HOW DIEBOLD TOUCH SCREEN VOTING FAVORED BUSH

[Bill Bored]

Enough with the exit polls, the anecdotal reports, the hacking theories, etc. Here's a simple FACT about how Diebold Accuvote TS machines could have favored Bush. It's based on the GEMS user manual (used to remotely program Diebold Touch Screens and Op Scan voting machines from the GEMS server) and I believe it. No hacking or any other malfeasance is necessary. All you have to do is TRY TO VOTE.

First, let's assume there really were Republicans for Kerry, just like those websites, the Op Eds, and the endorsements before the election said there were. After all, we had the worst president in history and before the election it sure looked as if a number of apparently well-meaning conservatives and Republicans were going to take their chances with John Kerry while maintaining their loyalty to a GOP Congress -- just to keep Kerry in line. You know, checks and balances and all that founding fathers stuff, right?

But if they voted on Diebold Accuvote TS touch screen machines, unless they selected their candidates in EXACTLY the correct sequence, their votes would have gone to Bush, or they would not have cast a vote for president at all. Here's why:

With these machines, voters MUST make straight party choices BEFORE proceeding to change individual candidate selections. If the voter decides to make a candidate selection first, like for president maybe, BEFORE making a straight party selection, the presidential selection is lost, gone, history, asta la vista, toast! At this point, the presidential vote would either SWITCH to Bush (does this sound familiar truth seekers?) or perhaps just be an undervote. The manual isn't clear on that point, but either way, there's no way in hell the vote would have gone to John Kerry. Of course the voter could probably CORRECT his or her mistake, but come on, we're talking about Republicans here! What would be the odds of THAT happening? (Sorry but I had to throw that in.)

Now, take the same voter, same machine, same undisclosed software (hacked or not), and vote for the straight party GOP ticket FIRST and THEN change your presidential choice to Kerry, and voila! -- no problem! Just like that, you're a card carrying Republican for Kerry!

Now, I know there were a few Dems who voted for Bush: Fox viewers spooked by 9/11, Zell Miller, etc. But given the polls and the press and the endorsements and the publicity before the election, there were probably a hell of a lot more Republicans for Kerry than Democrats for Bush! And unless I'm wrong, a bunch of 'em were downright disenfranchised by Diebold. Imagine that; oh the irony; oh the humanity!

There is another way to program the Accuvote TS to actually be...well...ACCURATE. It's called Pennsylvania Straight Party Voting. This option allows voters to make candidate selections BEFORE straight party selections, without the candidate selections ending up in the bit bucket. And guess which swing state Kerry actually won? Does PA ring a bell? By any chance, do they have Diebold in PA, programmed with the PA Straight Party option so Republicans there can vote for Kerry without having to consult a GEMS user manual? Maybe that's how Kerry was able to carry the state. They have their very own configuration option in GEMS!

Would anyone care to refute this theory? Are there big flashing warning signs on these touch screens that tell Republicans for Kerry how to vote for him along with the straight party ticket for the other races? Or is it just like that old speed bump in the parking lot that someone forgot to paint yellow?

I wonder how all those Florida Dixiecrats were able to vote for Bush though. Oh that's right -- they used Op Scans, didn't they?