Voter Perceptions and Political Deceptions: Federal, Ohio and Knoxby Mike Swinford
April 24, 2005
The Free PressThis is a summary of the perceptions and deceptions I formed an opinion on during the 2004 election.
The federal HAVA Act of 2002 was Chaired/promoted by Ohio Rep Dist 18 Bob Ney to fix the 2000 election problems. But, the wording about verification of voting opened the door for more election fraud. This is the root cause of the voting machine controversy.
Perception is, counting of votes, as stated in Title III Sec 301 can be trusted with auditing.
Deception is, secret counting is allowed by software written by someone politically biased.
The politician has created a new corrupted, political definition of "auditing" for counting votes. In the practice of auditing, the standard, required word "independent" has NOT been included in the vote counting (tabulation) process. The purpose of that required word in "auditing" is to put "integrity" in issued reports. But, HAVA excluded it. The vote counting process can be by secret software written by vendors that are politically biased. And the paper audit trail in this corrupted system is only a paper report after votes have been entered and votes possibly changed by the secret software. As a result, trust is now gone.
Plus, there are NO actual votes in a DRE (computer) system for a recount. In the real world, an audit must be an objective count of actual items. Thus, no objective recount of votes is possible with the HAVA defined voting system. This violates Ohio election law on Recounts and Other Remedies "§ 3515.04 Procedure for recount..."..."the ballots to be recounted".
One solution to the above is to have a paper receipt of each vote, a receipt verified by voter, and retained at the poll for possible recounts. And this would be a way to check for election fraud. But, Bob Ney claimed the technology for receipt printers does not exist. But, I have actual printed vote receipts form two different voting machines. They do exist.
Thus, with the removed concept of "independent" vote counting, no way to recount votes and false printer info, I see intent to rig elections.
Perception, there is some oversight government entity to check on fraud and enforce laws.
Deception is, none for Ohio 2004 election. Have one after election, but make it powerless.
At Fed level, an oversight commission, "EAC", was to be established within 120 days of HAVA in 2002. That sounded great. But Bush prevented it for the 2004 election. Bush blocked appointment of commissioners until January 2004, and withheld about 90 % of the funding.
Thus, the new federal agency to scrutinize how to safeguard electronic polling from fraud, hackers and faulty software was made ineffective. By law, the EAC can only make suggested guidelines to states, has no power to enforce any laws.
I have asked, Where do I report voting violations? Answer, No government entity to call.
Perception, current "certification" of voting machines, implies an independent source like a CPA Accountant will prepare a report that you can trust. Machines are safe from fraud.
Deception is, the certification of a voting system, unlike other fields, has no certification standards.
The government EAC failed to issue guidelines to states. No national or state associations have issued certification standards. The National Institute of Standards in Technology (NIST) standards is under development. And it is being discovered that many of the certification firms are own or controlled by the politicians or by the vendors they are to certify.
Perception is, fraud prevention means stopping the trickery that would change votes.
Deception has been to use the Secretary of State office (the office in charge of elections) for political gain. In Ohio, Secretary of State Blackwell definition of fraud is preventing "liberals" from voting. SOS State Blackwell stated that he has two job objectives. The second job objective is to prevent "fraud". And now we have the reports of vote counts switched from Kerry to Bush, voter intimidation and voter suppression. In a campaign letter after election, SOS Blackwell stated he was also Co Chairman for BushCheney04 and helped deliver election to Bush. But, under Ohio statutes the conditions that constitute "prima facia evidence of fraud" requires being independent of intent, political or otherwise. Blackwell's response to complaints has been, as SOS, he can "codify" the law (makes laws) any way he wants. And no conflict of interest laws exist. Blackwell's definition of "fraud" has been consistent with his pattern of liberally interpreting or contradicting the laws of his office.
In Knox County OH, when it was discovered only Kerry yards signs were being stolen, Republican Sheriff Barber said, that is a campaign expense.
Perception is, the two party election system of checks and balances will stop election fraud.
Deception is, election workers follow laws and processes for the paper ballot system, a system not in use.
Political/legal experts confirmed, existing laws are based on paper processing, not for DRE (computers). Most election and poll workers do not know how to test for fraud and are not allowed to see the secret vote counting logic. Election workers must register as Democratic or Republican. But, both added together are only 31 % of all registered voters. 69 % of non-affiliated party voters are not represented in this system of checks and balances. Other democratic countries have a non-political group to run their elections and count votes. Not a political minority as in US. Perception is, democracy is at work; change is possible because there are several parties.
Deception is, Ohio is now a one party system with one party in control at state and Federal levels.
The one party will not allow the one party process to be changed and lose power. The Dem party has more registered voters with, 17 % Dem, to the 14 % Repubs. But Dems cannot win an election, lost last three.
Perception was, the national campaigns by the Dems and Repubs were for voters to select a candidate.
Deception by consultants.
Was told (not confirmed) that Repub contracts are on flat rate, must win for bonus/profit. Dem contracts are on a percentage that can make a profit on a lost election. Repubs milked the rich for money (percent of tax breaks returned as a contribution). Dems milked all others with the false hope of, make one more small contribution and you might win one. A Dem win would upset this profitable strategy that has been developed on both sides.
Perception was, the Presidential Nov 2004 election by the two main parties was fair.
Deception was to hide the election fraud. On Election Day, Bush camp ordered a TV media lockdown on irregularities and censored the Edison/Mitofsky exit poll that showed Kerry won.
Kerry conceded before all the votes were counted, froze the election investigation fraud fund/resources and went into hiding. In Ohio, State Dem Chairman D. White has indicated, after election he does not want election fraud complaints investigated.
So, both sides do not want the public to know whom the voters elected for President.
Perception is all the voters in Knox County OH are Republican. But voters say, sometimes I vote for other side.
Deception is massive.
Prior to election, one analysis said Bush ahead by about 800 votes, my calculations showed 500 with a trend towards Kerry. The election total of 7,000 votes (63 %) for Bush is a FRAUD. It does not reconcile with sample counts of bumper stickers, phone bank or door-to-door observations, and voter registration. Knox has a type DRE voting system that is subject to voting fraud and is illegal as per Ohio law. Now add local paper nicknamed "Republican New" creating Repub ads as new stories and dropping Dem items due to technical difficulties. That violated public trust. And the local radio station 73Q using a call-in show by the Host Dave, promoted the Bush campaign. This violated FCC regulations. ("broadcaster cannot give Republican candidates free air time unless the same offer is extended to other candidates"). Plus "Ohio Revised Code Campaign Finance Laws" may have been violated. At Nazarene University, area profiled as Repub, Repubs registered over 186 voters with an invalid address.
Conclusion is NO trust in election system. Cannot trust what they say and cannot trust what they do.
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2005/1255
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