Reply #5: So are you saying computer tallies CAN BE TRUSTED then?

[Bill Bored]

Or do you just think it's fun to take an unproven theory about vote switching by non-computerized voting machines that are specifically designed to make that impossible, and use it to confuse people?

Those who are fighting to keep computers from counting votes in NY without software-independent verification of electoral outcomes (which seems to be impractical for all elections, and politically impossible for many elections), know that lever voting machines can't be hacked in anywhere near the numbers that the exit poll discrepancy might suggest.

The undervote rate in NY in 2004 was 0.77%. That's the largest discrepancy possible on the levers. They don't allow vote switching during the election, and every one of the 20,000 machines is checked and double-checked after the election. The first check is made before the machines leave the poll site. So there is no opportunity to switch any votes, as there is with software, and no post-election chain-of-custody issue.

The 2nd check confirms the first check, in case someone copied the numbers wrong. The two tallies are usually very close, esp. for a statewide race.

As to the rest of your points, levers are more reliable than electronic machines -- not less. And as you've pointed out, when they fail, the failures are obvious enough so that paper ballots can be issued. If they were not, there would be much higher undervote rates on the levers!

The pro-computer folks don't even use the exit poll argument to justify their support for replacing levers. In fact, I don't think they have any reasonable arguments that will actually stand up, given the fact that NY will NOT allow full recounts of paper ballots in much the same way that the SCOTUS did not in 2000.

The NY State Board of Elections has deliberately designed regulations to keep full recounts from happening, even when discrepancies are found in a post-election audit, and they are on record saying to go to court for recounts. In other words, you'll take what the computers tell you the vote count is -- and you'll LIKE IT! Otherwise, your just a sore loser.

So levers are the best we've got and it would be silly to get rid of them, unless you're working for some vendor or some entity with an interest in stealing our elections. So are ya?