U.S. digs for vote-machine links to Hugo Chávez

[rodeodance]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/front/15869919.htm

Posted on Sat, Oct. 28, 2006


U.S. digs for vote-machine links to Hugo Chávez
BY ALFONSO CHARDY
[e-mail]

* Graphic | Follow the money trail

In the debate about the reliability of electronic voting technology, the South Florida parent company of one of the nation's leading suppliers of touch-screen voting machines is drawing special scrutiny from the U.S. government.

Federal officials are investigating whether Smartmatic, owner of Oakland, Calif.-based Sequoia Voting Systems, is secretly controlled by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, according to two people familiar with the probe.

In July, a Treasury Department spokeswoman disclosed that a Treasury-led panel had contacted Smartmatic, and a company representative said his firm was ''in discussions'' with the panel. At the time, those discussions were informal. The government has now upgraded to a formal investigation, the two sources said.

Sequoia's electronic voting machines operate in 17 states. In Florida, the machines are used in four counties: Palm Beach, Indian River, Pinellas and Hillsborough.

Miami-Dade and Broward use other technology..

[katinmn]

1. Oh, so in the event of vote theft, it's Chavez' fault?

Nice set up, but most of the population will vote on Deibold and ES&S.

[maddezmom]

2. duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2584410