Secret Vote at Risk, Suit States (incredible BBV nonsense!) | LA Times

[Ediacara]

Secret Vote at Risk, Suit States
Riverside County argues that a state ban on digital balloting would deny disabled voters the ability to vote without relying on others' aid.

By Seema Mehta, Times Staff Writer

Arguing that disabled voters will be adversely affected if electronic voting machines are barred in the November election, Riverside County filed suit Thursday against Secretary of State Kevin Shelley for decertifying the computerized voting systems.

"To return to paper ballots ... would be a huge step backward," said county Registrar of Voters Mischelle Townsend, who, along with advocates for the disabled, filed the federal lawsuit. "That would be a disservice to the public."

In 2002, Riverside became the first county in the state to switch to electronic voting machines and has used the system in 29 elections without problems, she said.

Shelley once championed electronic voting, but on Friday withdrew his approval of it because of security concerns and several election day errors in counties that recently switched to electronic voting, including San Bernardino, San Diego and Orange counties.

More at the Los Angeles Times

[Bushfire]

1. This could be a good thing if Diebold is dragged into discovery

as well as Sequoia, ES&S, and their evil proprietary code.

[denverbill]

2. Frankly, I'd almost trade secrecy for openness in this case.

Would I rather everyone and his dog know how I voted, or would I rather be certain that the vote I cast was properly recorded?

Personally, I think all voters should be given a unique identifier and that all votes cast should be displayed on the internet, so that anyone can look at their own number and see that their votes were added correctly. They can also see every other number, but wouldn't know whose vote belonged to which number.

Even with a paper ballot, you never know for absolutely sure that your ballot wasn't just tossed out.

[mouse7]

3. What bullshit!

Blind voters have been voting with braille paper ballots for a long time. They'll do just fine, thanks.

[Bushfire]

4. Here's another link without requiring registration

http://www.napanews.com/templates/index.cfm?template=story_full&id=B6D1912E-3419-41CF-BEDD-6B317FCF6F84>%20&id=B6D1912E-3419-41CF-BEDD-6B317FCF6F84

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

5. So what did disabled voters do before BBV?

Having voted in Riverside County (Palm Springs) several times using electronic voting machines, I can attest that they are easy to use. But since reading all of Bev Harris's stuff and other articles about the craziness and dishonesty surrounding the system, I'm against it until it produces an auditable paper trail.

When all else fails, play the crippled card, it seems. The same thing is happening in Alaska. During winter, Denali National Park is a peaceful haven where those who enjoy quiet sports -- snow shoeing, cross-country skiing, dog sledding -- can get away from the noise, smell and danger of the snow mobiles.

Since it's one of the last pristine areas in Alaska, the snow machiners just can't pass it by. Sure, they chase down moose and other winter animals, but that's "just a small number of bad apples". When that one didn't sell, they argued "you're denying access to the disabled".

Snow machines have access to 90% of the state, but they get turned on by the thought of blasting thru the park at 90 mph and "high marking" Denali (Mt. McKinley). High marking involves riding your machine as high as possible up a steep snow covered slope, thereby triggering an avalanche which buries you and proves once again that Darwin was right.

Like I said, how did the disabled vote prior to electronic voting machines were put in place?

[Bushfire]

6. Check this thread out for talking points against

prohibiting the disabled from voting in secret.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1548319