'Daily Voting News' For March 18, 2009

Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org Yesterday the s**t hit the fan for Diebold/Premier in California and the splatter may be even more widespread than just in California. If you think that is a bit graphic then read the articles from California about the revelations that came from the public hearing held by the Secretary of State, Debra Bowen. One panelist asked Diebold's western area representative if the company has done anything at all about problems revealed as a result of the Humboldt County Transparency Project. On the subject of audit logs being wiped with no trace and inaccurate timestamps, Justin Bale could only say "We're now looking at it as a priority". Bale also admitted that these problems existed, and have always existed in their software. It was correctly pointed out by Lowell Finley of Bowen's office that each of these problems should have kept that system from passing testing at both the federal and state levels. Bales tried as best he could to put as much of the blame over onto Humbold Co. Clerk Carolyn Crnich but in the best line of the hearing she shot back, "if you are saying that your system needs to be checked every damn time you turn it on, then I agree with you."... **"Daily Voting News" is meant as a comprehensive listing of reports each day concerning issues related to election and voting news around the country regardless of quality or political slant. Therefore, items listed in "Daily Voting News" may not reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or OpEdNews.Com**