State curtails e-voting - L.A. system decertified; restrictions on two others

By Kevin Yamamura - Sacramento Bee Capitol Bureau - Saturday, August 4, 2007

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, bowing to fears of computer fraud, Friday decertified Los Angeles County’s electronic voting system and sharply curtailed the use of two other machines that California counties had hoped to use to conduct the February 2008 presidential primary.

She said she would allow unlimited use of one system, Hart InterCivic, as long as security and auditing safeguards are implemented.

But in the case of two major companies — Diebold Election Systems and Sequoia Voting Systems — Bowen said she would allow just one machine per polling place, apparently to provide an accessible option for disabled voters.

Electronic voting critics had unsuccessfully lobbied Bowen’s predecessor to stop the machines’ use in California. More than three dozen California counties have invested millions of dollars in the technology and some will be forced to replace many machines by February under Bowen’s order.

“I reject the notion that I should not require changes in security simply because counties already own (the machines),” Bowen said.

The tested systems are used by 43 of California’s 58 counties and by 9 million out of 15.7 million registered voters, according to UC Berkeley.

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REMEMBER FLORIDA IN 2000?

Ohio in 2004 and Florida again in 2006…

COULD CALIFORNIA BE NEXT?

According to Saturday’s San Francisco Chronicle:

“State-sanctioned teams of computer hackers were able to break through the security of virtually every model of California’s voting machines and change results or take control of some of the systems’ electronic functions, according to a University of California study released Friday.

“The researchers “were able to bypass physical and software security in every machine they tested,” said Secretary of State Debra Bowen, who authorized the “top to bottom review” of every voting system certified by the state.” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE<

Secretary of State Bowen must decide tomorrow (August 3, 2007) whether to decertify these suspect electronic voting machines in order to protect the integrity of our votes, and she needs our support.

The Los Angeles County Democratic Party has joined with the Courage Campaign and Progressive Democrats of America in promoting an on-line petition in support of Secretary Bowen’s review of California’s electronic voting systems.

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TODAY!

We just cannot afford to wonder whether our votes are accurately counted in California elections. Not here. Not in the largest state in the union. But that’s just what some county election officials say should happen. Secretary Bowen’s review makes clear that some electronic voting machines are easily hacked — but some county election officials question the need for any security review of those machines.

Some county election officials don’t seem to care that voters lack faith in electronic voting systems. No wonder people say, “why bother to vote? They won’t count it anyway.” Now, we hear of Registrars that say there’s not enough time to make sure that every vote counts. This is pretty simple: if we have time to vote, we damn well want those officials to make the time to count our votes.

The greatest civic duty citizens have is to vote. Our government’s greatest duty is be certain each vote is counted, exactly as it was cast. Secretary Bowen was elected to fulfill this critical obligation. She needs our support NOW! PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION NOW and be sure your vote counts.

After seven years of George W. Bush in the White House, America desperately needs a change. California will lead the way in November 2008, but only if your vote counts.

Thank you,

Eric C. Bauman
Chair Los Angeles County Democratic Party