Diebold ExpressPoll 4000

[MGKrebs]

So I find out that Georgia has signed a $15 million contract with Diebold to provide the "ExpressPoll 4000 Electronic Poll Book. Doesn't really sound too scary. But in reading the press release (from last October), I start to get nervous.

"The ExpressPoll unit will also automate the time-consuming and expensive capture of voter history information, dramatically reducing the cost of manually entering this data in the state registration system following each election."

What data are they capturing?

And also:

"In addition, the ExpressPoll-4000 will be used in Georgia precincts to create voter access cards used by each voter to activate the Diebold touch-screen voting stations. The ExpressPoll-4000 will identify the correct ballot style for each voter based on stored information from voter registration files, further automating and refining the voter check-in process."

So it looks like the same database contains all your registration information, as well as your voting hsitory (including whether you select a D or R ballot in a primary), as well as create an access card.

First of all, I would think we would want the voter history information kept separate from the creation of ballot access cards. That is going to be a huge temptation for somebody to manipulate.

Secondly, it opens up the whole 'nother can of worms about transparency. What does the software look like? Who wrote it? Who has access to it? Is it certified? How are updates handled? If this unit "networkable"? How are the poll workers being trained? What is the procedure for data-entry error correction? Are the units password protected? Can they be "sealed"? Is there an activity log?

The big obvious danger I see is that the same unit that creates your ballot access card also "knows" how you may have voted in the primary. I don't like that.

Here's the press release:
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=106584&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=774350&highlight=

[Botany]

1. I want Diebold the fuck out of our elections ....

....

"In addition, the ExpressPoll-4000 will be used in Georgia precincts to create voter access cards used by each voter to activate the Diebold touch-screen voting stations. The ExpressPoll-4000 will identify the correct ballot style for each voter based on stored information from voter registration files, further automating and refining the voter check-in process.

That is just data mining to flip votes.

[Kip Humphrey]

2. "further automating and refining the..."

vote manipulation process by first matching voters to their party affiliations and voting history, thus providing a rules-based vote flipping program with the data needed to identify which voters deserve to have their votes flipped (not to mention identifying which voters to "purge" from the election rolls!). Hey, its a fully automated Election Theft System (ETS)!

[MGKrebs]

3. I think this might violate Georgia law.

This looks like the relevent code section (emphasis mine):

(g) The official list of electors and the official list of inactive electors prepared and distributed to the poll officers of each precinct shall include only the electors name, address, ZIP Code, date of birth, voter identification number, a designation of whether the elector registered for the first time in this state by mail and is required to comply with Code Sections 21-2-220 and 21-2-417, congressional district, state Senate district, state House district, county commission district, if any, county or independent board of education district, if any, and municipal governing authority district designations, if any, and such other voting districts, if any. The official list of electors and the official list of inactive electors prepared and distributed to the poll officers of each precinct may also include codes designating that an elector has voted by absentee ballot, has been challenged, or has been sent mail by the registrars which has been returned marked undeliverable."

It looks like the code anticipates the issue of having too much information available at the precinct level and is specifying a restriction to what can be on the list.

http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/GaCode/data/21-2-224.htm

[Stevepol]

4. No problem here. It just means Dems don't have to worry about

break-ins and theft of their computer files containing voter registration information as has happened in OH (twice) and recently in FL. Diebold will have it already and can supply it to whomever they damn well please.

[Wilms]

5. Great post.

You wrote,

"The big obvious danger I see is that the same unit that creates your ballot access card also "knows" how you may have voted in the primary. I don't like that."

By ""knows" how you may have voted in the primary" do you mean who you voted for? I'm not seeing that it does that, though I can imagine it could be rigged to do so as you point out elsewhere in the OP.

Quite simply, it seems the same unit that creates your ballot access card also knows your party affiliation. That's bad enough whether or not you participated in the primary.

And it seems a lot of danger is introduced just to make election administration more "convenient".
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x633109

I'm not seeing why they have to make a big deal when your precinct, and in the case of primaries- your party affiliation, are all one needs to know in order to hand a voter a proper ballot.

Thanks again for the post.