Untried Fla. vote device to debut in Venezuela

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Tue, Apr. 20, 2004



Untried Fla. vote device to debut in Venezuela

A new controversy erupts in Venezuela's presidential recall process: Six-year-old voting machines are being scrapped in favor of a touch-screen system from a Florida firm that has never had an election contract.

BY RICHARD BRAND

[email protected]


CARACAS - Venezuela's electoral council is scrapping its 6-year-old voting machines and replacing them with touch-screen computers from a tiny South Florida company whose machines have never been used in an election anywhere.

The switch -- coming as President Hugo Chávez maneuvers to avoid a recall referendum -- has sparked a fury among his opponents, who say the new machines from Boca Raton-based Smartmatic Corp. could be used to manipulate the tally in a recall vote and other elections.

It could also cast an international spotlight on the reliability of electronic voting systems, hotly debated since the 2000 U.S. presidential election and Florida's ensuing hanging chad, butterfly-ballot chaos.

''We have no trust in these new machines. We are afraid they are preparing to cheat us, and we have reasons to be worried,'' said opposition congressman Edgar Zambrano.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/8471517.htm

[w4rma]

1. And the Republican Party pushes DRE voting booths on us here in America!!!

The Venezuelan right-wing reaction proves to me that the Republican leadership here in America plan on trying to steal the 2004 elections and probably stole many 2002 elections.

''We have no trust in these new machines. We are afraid they are preparing to cheat us, and we have reasons to be worried,'' said opposition congressman Edgar Zambrano.

That said, these machines by Smartmatic do print paper receipts. I'd have to research *when* these receipts are printed and whether the voter has a chance to proofread their receipt before leaving the polling station.

However, paper ballots (printing them with touch screens is fine), not receipts, is the most secure method, imho.

Johns Hopkins University computer science professor Aviel Rubin, who studies voting systems, says the Smartmatic feature of printing a paper receipt is an important element in a secure voting technology.

But he added that having a printer does not guarantee a fraud-proof election and questioned the wisdom of switching systems on the eve of a potentially critical recall vote.

[bpilgrim]

2. If you can't beat'em, join'em

the more press the better :bounce:

peace

[dusty64]

3. Hmmmm,

disturbing.

[Karenina]

4. OH, GIMME A BREAK!!!

:eyes: Call to action!!! Send magnets!!!

[Vladimir]

5. Hahahahaha

the fascists don't like the taste of their own medicine, evidently... thanks for the info JudiLyn. Jokes aside though, I expect Venezuela will implement these a lot better than the BFEE will implement Diebold in 2004.

V

[bemildred]

8. These are not Diebold.

This has been going on for some time. I remember a story
from January about various practicalities that had to be
ironed out before these could be approved for use. I presume
the Golpistas see it as one more issue to yell about. I
would presume in this case the advantage would be in enfranchising,
ummmmmm, less-literate voters, and that of course would work
to Hugo's advantage.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

6. I hadn't heard of this!!! My God this proves that the Oligarchy there is

just like our right wing. Unbelievable!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. Presidente Jeb Bush?

:shrug: