On Oct 6, 2008, at 5:42 AM, Terry Bouricius wrote:
Jonathan Lundell wrote:
"BTW, it seems to me that there's a relatively straightforward
solution
in principle to the problem of computerized vote counting, based on
the use of separate data-entry and counting processes. Let voters vote
on paper, either by hand or with an electronic marking machine, enter
the ballot data, perhaps by scanning, in such a way that the resulting
ballot data can be verified by hand against the paper ballots, and
permit counting by multiple independent counting programs."
That is exactly what Burlington (VT) and San Francisco (CA) do.
Optical
scan ballots are used, and the voter rankings are tallied by an
official
open-source program, but can also be tallied (and has been tallied) by
other programs, because all of the ballot images are posted on the
Internet. A key element, however is a hand-audit of a random sample
of
machines to assure (to a reasonable degree of confidence) that the
computer record for the ballots matches the paper record. This
redundant
record is what makes these ranked-ballot elections significantly MORE
secure than traditional hand-count elections (were some ballots
stolen,
added, re-marked to spoil, etc.?) and more secure than all electronic
elections (was there a bribed programmer who inserted a virus?)
California has a pretty good statewide requirement for a random (by
precinct IIRC) recount.
However, I'm mildly skeptical on the above, both that SF uses open-
source counting software and that the ballots are available online.
Can you provide URLs for both? I'd love to do some counting myself.
Putting hand-marked ballot images online raises vote-buying issues.
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