Chavez won using ev. Could it be that we won't have such a huge problem

[MoonRiver]

as anticipated this November? I know that they had paper ballots printed from the machines, which many US polling sites, e.g. all of FL, don't. But I'm not sure how many other states are not producing paper ballots. Also the entire country isn't using the machines, paperless or otherwise, so the potential loss of Democratic votes is limited. I'm just hoping that what when down in Venezuela bodes well for US!

O8)

[benburch]

1. We are meant to think so.

Remember he won by a landslide, not a "squeaker". If our race is close AT ALL, it will be stolen using BBV.

[papau]

2. Only Nevada will have paper, 30% of all votes will be recorded by BBV w/o

paper.

[troublemaker]

3. The guy in power wins with electronic voting and that shows... ???

The ability to manipulate electronic voting lies with whoever controls the voting process, not whoever is more right-wing.

[Bombtrack]

4. Um, Florida doesn't have all paper-trail free machines, not even close

Maybe you're thinking of Georgia? Ohio has a far higher percentage than Florida

[MoonRiver]

5. I really don't know details of who has paper trails and who doesn't.

I very much appreciate the information, though. What's going on across this country with bbvs is something I consider to be of utmost importance! Please keep informing!!!

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Venezuela's machines provided a paper trail

Some people -- most of whom are associated with the Bush campaign -- don't think that's necessary.

Of course, it is necessary. As a professional computer programmer, I know just how easy it would be to fix an election using machines to count votes, especially if there is neither a paper trail nor examination of the software due to concerns about copyright infringement or industrial secrets. It would take only a few lines of code to fix an election.

Ideally, if we are going to use touchscreen voting, then the method would be as follows:

1. The voter uses the machine to fill out his ballot.
2. The machine dispenses a paper which the voter inspects to validate that those are his choices.
3. The voter either
   • discards the paper into a shredder and corrects the ballot or
   • takes the paper to the ballot box and casts it.
4. After the polls close, the paper ballot is counted.
5. No records are kept on the machine.

That would employ touchscreen voting for the purpose it was originally advanced (end confusing ballot designs) and still use a permanent, verifiable paper record as the arbiter of the election result, thus eliminating the potential for fraud by electronic tampering.

[MoonRiver]

7. So 1/3 of our votes will be counted WITHOUT a paper trail?

Or is there still a chance that we can get more paper trails before November?

[Jack Rabbit]

11. I don't know the exact percentage

However, it is enough to be concerned.

The other thing to be concerned about is that the paper ballot is used as a backup. It should be used as the legal ballot.

[PurityOfEssence]

8. Chavez won initial election by 83%; he won this by 58%

Might that not show a tad of a problem?

Our election, regardless of what could or should be, will probably be rather close; that's a hell of a lot easier to steal.

[MoonRiver]

9. Yes, it definitely might.

:scared:

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Misplaced post

See number 11, above.

[AP]

12. VZ machines are fully auditible. They print up the receipt, which voter

confirms, and the voter drops it into the box. The machines are basically the counters (and they provide the results INSTANTANEOUSLY), and there's a box full of receipts.

America would be lucky to have machines like that.