WaPo: Diebold Admits Voting Machines Had "Critical Programming Errors" that dropped votes!

[demobabe]

Ohio Voting Machines Contained Programming Error That Dropped Votes

A voting system used in 34 states contains a critical programming error that can cause votes to be dropped while being electronically transferred from memory cards to a central tallying point, the manufacturer acknowledges.

The problem was identified after complaints from Ohio elections officials following the March primary there, but the logic error that is the root of the problem has been part of the software for 10 years, said Chris Riggall, a spokesman for Premier Election Solutions, formerly known as Diebold.

The flawed software is on both touch screen and optical scan voting machines made by Premier and the problem with vote counts is most likely to affect larger jurisdictions that feed many memory cards to a central counting database rapidly.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/08/21/ohio_voting_machines_contained.html

[curious one]

1. How this can be corrected?

[truthisfreedom]

2. Stop using Diebold (Premier.) Period.

Republican junk machines designed to manipulate the vote.

[demobabe]

4. The only true answer is to not use computer based voting systems

Period. Too many opportunities to fix the vote.

Take it back to people making marks on paper ballots, and let rooms full of people count them. The more checks and balances in the process, the better. Many people counting can return results quick, and the extra effort spent would be worth it for democracy.

[Pavulon]

26. no

using common sense best practices make systems secure. ATM systems work, and other much more critical functions run in an automated fashion.

Automation is not the enemy.

[fasttense]

3. Some of the posts at the link are very interesting.

This is one ramification that Diebold didn't think through.

"Diebold makes security systems and some of the largest state universities are their customers such as UNC which uses their access control system. I now advise my clients not to allow Diebold to bid on their security system work because past incompetence is an indicator of future performance. I'm most concerned that Diebold was told years ago of this problem and not only denied it but refused to allow others to audit the software.States that license security contractors should lift Diebold's license to work in that profession including bank security.

Posted by: OneKelly | August 23, 2008 11:43 PM"

[demobabe]

5. It has had a HUGE impact on their entire business

I read a quote somewhere once, and I can't remember who said it, but I think it was one of their upper management... saying that the election voting equipment was about 1/10th their business and accounted for about 99% of their problems.

[IDemo]

7. One extremely ironic example -->

http://www.diebold.com/charters.htm

[mod mom]

12. OMG! We knew they were out to destroy the constitution & bill of rights but I didn't

realize how literally they were doing it.

[demobabe]

15. Yup, it's over, all right...

And if we ever see the documents again, I imagine they'll read completely different than the original ones.

That, too, will be a computer error.

[IDemo]

6. For those unfamiliar with computer programming terminology

"Error" refers to something the program did incorrectly. I'm not entirely (or even partly) sure that an error is what occurred here.

[demobabe]

10. It's the computer's fault, don'tcha know?

The fact that someone could open up a spreadsheet containing the vote tallies and change the numbers, clearly a critical programming error.

Couldn't possibly be the fault of the human who typed in the new numbers.

[glitch]

18. I am sure they feel their only "error" is in having to admit the "flaw"

I do not for an instant believe their "error" was unintentional.

[helderheid]

8. 3rd rec.

[mod mom]

9. You gotta love the name of Diebold's spokesperson-Chris RIGGALL!

[demobabe]

11. I completely missed that!

That's hilarious! :D

[IDemo]

17. Too funny, yet too true at the same time

"Don't bother sending your resumé, Chris. I think you'll fit in just fine around here!"

[HCE SuiGeneris]

13. Don't worry. They'll get 'em fixed in another 10-20 years...

x(

[MadMaddie]

14. So they knew of the flaw and still allowed the machines to be

used, umm isn't this a crime to intefere with the voting process?

[demobabe]

16. What is even sorrier...

Is that we've all been screaming for more than eight years now about the problems with these voting machines.

There have been a few strides in some states, but what's going on for this election? More states than ever have electronic voting machines of one kind or another. All with the same flaws they've always had.

[demobabe]

19. kick!

:kick:

[electropop]

20. Any guesses as to WHICH votes got dropped by the "error?"

:grr:

[Hubert Flottz]

21. Kick

[Kurovski]

22. Kick. (nt)

[bobthedrummer]

23. kick

[bobthedrummer]

24. wow, a double kick and a "processing error notice"-it's wasn't intentional folks

[Octafish]

25. 'larger jurisdictions' means 'urban precincts,' which means 'Democrats.'

Where've ya been WaPo?

[malaise]

27. Bingo

How convenient.

K & R

[Alexander]

28. K

[bobthedrummer]

29. k