We will conduct a public hearing to receive reports and take testimony on the "Deck Zero" anomaly in Premier Election Solutions'Global Election Management System(GEMS) version 1.18.19.The Deck Zero software error,which can delete the first group of optically scanned ballots under certain circumstances,caused 197 ballots to be inadvertently deleted from Humboldt Co's initial results in the Nov 4,2008,General Election.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                 Contact: Kate Folmar
March 17, 2009

                                                (916) 653-6575
***MEDIA ADVISORY*

*Secretary of State’s Office to Hold Hearing to Examine Ballot-Count Errors Previously Unknown in California

*WHAT:  The Secretary of State’s Office will conduct a public hearing
to receive reports and take testimony on the “Deck Zero” anomaly in
Premier Election Solutions’ Global Election Management System (GEMS)
version 1.18.19.

        The Deck Zero software error, which can delete the first group
of optically scanned ballots under certain circumstances, caused 197
ballots to be inadvertently deleted from Humboldt County’s initial
results in the November 4, 2008, General Election.  Upon discovery of
the software error, Humboldt County subsequently corrected its election
results.  Two other California counties, San Luis Obispo and Santa
Barbara, used the same software for the November 4 election but
encountered no similar problems in counting ballots.

                        Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s office
                        conducted an independent investigation into the
                        Premier GEMS 1.18.19 software errors and
                        uncovered even more information that was
                        previously unknown to county and state elections
                        officials.  For more about the investigation and
                        the public hearing, go to

_http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vs_premier.htm_.

                        In the days after the hearing, Secretary Bowen
                        will consider what action – including possible
                        withdrawal of state approval – to take on the
                        Premier GEMS voting system.

*WHEN:*   Tuesday, March 17, 2009
                10:00 a.m.

*WHERE:         * Secretary of State’s Building

                        Auditorium

                        1500 11^th Street

            Sacramento

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