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Diebold Cuts and Runs Email Print

By Devilstower
11/30/2005 01:25:50 PM EST

Diebold, friend to Republicans everywhere, has withdrawn it's bid to sell its voting machines in North Carolina.  Why?  Because North Carolina passed regulations that would have forced Diebold to reveal their source code.  

As always, sunshine is a very effective antisceptic.

The North Carolina law would not have forced Diebold to show its code to the public.  Instead, they would merely have had to impoud the code "in escrow" so that it could be examined privately in case of a court challenge.

That was too much for Diebold, which demanded an " excemption. "

The company's explanation is that their machines contain Microsoft software, which they have no right to make available to state election officials. This seems disingenuous, as it is hard to imagine Microsoft suing Diebold for complying with the law. It would hardly be Diebold's fault if it released MS code to a lawful authority on demand; that issue would be something for MS and North Carolina to work out.

So, how hard would it be to get a regulation similar to that of North Carolina passed in all 50 states?  Or maybe in 49.  Thanks to Diebold, getting anything passed in Ohio might be a lost cause.


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Diebold Cuts and Runs | 4 comments (4 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Excellent strategy you suggest (none / 0)
Get laws passed in the states that would force Diebold to comply.

I'm getting to the point where I'd like to vote with paper and a pencil, and keep my voting receipt. I don't care if it takes a couple of extra days to finally get results ... sometimes in the 19th century it would be a week or so before the results of the elections were announced.

Given the low level of trust in electronic machines, I'd guess most people would prefer having to wait a few days for results rather than have doubts about the validity of their vote.

by SusanG on 11/30/2005 05:19:38 PM EST

As a Palm Beach County, Floridian (none / 0)
who usually votes via absentee ballot, I'm all for paper and pencil and receipts.  God only knows where my votes have gone in the past 2 pres elections, but I can promise that my votes didn't reflect in the results.

I really do feel robbed.

All it takes to fly is to hurl yourself at the ground... and miss. (Douglas Adams)

by scoophound on 11/30/2005 05:29:27 PM EST

NC Certifies Diebold (none / 0)
Update on certification from EFF, 2 Dec:

North Carolina Illegally Certifies Diebold E-voting System

Board of Elections Ignores Rules to Escrow Code, Identify Programmers

Maybe it just pays to have low friends in high places.  Sheesh.

by rba on 12/04/2005 11:12:13 AM EST

Geez (none / 0)
Just when you think the whole thing can't get any seedier.

by Devilstower on 12/05/2005 01:46:25 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Diebold Cuts and Runs | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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