[ale] OT: Free Showing of "Invisible Ballots", Thursday, 3/16, 7:00pm, UUCA

[Bob Toxen]

On Thu, Mar 16, 2006 at 11:58:35AM -0500, Jim Popovitch wrote:
> While no one can say that electronic voting is 100% secure and valid, it 
> has also been shown (for decades) that manual voting is full of fraud, 
> much fraud.  There have been cases of paying people to vote, dead people 
> voting, etc. (btw, mostly for liberal leaning candidates).
Actually, the current Diebold system forced on Georgia voters is
0% (zero percent) secure and, futher, violates the legal mandate to
be able to audit the ballots for a recount.  A single person could
alter not just a few of the votes but ALL of them.  It is quite scary
and has a potential error rate of 100% vs. the 2% or so from chaff
hanging from ballots.

I studied the Johns Hopkins analysis of the Diebold code and it was
shockingly insecure.  Even the concept of cryptographic signatures that
could help validate date was absent even though they are easy to use.

The "voter-verifiable paper ballots" that many, including myself, advocate
is secure.  After voting, one's vote is printed out inside the voting booth
but enclosed in clear plastic to prevent tampering.  The voter reads it
and then presses one button to accept or another one to reject it if it
is inaccurate.

Once the "accept" button is pressed, the printed ballot drops into an
opaque box and is available for recounts and, in the case of disputes,
will be considered the original and correct ballot.  The cost of the
printer is quite small and the cost of the software update is trivial.

> The technological solution at least offers means for improvement. As we 
> have seen recently in Georgia there is a large number of people against 
> showing proper ID to vote (even though they have to show ID to cash a 
> check at the bank).  So I say enable technology to solve the problems 
> that people themselves can't.  Should we trust everyone, No.  But you 
> have to trust someone, else your life is shallow and difficult. ;-)
The showing of ID to vote is completely unrelated to whether one votes
with paper ballots, electronically, or otherwise.  I agree that picture
ID should be required that proves the person's identity and that they
are a citizen.

> -Jim P.

Bob Toxen
bob at verysecurelinux.com               [Please use for email to me]
http://www.verysecurelinux.com        [Network&Linux/Unix security consulting]
http://www.realworldlinuxsecurity.com [My book:"Real World Linux Security 2/e"]
Quality Linux & UNIX security and SysAdmin & software consulting since 1990.

"Microsoft: Unsafe at any clock speed (or in any election)!"
   -- Bob Toxen 10/03/2002 (03/23/2006)

> aaron wrote:
> > If you are among the nearly unanimous majority of I.T. professionals
> > who share the concerns of the Electronic Frontiers Foundation (EFF.org)
> > about electronic vote fraud and invisible electro-chad balloting, this is an 
> > _excellent_ documentary.  It very concisely presents the problems and
> > documented failures of paperless voting systems, exposes the questionable
> > ethics, background and business tactics of the voting machine companies,
> > and considers the motives behind the deceitful propaganda war being
> > waged by election officials and their corporate partners to blockade 
> > implementation Voter Verified Paper Ballot solutions. 
> > 
> > After the film, the Defenders of Democracy voting rights group will lead a 
> > discussion on the issue and offer ideas on how YOU can help forward the
> > VVPB legislation that faces a critical, last chance committee hearing in the 
> > Georgia Assembly next week.
> > 
> > Maybe we can get Georgia for follow Maryland's lead!  Their House of Reps.
> > recently voted 137-0 to immediately decommision the State's $90 million worth 
> > of Diebold machines. They provisioned funds to use paper ballots and scanners 
> > for the 2006 elections, and to implement Voter Verified Paper Ballots by 2008
> > 
> > <http://www.computerworld.com/governmenttopics/government/legislation/story/0,10801,109436,00.html?source=NLT_PM&nid=109436>
> > <http://mlis.state.md.us/2006rs/billfile/hb0244.htm>
> > <http://truevotemd.org/>
> > 
> > ===========================
> > 	MARCH 16th at 7:00 p.m. 
> > 	thirdThursdayCINEMA
> > 
> > 	and Film Discussion Group 
> > 	presents 
> > 	INVISIBLE BALLOTS 
> > 
> > 	One of the hallmarks of our democracy has always been free and
> > fair elections. That hallmark has been thrown into question since the
> > state of Georgia purchased electronic touch-screen voting systems.  Once
> > the voter presses "CAST BALLOT," that vote becomes the property of a
> > private company that owns the software that tallies the votes.  
> > 
> > 	Professors of computer science at Harvard, Stanford and Johns
> > Hopkins, along with other experts in the field, discuss the issues
> > involved in electronic touch-screen voting machines.   In an interesting
> > and compelling documentary, they reveal what voters in a democracy need
> > to understand about their only Voice, and suggest solutions. 
> > 
> > 	Discussion will follow, to be lead by John Fortuin, Director of
> > Defenders of Democracy, a non-partisan, grass-roots organization
> > committed to election transparency and integrity. 
> > 
> > 	UUCA Room 209 
> > 	Film begins at 7:10 p.m. 
> > 	Nosh & Refreshments table open 7:00 - 9:30 
> > 	Small Donation Requested 
> > 	770 - 491 - 6817 
> > 
> > 	Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta is located along
> > the I-85 north service road between N. Druid Hills and Clairmont roads.
> >>From N. Druid Hills go about 1/2 mile along service road and park in
> > UUCA parking lot on right adjacent to I-85 overpass. Enter through upper
> > level doors and go down left corridor to rear of building. 
> > 
> > 	http://www.invisibleballots.com/