Absurd results in KY gov's election: Berniestas are you concerned about the computers yet?

[Stevepol]

Last edited Fri Nov 6, 2015, 10:50 AM - Edit history (1)

Brad Friedman of Bradblog has a very fine article about the KY results and a broadcast interview with Karoli Kuns of Crooks and Liars that is well worth reading and looking at. Here's the link: http://bradblog.com/?p=11430

Here's a little bit from the article:

It is a primal scream of a BradCast today, following what happened --- once again --- on Election Day yesterday. We see, again, the nightmare scenario I've warned about for so many years: a U.S. election where all of the pre-election polls suggest Candidate X is set to win, but Candidate Y ends up winning by a huge margin instead and nobody even bothers to verify that the computer tabulated results accurately reflect the intent of the voters. (Audio link to today's full show is below.)

That's exactly what happened in Kentucky on Tuesday, where Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway was leading by a fair margin (about 3 to 5 points) in almost every pre-election poll in his race for Governor, but then ended up being announced as the loser to 'Tea Party' Republican candidate Matt Bevin by a landslide (almost 9 points) --- according to the state's 100% unverified computer tabulation systems

snip

There are many other reasons for supporters to question the reported results in the KY-Gov's race, as I detail during the show. Of course, the reported results could also be completely accurate. But, without public, human examination of the hand-marked paper ballots (which, thankfully, now actually exist across most of the state!) and other related records, we have yet another unverified, 100% faith-based election to leave supporters wondering if they really won or lost.

We've seen this before, of course. Too many times. We've seen malfunctioning paper ballot op-scan systems report losers as "winners" until a hand-count corrects the record. We've seen how easy it is for hackers to game election equipment. We've seen election insiders, even as recently as last week, breaking in to computerized central tabulators. And we've even seen high-ranking election officials in Kentucky (including County Clerks, Circuit Court Judges and School Superintendents!) convicted for decades of insider election fraud, including the manipulation of electronic voting systems.

We've seen both Democrats and Republicans alike fall victim to similarly anomalous and unverified results. And, while none of it bodes well for 2016 and beyond, neither does it bode well for those immediately and directly impacted by Tuesday's elections --- such as the 400,000 Kentuckyians who stand to lose health care under a new Republican Governor who has vowed to shut down the state's expansion of coverage under ObamaCare by the very popular if term-limited and outgoing Democratic Governor.

Here's a link to a PDF mentioned by a poster below that could be useful in challenging such a problem either in the primary or the election itself:

http://blackboxvoting.org/toolkit-public-records.pdf

[Scuba]

1. Paper ballots, hand counted, in public, cameras rolling, nothing less.

I'm not interested in fast results, I'm interested in accurate results.

[DetlefK]

4. But, but... Voting-machines are cool! They are way more modern than pen&paper!

Who wants to cast a dull and boring paper-ballot when you can do it at a shiny and blinking one-armed bandit... I mean voting-machine!

They have screens! TOUCH-SCREENS!

The US is the best country in the world and the american voters deserves no less than the best voting-equipment money can buy!

Disclaimer: The electronic voting-equipment you just bought will shows mild signs of technological deterioration within 5 years, strong malfunctions within 10 years and will no longer receive technical support in 15 years. The vendor recommends to buy new, state-of-the-art voting-machines each election-cycle to prevent malfunctions.

[SoapBox]

13. Scuba...100% agree.

[mhatrw]

14. Any democracy that actually cared a whit about democracy would demand no less.

That's how they do it in Canada.

[CincyDem]

2. You know - if a Dem Candidate pulled off an upset win like this...

...we would already be in day 3 of hand counting every paper ballot available (and then some).

[retrowire]

3. its always been a concern for myself

but if it happens, will we do something about it?

[aintitfunny]

5. Always

Ever since computerized voting sans paper ballots started.

[aspirant]

6. Write-in ballots

by their nature, must they be hand counted?

[Half-Century Man]

7. On the linked site

There is a link to a PDF file "Public Records Request" from BlackBoxVoting.org. This allows us to request paper tapes and demand some sort of verification from electronic voting machines.
Scanners count paper ballots. Touch screens are unverifiable.

Start the campaign to get rid of touch screens in your county now. LTTE, Posters, marches, parades, where ever, and however.

[Stevepol]

9. Thanks for the important reminder, Half-Century. Here's the link to the file you mention.

http://blackboxvoting.org/toolkit-public-records.pdf

[valerief]

8. We don't have voting in America anymore. We have corporate theater. nt

[James48]

10. Truth

"It's not who votes that matters.


It's who COUNTS the votes."- Joseph Stalin

[merrily]

11. This Berner has been voting on paper ballots since 2004. Get after your states!

[LiberalArkie]

12. But the county clerks are doing for God and to stop those godless Democrats who are trying to

turn all our children into homosexuals.

[colsohlibgal]

15. One Other Must

Not only paper ballots, video tape etc., There has to be ironclad protocol in place for custody of said ballots before the count.

[eridani]

16. When we got cheated in 2000 and 2004, we were all interested

We lost interest when our margins became larger in 2008 and 2012, and that makes me sad. A fuckup is still a fuckup even if it doesn't affect the outcome today. Because it can just as easily thrown a much closer election tomorrow.