Cuyahoga County,Ohio-Leaders split over electronic voting

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1138354781287440.xml&coll=2

Friday, January 27, 2006
Joan Mazzolini
Plain Dealer Reporter

...But Cuyahoga County commissioners won't spend the money until after the May primary at the earliest, saying they want to see how the Diebold machines already on hand do in their first test. The machines will replace a punch-card system that has been used for years.

Ohio-based Diebold's electronic voting machines have been at the center of a nationwide controversy over concerns that the machines could be manipulated to alter election results.

Commissioner Tim Hagan said he is willing to buy additional machines if they operate properly and are needed. Commissioners Chairman Jimmy Dimora said he wants to hire an expert not tied to Diebold or the elections board to analyze the reliability of the machines in the May primary...

But the controversy about Diebold machines has deepened because an elections chief in one Florida county showed how easy it is for hackers to manipulate the equipment. Several times over the past year, Leon County supervisor of elections Ion Sancho asked computer specialists to see if they could change vote results on his Diebold system, and each time they did...

[zbdent]

1. Usually, when you test a system, you have to have a control and the test

groups.

The best way to test this is with two ballots per voter. One paper, the other electronic. At the end of the day, you count both, and compare the results . . .

Of course, Repukes don't want honest elections . . .

[EST]

2. Our timing really sucks, doesn't it?

The optimum time we should have been agitating for 100% honest elections was when we were in the majority. Probably would have had the support of a few rethugs, even. The problems always seem to have to get to disastrous proportions before we fix them.

[riqster]

3. Honest people rarely spend enough time watching out for crooks

and that was certainly true in this case.

[Wilms]

4. Worse, is the unfortunate consequence of the Hursti Hack.

It seems that here and in PA, at least, it's being used as an excuse to go with Touch-Screens.

I should know this, but does OH have a VVPAT law?