-Caveat Lector- http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2004-04-21-diebold-flamed_x.htm?csp=15
Voting machine maker attacked for California performance By Jim Wasserman, Associated Press Posted 4/22/2004 12:00 AM SACRAMENTO - Embattled electronic voting machine maker Diebold Election Systems weathered new accusations Wednesday of computer glitches, last-minute software fixes and careless job performances that, in the words of the California secretary of state's office, "jeopardized the outcome of the March election." A state voting systems panel is considering disciplinary action against the firm, which could bruise its standing nationally as states gear up to spend billions of dollars for new touch screen voting equipment. Diebold President Robert J. Urosevich apologized Wednesday to Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, the eight-member voter systems panel that oversees California voting machinery and to 17 counties that use its varying electronic voting systems. "We're not idiots, though we may act from time to time as not the smartest," Urosevich told the panel investigating its job performance in California. A report released Wednesday by the Shelley's office reported that Diebold sold new electronic voting equipment to Solano, San Diego, San Joaquin and Kern counties before it was state- or federally approved, didn't test it until shortly before the March 2 election, installed uncertified software in its equipment in 17 counties and still lacks federal approval for its newest voting machines for the November election. The Diebold investigation is part of a two-day hearing into touch-screen voting in California, where fears of another disputed presidential election have activists pressing for a ban on electronic voting this November. Though nearly half the state's voters vote in counties with touch-screen machines, many rallied Wednesday against casting votes without a verifiable paper trail. But advocates for the blind, disabled and those who speak languages other than English defended electronic systems as the only way for them to vote privately, while county voting officials also vigorously protested a possible ban as an invitation to chaos and $30 million in extra costs. The committee conducting the hearing is to make recommendations Thursday to Shelley regarding a statewide ban on electronic voting, but also on Diebold's fate, which could include fines or banning its equipment entirely in California. Shelley must decide by April 30 to ban Diebold's machines in California, and possibly those of all other manufacturers, as well, to give elections departments six months to make other plans for the Nov. 2 vote. If Shelley declines, state lawmakers have also introduced bills to ban electronic voting in the November election. Reports presented to the voting systems panel showed 573 of San Diego County's 1,038 polling places failed to open on time March 2 because of Diebold computer malfunctions, while many machines also failed during the day in Alameda County, requiring voters to use paper ballots. "We were caught. We apologized for that," said Urosevich. "We're sorry for that. We're sorry for the inconvenience it caused." A former Diebold computer technician, James Dunn, also told the panel he and a fellow employee weren't surprised to hear of problems in both counties after seeing machines shipped with low batteries and different kinds of software from a West Sacramento warehouse. "I heard about it on the radio," said Dunn. "We both looked at each other and laughed and said, 'Well, that was predictable.'" Diebold consultant Marvin Singleton disputed Dunn's assertions, saying, "It's our belief he's either confused or misguided on a number of points." Several county officials that use Diebold machines and those made by other manufacturers defended them as glitch-free, more reliable than paper ballots and popular with voters. "You improve the software, fix the glitch and go on," said Kern County Registrar of Voters Ann Barnett, who uses Diebold machines. "To decertify our touch screens would be a disservice to the voters of our county and the state." Urosevich, too, defended the performance of his company's machines used in California, Georgia and Maryland, contending that none has encountered security breaches or misreported vote counts. Diebold Election Systems, based in McKinney, Texas, is a subsidiary of Ohio-based Diebold, Inc., which reported more than $2 billion in sales last year, largely from ATM machines used in banks. Voting machines represent about 5% of its business, but could grow as states receive $3.9 billion in federal funds to update their voting systems. Read the bills to ban paperless electronic voting this November, SB 530 and SB1723, at http://legislature.ca.gov www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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