Reply #100: Greatly appreciated but I still am in search of an answer to this

[Iceburg]

particular question:

We know that the candidate names are rotated in each contest. But what I don't know is whether or not they are rotated through the entire length of the ballot or whether they are rotated within an area a specified area designated for that contest whereby the contest areas do not change just the virtual order of the candidates within the fixed areas.

The answer to this question is VERY important because if the names are rotated within a fixed designated area on the ballot for each contest, then taking a ballot marked for Kerry and reading it on a 2nd machine where Bush's position = Kerry's position would result in a extra vote for Bush and but MAY not affect the outcome of any other contests.

To illustrate, assume that
1) the 5 slots on the card represent the presidential contest
2) there have only 2 contests -- for president and for senate

Scenario 1
For President....For Senate
punch mark position *.................*
precinct A KxyzB.............dr
precinct B BKxyz.............rd

Bush gets 1 extra vote and the republican candidate for senator gets 1 extra vote

Scenario 2
For President....For Senate
punch mark position *.................*
precinct A KxyzB.............dr
precinct B BKxyz.............dr

Here, Bush gets 1 extra vote and the democrat candidate for senator gets 1 extra vote. It is possible with a lot of grunt work to identify every precinct that has a ballotorder such that the other contest remain relatively unaffected.

Another related point... the relative order of yes/no on the gay marriage ban issue does not change from precinct to precinct. And curiously, when the chaos is at its maximum state of disorder (i.e. 5 unique ballot orders within a voting area), the percentage vote for the "NO" group swells to a whopping 5 % (48% vs 43%), while Kerry's return in that same ballot group avg 53%!!!!! This fact runs contrary to all the data. Did this group of bush supporters suddenly become compassionate conservatives? ...I THINK NOT!!!!