So, if the Appeals Court ruling delaying the California recall holds up, it’ll likely ensure the installation of more modern voting machines throughout California. So far, so good.
But if the result is the use of touch-screen machines that have no verifiable audit trail — a paper printout of the ballot so the voter can verify his or her choices — then we’ll have created a monster. Unfortunately, local and state voting officials have been almost totally tone-deaf to the danger, and many of the machines already installed are demonstrably open to doubt. (See the Verified Voting website, operated by Stanford University’s David Dill, a computer scientist who has blown the whistle — and is finally being heard to some degree – on this scandal.)
Nothing is more important to our trust in democracy than a verifiable ballot. Yet we’re rushing headlong toward a system where we can’t be sure that our votes are being counted at all. This is nuts.
Let’s use the delay, assuming it happens, to make these electronic machines believable. There’s a lot at stake.
Posted by: Bob on September 15, 2003 05:39 PM
I’m not feeling much frustration at the decision, Richard, at least not compared to what I felt as I watched a rich politician buy a recall election.
I’m pretty nervous about the use of touch-screen machines. Not only is the absence of a paper trail a serious problem, but I suspect that the poll workers are going to have a difficult time dealing with voter questions and machine problems. Dan, how about putting out a call to techies to serve as poll workers in the upcoming election?
Posted by: -pea- on September 15, 2003 08:44 PM
Regarding Dan’s comment:
“Nothing is more important to our trust in democracy than a verifiable ballot.”
I’d like to put on equal footing the need to have a vigorous and informed electorate.
I’d wager that a majority of people walking around in a typical Wallmart:
a) Don’t vote
b) Don’t have a clue who John Ashcroft is.
Our blessed democracy is drowning in a sea of indifference and apathy.
And as much as I agree with the absolute necessity of maintaining a paper record of our votes…
I can’t help but think…that even with the paper trail…we are still slouching towards despotism.
Posted by: kd on September 16, 2003 01:39 AM
If they install machines with no paper trail in my county, I’ll permanently switch to absentee ballot. I think that will be paper for a while longer (but maybe not forever).
To pea: If they don’t vote, does it matter whether they know who Ashcroft is?
Posted by: PJ on September 16, 2003 01:44 AM
Try to use the delay to even out the Merc’s coverage of “the lt. governor” and “the actor”.
Posted by: PJ on September 16, 2003 01:44 AM
Try to use the delay to even out the Merc’s coverage of “the lt. governor” and “the actor”.
Posted by: jerry on September 16, 2003 01:47 AM
Two upsides to this election that won’t happen:
1) Regardless of how dumb I think the recall is, I had some hope that by managing to have an important election in just six weeks, we (the US) would have a movement to shorten all elections. Do we really need 18 months of nobody paying attention and bazillions of dollars spent? Would it be more democratic and possible to hold presidential campaigns say, two months after the primary? Would our short attention span America pay more attention to such an election?
2) Chaddy ballots bad. Theftible e-voting horrid. How about an experiment in old time ballot counting? Count the ballots by hand in each precinct, monitored by anyone that wants to monitor them. Use lotto technology to pull out statistical sample size and count those. Send both results in by fax signed by monitors. Bundle ballots in lock box for collection. Even with 45million ballots served, I am not sure we need anything more than paper ballots.
Posted by: Richard Bennett on September 16, 2003 01:49 AM
It was mainly the Wal-Mart and Costco shoppers who signed the petitions for the recall, Bob, and nobody had to pay them a dime to sign. Eventually, they’ll have their votes counted.
Posted by: Alice Marshall on September 16, 2003 06:16 AM
“Dan, how about putting out a call to techies to serve as poll workers in the upcoming election?”
Such a good idea it had to be repeated.
Stay with this story Dan, you will never cover a more important one.
Posted by: Ray Ritchey on September 16, 2003 09:18 AM
Positives:
1. For Davis, changes the outcome of the election (same time as democratic primary and helps Davis prove he should remain Governor).
2. For Democrats, gives the Republicans more time to implode (Pro Life Republicans vs. every other type of Republicans, especially Arnold).
3. May help the non-Arnold candidate (recently gaining traction).
4. Positives will be theoretically a more accurate vote. With the percentage possible of inaccuracy with the chad being irrevelant.
Negatives:
1. We may end up in lame duck time for a while longer that does not help CA.
2. Process isssues of people who already absentee ballotted.
Posted by: Bob on September 16, 2003 07:16 PM
No one paid the petition signers, Richard. But someone did pay to organize the signature collection. And I’m betting you knew that.
For those of us who bothered to go to the polls during the last election, our votes have already been counted. Didn’t even have to go to Wal-Mart.
Posted by: Jenn on September 17, 2003 09:49 AM
There is a lot about this subject that is not being brought to light these days. Thank you to Dan for writing about this.
There is a website about the book, “Black Box Voting”. The website contains current info. on the status of systems that are not reliable/provide no paper trail and state secretaries who either don’t care or who are in collusion with the profit makers.
My question about the CA recall and the vote timing is: are the counties (esp. Santa Clara county) ordering new equipment locked in
to their orders? Are they ordering touch-screen voting machines with no paper trail? Is there no time left to change the mind of the buyers?
Our right to vote is one of our most fundamental rights. It is in danger of being undermined in a very quiet way, whether people realize or care that it’s happening or not. It’s time to educate ourselves and those around us.
Posted by: Jenn on September 17, 2003 09:50 AM
the website is: www.blackboxvoting.com
Posted by: Richard Bennett on September 17, 2003 11:06 AM
But someone did pay to organize the signature collection.
Just as someone paid to organize the signature gathering for every other initiative, including medical marijuana, de-criminalization of first offense drug convictions, the mandatory floor on school spending, and the ban on the eating of horse meat. That’s how the system works, and it takes about three cents per Californian to get a popular initiative qualified. There were attempts to recall every other governor since Jerry Brown, and they all faild. Is this the corrupting power of money in politics, or a rational reaction to an extremely corrupt and unpopular governor?
The voters will decide that, if and when the Ninth Circuit decides to let democracy go forward.
Posted by: Ed Gershman on September 17, 2003 09:14 PM
To whom it may concern; Why don’t the Sant Clara
investigate the use a Vote Scanner Machines that will solve the problem of having voters an easy and quick less hassle for the coming elections. I am sending you the way they use this method in the Polls in Mass. and Rhode Island where I was a warden for several years The URL is www.s-t.com/daily/10-96/10-96a011o034.htm.
Ed.Gershman
1981 Montecito Ave. Apt.128
Mountain View, Cal. 94043
Phone 650-965-2659
E-mail edmetal1@juno.com Apt.128
Posted by: Richard Bennett on September 15, 2003 05:13 PM
I don’t see how this decision will have any effect on new voting machines for California, since there’s already a consent decree in place that mandates the end of punch-card balloting by March, 2004. This decision simply seeks to frustrate democracy by delaying the election from its Constitutional timetable.