By John Gideon Executive Director VotersUnite.Org and Information Manager VoteTrustUSA.Org
When asked by a reporter, “Which is harder to manage, your two children or ES&S?” Marion County, Indiana Clerk Doris Ann Sadler told the Indianapolis Star this week, “Oh, ES&S, definitely. My children are really very easy. In fact, at times I think my children would have done a better job with the voting machines. And they’re (ages) 7 and 4.”
The Electronic Voting Machine Vendor locomotive is still running away down the track at an alarming speed. However, this week some states and county election officials seem to be beginning to notice and are now sending out signals that they intend to either stop the train or � barring that — at least ensure that companies such as Election Systems and Software (ES&S) do not profit too much from their arrogance, ineptitude and now epidemic failures.
Legal complaints against the company were filed this week in West Virginia and Indiana to add to the one previously under way in Oregon. Threats have been heard from Texas, Arkansas, Ohio and elsewhere. Election officials have been forced to change voting procedures in many states and counties to accommodate for ES&S’ growing array of failures.
Meanwhile no one seems to be talking about the people who will be most affected by this train wreck; the voters�
PROBLEMS MOUNT IN SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO�
Memory card failures, as reported in our previous “Train Wreck” articles have been a huge problem for Summit County, Ohio. This past week the Akron Beacon Journal reported that even after testing and retesting memory cards, they were still failing at an alarming rate. In the last round of testing before next week’s primary, 17 memory cards failed. The counties voting machine vendor, ES&S promises to provide back-up cards that are pre-loaded with ballot information for the different county precincts. County election board members have expressed concern for the failures and the prospect that the failure rate of memory cards may prove to be “catastrophic” according to one board member.
Also of great concern to the County Board of Elections is ES&S’ plan for technical support for the county. It seems that ES&S has given up on any possibility of not having chaos and they have decided to distance themselves from the county in the bargain. In order to do this, they’ve come up with a brilliant plan. ES&S has hired 19 students from the University of Akron who will get a one-day training program and who will then be ES&S’ technical representatives in the county. One member of the board said, “It’s just not right and will not be tolerated. You guys are supposed to be the gold standards of optical scan, and I’m amazed.”
Apparently ES&S has given up on maintaining their reputation in this county. Who ends up suffering for this arrogance? The voters.
EMERCENCY PAPER BALLOTS OK’d IN TEXAS
In an April 24 letter to Texas county elections officials, Ann McGeehan, the Texas Director of Elections authorized the many counties who have not received programming media or paper ballots from their vendor to print paper ballots and use those in elections to take place on May 13.
Though ES&S was not named in the letter there was no doubt that’s the company that McGeehan was speaking about when she said:
Also in an editorial from the San Antonio Express-News we learn that Bexar County (San Antonio) is one of the Texas counties involved. The editorial gives a very good reason that the county and its voters should get very good service from ES&S:
But the costs don’t stop there. Each time there is an election, ES&S technicians have to program the system and provide technical support.
For example, the March primary cost $57,000 in programming fees, $4,600 in technical support fees and $31,000 in voice-recorded files for disabled voters.
A $184 shipping fee was charged for the voice-recorded files, despite the fact that they are delivered via the Internet, Callanen said.
Beginning in May 2007, the county’s warranty with the company runs out. To extend it, the county will have to come up with $185,000 a year, every year.
That is too much money to pay if the company is unable to hold up its end of the bargain.
Once again, who gets hosed? The tax-payers�otherwise known as; The voters.
ES&S MELTS DOWN IN WEST VIRGINA
It was just last week that West Virginia Secretary of State Betty Ireland was finding ways to make excuses for the state’s voting machine vendor, ES&S. This week Ireland seems to have opened her eyes as legal proceedings have now begun against the company. Either that, or those around her finally shook her awake and she realized that there were problems that needed her attention. In a earlier this week, Ireland says:
On Friday the County Commissioners Association of West Virginia announced that they were filing legal action against ES&S with help from the Secretary of State and the state Attorney General’s Office.
And in Kanawha County the County Commission President Kent Carper has asked County Manager Brent Pauley to place a check for $1.2 million, that the county owes ES&S, under lock and key in his desk drawer. Carper then told the media, “(The company) has embarrassed themselves. I got a feeling this will get their attention.”
INDIANA CERTIFIES MICROVOTE AND ANNOUNCES A COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST ES&S
This week the Indiana Elections Commission took the expected move and certified the software used on MicroVote General voting machines that are used in 47 Indiana counties. According to the Indianapolis Star Commission member Tom John said the commission was making this last-minute certification of MicroVote’s equipment not for the sake of the company “but for the sake of hundreds of thousands of voters who otherwise would have had to vote on pieces of paper.” MicroVote is not off the hook for violations of state law. There will be investigations by the Secretary of State and the Elections Commission.
At the same time that MicroVote was certified, Secretary of State Todd Rokita
announced that he had filed a complaint against ES&S. The complaint charges that ES&S has violated state law by providing defective equipment and services. The complaint lists 30 possible violations in 3 counties. Each of those complaints may cost ES&S up to $300,000 in civil penalties for each violation.
Meanwhile, as reported by the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel in another embarrassment for ES&S, they proved again that they can’t get much done right anywhere as they incorrectly printed 80,000 paper ballots for Porter County, Indiana. They will replace the ballots and pay for the printing. Maybe the voters in all of the ES&S counties will be able to vote on the machines their tax money has paid for�eventually.
ARKANSAS JOINS THE “TRAIN WRECK”
The Arkansas primary is scheduled to be held on May 23 but early voting is to begin on May 8. So far the Arkansas voting machine vendor; yes, it’s ES&S; has failed to deliver all of the voting machines purchased by some counties. They have also failed to provide the ballot programming to many counties.
The Arkansas Leader reports that ES&S has not programmed the iVotronic DREs in Pulaski County which is a problem; and they have failed to program the county’s optical-scan machines which is a larger problem because the county cannot test their absentee ballots to ensure they work with the machines. The county is now preparing to hand-count those ballots on election night.
According to the Fort Smith Times Record Sebastian County has the same problems except that ES&S has also failed to deliver the paper ballots they have contracted to deliver. The county commission has decided that they want to be sure they are ready, so they are having their central-count optical scan machines programmed by their previous contractor and their paper ballots are being printed by the printer who used to print their ballots. They hope to be ready for their voters.
Is it too late to avert a disaster in our primary elections? That’s probably going to be up to the voting machine vendors in many states and to the elections officials who choose to stand-up to them.
What is the federal Elections Assistance Commission (EAC) doing about all of this? Not a thing that we can see. They are just sitting back and telling the world that they have no power to regulate. The corporate mainstream media? Well, the local, and in some cases state-wide, media are reporting what is happening and editorial boards are doing their thing but the national media is sitting with their eyes closed — failing to connect any dots whatsoever � and keeping mum on this train wreck in the making.
Ssshh! Don’t tell anybody. We’d hate to disturb the voters�
John, I am beginning to think that having these partisan officials like Blackwell handling elections is like having the oil barons in charge of oil prices.
Remember that OPEC is composed of oil barons, commodity and stock markets are controlled by those controlled by the oil barons, and they sure as hell … over the past 40 years I have been exposing them … can control prices.
And a hell of a lot more than that. They control supply AND demand.
Same with voting machine companies. You will find out that I am right that there has been a conspiracy to ruin elections in the United States.
We have a republican dictatorship and they are going to fight us tooth and nail for power.
Will the military follow the US Constitution and disobey the martial law orders, or will they march in lockstep to the orders of the republican dictatorship?
Something will trigger an acceleration of the process … perhaps the immigrant protests, bird flu pandemic … or the acknowledgement that elections can’t be held fairly … and the remedy of freezing the government as is?
Quien sabe … "the answer, my friend, is blowin in the wind", and the flag is wavering in it.
Dredd, I’m not sure where the "partisan officials" come into the issues as discussed in the article.
However, SoS Williams of Texas is a Gov. Perry appointee, is a GOP fundraiser, has ties to GOP money raisers and is very partisan.
TX: Strayhorn calls chief of elections biased
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3830976.html
Dredd #!
I agree totally with your statement.
The trigger for 06 is as you stated…… the Neocon’s welcome major problems in 06 elections.
The trigger for 08 I fear is much, much worst. Could be something like the Bird Flu or ??????, could be dirty bombs and/or some sort of multiple nuclear explosions on our soil. Whatever it is has to limit travel and confine Americans to cities and/or homes for months.
2008 depends on out come of 06 elections whether Repub’s or Dem’s take control?
Dredd – There’s actually a word for it, but we usually think hear it in relation to OTHER PLACES.
Destabilization!
G, regarding your comment #3
Based on the reams and reams of info on this blog alone about the approaching e-voting trainwreck (the many, many problems with these machines) and the fact that these worthless e-voting machines can be easily hacked and rigged without detection and they’re owned by Repugs (except for maybe one company?), it seems to me that the outcome of the 2006 "election" (if there is one) is a given. We already know the outcome of the 2006 so-called "election" based on the stolen "elections" of 2000, 2002 and 2004. How many more of these charades do we have to go through before people see a pattern here?
The Bush Crime Family and Repugs are not about to let the Pro-war Dead Democratic Party increase its ranks in Congress. Period. These people will do whatever it takes to stay in power and to keep the majority.
And even if the Dems took the majority (that’s wishful thinking!) nothing would change. And why is that? Because freshman members have little pull. Freshmen menbers must stay in line with the senior Dem members and we’re already well aware that those cretins are Bush Enablers and have been since 2000. (The Dems have voted YES for Bush and the Repugs most of the time since 2000. They have given him much of what he has asked for.) Therefore, we would just have even more Bush Enablers and Accomplices who call themself a "Democrat," while acting and behaving like a Repug.
G, regarding your comment #3
Based on the reams and reams of info on this blog alone about the approaching e-voting trainwreck (the many, many problems with these machines) and the fact that these worthless e-voting machines can be easily hacked and rigged without detection and they’re owned by Repugs (except for maybe one company?), it seems to me that the outcome of the 2006 "election" (if there is one) is a given. We already know the outcome of the 2006 so-called "election" based on the stolen "elections" of 2000, 2002 and 2004. How many more of these charades do we have to go through before people see a pattern here?
The Bush Crime Family and Repugs are not about to let the Pro-war Dead Democratic Party increase its ranks in Congress. Period. These people will do whatever it takes to stay in power and to keep the majority.
And even if the Dems took the majority (that’s wishful thinking!) nothing would change. And why is that? Because freshman members have little pull. Freshmen menbers must stay in line with the senior Dem members and we’re already well aware that those cretins are Bush Enablers and have been since 2000. (The Dems have voted YES for Bush and the Repugs most of the time since 2000. They have given him much of what he has asked for.) Therefore, we would just have even more Bush Enablers and Accomplices who call themself a "Democrat," while acting and behaving like a Repug.
Josh #5, #6
Saying it twice, thrice, or ad nauseum does not make it so. Repeating disinformation over and over makes the action republican. That is what they do, repeat something false over and over and hope it sticks.
Your "Pro-war Dead Democratic Party" bullshit is a clear example.
It is a blatant falsehood … wake up and smell the polls. The dems are favored by the people in the polls (link here). That is old news.
List each and every democrat in the Senate and the House that is "Pro-War", and "Dead" or stop spreading disinformation.
The polls show that democrats and every other party are not pro Iraq war. Just the opposite is true. So you are spreading disinformation.
You are ignorant of the legislative process (link here), as I have repeated to you over and over.
Please explain how any bill introducted to congress, say by Murtha or Fiengold, would work its way thru the process.
Then show how the democrats could get it passed over the objection of the republican dictatorship.
Otherwise, you get the troll stroke
John #2
You said I’m not sure where the "partisan officials" come into the issues as discussed in the article.
I said partisan officials like Blackwell. I cited him because he is the ultimate conflict of interest.
He owns stock in one of the election voting machine companies which company he recommends to Ohio counties. He has been the head of elections and co-head of the republican elections in Ohio.
The article talks about the children of election officials, but I think there are other indicators as to their partisanship.
Wow … nuf said …
Lets not forget that ALL the democrats voted (if I’m not mistaken) promptly for Rush Holt’s bill to do something about the voting machine problem, unlike the republicans, who waited until it was way too late to do anything in time for the 2004 election.
It’s hard, but we do have to remind ourselves that Democrats are being held hostage by the corporate political system that Howard Dean SCARED TO DEATH! He wasn’t pointing at THEM when he screamed, (that’s right he did scream BEFORE the Iowa loss) "You Have The Power!"
This guy has the hardest job in the nation right now!
Josh#5
You made some good points, however it ain’t over till it’s over.
Most of what the NeoconRepublican’s have accomplished is based upon the "throw it against the wall and see if it sticks theory". It’s a matter of timing, loads of luck and stupidity involved in these odd schemes. A friend of mine once said " If more then one persons knows its not a secret and sooner or later the truth comes out".
Time, "action" and patience (and due diligence) are our allies.
Our NeoconRepublican government lies about everything… the war, economic numbers, policy, laws, religion, gays, alliances, covert actions, war deaths, war injuries, pollution, 9/11, Social Security, Medicare and the Republican politicians seem to line up in support of these lies.
.
Many "small groups" of radical politiical, super rich business people from America and other countries are involved in this grand scheme to take illegal control of the US government. A plan that could end with America in another major depression, world war and will tarnish those of the same ethnic or political backround for many, many years. Most of whom were not involved in this mess.
A bad deal for everyone.
Dread, regarding your comment #7
You whine about me using the language "Pro-war Dead Democratic Party" in my posts. I shall continue to do so, thank you very much. If you want to live in denial that the party is not dead, so be it. I’m not the first person to say that the Dem Party is dead. ELECTED President Clinton’s Labor Secretary, Dr Robert Reich, was the first person to say that to my knowledge in this article:
They Aren’t ‘Just Resting’
The Democratic Party is Dead
by Robert B. Reich
http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0311-01.htm
Reich has not retracted his comments. And why would he? The Dems have only gotten worse since he wrote that. In fact, I heard him interviewed on Air America a couple of weeks ago and I heard him ask "Where are the Dems?" So I took it that he still firmly believes, as I do, that the pro-war Democratic Party is Dead.
And if you don’t have the ability to not read my posts since they seem to bother you so much, then that’s your problem.
Also, I don’t need to list anything for you, Dread. I don’t know who the hell you think you are.
But I must say that I can’t begin to count the number of times I have read posts from you which begin with this sentence:
"The dems are favored by the people in the polls (link here)…"
I have found you copying and pasting your posts beginning with that sentence over and over again on here. It’s as if you spam many (most?) threads on here with the same exact post that you have written previously. I don’t know if anyone else has noticed but I certainly have.
Please examine yourself before you whine about me saying the same thing over and over again, Mr Hypocrite. At least I don’t copy and paste my posts and spam Brad’s blog threads with them.
I won’t waste my time responding to anything else you wrote because, why bother!
And as for your predictable juvenile troll comment, call me anything you want. I don’t give a damn what you call me, Dread. I’ve been called far worse than "troll" in my life. Good lord! LOL. I thought we were all adults here, but I guess not. I didn’t realize that some people had not grown out of their elementary school years.
G, regarding your comment #10
You wrote:
"Our NeoconRepublican government lies about everything"
I agree, but to be objective we must include pro-war Dems like pro-war and war-profiteer Dianne Feinstein. This woman voted FOR Bush’s attack on Afghanistan and Iraq. According to the Center for Public Integrity, she and her billionaire husband are making millions through his company (Perini) on Afghanistan and Iraq war contracts.
They just bought a new (new for them) $6.5 million home in Pacific Heights here in San Francisco. Now, because she’s up for re-election, she lies and claims that "Bush misled me on the reasons for attacking Iraq." Yeah, he "misled" you all right. LIAR! She’s making millions from both wars. She’s one example of the corrupt political corporate pimps and whores of the pro-war Dead Democratic Party of which I speak. She has war blood all over the hands. Any of these scum politicians who voted FOR the wars are pro-war.
The Center for Public Integrity:
http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/bio.aspx?act=pro&ddlC=45
Senator Feinstein’s war profiteering
http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_544.shtml
Partisanship trumps ethics: The Feinstein family of war-profiteers, part two
http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_552.shtml
Feinstein’s hubby, scored another huge military contract last week through his company URS. This one is worth a hefty $17.7 million:
URS Awarded Logistics Support Contract by U.S. Navy; Contract Has Maximum Value of $17.7 Million to URS
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060417005329&newsLang=en