meta-roj

diebold has been a fixture around here since the dawn of the meta-roj blog, so i was quite anxious about the big news coming from california this week. unfortunately, i’ve been a bit busy and i haven’t had time to really dive in too deep, so i can’t provide some brilliant insightful commentary of my own (or even really borrow someone else’s!), so what i’ll do is share these tidbits and point you in some directions to follow on your own, should the issue move you….

there are two laws introducedin california to ban electronic voting. the relevant amendment seems to be attached to sb 530 and sb 1723.

sb 530 and sb 1723

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a city or
county may not use any form of direct recording electronic device as
part of its voting system for the November 2, 2004, general election.

the effect of this language would seem to preclude use of the diebold equipment in the california general election unless some really substantial changes are made to the equipment. these amendments are offered in response to the conclusions of the voter systems panel convened to study the problem.

problem? what problem? 573 of 1,038 polling places in san diego county failed to open on time because of diebold computer malfunctions. and that’s just the beginning. i guess your vote doesn’t count if the machine isn’t working while you’re at the polls.

the california secretary of state has a page providing the source materials and reports on the march 2, 2004 elections and the performance of the voting machines. lots and lots of reading material here.

Diebold President Robert J. Urosevich

We’re not idiots, though we may act from time to time as not the smartest