[ale] OT: Voting machines cracked in California

[Bob Toxen]

URL:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/07/28/MNGP6R8TJO1.DTL

This story starts...

State-sanctioned teams of computer hackers were able to break through
the security of virtually every model of California's voting machines
and change results or take control of some of the systems' electronic
functions, according to a University of California study released Friday.

This completely undermines our right to vote (and the implied right
to have our vote counted).

While the article claims that an [ordinary] thief would not have access
to the machines' manuals, etc. "[because they are secret]".  That argument
is nonsense.  Given the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars spent
on National elections, bribing someone is trivial.

Voter-verified paper audits are the only way to go.

My $.02.

Bob Toxen
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