Lab that Tests and Certifies Voting Machines Suspended

[Snazzy]

Source: Wired

Lab that Tests and Certifies Voting Machines Suspended

By Kim Zetter October 29, 2008 | 11:05:00

An independent lab that tests and certifies voting machines is being suspended by the federal Election Assistance Commission from testing voting systems for failing to conform to procedures and requirements set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The Colorado-based SysTest Labs is an independent lab that has been accredited for testing voting systems for federal certification. But according to the EAC, which assumed oversight responsibility for the testing and certification process only in 2006, SysTest failed to create and validate test methods, maintain proper documentation of its testing and employ properly trained or qualified personnel.

The lab was first suspended by NIST, which is charged with auditing labs on the EAC's behalf through its National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program. SysTest has three days to respond to the EAC, though even if it is suspended it can get its accreditation restored if it later proves it can meet the NIST standards.



Read more: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/lab-that-tests.html

---

The Gov's version: http://www.eac.gov/News/eac-announces-intention-to-suspend-systest-labs/base_view

[NMDemDist2]

1. this government can screw up a wet dream

now what?

:argh:

[Gold Metal Flake]

2. FIXED: this REPUBLICAN government can screw up a wet dream

[antimatter98]

3. If this election is close--and it seems to be--voting machine errors will make the difference

..and notice that some of the machines have a 30% error rate. Notice also that
most of the reports are of touch screen machines flipping votes to the Republicans.

I wonder why, asking here, Democrats have let this issue of corporatizing the vote
and voting machine problems still persist. I guess we didn't learn from 2004 and
if this election is as close as it seems to be getting, and not an Obama landslide
in terms of electorial votes, voting machine problems plus Republican suppression,
will put McCain in the WH.

I hope we don't pay for ignoring the voting machine issue, but its too late now.

[fascisthunter]

4. Republican Party Doing all it Can to Steal this Election

they deserve to lose and lose BIG! They are undeserving of serving this country...

If you can't win on ideas and aren't strong enough to stand up to truth, you are not worthy, irregardless of political affiliation.

[TrogL]

5. Wonder who owns and runs it

http://denver.bizjournals.com/gen/company.html?gcode=804DE95CAF85404BBA17B193A2315592

Systest Labs, LLC Executives

Brian Phillips

Christopher S Hardesty

Chris Hardesty has served as Chief Financial Officer for companies such as Presidio Oil Company, DEKALB Energy Company and Newmont Gold Company. He has also held senior financial positions at Newmont Mining Corporation and Exxon Corporation. Throughout his career, Chris has been fully involved in major corporate investment and divestment strategies and executions and has had major responsibility for a number of company restructurings, including IPOs and subsidiary and divisional spin-offs. To date, Chris has developed and negotiated over twenty public and private, debt and equity financing transactions.

Glenn Truglio

Glenn Truglio's career spans thirty-six years of professional experience in both the public and private sectors. Glenn has a broad policy background in our nation's human services programs, including: Public Welfare, Child Support Enforcement, Child Welfare, Medicaid, and Unemployment Insurance. As a consultant to government, Glenn has directed a number of large, complex projects involving program evaluations, business process reengineering, and technology planning and project oversight. Glenn joined SysTest Labs in January of 2006 as Executive Vice President for Government Services and was promoted in June of that year to Chief Operating Officer where he focuses on the day-to-day operations of the company in its three primary lines of business Government, Commercial, and Compliance Services. Within each line of business, offerings entail Software Test Engineering, Quality Assurance, and Independent Verification and Validation services.

Katherine Phillips

Tim Walker

m Walker is responsible for all sales and marketing activities for the organization and the Government Services line of business. With 23 years of sales experience gained from working at Sony, Worldsport.com and Medexonline.com, Tim has brought a focus to the way SysTest Labs approaches its clients, and an understanding of the requirements for quality assurance, software testing, and independent verification and validation within public sector organizations. A graduate of the University of Westminster, England, he has been with SysTest Labs since 2001

[amyrose2712]

6. K'ed...

[defendandprotect]

7. Looks like they were probably doing a dishonest job ---

The large computers began to come in right after the coup on JFK --
used mainly by media with questionable outcomes/reports . . .

two reporters in Florida began investigating these computer breakdowns, shifting
vote counts, etal . . .

http://www.constitution.org/vote/votescam__.htm

[redqueen]

8. How's that?

Are you saying the allegations of failing to maintain proper documentation and failing to hire qualified employees are untrue?

[defendandprotect]

9. Edited to correct to "dis"-honest . . . .

Under the previous system of testing and certification, the testing was secretive and was paid for by the voting machine companies who forced the labs to sign non-disclosure agreements. This meant that no one but the voting machine vendors had access to reports detailing problems the testers uncovered. Even computer security experts hired by states to evaluate systems before buying them could not obtain anything but the most rudimentary test reports.

All that will change under the EAC testing and certification program. Voting machine vendors will contribute money to a fund from which the labs will be paid, and test reports will be made public to the extent that federal law allows it. This is all still theoretical, however, since the program has taken a long time to get going. Two years into it, there is still no voting system certified under it.

Though the "vendors" will still be contributing to the fund ---

doesn't look like sufficient change even if implemented after so long ---

[redqueen]

10. This is the part that worries me:

The federal standards and testing are voluntary guidelines, and states are not required to have their systems meet the standards or undergo federal testing, but most of them do require it anyway.

I have to wonder... how many is 'most'?

[defendandprotect]

13. Yeah . . . under GOP most imposable regulations became "if you feel like it" . . .!!!

[Ms. Toad]

14. You'd have to check each state's election laws -

they get to make their own laws. I didn't find a comprehensive list in a quick search.

[clear eye]

11. Note they waited until it was too late for the disaccreditation to affect

which machines are being used this election. Also, are the machines previously certified by SysTest still accepted by the FAC as certified?

Addressing this mess must be a priority for the next Congress. The reforms must go much further than the mandating of paper trails as prescribed by the Democratic Party Platform (in fact, mechanical lever machines which are even safer than ballot boxes should be exempted from the requirement for paper trails or they will be eliminated). People like us must be the source of the pressure for action.

edit: typo

[Mr Hedley Bowes]

12. File to decertify any machine SysTest evaluated

Request paper ballots.

[LiberalMachine413]

15. McCain Voter Fraud

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGF-HEd6XnA

Take a look at this!

[chknltl]

17. Interesting

More interesting though imo, was the responses. I posted this there: Voter Fraud? Voter Disenfranchisement? Voter Suppression? Election Fraud? Voter Caging? ACORN? I urge all AMERICANS who do not understand the distinctions to google these topics. Learn how our democracy has been and is being undermined. Democracy REQUIRES an enlightened electorate. Spend an hour for your democracy by getting enlightened. One side wants you to educate yourself, one side does not! You want democracy... you have to earn it: educate yourself! Thank you

(btw: welcome to the Democratic Underground LiberalMachine413)

[TexasLawyer]

16. Here's who Systest says it has done testing and certification for:

From the Systest website

Compliance

Premier Election Systems, Unisyn, Vote Here, Danaher Controls, Hart InterCivic, Election Systems & Software, Sequoia Voting Systems, MicroVote, Dominion, AutoMark Technical Systems, NEDAP, Populex.

http://www.systest.com/main/do/about_our_company?PHPSESSID=4383937b96eb4aaa0d152545b5bb96ab