Dutch government scraps plans to use voting computers

[Synnical]

in 35 cities including Amsterdam

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/30/europe/EU_GEN_Netherlands_Voting_Machines.php

The Associated Press

Published: October 30, 2006

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands Voters in Amsterdam and 34 other Dutch cities may be using paper and pencil instead of computerized voting machines in national elections next month.

The government on Monday banned the use of one common type of computer voting machine, fearing that secret ballots may not be kept secret. It ordered a review of all electronic machines after the Nov. 22 election.

Government Renewal Minister Atzo Nicolai said the move was necessary after an investigation found the machines made by Sdu NV emitted radio signals that a technology-savvy spy could use to peek at a voters' choices from a distance of up to several dozen meters (yards).

"What can be detected is the image on the screen that's visible to the voter, by which his voting could be monitored," Nicolai said in a letter to parliament.

"In short, the machines made by the company Sdu can now be tapped, and there are no technical measures that can be taken before the upcoming elections that would prevent this tapping and guarantee the secrecy of the ballot."

He said he had revoked the permits for all the machines, about 10 percent of all voting machines used in the country.


<snippage>

The turnabout came after a group called "We Don't Trust Voting Computers" protested the vulnerability of electronic voting to fraud or manipulation.

"I think this will have repercussions far beyond Holland" said Rop Gonggrijp, one of the group's founders, after Monday's announcement.

[williesgirl]

1. But as a 3rd World country, the USA is stuck with *s cronies' machines

recommended

[texpatriot2004]

2. Those Dutch, they are quite smart nm

[Suich]

3. The Dutch definitely have the right idea!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[texpatriot2004]

4. Agreed! nt

[Synnical]

5. Holland was one of the first countries to use e-voting widely

From the link:

"Holland was one of the first countries to use e-voting widely, certainly in Europe, and it has played a leading role in adoption of voting machines, so it's only natural that Holland be one of the first to realize there are drawbacks," he said, calling the adoption of voting machines a "hasty decision."

[htuttle]

6. Ja, I hadn't even thought about the whole 'tempest intercept' thing

...and I've looked into voting machines quite a bit. I've been so worried about the votes getting counted accurately (or at all), I hadn't even gotten around to considering the privacy implications.

[Synnical]

7. WE DON'T TRUST VOTING COMPUTERS

http://www.wijvertrouwenstemcomputersniet.nl/English

90% of the of the votes in The Netherlands are cast on the Nedap/Groenendaal ES3B voting co With very minor modifications, the same computer is also being used in parts of Germany and France. Use of this machine in Ireland is currently on hold after significant doubts were raised concerning its suitability for elections.

We were able to buy two Nedap voting computers from a Dutch municipality. This website shows how we found out how it works, how we wrote software for it and how, when given brief access to the devices at any time before the election, we can gain complete and virtually undetectable control over election results. It also shows how we discovered that radio emanations from an unmodified ES3B can be received at several meters distance and be used to tell who votes what.

We believe this voting computer is unfit for the upcoming national election on November 22.


Full Report: http://www.wijvertrouwenstemcomputersniet.nl/images/9/91/Es3b-en.pdf

Links sent to me courtesy of the Progressive Review

http://prorev.com