One Man, One Vote, One Conspiracy Theory (Business Week)

[MelissaB]

One Man, One Vote, One Conspiracy Theory
Critics of electronic balloting are raising questions about a voting machine supplier

After the controversial 2000 Presidential election, the U.S. embarked on a campaign to replace paper ballots and their infamous hanging chads with electronic voting. But the new systems, many based on touch screens similar to bank ATMs, have become the bane of computer experts and some political activists on the Left.

Critics say the systems are riddled with security leaks that could allow corrupt companies or polling officials to steal elections. Now the complicated ownership of one of the nation's top three voting-equipment companies has attracted a new cadre of doubters.

The company, Sequoia Voting Systems Inc., sells machines in California, Illinois, and 18 other states. It has come under fire because its majority shareholders are Venezuelan. In the colorful imaginations of some, the Sequoia story is a tale that ends with Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chávez, a foe of the Bush Administration, in a position to manipulate American elections.

In Washington, Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) has asked the Treasury Dept. to explain Sequoia's sale to the Venezuelans last year. "It doesn't seem like the deal...was vetted by our government, and I want to know why," she said in a May 5 letter.

Following a contentious Apr. 7 hearing on Sequoia's role in a recent Chicago primary, city Alderman Edward M. Burke, a relatively conservative Democrat, said: "We've stumbled on what we think could be an international conspiracy to subvert the electoral process in the United States." Burke offered no proof, and despite similar concerns expressed by other Chicago pols, the city and Cook County will continue to use Sequoia equipment.

DISPUTED ELECTION
Sequoia officials insist that neither Chávez nor the Venezuelan government has had any link to the company. "There is absolutely, unequivocally no connection," insists Sequoia Vice-President Michelle M. Shafer. But Sequoia's ownership is elaborate. The Oakland (Calif.) business was acquired for $16 million in March, 2005, by Boca Raton (Fla.)-based Smartmatic Corp. Smartmatic is owned by a Netherlands holding company, which in turn is owned by Smartmatic International Group, based in Curaçao.


More: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_23/b3987042.htm?chan=tc&chan=technology_technology+index+page_more+of+today's+top+stories

[marmar]

1. Glad to see this issue has made Business Week...

:thumbsup:

[Gman]

2. So if it's a threat to conservatives, then its an issue

if not, let the election stealing begin.

[MelissaB]

3. That's exactly what I'm hoping.

Let the conservatives start to worry then the media will cover it.

[evermind]

4. It's good news if anyone mainstream is criticizing electronic voting,

from whatever point of view. The admitted possibility of an "international conspiracy" inescapably lends credence to the possibility of a domestic one.

[unhappycamper]

5. "We've stumbled on what we think could be an international conspiracy to

subvert the electoral process in the United States."

Right. I'll bet the international conspiracy turns out to be the _bush Crime Family, aka the BFEE.

[Minnesota_Lib]

6. The corprate media are sowing the seeds of another fixed election....

The more "true-believers" that can be convinced that the elections are being rigged against the Repugs, the more people that will be willing to put aside any sense of decency and work to "counter" the make-believe cheating by condoning and even assisting in fixing the elections for their side. We will see more and more of these types of articles that basically say the elections will be rigged against the Repugs.

They are creating the mind-set needed to get people to think "the Dems are cheating so we are forced to also cheat to keep them from stealing the election." All they need to do is to convince a few "true-believing" fanatics--who happen fill key postions in the election process in each state--of this and the fix is in again.

[mod mom]

7. Beware of articles like this. This may be bad for Sequoia but no mention

of diebold or ES & S. They seem to be raising the issue of foreign ownership but all proprietary ownership is bad! Where is the info on the GAO Report on Electronic voting machines and other documentation.

BTW you can leave comments on the site.

[gordianot]

9. Exactly, trying to stifle a little competition.

[gordianot]

8. What is with the Chavez Venezuelan allegation?

So it is clever manipulation by Venezuela. Even if it were true (which I do not believe) I find this hilarious.

[snot]

10. Sequoia boxes sold to Venezuela wd likely be manipulated AGAINST Chavez,

. . . not for him.

I have the impression black boxes have been marketed in a number of countries where election outcomes matter to *Co.

[bobbieinok]

11. Venezuela claim is DIVERSION from the real problems

[Kurovski]

12. K&R(nt)