[ale] OT: electronic voting info

[F. Grant Robertson]

37 states already use Diebold's system in some degree or another.

Do you realize that the ACLU numbers for "errors" on punchcard ballots
include situations where someone just simply chose not to vote in a race?
So, say, if you voted for President, and then skipped some local ballot
initiative you didn't know enough about.. The ACLU considers that an error,
not a conscious choice.

Punchcards elected every president of the last 40 years, yet suddenly they
are the single reason people can't figure out how to properly vote anymore?
Yah, that must be it.. It couldn't have anything to do with their complete
inability to hold a thought process long enough to trace the line from name
to hole could it? Yet any time I hear someone put forth personal
responsibility in voting or the idea that just maybe if you can't figure out
_how_ to vote you shouldn't be voting, everyone cries FOUL!

I'm not saying we should give civics tests at the polling room door but, if
you can't cast your vote for the candidate you chose and be certain that
your vote won't be miscounted unless some catastrophe occurs, maybe you
should be reading a book instead of waiting in line to cast a vote you don't
understand.

Reach the bottom? God, I hope this _is_ the bottom, can it get much worse?

Oh, and, as an aside, just because your in a state that doesn't (yet) use
the diebold system, rest assured, your money is still in their pocket. Our
benevolent federal government in it's infinite wisdom passed legislation
that mandated the end of punchcards, and offered 100 million dollars in
funding to "buy back" the punchcard systems from states that removed them
and replaced them with an electronic alternative.

-G

P.s. Anyone read the Salon article that his slashdot today? I've got to read
that book.

-----Original Message-----
From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org]On Behalf Of
tfreeman at intel.digichem.net
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2003 6:00 PM
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
Subject: Re: [ale] OT: electronic voting info



I somehow doubt the bottom will be reached. (Not that I'm resting any
easier two states north of you 8-(. I'm not picking on Georgia.) As a
society we are likely to use Diebold type equipment without proper
scrutiny and without proper public understanding of the weaknesses until
something like the Florida chad situation strikes.
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