(Denver) Judge refuses to bar electronic voting machines

[El Supremo]

DENVER (AP) - A judge cleared the way Friday for electronic voting machines to be used in the November election, though he chastised state officials.

Denver District Judge Lawrence Manzanares reprimanded officials for botching some of the steps that needed to be taken to make sure the devices can't be tampered with.

Manzanares said the secretary of state's office had violated state law by failing to come up with minimum security standards for the machines, many of which will be used in Colorado's most populous counties. He said the office had done an "abysmal" job in testing the machines.

However, the judge said he would not bar the use of the machines with the election just six weeks away and county clerks warning that they might not be able to print enough paper ballots in time. A lawsuit filed by a handful of voters had claimed the machines were not secure, suggesting the accuracy of election results were in jeopardy.

The Rest >> http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=d7b37ea1-0abe-421a-008f-32b931896ddd&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf

[tridim]

1. It's only the most important election in US history

We "might not be able to print enough paper ballots in time", so instead we'll just let the Republicans steal it with their machines once again.

Judge Manzanares should be impeached.

[BattyDem]

4. "might not be able to print enough paper ballots in time"

So ... no Kinkos in Colorado? :eyes:

[Judi Lynn]

2. Any chance of a quick appeal?

How can so many people live without consciences?

Apparently they don't imagine they will ever be held responsible for their acts.

[meldroc]

3. God fucking dammit!

It's not that fucking hard to write up a ballot in Framemaker or MS Word, then have them printed in bulk. Each individual ballot could be done in a couple of hours. Assume several hundred ballot types for all the different precincts in the state, and assume that we have about a hundred people working for the state and various county clerk offices just cranking out ballots, and the job could be done in a week. Just pay a little bit of OT to ensure this doesn't interfere with regular duties. Small price to pay for election security.

[napi21]

5. Can't their Governor do what Md. did?

I know the legislature wasn't involved in Md, but the Gov and the Sec. of State got into an argument. The Governor won! There will be all paper ballots in Nov 2006!!!!!

[AtLiberty]

6. They could run parallel elections...

Also they should demand international election watchdogs...

[AtLiberty]

7. PLEASE READ THIS RELEASE --

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x450413

[Zorra]

8. Sort of like saying, "Yeah, the jury found him guilty of rape, but

I'm going to let him go anyway. It will simply cost too much to put him in jail. So now he's free to rape again."