BBV: Smooth voting? Don't recount on it (Miami.com)

[Bushfire]

Posted on Fri, Jan. 23, 2004

Smooth voting? Don't recount on it
In the first big test since the voting woes of the 2000 election, millions of voters are about to cast ballots in systems that have old problems and some new risks, a study finds.
BY FRANK DAVIES
[e-mail]

WASHINGTON - Voters, beware: Electronic glitches may hamper this year's voting, and those infamous chads from the 2000 election debacle in Florida are still a risk in 22 states.

Starting Tuesday in New Hampshire, millions of voters will be casting ballots in primaries and other elections over the next few months leading to the general election Nov. 2.

A comprehensive study released Thursday warns that many of the flaws exposed in the last presidential election still exist, and new electronic voting systems are presenting their own problems.

Many voters will also see some improvements: new systems that make voting easier and faster, and a guarantee of a provisional ballot. That means any potential voter not on a registration roll can cast a ballot that will be verified later.

The report by the Election Reform Information Project, a respected Washington-based clearinghouse, found that many states are holding off on expensive improvements until federal money is on the way. That's one reason why localities in 22 states still use punch cards, the cause of many problems in 2000.

more...

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/7776899.htm


also mentions the Ohio study identifying 57 potential security problems in electronic machines, recent Broward/Palm Beach election fiasco, the lawsuit by U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, a Palm Beach County Democrat; and legislation by Senators Graham & Clinton.

[PATRICK]

1. The slant line still in place

"Mess" not FRAUD. Glitching machines, not purposeful manipulation. Getting people to blame the "system" where no one is responsible but all Americans are encouraged to be disgusted and ashamed into hiding the vote issue entirely behind a "kinder and gentler" electronic voting system. Someone is picking your pocket so you just stuff more new stuff in your pocket?

The "problems" with vote security are merely noted(AP rundown) as a concern by some experts. The online voting under protest is going ahead and after 2004 will include so many millions(6.5 mill.) of offshore votes, probably run by people with a lot of offshore untaxed taxpayer money, that Democracy will just fade fade away.

But the overall vagueness does nothing but deflect and diminish our danger with no remedy called for or forthcoming from our intrepid ostriches reporting "Gee, it's awfully sandy done here!"