Watchdog Group Questions 2004 Fla. Vote (+)

[kster]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - An examination of Palm Beach County's electronic voting machine records from the 2004 election found possible tampering and tens of thousands of malfunctions and errors, a watchdog group said Thursday.

Bev Harris, founder of BlackBoxVoting.org, said the findings call into question the outcome of the presidential race. But county officials and the maker of the electronic voting machines strongly disputed that and took issue with the findings.

Voting problems would have had to have been widespread across the state to make a difference. President Bush won Florida — and its 27 electoral votes — by 381,000 votes in 2004. Overall, he defeated John Kerry by 286 to 252 electoral votes, with 270 needed for victory.

BlackBoxVoting.org, which describes itself as a nonpartisan, nonprofit citizens group, said it found 70,000 instances in Palm Beach County of cards getting stuck in the paperless ATM-like machines and that the computers logged about 100,000 errors, including memory failures.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060223/ap_on_el_pr/florida_voting

Posted by deadparrot

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2128228

[EFerrari]

1. Okay, here's a thought.

I've bugged and bugged the SF Chron and the NYTs to cover this story. They won't because "there is no story" or because "there are no facts".

Doesn't this report pretty much demolish that bulleria?

Can we now ask them what NEW EXCUSE they will use to withhold this story

I have Okrent's WORD that the Times would cover it if "facts came to light". He's gone but, doesn't his promise bind the Office of the Public Editor? Or, should we just flush any promise that office generates?

:evilgrin:

[e-mail]

[Wilms]

3. Slow down.

First, we have to fact check the story ourselves and make sure all the claims are accurate and that we understand them.

Then we can determine an effective adjective to use relative to this stories potential impact on editors.

[EFerrari]

4. Sure, slow and careful. But, doesn't the fact of the report

itself meet the standard Okrent set?

[Wilms]

5. Bev or YaHoo?

The former, I dunno, the latter seems possible, though.

Still, the details of the report would most probably be a significant factor. There are others, of course.

What I find encouraging here, and potentially compelling to an editor, is that some BoE's are conceeding certain points. I'm hoping to look at the details of that and get a better idea of why.

[EFerrari]

6. I meant the AP reporting it at all. I look forward to your analysis

Wilms. Thank you. :)

[Wilms]

10. OK. Maybe this will get interesting.

bbv claims there are poll tapes with odd dates/hours in Oct., after pre-election testing, which should have meant no one touches the machine.

bbv says they're taking it to Agent Mike (FBI) on Monday.

[Steve A Play]

12. Agent Mike (Levin) was with the Secret Service!

Give credit where credit is due! http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/0420/040519_news_blackboxvoting.php

Hi Agent Mike! :hi: You get my e-mail? Oh! I forgot, you get all my e-mails! Do you still think I'm the enemy? You know I'm looking out for your vote too. :)

Steven P. :kick:

[Boredtodeath]

13. Don't get your hopes up

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=504802&mesg_id=507648

Those odd dates/hours are likely legitimate.

[Steve A Play]

11. Have you gone to the site and examined the documents?

:shrug:

Steven P. :kick:

[Wilms]

14. I began to after posting that, and made the subsequent comment above.

You may have noticed I take a lot of things with a grain of salt until I have a firmer grasp on the issue. (Then all hell breaks loose.)

I took interest not only in the pre-Election Day entries in the log, but also the odd hours of those entries, as reported.

Now, it seems, those dates may not be odd because of early-voting. Assuming that's true, I'll now labor to consider the odd hours aspect.

But I think you see where that leaves someone like me.

[Wilms]

2. Reading through the article, some of the BoE's are less than dismissive.

I'll bet a lot of them are sick of the controversy that e-voting created, even if they aren't particularly alarmed by them.

[BeFree]

9. Yeah, they are getting sick of it all

I'll bet some are nostalgic for the good ol' days when we all pretty much trusted them to get it right. As it is, we can't tell the right from the wrong, so we call 'em out.

They are feeling the heat.... OUR HEAT

Crank it UP!

[nicknameless]

7. Another Kick

(Already recommended)

[Patsy Stone]

8. K&R

Every little counts.