Recount changes 44% LOSS into an 85% WIN...

[IndyOp]

There is profound misunderstanding about the types of errors that can occur on computerized voting systems. In the past, recounts have been limited to races in which there was a narrow margin between the “winner” and “loser,” which made sense when paper ballots were hand-counted.

On electronic voting systems, however, one error in a computer program is multiplied by the total number of voters who use that program, and recounts may reverse the election result even when there is a large gap between vote totals.

For example, in the May 2006 Primary Election for County Recorder in Pottawotamie County, Iowa, an initial machine count indicated that candidate Duran had received 55% of the votes to candidate Sciortino’s 44%. Not worth a recount? When County Auditor Marilyn Jo Drake hand-counted the same set of optical scan ballots, candidate Sciortino had received 85% of the votes cast, while candidate Duran had only 14%. At this point Drake stopped the machine count, called the Secretary of State's office, and talked to her county Board of Supervisors requesting permission to hand-count all of the county's ballots. The state and county gave Drake permission to do the hand-count, it was carried out the day after the election, and candidate Sciortino won handily. (4) The same problems that can occur with optical scan voting systems can also occur in direct-record electronic voting systems!

This is just one example... Although I am reading lots of DU threads that indicate that you don't think a recount is worth it if Webb is behind by 14,000 votes - I say to you: BULLSHIT.

I hope like hell that the Democratic Party has excellent technical advisors so that they KNOW they should investigate ALL races across the country.

:kick:

[Selatius]

1. There has to be a printed paper receipt of the vote to count

Is it safe to assume all e-voting machines in Virginia have a paper trail?

[IndyOp]

2. Virginia voting systems are mostly touch screen DREs --

though they do have some opscan counties. The Webb campaign should be seizing machines and memory cards so that they can double check the results reported by the central tabulators that add up the votes from individual machines and they should be conducting thorough testing the machines and having forensic experts examine the equipment.

http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/Election_Information/Voting_Systems_Ballots/Index.asp

[Jcrowley]

3. Yep

[Beam Me Up]

4. K • R

[In Truth We Trust]

5. K&R Hand Counted Paper Ballots NOW! ...or Fascism Forever.

[bleever]

6. Agreed. Especially when the balance of the Senate is at stake.

The margins of victory are not indicative, for several reasons, of the value of recounts, which are just validating the election after all. We validate parking tickets, don't we?

[niallmac]

7. Gee. I think Idaho is cutting edge for counting accuracy.

My polling place had a cadre of retired folks running the show.
We had punch card ballots. The atmosphere was old fashioned, honest
and anything but suspicious.
Lets get rid of these damn machines!

[Wilms]

8. Pottawotamie!!! n/t