With election day just around the cornner, HBO's recent mind numbing special "
Hacking Democracy" was a chilling reminder just how fragile our electronic voting system is and how easily it can be hacked, to change the results of an election.
Avi Ruben, computer scientist at Johns Hopkins, told us the same thing on
a recent SciFri show about electronic voting but the HBO special really drove the point home, with simple demonstrations of how easily the memory cards, that contain the votes, can be be hacked and changed. Even left untouched, some of the voting machines recorded votes incorrectly and in one election in Florida, the machine tabulations showed "negative" votes.
At the heart of the program was the work by members of a non-profit, non-partisan voting system watchdog called
Black Box Voting..
Stay vigilant this Tuesday....
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http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061109/NEWS/611090343
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THE UNDERVOTE
Comparison of undervote in the District 13 race:
SARASOTA
Total votes cast = 142,283
Undervote = 18,382
Difference = 12.92%
MANATEE
Total votes cast = 96,705
Undervote = 2,312
Difference = 2.39%
Source: Sarasota Herald Tribune
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Question: Is Sarasota a traditionally a Democratic or a Republican district? Most people know the politent bent of their neighbors. (Where I live most people people vote Republican despite our guy, cough hack Doolitle, DESPITE his links to Abramoff, skimming campaign contributions as $$$ for his wife (thus, to his own family/self), the entire Mariana Islands tragedy, and too many other awful votes to name here. He just had to point the finger at a former republican, a true veteran (Who chose to run as a Democrat since he said, "I didn't leave the Republican party, the GOP left me." (Neocons in particular) and say liberal and ACLU (God forbid a group protects our constitutional liberties), a vow our congressman made to UPHOLD as he took the oath of office. (Maybe he crossed his fingers behind his back as he said it.) So, they may have had something to worry about in Sarasota, and despite the alleged tinkering that caused the undercounts people know that America is angry with Republicans for their blatant malfeasance & the war in Iraq. I seriously doubt that SO many voters wouldn't choose to "throw the bum out." Remember, this is in FLORIDA, that raises suspisions right there. Florida, the national capital of voting fraud. I think we have a demonstrable case of voter fraud here. Maybe the new Democratically controlled house and Senate may choose to look into this very distrubing matter.
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Ira,
I haven't heard anything in the media about voter fraud this election. Could technology really be doing its job? Or since the Democrates won, the source of the discontent, whining, and poor sportsmanship is missing? What ever could be the difference? Which party is REALLY the party of reconcilation?
Thanks for the update
Thomas Hamlin
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I think that local/state secretaries knew that voter sentiment was SO strong that those in power knew that if there was some kind of "landslide" victory for republicans that questions would be and raised & criminial investigations started.
The HBO special has raised the level of awareness amongst voters so they are no longer so naive (but, time may make us lax again. We rely on our technology that we have lost what should be a healthly skepticim towards it.)
Secondly, what is the problem with machines printing a SMALL but reviewable paper ballot receipt that goes into a double locked box to prevent fraud and provide concrete materials for recounts????
These receipts will spot 'glitches' immediately saving much grief.
We waste so much paper in America in offices and in schools. A few thousand reems more seem a fair price to pay to guarantee fair elections. (Those slips could be recycled even after the election was certified.)
That fact that Republicans were voting against these things frightens me. The only logical conclusion is they know tampering would be quickly discovered.
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There was no fraud last time, and no fraud this time with reagrd to the voting machines. (dead people and illegals still vote though) Get over the conspiracy sh1t.
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Sportmanship? This is not some game. Election fraud is a serious crime that threatens our democracy. Is the war in Iraq a game?
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Lou Dobbs, Keith Obermann, ... but never on FOX News, Thomas. Change your channel.
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