Reply #8: Absolutely, there must be random recounts at a minimum [View All]

[SharonAnn]

Randomly picked machines (must use true randomizing selection process) and a manual recount must be done to determine if the recount matches the machine count. Also, the consolidating systems have to be checked, etc. You would want auditors to set up the procedures (in conjunction with computer folks and election folks).

Without doing that, a paper ballot from these machines is meaningless. Think about it. If a 1% or less vote difference triggered the recount then all you have to do (if you're compromising the programming of the machine for counting) is make sure that the vote difference is more than 1%. That's not hard to do. Anyone who's capable of compromising the machine counting canmake the count come out however they want.