Thread: Colorado Voting Machines Tossed Out

Colorado Voting Machines Tossed Out
Tuesday, December 18, 2007 12:00 PM

DENVER -- Colorado's secretary of state has declared many of the state's electronic voting machines to be unreliable, saying its own tests show that the federal process of certifying the machines falls short.

Secretary of State Mike Coffman decertified three of the four equipment manufacturers allowed in the state. That affects six of Colorado's 10 most populous counties.

"The results today will have national repercussions across the country," Coffman said Monday during a news conference. "What we have found is that the federal certification process is inadequate."

The decision means electronic voting machines used in Denver, Arapahoe, Pueblo, Mesa and Elbert counties cannot be used in the general election next November because of problems with accuracy and security. A number of electronic scanners used to count ballots were also decertified.

Coffman announced in March that he had adopted new rules for testing electronic voting machines. He required the four electronic voting systems used in all 64 Colorado counties to apply for recertification.

The four systems are manufactured by Premier Election Solutions, formerly known as Diebold Election Systems; Hart InterCivic; Sequoia Voting Systems; and Election Systems and Software. Only Premier Election Solutions had all its equipment pass the recertification.

Two kinds of electronic voting machines made by Sequoia Voting Systems that are used in Denver, Arapahoe, Pueblo and Elbert counties were decertified because of "a variety of security risk factors."

Machines that scan and count ballots made by Hart InterCivic failed because "they could not accurately count ballots." Hart equipment is used in Boulder, Douglas and more than 40 other counties.

And both optical scanning devices and electronic voting machines made by Election Systems and Software did not pass muster, Coffman said. ES&S is used by Jefferson and Mesa counties.

Sequoia said it was reviewing the 175-page report. Ken Fields, spokesman for ES&S, said the decertification was based on additional requirements recently imposed.

Peter Lichtenheld, a spokesman for Hart InterCivic, said his company planned to appeal based on how the state conducted the tests and maintenance of its machine.

"Our systems are used nationwide and they've been proven reliable and accurate across the country, so there's no reason why it should be any different in Colorado," Lichtenheld said.

Sequoia and ES&S also said their systems had previously been tested for accuracy, reliability, and security and would work with Coffman's office to meet requirements.

Several county clerk and recorders said they were digesting the findings Monday evening.

"This report is really just part of the larger equation for us," Denver Clerk and Recorder Stephanie O'Malley said in a statement. "Once we feel we have the full picture of what the Secretary of State's report means, we can move forward with choosing our systems and preparing for the 2008 election season."

In Ohio, the state that narrowly gave President Bush his win in 2004, a review concluded last week that electronic voting machines are vulnerable to security breaches and human error. Gov. Ted Strickland said Monday that the state must act on the study's findings by November.

"This country has gone through two presidential elections where there have been, I believe, legitimate concerns raised about the fairness and the integrity of those elections," he told The Columbus Dispatch. "I don't think we should go through a third presidential election and have those questions out there."

(This version deletes incorrect reference to Colorado primary; the state has caucuses)
http://www.newsmax.com/us/colorado_voti ... 57927.html

Good,

Get those worthless, subject to manipulation voting machines out. I would be happy with a paper ballot and the purple finger ink blot that Iraqi's have.

Would mean you couldn't have dead people voting, or voters going to different polls voting repeatidly.

This is great news!! I hope it catches on in the rest of the country....Idaho still has paper ballots!

------------ "RED ALERT" ------------------
ACTIVIST PLEASE TAKE ACTION!!! NOW!! 12/19
HUCKABEE/GILCHRIST
Link to information and Instructions!!!
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-94878.html

Originally Posted by SOSADFORUS

This is great news!! I hope it catches on in the rest of the country....Idaho still has paper ballots!

------------ "RED ALERT" ------------------
ACTIVIST PLEASE TAKE ACTION!!! NOW!! 12/19
HUCKABEE/GILCHRIST
Link to information and Instructions!!!
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-94878.html

Great News!!!