BALLOT BOX SCRAMBLE (aftermath of CO election lawsuit)

[bobbolink]

That is the big, bold headline in the Rocky Mountain News today. Seems like people are finally taking notice. (I get to say "I told ya so" to a few people..hehehe)

Officials urge Coloradans to vote by absentee ballot
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5021678,00.html

"Some Colorado counties stand ready to help voters cast their ballots by mail to alleviate concerns about potential tampering or other problems with computerized voting machines.
In fact, Denver and Arapahoe counties are urging citizens to vote absentee with mailed paper ballots, simply because November's ballot is so long.

A Denver judge ruled Friday that the computerized machines had not been tested sufficiently for security vulnerabilities.

With some two dozen decisions to make, "voters really need to consider absentee and early voting options," said Denver Election Commission spokesman Alton Dillard. There are 14 state ballot issues, as well as races for Congress, the state legislature, governor, other statewide offices and other contests."

sniperooni

"The secretary of state did an "abysmal" job of security testing on the new touch-screen machines, Denver District Judge Lawrence Manzanares ruled Friday. But he said it was too late to bar the machines from the election, as plaintiffs in the lawsuit requested."

Glitches take toll
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5021679,00.html

"Election commission to mothball part of new voting system
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Officials urge Coloradans to vote by absentee ballot
By Lou Kilzer, Rocky Mountain News
September 26, 2006
Denver's election commission has decided to mothball part of its controversial new voting system because of troubles that surfaced during August's primary.
The 50 card activators slated to be decommissioned - at least for the November election - came from Chicago, which sold them at a discount to Denver after a problem- plagued election there in March.

Denver paid $35,000 for the activators after Chicago began updating its voting system, said Alton Dillard, election commission spokesman. They are used in the city's 240 new Sequoia Voting Systems machines.

snippage

"Denver isn't tossing the activators or sending them back to Chicago for a refund. Instead, it will be determined later whether they can still be used.

The activators are a small but key part of the $1.4 million voting system. They produce cards - similar to a hotel key card - that are programmed to load the voting machine with the correct ballot for each voter."

[Solly Mack]

1. Maybe it's time to opt out of "hi-tech" voting

Simple ballots...X marks the spot

Hand counts

It's worth the time to get it accurate

if we can't trust voting, the people lose their voice

[calimary]

2. Ya think?????

I want a receipt. I want a paper trail. I want something I can hold in my hand and pick up and review with my own eyes and verify, to my satisfaction. What the hell is so wrong or so unreasonable or so impossible about that?

[Solly Mack]

4. It's very reasonable. Ever notice how it's the reasonable

solution that gets most avoided?

[bobbolink]

8. ummmm, waddabout the tabulators???

Just having that "receipt" doesn't do the job, if they are messing with the central tabulators, does it?

Ohhhhh, my head hurts....

Could I pleeeeez just have pen and paper?

Purdy pleeeez?

[bobbolink]

7. You're so simplistic, Solly.

Never mind that you're completely on target. :silly:

Waddaryou--some kinda Luddite?

:rofl:

[DemReadingDU]

3. I suppose the ballot box could still be stuffed

If electronic machines were not used and paper ballots used instead, my vote would be counted, but so would all the extra votes for the opposition be counted by stuffing the ballot box.

[Wilms]

5. Are the absentee ballots hand-counted?

Probably not. More likely OpScanned which is (everyone say it together) COMPUTERIZED VOTING.

So put the bubbly away, though I appreciate the avoidance of DRE and the fact that CO Dems are organizing around the issue.

--on edit--

Case in point...

From the article:

"Problems with computerized voting machines cropped up in primaries this year in Ohio, Arkansas, Illinois and Maryland. And New Mexico and Connecticut have ordered going back to paper ballots and optical scanners."

As you can see, the author seems oblivious to the fact that "optical scanners" are "computerized voting machines". I fear many here are, too, confused by the relative lack of distinction.

Without proper auditing, it no better than a DRE w/VVPAT.

[bobbolink]

6. Your guess was correct. How did you know? ^_^

Yeah, Optiscan.

:nuke:

Yanno, at the very least, we should be able to have some fun, and place bets on whether our votes were counted.... :hi:

I agree with your assessment completely, so, while I'm *VERY PROUD* of the Coloradans who fought this so valiantly, I don't share their optimism.

:toast: to the Colorado Election Scam Fighters!!