Reply #5: answering the questions: [View All]

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

1. In Onslow, I do not think that ALL of the paper ballots were counted.
The discrepency was reported by a candidate.

2. I think that the scenario is the same as might happen with DRES in that either the software malfunctioned, or more likely - in this case - the election director malfunctioned and didn't upload the information correctly and exacerbated things by not performing her reconciliation procedures.

Lack of using proper reconciliation procedures could happen with hand counted paper ballots as well.

An exception from how this is like using DRES is this:
with DREs you depend on triple redundent memories that don't always match, and you don't have a real backup to refer to - the toilet paper trail has about a 7-9% failure rate in the ES&S iVotronics which are what NC certified.

One big difference with DREs verses Optical scan would be the option AFTER the fact - NC has and probably will again conduct recounts in optical scan counties and end up with different results, as has happened before.

Overall, I think that we have a case of someone not following the steps with the computers, but far worse, not reconciling the poll books, ballots cast, poll tapes and all election materials so that the discrepency would be found in the first place.