Ready for a shocker? The electronic voting machines in IL are screwing up

[WilliamPitt]

I'm out here in the 6th District at the Cegelis campaign headquarters. Reports are coming in from all over about screw-ups with the new E-machines they spent $26 million to install. The returns are going to be fantastically delayed tonight because of this.

Argh.

[Roland99]

1. "Mission Accomplished"

[EFerrari]

2. Oh, go on. Stop kidding.

This never happens. :sarcasm:

[Ladyhawk]

64. Ack...making me sick. :(

:( :( :( :( :( :(

Monkeys will be president until the day I die. :(

[EFerrari]

66. Cheer up, Lady Hawk. Did you read about that group

suing McPherson to cease and desist from buying Diebold for CA? The flying monkeys won't win this one.

:toast:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x417848

[Ladyhawk]

69. Thanks sfexpat2000. :)

I just get frustrated because my energy is limited and I've been needing to take care of myself first, lately. I want to stay apprised of the situation, but I feel a bit powerless. I'm glad someone is up to taking on DIEBOLD. :)

You're right. There is reason to hope. :)

:toast:

And to your health:

:toast:

[EFerrari]

71. My health thanks you, truly

lol

:)

[helderheid]

3. ah shit, Will

:mad: Damnit Damnit DAMNIT.

[canadianbeaver]

4. The fix is in.......since nov04 n/t

[Coexist]

5. oh my!

who woulda' thunk it!

(on edit - are you, or is anyone, blogging live on this?)

[WilliamPitt]

16. I am

blog.pdamerica.org

[MadMaddie]

6. Can you file a complaint with the state for mis-appropriation of

tax dollars?

It's obvious these machines were not tested and validated before an election.. 26 million ...for machines that don't work!!

Somehow we have to hold the states and the persons that hold these offices accountable!!

[Oceansaway]

7. they had a Diebold Machine

at my polling place today.....and my BIG mouth let them know i wasnt a happy camper

[Botany]

8. Problems w/ E voting machines?

I am shocked! Shocked Will, that you would bring that up.

[MissWaverly]

9. Pray you don't get fake results boosting Repukes

When will this theft of our democracy end?

[im10ashus]

10. I just read that online at nbc5.com.

It's happening all over the Illinois, apparently.

[terrya]

11. I guess it varies

I live in Chicago. I came back from voting a while ago (I live in the 9th District, Rep. Jan Schakowsky's)

I was given a paper ballot and a pen. I marked an "X" in a circle next to the candidate of my choice.

I was...amazed, to put it mildly.

[greatauntoftriplets]

23. That was refreshing, wasn't it?

Damn scanner acted wonky, though.

[terrya]

25. I couldn't believe it.

I felt I was in a time warp or something.

Sorry to hear about those damned scanners. Just saw a story on Channel 7 about them.

[greatauntoftriplets]

28. The touch screen seemed to take a lot of time...

because the same person was voting on it when I left as when I came in. Also, the optical scan was so much easier to read and figure out than the old punch card.

[Imagevision]

68. Better do the "test" runs now before November - tweaked by then!

[sabra]

12. "defective ballot" home page of ChicagoTrib

[im10ashus]

15. Here's the link to the story I found on NBC5

http://www.nbc5.com/politics/8159099/detail.html

[stillcool]

13. 2006....the year of the glitch...

snafu...or any other words that define a trivial computer sputter, that manages to switch, add, subtract or multiply, votes...but never enough to "change the outcome" of the election.

[acmejack]

29. Anomaly

[anarch]

14. no way! really?

Argh is right.

[DanCa]

17. Hmm wierd this morning i rechecked my no.s 3 times

I thought it was the dyskensia in my hands but now you got me wondering.

[Lars39]

18. The founders of this country would have used axes on the damned things.

[blm]

21. That should be our mantra.

.

[KittyWampus]

34. what about magnets?

[greatauntoftriplets]

19. I am in the 9th IL district and used an optical scanner.

There was only one touch-screen and someone already waiting to use it. I voted on my way to work and so didn't want to wait. The scanner did not want to accept the ballot, but the election judge and I both tried several times and finally we were successful.

Very light turnout in a precinct that is heavily Democratic and politically aware. I expected more turnout because of the Forrest Claypool/John Stroger race that has become a bit controversial.

On edit: Just checked with a friend who lives in the 6th and who voted without problem on an optical scanner. Another very light turnout up in Elk Grove Village.

[sandnsea]

20. Glitch fucking Gate n/t

[MissB]

22. And well worth the money, too!

IOIYAR

[MADem]

24. No, really!!! Will Bozo the Clown be the magic write in Dem nominee? nt

[DanCa]

26. Cudley Dudley and Garfield Goose in 08 (nt)

[bleever]

37. Frazier Thomas for Secretary of State. nt

[kster]

27. The scary part

they were focusing more on the scanner problems. One county didn't have the ballots delivered in time and they were supposed to use the D-R-E as a back up :scared: , but the D-R-E was broke. LUCKY FOR THEM ! Thats something we got to keep an eye on, if the scanner breaks you have to vote on the invisible ballot machine?

[Cleita]

30. The good news is that they are aware of it. I hope they

have paper ballots to count manually.

[Ian David]

31. Maybe some hacker will make Andy Stephenson win all the elections

Andy Stephenson wins every open seat in every race with 2600 votes.

[WilliamPitt]

33. No no no

He'll win by 18,181 votes. Everywhere.

[Ian David]

39. Okay, why 18,1818?

I chose 2600 votes in honor of 2600 Magazine / 2600.com

[Gidney N Cloyd]

41. 18181-- margin of victory for bush in a lot of e-vote machines in

2000 or 2004. I think 18181 may be some programming code but it's been a while since I saw the story.

[SoCalDem]

50. 1= A...8= H...............ahaha

a joke..a devious inside joke :grr:

There were a FEW results around the country with the exact numbers.. imagine that !

[Pastiche423]

74. 18181

It was 2002 race in Texas in which a state senator won with 18,181 votes, a state rep won with 18,181 votes, and a judge won with 18,181 votes.

http://www.hippopress.com/books/wethepeople040930.html

Lots more articles wrt 18181 on Google: 18181 + Texas

[Flying Dream Blues]

32. Next you'll be telling us the exit polls were flawed and skewed!

:sarcasm:

[Peace Patriot]

35. California voters are suing the bastards! See below**.

** http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2180496

-------------

Some resources for American Revolution II:

** www.VoterAction.org (announced today - suing the state of California and 18 Calif county registrars on behalf of 25 California voter/plaintiffs, on the Diebold "certification").

www.votersunite.org (MythBreakers - easy primer on electronic voting--one of the myths is that HAVA requires electronic voting; it does not.)
www.verfiedvoting.org (great activist site)
www.votetrustusa.org (news of this great movement from around the country)
www.UScountvotes.org (statistical monitoring of '06 and '08 elections)
www.solarbus.org/election/index.shtml (fab compendium of all election info)
www.freepress.org (devoted to election reform)
www.bradblog.com (also great, and devoted to election reform)
www.TruthIsAll.net (analysis of the 2004 election)* :patriot: :applause: :patriot:
Sign the petition (Russ Holt, HR 550, great bill-has 169 sponsors). http://www.rushholt.com/petition.html
www.votepa.us (well-organized local group of citizen activists in Pennsylvania, where important legal issues are at stake, including state's rights over election systems)

www.debrabowen.com (Calif Senator running for Sec of State to reform election system)
www.johnbonifaz.com (running for Massachusetts Sec of State on strong election reform and antiwar platform)

*Some tributes to TruthIsAll, who is very ill:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x417007
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x417231
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x675477

Also of interest:

Bob Koehler (-- four recent election reform initiatives in Ohio, predicted to win by 60/40 votes, flipped over, on election day, into 60/40 LOSSES!--the biggest flipover we've seen yet; the election theft machines and their masters are now dictating election policy!)
www.tmsfeatures.com/tmsfeatures/subcategory.jsp?file=20051124ctnbk-a.txt&catid=1824&code=ctnbk

Bob Koehler's latest: "Take this box and stuff it" (3/16/06)
http://commonwonders.com/archives/col337.htm

Amaryllis (Diebold, ES&S, Sequoia lavish lobbying of election officials - Beverly Hilton, Aug. '05)
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x380340

-------------------------------------------------

Throw Diebold, ES&S and all election theft machines into 'Boston Harbor' NOW!

:think: :patriot: :woohoo: :patriot: :think:

[Gidney N Cloyd]

36. I'm heading to Elk Grove (IL 6th) right now. I decided to vote AFTER

work this time because the people running the polling places are, on average, about 112 years old. They can barely work a cell phone, bless their hearts, so I didn't want to see what they do with a touchscreen right at the bell's opening. Plus I'm pretty ornery and dopey that early, too.

Sounds like I should grab the paper ballot this time. I'll post later if I have any trouble.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

40. I'm back and it seemed to go well.

I mentioned to the polling place folks (Grove JrH. in Il 6th) that I heard rumors on the internets that the new touch screen machines were screwing up. They said "Here?" I said "Well, in the 6th district." One said "Where's the 6th district?" I said "...here."
Another said they said there hadn't been any problems all day so I tried it.

These are Sequoia machines that produce a skinny paper ballot behind a glass panel. You review it and if it's OK, you submit it and it scrolls into a locked chamber. Actually, before you review the paper you review your choices on screen. At any point up to the moment you submit the paper ballot you can make changes. Sounds like what Ben used in Kane Co.?
I didn't try any write-ins but I suspect an onscreen keyboard pops up.
Frankly, I felt more comfortable with the integrity of the process than I expected.

In related news, it was a very light turnout. I wonder who profits from that? Cegelis the grassroots candidate or Duckworth the party favorite?

[KharmaTrain]

38. Welcome To Cook County, Will...

I saw the new system today (NOT Deibold)...and it reminded me of when they installed the old punchcard (dangling chad) system in the 80's...it took them 4 elections to figure out how to work that system. I remember results not coming in until very, very late.

I expect we'll have a long night in the 6th and other "cross county" elections...hopefully not like the "good old days"...when the various party organizations would withhold votes and precincts...and getting a final tally didn't happen until long after midnight.

If you guys need coffee...give me a call.

Cheers...

On edit: The poll watchers at my precinct said they had few problems with the new system, but that the old machines were jamming up. Go figger...

[Rainscents]

42. I am so glad, I don't have to deal with Touch Screen machine.

My county went to all mail in ballots! Will, please keep us up dated!

[EFerrari]

48. Rainscents, are those hand counted or scanned? n/t

[LaPera]

57. Most hand ballots are scanned, by the same companies Diebold, ES&S, etc...

these republican fucks want to be sure they control are elections the way they want them to.

[EFerrari]

61. That's right. n/t

[Rainscents]

60. I believe, it's scan, however, scan machines have to be certified

and also open source! There's also back up, 1/4 will be hand counted every election make sure, it match the machine counts! This is new state law!

[EFerrari]

63. Wow! That's a big improvement over most scanned ballots! n/t

[AllegroRondo]

76. at least with a scanner you still have the hand marked ballot

that can be audited later.

[WildEyedLiberal]

43. I had a mark-the-bubble ballot in the 15th...

... but Diebold gobbled it up. x( So who the fuck knows what's happened to it now.

[rman]

44. convenient electronic incompetence?

or maybe just on purpose.

[In Truth We Trust]

45. Paper fucking ballots right fuckingNOW! Hand counts NOW!! or else!!!!!

[LoZoccolo]

52. New rule: next time you go shouting you have to at least post this.

http://www.verifiedvoting.org

Serious, do something other than complain.

[Name removed]

79. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LoZoccolo]

80. Old rule: don't personally attack people on DU.

This one's not mine, however.

:hi: :nuke:

I think your post is so funny, though, that I'm going to repost part of it even though I'm getting the original deleted.

what the hell you're talking about or understand that persons position. You are an arrogant ass!

My position is paper ballots AND HAND COUNTS, not "voter verifiable paer ballots" as your mission statement on the link you provided indicates which I have pasted below. So fuck off!

[In Truth We Trust]

83. Can you say: Hippocrite?

You continue to demonstrate your arrogance and your ignorance. Why would you alert on something to get it deleted and then post the portion which evidently caused its being deleted but not post everything I said?

You come across as a smug, arrogant, elitist whom lacks a truly democratic view and is quite misinformed. I have already wasted too much of my precious time with you as it is. Goodbye and best wishes to you and yours.

btw, you know nothing, absolutelty nothing of what I do or don't do, so please don't bother me any more. If you don't like my position then please feel free to choose to use the ignore key.

[LoZoccolo]

84. No. But I can say "hypocrite".

Why would you alert on something to get it deleted and then post the portion which evidently caused its being deleted but not post everything I said?

Because that was the part that was funny.


Check this one out:

You come across as a smug, arrogant, elitist whom lacks a truly democratic view and is quite misinformed.

And then...

I have already wasted too much of my precious time with you as it is.

:woohoo:


btw, you know nothing, absolutelty nothing of what I do or don't do, so please don't bother me any more.

Uh yes I do know what you don't do. You don't give people something to do about your issue.


If you don't like my position then please feel free to choose to use the ignore key.

As opposed to calling them an arrogant ass? :rofl:

[In Truth We Trust]

85. Paper Ballots NOW!!! HAND COUNTS NOW!!! Democracy NOW!!!

For those of you who require me to instruct you as to what to do (whether or not you agree with me) please feel free to research the archives for some of my previous posts on this subject to ascertain some thoughts and suggestions as to how to advance this to reality.

For remedial civics lessons on petitioning your government please review your middle school civics class notes.

For the rest of you who recognize that I am just stating my position in the simplest way and periodically reminding people of the need for true electoral transparency, please forgive me for not thinking of you as sheep that need to be told what to do to advance the cause.

For those of you that think "voter verifiable paper receipts" are the answer I would challenge you to consider the reality of the technology. The fact is that recounts and the "verification" process wouldn't be the MOST trustworthy means of insuring a transparent electoral process.

And to the spelling police, let me remind you that a Rose by any other name .......

FOA

[LoZoccolo]

81. Also, your rejection of it begs the question.

How many months have you been doing this and you haven't:

- Set up your own website telling people just what to do to get what they want or...
- Found enough people who support you that at least one of them has the skill and initiative to do that or...
- At least found something to post in your messages that people can do other than shout on a message board.

I would think that if it's important enough to call someone an "arrogant ass" over, it's important enough to try to find out how to get it done.

[In Truth We Trust]

82. Paper Ballots NOW!!! Hand Counts NOW!!! In honor of TruthIsAll

[kiteinthewind]

78. DITTO! nt

[ChairmanAgnostic]

46. Mine worked perfectly, even gave a printed reading of my votes.

it was NOT a diaboldical device.

[KharmaTrain]

47. Same With Mine...

Pollwatcher even asked if I wanted a printed copy. After I voted I was able to review my selections and see the printed receipt as it went into the "ballot".

This is a lot better system than the 20 plus old "dangling chad" system that always was screwing up.

And yes, it wasn't Diebold...the Democratic pollwatcher at my precinct proudly pointed that out.

Cheers...

[Canuckistanian]

65. Diaboldical

Is that even a word? If not, it should be.

[LSK]

49. when I voted, everyone was choosing the paper route

They had I think one e-voting machine compared to 6 paper booths like they used in 2004. This is in Dupage County.

[LSK]

51. just heard on CLTV that one machine was denying Dem ballots

In the southside of Chicago - a very Dem area.

[Junkdrawer]

53. Hard to design systems that are hackable and reliable at the same time...

..and I mean that seriously.

[RazzleDazzle]

54. The returns ought to be fantastically THROWN OUT

Period.

[sakabatou]

55. Yay for Dieboldocrisy!

[BrightKnight]

56. My iPod has never lost a song rating vote.

I am a fairly rough with it and it has never failed in any way.

Perhaps Apple should design voting machines.

[Generic Other]

58. Ha, please tell us they are all defaulting to Bush!

We need a giant monumental screw-up to draw attention to these corrupt machines.

:rofl:

[Marr]

73. Oh man, that'd be hilarious.

George W. Bush has won every race! By 9 million votes!

[fearnobush]

59. 06 elections, 0 forever elections, we are so fucked folks,

I mean really fucked.

[benburch]

62. GREAT!

MOTHERFUCKERS!

[Guaranteed]

67. Totally behind you,

Will. Thanks for coming out from Bloomington/Normal. :)

[Warren DeMontague]

70. You know, if they WANTED these things to work right, they would.

Since they don't work right- they invariably fuck up- why does that make those of us who don't trust their manufacturers or their double-top-secret proprietary code 'tin foil hat' nuts?

Does anyone think for a second Corporate America would allow this level of SNAFUs with, say, ATM machines?? Where they need to KNOW exactly where every single fraction of a penny is at all times?

Disgusting.

[prolesunited]

72. They're doing mock elections in Indiana

Total meltdown

http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4663788&nav=0Ra7

[Usrename]

75. They'll promise to do better next election. Is that OK?

:nuke:

[salin]

77. What is interesting is that the media is now covering stories

such as these.

There was a case where the sec of state of texas just stopped a recount - because the "printed/vote verification" varied in some places by more than 20% of what had been reported at the time. There was another recent story I recall reading about.

Compare that to a few years ago when there were irregularities in a Fla special election - where the votes were off, and a state official declared there needed to be no recount because there was nothing to recount (no paper trail) - and that electronic machines would never make mistakes anyhow.... and there was very, very little coverage.

My point is that awareness has greatly grown... a great testiment to the many, many people involved in organizations raising concerns, red flags in the area of serious potential problems with evoting machines.