 2020

Maybe we need to kick the tires on all the voting machines throughout the country.

KS Toronado

(16,918 posts)
11. To kick the tires on these machines, could we have someone vote 100 times?
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 11:09 AM
Nov 2020

48 for Biden, 48 for donnie, and 2 no votes, and then check the machines printout.
Believe we'll find they favor repugs.

lostnfound

(16,139 posts)
19. The patch right before early voting, or night before Election Day?
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 11:58 AM
Nov 2020
Right before Early Voting
In a court document, Hursti says when Fulton updated its voting machines last week
"there was no inventory management present for the USB sticks";
"permitting the easy substitution of USB sticks containing malware";
He said he “observed repeated human errors” while “many workers were texting and making phone calls while working.”
Although the state has described the software upgrade as “routine,” Hursti says it’s much more than that.
"This is really a comparison of, if you are moving a little bit of furniture in your living room? Or you are moving load-bearing walls? This is a change moving load-bearing walls," Hursti said. "These kind of changes would need to be tested thoroughly.” And he says with early voting starting Monday, “that can’t happen.”.

https://www.11alive.com/article/news/politics/elections/voting-machines-critics/85-e6f50404-3e60-43be-b194-4899f4e8309c


Election Day-
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/04/georgia-election-machine-glitch-434065

https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/politics/elections/tech-issue-causes-voting-machines-in-spalding-county-to-go-down/85-1aa7d660-a2e3-441a-ab56-1ffeebc5adcf

KS Toronado

(16,918 posts)
32. I'm sure they were tested before the election, nothing wrong with rechecking after the election,
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 12:50 PM
Nov 2020

to insure they weren't tampered with during the election.
We know repugs have cheating down to an art form.

KS Toronado

(16,918 posts)
58. HELL NO, she's a tRumper, can't trust any tRumper!!!!!!!!!!!
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 03:47 PM
Nov 2020

Have no idea what you're reading into my words, please curb your imagination a little.

oldsoftie

(12,410 posts)
41. The last audit added votes to Perdue. But not enough.
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 01:47 PM
Nov 2020

Biden got over 100k more votes than Osoff i believe. The trumpers say THATS the evidence of tampering; I say its evidence of just how bad people wanted trump GONE. Republicans voting for Biden but GOP down ballot.

LiberalArkie

(15,686 posts)
42. Just need to reaudit the audit until all the d's win or Georgia is bankrupt.
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 01:50 PM
Nov 2020

I see no problem with Trump loosing Georgia 5 or 10 more times.

dsc

(52,130 posts)
50. that doesn't seem all that out of line
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 02:04 PM
Nov 2020

He outperformed our Senate candidate by around 30k in his loss in NC (we are one CD smaller than GA).

thucythucy

(7,986 posts)
3. "The hearing was not announced... and not open to the press or public."
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 10:45 AM
Nov 2020

What could be the justification for keeping such a hearing secret?

patricia92243

(12,590 posts)
4. The hearing was not announced on the court's docket and appears not to have been open to the press o
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 10:48 AM
Nov 2020

"The hearing was not announced on the court’s docket and appears not to have been open to the press or public."

Now THAT actually seems like something crooked is going on.

LisaL

(44,962 posts)
8. And for how long will the machines be "frozen"?
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 11:03 AM
Nov 2020

Run off elections are coming up, and early voting starts in two weeks.

wnylib

(21,146 posts)
28. Or setting them up to favor
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 12:25 PM
Nov 2020

the Republican candidates in the runoff. Hope Stacey Abrams is on this.

getagrip_already

(14,255 posts)
43. more likely....
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 01:51 PM
Nov 2020

If the election can't be held before the terms expire, kemp could appoint senators to fill out the terms.

Who'd a thunk they would pull that one?

wnylib

(21,146 posts)
49. They'll pull anything. Hard to anticipate
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 02:03 PM
Nov 2020

them when there is no limit to the crap they will come up with. There must be some way to fight this latest move.

wiggs

(7,788 posts)
9. Always suspected that they would plant evidence of tampering and then 'find' it
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 11:07 AM
Nov 2020

so fraud can be claimed. Don't know if Georgia is it...but smells.

karynnj

(59,475 posts)
10. Another reason to vote by mail if that deadline to get a ballot has not passed
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 11:08 AM
Nov 2020

One question I had, not answered by the article is how long the machines must be frozen. My mind immediately thought if 2004 where Ohio suppressed the vote by having very few voting machines in the major cities.

This seems to apply to 3 counties, two of which are Democratic. The third is a small Republican one. My question is whether they will all get a fair number of voting machines if theirs are still frozen.

LisaL

(44,962 posts)
13. If all of the voting machines in large counties are frozen, and voting starts in 2 weeks,
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 11:11 AM
Nov 2020

I really doubt they could get another set of voting machines in time.

karynnj

(59,475 posts)
18. This idiotic ruling needs to be appealed then - or the period they are frozen be limited
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 11:47 AM
Nov 2020

to a point where the machines could be cleaned and programmed for the run off.

Nitram

(22,671 posts)
14. Sounds like a reasonable action to me. Far more reasonable than erasing evidence inside the
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 11:29 AM
Nov 2020

machines. How could blocking the wipe of data from the voting machines be viewed as a bad thing at this point? Sometime before the next election would make more sense. New machines or an alternate voting procedure can be used instead for elections that are coming very soon.

LisaL

(44,962 posts)
15. Well, next election in GA is in two weeks (early voting starts in two weeks).
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 11:33 AM
Nov 2020

What do you propose they use to vote? Who is going to pay for the new voting machines?
Why is attorney from TX allowed to file a suit (she has no standing in GA elections, does she?)

37. Standing has to do with the plaintiff's place of residence, not their attorney's.
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 01:30 PM
Nov 2020

The attorney, however, must be admitted to the bar of the state the action has been filed in. To remedy that, out-of-state attorneys will add a member of the appropriate state bar to their legal team.

It also has to do with whether the person bringing the lawsuit has a tangible relationship with the cause of action. For example, someone who didn't register to vote might be found by the court to lack standing to bring an action which affects only the actual vote.

getagrip_already

(14,255 posts)
46. They can do what normally happens in digital forensics...
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 01:55 PM
Nov 2020

Remove the drives, make forensic copies, and have the fbi examine them.

Then simply put new drives into the machines and load new software. No impacts.

The machines themselves aren't magical, and it doesn't seem like they are under order. Just the drives/software.

Even if they want to impound the mainboards, the vendor should be able to replace those in quantity. Again, nothing magical in a computer operated voting machine.

karynnj

(59,475 posts)
20. Chris Krebs, the cyber expert fired by Trump, was on yesterday's 60 minutes
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 12:02 PM
Nov 2020

From his comments and that of the GA (Republican) SOS, with this machine, you vote on a paper ballot that is then processed by the Dominion voting machine. The hand count that they had before the Trump requested recount found no big differences between from the original count.

Years ago, many of us were concerned about black box ( ie their process is proprietary and not available to be evaluated) voting machines with no paper trail intentionally distorting the results. There is a huge difference from that concern years ago and the completely baseless Powell claims.

The HAND RECOUNT of the paper votes IS the check that we wanted so many years ago. It has already been done.

Nitram

(22,671 posts)
23. Virginia, where I live, also scans a copy of every ballot before it is turned in. I was very worried
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 12:07 PM
Nov 2020

about the possibility of hacking or tampering with electronic voting machines, and was relieved that many states solved the problem by establishing a clear paper documentation of every vote.

oldsoftie

(12,410 posts)
45. The trumpers say that early ballots were accepted without sig. verification.
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 01:53 PM
Nov 2020

I'm still waiting to see proof of that.

Also, a friend said SHE knew 3 people who received ballots they didnt request & 2 dead who voted. Again, no proof to show. She said "they reported it". If THATS the case, then it seems like that would be news somewhere. And again, I've seen or heard nothing
Let Sidney & Lin & whoever have their day in court. And when they bring jack squat proof with them, toss 'em out on their asses and make a public report on their failures

bucolic_frolic

(42,681 posts)
21. Irony is dead "Russia, if you're listening ...." & Rudy the Ukrainian Envoy
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 12:03 PM
Nov 2020

Foreign meddling? How about all the importing of meddling DJT?

Nitram

(22,671 posts)
26. The same was true of the 2016 election. Clinton lost through a multiplicity of internal and
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 12:12 PM
Nov 2020

external factors including voter suppression in red states, FBI's Comey re-opening his investigation two weeks before the election, voter fraud of various kinds (such as that prosecuted in North Carolina), and Russian interference.

thenelm1

(844 posts)
34. And if was truly dismissed from the dump legal team...
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 12:56 PM
Nov 2020

does she have standing to continue to file lawsuits on his behalf?

RainCaster

(10,691 posts)
38. Having a 100% paper election is perfect- the GOP will not be ble to dispute when they lose
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 01:34 PM
Nov 2020

They can whine all they like, but having a paper record will be indisputable. Recount it as many times as you like, there can be no dispute.

c-rational

(2,581 posts)
40. Bingo. All this seditious talk by the dumpster should provide leverage for paper ballots and
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 01:46 PM
Nov 2020

mail-in.

halfulglas

(1,654 posts)
44. Just a thought - are they checking just top of the ticket?
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 01:51 PM
Nov 2020

If they test machines and find - guess what - actually votes changing in favor of Republicans, can it change the down ballot voting that was for republican representatives was originally a vote for the dem?

LizBeth

(9,946 posts)
51. This is what I have been considering with flip votes. Someone vote Biden, vote flipped for Trump,
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 02:19 PM
Nov 2020

won't the follow up paper verify a Trump vote? So how can anyone see if there are flips going on. I remember before it was said have paper receipts. Now I hear 92% of the machines have paper receipts. But, I do not see how that would prove one way or another.

stillcool

(32,626 posts)
57. never voted on one...
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 03:40 PM
Nov 2020

I don't get it. Vote on a computer, get a print-out like maybe an ATM receipt?, then give the receipt to?, and it's able to be hand-counted if necessary?
but this is encouraging....


(November 20, 2020) — “Georgia’s successful hand count marks a watershed for trustworthy elections in the state and nationally,” said Mark Lindeman, interim co-director. “Using Georgia’s new paper-based voting system, voters can check their ballots, and then election officials can review some or all of the ballots to confirm or correct the results. These practices let Georgia voters have greater confidence that their votes count. Verified Voting has advocated for secure and verifiable elections since our inception in 2004 and we will continue working to make our elections more resilient.”

This comprehensive review of five million ballots constitutes the largest hand count in recent U.S. history. The work was a mammoth undertaking, especially after implementing a new statewide voting system during a pandemic. Verified Voting salutes Georgia election officials and everyone who took part in the audit for their service to Georgia voters. The audit underscores our advice to Georgia voters: “check your ballots carefully – election officials will rely on them as the definitive record of your votes.”

Verified Voting assisted the Georgia secretary of state’s office and VotingWorks in planning the audit, and provided direct technical and procedural support for county election officials. The full hand count was a form of a risk-limiting audit. Ordinarily, risk-limiting audits entail manually reviewing a random sample of paper ballots, and are designed to provide strong statistical evidence that a full hand count would not change a reported election outcome. The size of the sample largely depends on the margin and the audit method. In Georgia, given the extreme closeness of the presidential election, it was more practical to hand-count all ballots than to audit a very large sample. This circumstance is unusual even in competitive elections.

The audit totals closely resemble the reported totals. The audit uncovered some isolated errors in the initial results, which are to be expected in the auditing process. Further evaluation of the audit will inform recommendations for process improvements for future elections and audits in Georgia.


https://verifiedvoting.org/statement-georgia-audit-comple

LizBeth

(9,946 posts)
63. We do not get the receipt. And we would be the one to need one so we could verify it voted for who
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 04:15 PM
Nov 2020

we chose. We do not get the r4eceipt. They say paper because they can print a paper on the votes thru out the night. And if that matches what machine says, then thumbs up?

Verified Voting has advocated for secure and verifiable elections since our inception in 2004 and we will continue working to make our elections more resilient.”


This is it. This is what we need. Like Or, all thru the way I have easy verification of registered, the whole process thru received. That is very comforting. But yes, to be able to verify who the vote went to would let me, let this go. And I am all for letting go one of the many issues we have in this country. Lol. Thanks.

iluvtennis

(19,758 posts)
53. Early voting begins on Dec 14th. Judge needs to get these machines checked out or replaced
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 02:22 PM
Nov 2020

before then. If not, then they will be disenfranchising voters in these counties.

Some smells here.

UCmeNdc

(9,589 posts)
55. The judge should order that the senate elections on Jan 5th 2021 be all paper ballots.
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 02:55 PM
Nov 2020

Just paper ballots for everyone. (Mail In ballots and in person voting ballots.)

yankeepants

(1,979 posts)
56. I read something ealier on DU that this was recinded because
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 03:35 PM
Nov 2020

this is a State issue not a under federal jurisdiction.

LisaL

(44,962 posts)
61. There were multiple lawsuits and hearings.
Mon Nov 30, 2020, 03:55 PM
Nov 2020

This article has the timeline.
"On November 29, Judge Timothy Batten Sr. released a court order against the wiping or altering of any Dominion software or data by local board of elections. The ruling appeared to apply to all 159 Georgia counties. A few hours later, he rescinded that order; then, at 10 p.m., Batten issued another order that prohibited destroying any software data in Cobb, Gwinnett, or Cherokee counties for ten days. The third order states that the defendants argued the secretary of State has no lawful authority over local elections officials. Defendants changed their request only to include Cobb, Gwinnett, and Cherokee."
https://fetchyournews.com/state-national/georgia-election-lawsuits-no-data-destruction/

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