Three strikes wrote on Jul 28, 2007 12:30 AM:First the Election Integrity folks (SAVE R VOTE, etc.) study the problems and report the dangers and suggested ways minimize them to the Board of Sups (BOS). The board turns a deaf ear. Then the BOS' hand-picked "Blue Ribbon" Elections Review Committee points out the same problems and even more, and makes recommendations (return to paper ballots), and the BOS forms a committee to study the committee report. Now the Secretary of State (SOS) issues the most damning of all reports - pointing out nearly a dozen ways to easily penetrate the Sequoia voting system, stating more would have been listed with just a little more time. The SOS will make her final ruling on Friday, August 3rd, leaving 6 months (as provided by law) for the county to find the "right" way to conduct an election. Any 1000 to 1 bets now by Supervisor Jeff Stone as to what the SOS will recommend? "Decertification!" And after spending $30+ million foolishly, after repeated warnings of the inappropriatness of throwing good taxpayer dollars after bad, the BOS will likely still fight to keep their favorite Sequoia voting machines. The President of the California Association of County Elections Officials (CACEO) has gone so far as to say counties just may decide to disregard the law and the decertifications and run elections on the flawed machines - the heck with what anybody says. Now what level of government is giving them the idea that they can disregard the law like that, and treat voters as second-class citizens? I wonder!

Does Not Compute wrote on Jul 28, 2007 12:44 AM:Supervisor Stone says any voting system is subject to fraud, but it looks like Sequoia's machines are worse than Diebold's. Locks bypassed with a screwdriver, plastic covers and multiple ways to manipulate software make Sequoia the worst of the worst. But according to Stone, election fraud is just a way of life in America. Is he a cyborg?

This is a real concern wrote on Jul 28, 2007 7:14 AM:Please, let's just go back to paper ballots. I want to know my vote is counted correctly! I can't beleive the State is just getting to this issue. This tampering issue has been a problem for years.

Stephan wrote on Jul 28, 2007 7:52 AM:When power and money are at at stake, there will always be cheating.... Why are we even going this direction? I work with computers and I have never seen a computer system that is totally hack-proof. They can all be broken into if someone is given enough time and resources. Are we really naive enough to think that no one is going to actually do this? The easiest way possible to hack a system is with help from someone on the inside. Why couldn't a candidate buy off someone who knows the program or system to aid him in throwing the election? I think the government is looney tunes for even trying to set up a system like this. The whole system will probably have more holes than swiss cheese. Remember, all the hub-bub about hanging chads.... now we will have to deal with computer hiccups or hacker digressions, etc...

A voter wrote on Jul 28, 2007 8:42 AM:Does this really surprise any thinking person? Request your permanent absentee ballot now and vote on a written ballot. If you don't want to mail it, you can drop it off at your polling place. Please don't use these machines if you want your vote to be counted- use paper!And EVERY polling place should have printed ballots just like an absentee ballot. These are the old scan-tron type forms that we all used in junior high school. Then there IS a permanent record. Call the voter registrar today and ask them for absentee/scan-tron ballots.

No Way! wrote on Jul 28, 2007 8:51 AM:I'm not in favor of Barbara Dunsmore "disenfranchising" me, and many of my neighbors AGAIN by not mailing the absentee ballots ON TIME, and picking & choosing which ballots she wants her crew to deliver to us. I'd rather take the extra time to volunteer at the polls than be cheated again on my voting priveleges!

Open Source wrote on Jul 28, 2007 9:11 AM:This report points out what any computer savvy person knows. Software is full of bugs and security holes. This is why Microsoft and other companies deliver regular patch bundles. Going to an open source system that allows all people to examine the code and system is the only way we can begin to trust a software voting system. However, even open source is vulnerable after it's in the field subject to manipulation by over zealous poll workers. A great method for ensuring your vote is counted is to receive a receipt with your votes and a number. You can enter this number into the voting registrar's web site to ensure they match. This provides an audit trail that is open for all to see.

John wrote on Jul 28, 2007 11:21 AM:If there are only "5 ways to throw a paper ballot election, and 120 ways to throw an electronic ballot election", then it's clear the electronic voting method should be OUTLAWED! At least precaution's can be taken against the "5 ways" aginst "throwing" the paper ballot election. ELIMINATE THE E-VOTING!

susan wrote on Jul 28, 2007 3:12 PM:Dunmore and Stone say no such such hacking attempts have been documented in actual elections. The real questions is, HOW WOULD THEY KNOW? By its very nature an program designed to switch votes every 20 persons or so would be virtually undetectable. It is disheartening to say the least that these individuals would continue to defend a system that is so porous (made even more so by the ROV's apparent inability to keep a secure chain of custody from the voting stations to the counting sites and the "sleepovers wherein machines are left unsecured at voting sites several days before the actual election). Flood the sups. with calls demanding a return to paper ballots and observed counting. Remember, they work for US.

Bill wrote on Jul 28, 2007 9:49 PM:If any blame is to be placed, lay the blame on our adversaries the Voting System Vendors. The founding members of the Voter Verified Paper Ballot Movement agree that the results of the Holt Hoyer HR 811 compromise is "to little to Late "in Washington. We the people do not stand a chance with the well funded Vendor controlled Lobby which has Usurped our years of work. After the California's SOSs "Top to Bottom" review, the Vendors no longer can lie to the public about DRE Security issues. Decertification of the Vendor's DREs is the only legitimate path Election officials can Take, unless they are on the Take. The Citizens of Florida feel more & more disenfranchised with upcoming Federal HAVA Legislation. Federal Law is being written by the Corporations, just like the Vendors were allowed to do in Florida under Jeb Bush. Money does the talking for the Voting System Vendors in Washington. Where's the People's Voice? Why do Corporations and their Vendor Lobbyists have more say than Citizens? Corporations do not have the right to Vote. Corporations need to get out of the Citizen's Elections. If ER Activist want to solve these proprietary issues in our Elections? Then Banning proprietary source code is a Band aid, not a fix. To fix Corporate corruption within our political system means the following will take the rest of our lives; "We must return Elections to the Citizens by stopping privatization of Government, Abramnoff Lobbyists and the abuses of power political parties bring to this volatile mix." Citizen Bill PS. Now Florida's recent Victories in the State Senate are at stake.

Mr. Chad wrote on Jul 29, 2007 1:48 PM:Hi I'm Chad. I'm the guy you all looked at in 2000. I lived in Florida at the time. Everyone was looking at me after the 2000 election. I was touched, manhandled, womanhandled and held up to bright lights. I was questioned, prodded, poked and glared at. I was the subject of controversy. I was soon disCARDED because I was full of holes. I was dumped for a new form of vote counting, DRE's. DRE's or DREE and I call my friend, was found out years later to have more holes than me. Sort of a holier than thou attitude he had. He was better, beefier and was SUPPOSED to cost less, gain more use and be foolproof. So it seemed. We now find out that my friend is sometimes a fiend. He can be bought. He can be compromised. We'll I guess I wasn't so bad after all. I really didn't mind all that touching. The lights were not so bad. I actually miss the spotlight! At least I can be COUNTED upon to do the job. And if you don't believe me the first time you can take a second, third and fortieth look. I don't mind it. I can handle it. I'm very transparent and I don't lie. Paper or plastic, that's my motto! After all, who wants to be plastic? Thanks for reading my story. By the way, my full name is “Dangling” Chad.

Stone Age wrote on Jul 29, 2007 2:03 PM:Jeff, when are you going to finally admit you and your buddies who bought these machines were WRONG? Jus because Riverside was one of the first biggest counties to buy (into) these DRE's does not mean Riverside is king. Just admit you made a king-sized mistake in buying TWO sets. By the way, why two sets? Oh yeah, you had to get ride of the damning data on the first set. Yeah baby!

REVOLT! wrote on Jul 29, 2007 2:07 PM:Enough is enough! Time to pull the plug on these machines. No more debate, no more talk and NO MORE studies! If our Supervisors won't toss them than we will toss them (Supervisors). Listen up boys, do it or be put out to pasture. The clock is ticking.

How To Win A Contest wrote on Jul 30, 2007 1:07 PM:1. Make up your own rules 2. Exclude opposition. 3. Have lots of people too ignorant to know the difference.