Diebold critics keep up protest of voting machine pick

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/112945506310060.xml&coll=2

Sunday, October 16, 2005
Julie Carr Smyth
Plain Dealer Bureau
Columbus

-- With less than a month to go before another general election, a determined core of protesters refuses to relent on the perceived risks of Diebold Election Systems' voting machines.

They are expected to continue to barrage Cuyahoga County elections officials with questions about the county's chosen machine maker at a hearing Monday -- though they are fighting a decision that has already been made.

They don't expect to be welcomed.

"Be prepared to be demeaned, ridiculed and criticized," activist and Case Western Reserve University mathematics lecturer Victoria Lovegren warned in an e-mail to fellow Diebold critics. "Be prepared to be told that you are impugning the integrity of the board. Be prepared to be asked to Prove It!' "...

(This article's well over twice as long as what the Plain Dealer put on their website,maybe they'll fix it later.)

[petgoat]

1. Diebold Can't Do ANYTHING Right!

At the bottom of your link Diebold sales rep Pat Gallina tried to defend
himself from charges that there was something improper about his $10,000
donation to Franklin County Republican Party--by pointing out that the
county elections chief had solicited the donation.

That's no defense. A county official solicits a bribe and you pay it?
That makes it worse!

[texpatriot2004]

2. Live FREE or Diebold.n.t

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

5. That belongs on...

...billboards across America along with a statement like: STOP ELECTION FRAUD.

[texpatriot2004]

6. Indeed it does. I have seen it on signs at election fraud protests

it says it all to me.

[The Doctor.]

3. I keep sayin'...

The only way to beat the machines is to usurp control... all at once the proof that the machines are susceptible will surface.

Imagine if, all over Ohio, Democrats were winning like crazy blowing polls out of the water.

No shit - the Republicans who run the state will scream 'Hacker Fraud!!!'.

Then the machines will be up for review, there will be an investigation, and the result...

Worst case; the election is overturned and they have to use paper ballots.


Best case; there is not enough evidence of fraud because Diebold designed the machines to leave little trace, the election stands, state republicans turn on Diebold like a pack of animals.

Either way, Democracy wins.

[Algorem]

4. Plain Dealer's only put the 1st 11 paragraphs on web,out of 41,so here's

some notes from the 1st 15 of the 30 missing paragraphs-

Gallina said he Damschroder,other Diebold lobbyists and key county election and party officials met 6+ times before check written,including once with Diebold chief exec Walden O'Dell ...

Gallina says that each time he was subtly urged to contribute,so he did-"if you give money to the party and you're Italian,it's a bribe"...

Franklin Co. election board docked Damschoder's pay for accepting the check on county property,no action against Gallina...

Damschroder says party officials never solicited Gallina for money...

Diebold has ended relationship with Gallina after his contract expired,Gallina says he voluntarily stepped down to save Diebold further embarassment...

Diebold says outside consultants weren't weren't limited by a company-wide policy banning political activity and donations,a policy which followed O'Dell's infamous statement that he was committed to delivering Ohio's electoral votes to Bush...

Gallina denies Damschroder's recollection that he met a Blackwell political consultant in D.C. area and got a cut-rate price on Diebold machines for all of Ohio in exchange for $50,000 contributions to "Blackwell interests"...

odd coincidences-Diebold did give Ohio a cut-rate and Gallina says he did meet with the Blackwell operative,who's a friend if his and(who now runs Blackwell's campaign for governor) in the D.C. area at that time...

[Algorem]

7. some notes on last 15 paragraphs they haven't put on net-

Galina's firm did donate $10,000 to Blackwell's group...

Gallina claims he's just been a supporter of Blackwell's "forever" just because Blackwell's a "good guy",nothing to do with Diebold...

Largest donor to Blackwell's Citizens for Tax Repeal-Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform,gave $62,500 in a 4 month period ending in April 2004...

Gallina and Blackwell's campaign director both know Norquist,both claim they didn't give money to Norquist to pass on to Blackwell,Norquist's group isn't required to report donors...

Diebold critic Adele Eisner-troubled by O'Dell's fundraising for Bush and by fact that Cuyahoga County Elections Board Chairman (who is also head of Republican Party of Ohio) Bob Bennett has known O'Dell for 15-20 years-(The Help America Vote Act partially pays for the machine conversion)"...It's not the voting that's the problem,it's who's counting the votes."...

Blackwell spokesman says it's disappointing that Ohioans are worried about voting machines-"...been a lot of people making sure these machines work properly,making sure they're programmed accurately...we'll be pretty confident that they'll operate properly."

P.D. reporter>[e-mail],1-800-228-8272

[Algorem]

8. 10/18/05-"Voting machines questioned-Eighty people turned out Monday

to hear about Cuyahoga County's move to electronic voting and to question decisions by the board of elections in choosing Ohio-based Diebold Election System machines.Many questioned the reliability and security of the company's touch-screen machines,which the county plans to use next year.Several Diebold representatives,including a lead engineer,tried to allay questioners' fears,saying that while glitches occurred in test elections in California,the company has worked out the kinks.The board has not officially signed a purchase agreement with diebold,but that is expected soon.Officials expect delivery of new machines that will be tested by late this year."-

The Plain Dealer didn't put on net page,it would be the second of 3 items in this column here-

http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1129628241325450.xml?nxcnb&coll=2

but it's blank.

http://www.ohiovigilance.org