ES&S Voting Machines in Michigan Flunk Tests, Don't Tally Votes Consistently

[Wilms]

ES&S Voting Machines in Michigan Flunk Tests, Don't Tally Votes Consistently

By Kim Zetter

November 03, 2008

Optical-scan machines made by Election Systems & Software failed recent pre-election tests in a Michigan county, producing different tallies for the same ballots every time, the top election official in Oakland County revealed in a letter made public Monday.

The problems occurred during logic and accuracy tests in the run-up to this year's general election, Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson disclosed in a letter submitted October 24 to the federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC). The machines at issue are ES&S M-100 optical-scan machines, which read and tally election results from paper ballots.

Johnson worried that such problems -- linked tentatively to paper dust build-up in the machines -- could affect the integrity of the general election this week.

"The same ballots, run through the same machines, yielded different results each time," she wrote. "This begs the question -- on Election Day, will the record number of ballots going through the remaining tabulators leave even more build-up on the sensors, affecting machines that tested just fine initially? Could this additional build-up on voting tabulators that have not had any preventative maintenance skew vote totals? My understanding is that the problem could occur and election workers would have no inkling that ballots are being misread."

~snip~

The Election Assistance Commission, which quietly posted the letter to its web site today, did not send an announcement about the issue to election officials but simply included a link to the letter in a routine newsletter that it distributed by e-mail to election officials shortly before 5 pm Eastern time, less than 24 hours before voters around the country arrive to the polls.

EAC spokeswoman Jeannie Layson said the Commission received Johnson's letter late in the afternoon on Wednesday after EAC chairwoman Rosemary Rodriguez, to whom the letter was addressed, had left to conduct an interview with ABC's 20/20 program. She said Rodriguez was out of the office Thursday and Friday and only saw the letter today when she returned.

John Gideon, co-executive director of Voters Unite, an election integrity group, said he was troubled by the Commission's lack of urgency over the matter.

"If they haven't done anything with it then how are they fulfilling their duties as a clearinghouse and passing on information?" he asked. "If they didn't do something with it, as far as I'm concerned it's misfeasance. They have a legal duty to warn election officials of problems."

~snip~

"At the very least, the EAC could proactively alert other jurisdictions using this type of voting system that it may be an issue. That way, states that are willing to conduct post-election audits could do so, and check their vote counts."

~snip~

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/11/michigan-electi.html

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. Ah, yes - this is the side story for tomorrow.

[fujiyama]

2. Oh fuck

I sent one of those in by absentee.

Hope my vote counts correctly. That state really needs to throw out the republicans in the state government.

[Bill Bored]

3. This is a huge story! Keep it kicked! nt

[CoffeeCat]

4. Damn it all to hell...

I've stayed positive all week--while my husband is freaking out about this election.

My feeling is that there's no way in hell they can steal it. Obama's lead is
just too big. It would be too obvious.

Then, I see stories like this, and I want to puke.

I'm in Iowa and we have the same damn optical scan machines. I saw that New Mexico
had problems with their optical scan machines too. Many times when a straight
Dem ticket was voted, the Presidential vote was wiped out.

I'm just so sick of this. Just so sick of it.

Meanwhile--Iowa has optical scanners, and we also have McCain and Palin making
about 20 trips here--despite being down in the Iowa polls by as much as 14. McCain
keeps telling the media that their "internals" look good in Iowa. Sounds like what
Rove said about "the math."

All I can do is think positively, and hope to God that there won't be enough theft
to steal the election.

[Wilms]

7. I'm with you. But this ain't about theft. It's about machine malfunction.

And this machine is fairly common in the US.

[CoffeeCat]

10. Thanks for making that distinction...

As sad as it sounds, machine malfunctions (although frustrating) are a lot
better than orchestrated theft.

I'm assuming that malfunctions are equal opportunity vote suppressors. Theft
only hurts one side.

The entire system must be changed.

[clear eye]

11. Sounds like they were speculating when they say the mismatches

were caused by paper dust build-up. All they know for sure is that the count kept coming out different each time. Junky machine? Intentional sabotage? Bad code?

The information wasn't revealed in time to find out.

[Wilms]

14. You're right.

We really don't know.

A lot of different possibilities.

[vanboggie]

12. This machine was also common in OH 2004

I have a difficult time believing it's not about theft, but that's based on the fact they WERE used to steal Ohio and keep * in office the last 4 years.

They're computers, they can be programmed. Note, too, that our Rethuglican SOS Terri Lynn Land did nothing to warn election officials.

[gratuitous]

5. Countin' votes is hard werk!

Especially when you're more interested in results than in the process. Things like accuracy and stuff.

[EFerrari]

6. Kick

[vanboggie]

8. I knew it

Those are the same f'ing machines we have in fundie Rethug West MI. The ES&S 100's were used in the OH 2004.
We can thank HAVA and MI Secretary of State (and former Chimp campaign co-chair) Terri Lynn Land for this. I can't wait to cast my vote on those damned cheat machines tomorrow. grrrrrr.....

[wildbilln864]

9. k&r! thank you. nt

[vanboggie]

13. BradBlog info on the MI problem

From BradBlog...

This problem, discovered during pre-election "Logic & Accuracy" testing of the systems, would hardly be the first time that ES&S has failed to deliver on maintenance contracts, adversely affecting voters and election results in the bargain. We saw many similar problems during the 2006 primary election cycle. These precinct-based scanners are used throughout the nation, as ES&S is the nation's largest distributor of voting systems in the U.S.

The EAC received this letter a week ago, and we're trying to learn when it was finally posted to their website. But, more importantly, as they have a mandate via the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 to serve as a "clearinghouse" for such voting system problems, has the EAC sent a warning about this issue to any other jurisdictions where the same equipment or company is used?
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6613

[ColbertWatcher]

15. 98% of eligible voters in Michigan are registered to vote.

That's a lot of messed up votes.

[Swamp Rat]

16. k&r

[Bill Bored]

17. Well, at least they have paper ballots!

There isn't much to say. We should not be trusting any of these machines, neither scanners nor touch screens.

If the paper ballot is going to rule, we need to keep them secure and have audits and recounts.

There's no other immediate solution other than not to have close elections!

So get out and vote tomorrow!

[LeftyMom]

18. That's the machine we use here in Sacramento County, CA too.

http://www.elections.saccounty.net/VotingInformation/SAC_VRE_DF_Voting_Systems

Great. :eyes:

[CLG_News]

19. K&R. n/t