Legislators Warned By Voting System Critic -- Expert Who Found Flaws Fears They Weren't Fixed

SunSpot.Net ^ | 13 November 2003 | Michael Dresser

[steve-b]

The Johns Hopkins University computer scientist who identified security lapses in the voting system Maryland is adopting took his warnings to Annapolis Thursday, telling legislators he has no confidence the flaws are being fixed.

Dr. Aviel D. Rubin, technical director of Hopkins' Information Security Institute, criticized the Ehrlich administration's decision to withhold two-thirds of a consultant's report on problems with the Diebold voting system from public view. Rubin said that if the flaws have been fixed there's no justification for secrecy....

Linda Lamone, director of the state elections board, largely dismissed Rubin's concerns and insisted Diebold had completed all the recommended changes in its software. She accused computer scientists of trying to undermine confidence in elections officials.

"I think they're doing a great disservice to democracy," she said. "They're telling the public: Don't trust them, don't trust the voting equipment."...

[steve-b]

We need to make it really simple for the politicians:

1. NO ELECTIONS WITHOUT A PAPER PRINTOUT.

2. IF THE PAPER DISAGREES WITH THE ELECTRONICS, BELIEVE THE PAPER (ELECTRONICS ARE MADE OF SILICON. THAT'S THE MAIN INGREDIENT IN STONE. PAPER BEATS STONE.)

[E. Pluribus Unum]

She accused computer scientists of trying to undermine confidence in elections officials.

Who knows more about information technology, computer scientists or elections officials and the companies that are beholden to them?

[steve-b]

"I think they're doing a great disservice to democracy," she said. "They're telling the public: Don't trust them, don't trust the voting equipment."

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!

[Sgt_Schultze]

Rule #2 is very good.