Reply #37: Good find.

[Helga Scow Stern]

There sure is strong sentiment and anger against voter verified paper ballots. And a strong tendency to politicize it by the Rethugs. These comment by her husband makes me think she is of the BushCon persuasion, if I had any doubts before.

Posted by: Austin McCormack on March 25, 2004 09:26 PM

Voter Verified paper reciepts sound great in concept as a ballot security measure. They are not. They will not make voting more secure.

IN FACT they will be more easily used as an instrument of voter fraud.
It is far easier to duplicate a roll of paper with printing on it that it has ever been to duplicate a printed ballot. And MUCH easier than to than 1)gaining access to software, 2) writing and inserting code 3) doing so without being noticed. The issue of ballot security is a good one...Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (receipts) is an inadequate patchwork solution.

Posted by: Austin McCormack on March 25, 2004 09:53 PM

There are some pretty wierd folks who have coalesced around Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail as a complete solution to electronic voting.
1) probably the least crazy are the paranoid anti Bush people.
2)Anti Technology people
3)Conspiricy freaks ("the Chinese will steal our elections" I actually heard this!)
4)Self promoters... Say anything that gets you press coverage/votes/attention... or grant money.
5)and lastly, those earnest concerned citizens who believe at first blush that voter Verified paper audit trails is a 100% solution. Itis much more complicated than that.


What makes me so suspicious is, if it isn't a complete solution, then why aren't they suggesting how to make it better? I mean you would think they would if they cared.