Thursday, August 28, 2008

End of the Voting Machine Error (almost)

I think it is worth noting that Diebold Election Systems, which changed its name to Premier Election Solutions about a year ago (perhaps as a tribute to Premier Joe Stalin? or more likely because its brand name is dirt), has admitted now that its voting machines (not its ATMs, which it also makes) don't work. They drop votes. They can't count. Unfortunately, it is too late to change the machines for the next election.

OK, then. Can we have the last 4 years back now?

I think I'm going to spill some links here (due to the Help America Vomit Act of 2002).

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/08/21/ohio_voting_machines_contained.html
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hM24D2P_dBmIDGu_u_mPKthDHpGQD92MVT580
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hM24D2P_dBmIDGu_u_mPKthDHpGQD92MTAI80
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/07/AR2008080703083.html
http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20080822/diebold-premier/
http://wok3.wordpress.com/2008/08/21/premier-election-solutions/
http://blogs.computerworld.com/diebold_premier_fesses_lost_oh_votes
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=electronic-election-day
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jej6XIWrQn6-gw5O5bJa1ELx78DgD92LLDO00

Paper is the answer. It works and always has worked, around the world. If writing your candidate's name on a piece of paper is too challenging, a piece of paper on which you put an x in the box next to your candidate's name can be provided for you. Obtain paper. Have writing implements. If each person can count 500 ballots you will need one person to count for every 500 voters you get. 0.2%. It really isn't that hard (just like the notion of "health Insurance").

The images here are just a handful from a series of parody ads called the Diebold Variations by Rand Careaga/salamander.eps (c)2004-06.

No comments: