February 6, 2004, Hour One: New Elements / Electronic Voting Technology Update

Science Friday > Archives > 2004 > February > February 6, 2004:
Hour One: New Elements / Electronic Voting Technology Update

This week, voters in several states across the country went to the polls to participate in primary elections. Nationwide, a variety of technologies are in use for casting a ballot -- including paper ballots, mechanical machines, the infamous 'punch card' machines that played such a role in the last Presidential election, and a new generation of electronic, computer-based voting machines. In this hour, we'll talk about the safety, accuracy and security of electronic voting systems. A recent report says the machines being introduced in Maryland are accurate, but may be vulnerable to attack.

Plus, elements ununtrium (113) and ununpentium (115) enter the world. We'll find out more.Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (2-3 Eastern), and share your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required).

Guests:
Joshua Patin
Nuclear Chemist
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Livermore, California

Michael Wertheimer
Director, RABA Innovative Solutions Cell
RABA Technologies
Columbia, Maryland

Douglas Jones
Associate Professor, Computer Science
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

Rush Holt
U.S. Representative (D-NJ)
Former Assistant Director
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Hopewell, New Jersey

This segment produced by Karin Vergoth and Erica Altman

Archived Audio:
elements:
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voting:
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