Feds Vote To Keep Faulty E-Voting Machines Because It's Too Much Work To Fix Them
from the democracy-is-hard-work;-too-bad-not-everyone-agrees dept
Remember last week when we were surprised, but happy, to hear that the feds were finally set to recommend the US stop using paperless e-voting machines? Well, apparently we were celebrating a bit too early. It's just come out that, despite the report recommending rejecting such machines, the Technical Guidelines Development Committee rejected the proposal when they couldn't get the 8 out of 15 votes necessary (no word on whether they used e-voting machines to count the vote). While there was support for it from some, others disagreed. However, the reason given for rejecting the proposal are really ridiculous: "You are talking about basically a reinstallation of the entire voting system hardware." Why yes. Yes we are. That's because the entire voting system hardware is totally screwed up. So, to be more specific, we're talking about stopping an e-voting program that has serious problems and has raised plenty of legitimate questions about just how fair and accurate our elections are. That seems like a perfectly valid reason that shouldn't be tossed aside just because it'll be a lot of work. We also thought that democracy itself was supposed to be hard work, but apparently some of those on the Technical Guidelines Committee disagree. On the bright side, Sarasota County may still be able to resell those e-voting machines that lost tens of thousands of votes to some other state now.
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http://www.wijvertrouwenstemcomputersniet.nl/English
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Re: TemporalKnot
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Re: Re: TemporalKnot
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those who voted against it...
http://www.countthevote.org/debacle.htm
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Feds need to stay out of it...
If you do not like the way that voting is being done in your State or County, the appropriate place to complain about it and ask for new laws would be at the State level. Each state remains free to do what their constituency demands with regard to voting, and that is as it SHOULD BE.
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Re: Feds need to stay out of it...
Indeed. There are dynamics of coercion here that remind me of how the United States achieved a nationwide drinking age (the 21st amendment leaves alcohol regulation to the states).
In the case of a Presidential election, there is no Constitutional guarantee citizens of states have a right to vote. In fact, in some elections following the ratification of the Constitution, states chose representatives of the electoral college without popular votes. This is an element of our country as a representative republic, rather than a true democracy.
It may be overly cynical to suggest feds are keeping "faulty e-voting machines because it's too much work to fix them." While Prof. Rivest speaks in terms of good tactical remediation, the Washington Post quotes National Association of Election Directors saying,"They should be longer-range goals.... You are talking about basically a reinstallation of the entire voting system hardware."
HAVA funds were inappropriately timed. States flushed with federal dollars were eager to restore voter's confidence in the system. They bought systems without adequate information on costs throughout the life cycle of voting systems.
Voting systems purchases should be more strategically informed. The federal government should avoid tossing great amounts of money to the states that will only make tactical remediations.
Thanks for reading.
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and i'm sure lawas like the AwDA made sure that states provide equal opportuinty to those voters who may have special needs, but i odn't think it's clearly stated how they must vote.
the US voting act thingie pass back in 2001 or whenever, i think, was the first national law that regulated exactly HOW to vote, not who can vote. (however i believe there is enough ambuiguity to not violate the constituiton)
anywayh, this whole scheem is to keep those in power to stay in powoer. right?
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Re: anywayh, this whole scheem is to keep those in
If the scheme was gerrymandering, I'd agree. If the scheme is the current mess of electronic voting, I'm not sure I agree.
There are, in my opinion, much better way to maintain power without such obvious affronts to the methods by which representatives are selected.
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Re: Re: anywayh, this whole scheem is to keep thos
I strongly disagree here. America is like a giant propaganda machine that relies on the fact that people actually believe it is doing the right thing.
If you lead people to believe they are voting then they will feel enfranchised even if their votes are not being counted. Wide spread voter fraud is becoming more and more common. Even politicians will talk about areas like New Mexico where demographics prove votes should be going one way, but in reality they go the other way due to voter fraud.
The best form of control is when you make people believe that they are masters of their own destiny. That is the myth that keeps America alive. As long as people "think" there is freedom and choice you can control them how you please.
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Re:
At least have the right side win when making up conspiracy theories...Please?
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Re:
What!? Did you pay attention to the last election results????
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You are surprised that the govt. won't fix the pro
Guess what, after Katrina, the levee system was rebuilt exactly the way it was, so if another Cat 5 storm hits New Orleans, we will be back to square one.
It really isn't surprising that the govt. will accept bad results, because no one wants to pay to fix it.
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Voting machine error rates
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disgusting
and the ideas of freedom and democracy are just not worth it are they?
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Re:
GOP taking page out of Dems play book?
However, it's beside the point. If evoting was put in place to maintain GOP power, it didn't work, regardless of who is claiming what.
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Re: Re:
...this time. I think the point is that same system will be there in a little less than two years, maybe the party that holds the White House gets to decide how the votes are counted.
I'm cautiously optimistic, but very cautiously.
Faz
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