Posted on 11/03/2006 5:40:32 AM PST by gridlock
WASHINGTON A New Jersey congressman raised questions Thursday about a new military voting program that lets service members request and submit their ballots by fax or e-mail.
The Defense Department, however, said the program is as secure as possible, and any risks are detailed for the military members when they access the e-mail system.
In a letter to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Democratic Rep. Rush Holt said the electronic registration and voting service is well-intentioned, but could expose troops to identity theft, or allow hackers or others to tamper with the ballots when they are in transit.
"After the Defense Department was stopped from implementing a program like this two years ago because it was full of security holes, I'm angry and astonished that they're doing it again without review, scrutiny, and oversight," said Holt.
He said that while U.S. military personnel should participate in the political process, "no one is served by introducing possibilities for error, insecurity, and fraud."
Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said the Defense Department has set up a secure absentee voter program that will allow military members to request and receive absentee ballots. The new program, she said, lets people vote without relying on the regular mail system.
As part of the program, many states allow military members deployed overseas to return their completed ballot via fax or the Internet. Those ballots, Smith said, will not pass through the hands of any government officials until they are received by a local election authority.
"The e-mail-to-fax operation does have risks, but we have taken every precaution to limit those risks," said Smith. She said U.S. service members have been told of the potential privacy concerns with the system, so they can make an informed choice about whether to use the program.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
The dems will do anything to suppress the military vote. Just as they did here in Florida in 2000. Won't work this time. By the way, thank you Jon (outhouse) Carry for mobilizing the Republicans and the military.
The bad news is that I am in his district.
The good news is that I am voting on Tuesday.
It gets better. Apparently, to access the military secure network, the soldiers have to use a special photo ID card with a chip in it.
So, we have a situation where the ACLU is running around the country trying to stop photo IDs for voting at the polls, but the military has to use a photo ID to vote.
-PJ
Every time you hand your credit card ot a $6/hr clerk to scan, you are exposing yourself to great risks. Would the Congressman attempt to stop us from doing that, too? Hmmm?
yeah, this POS really is worried about identity theft against the military.
and close it should. NJ elects representatives who loathe the military, close all their damn bases I say.
I don't know this jitbag, but I know Kerry, and Kerry definitely hates us.
It's an article of faith among Democrats that soldiers are stupid, but sly and cunning and need to be kept away from the firewater and ballot box lest they do something dangerous.
Condescending people never realise how perfectly their condescension comes through, even to us poor sufferers who did not get the benefit (?) of an Ivy League union-card. (If Kerry is a typical example of Yale output, it can scarcely be called an "education.")
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
Holt must believe our troops are too stupid to vote.
No, he is, really... no, seriously... stop laughing, blast it!... he is very concerned that this secure electronic voting system will make it harder for his ACORN pals to steal military voters' IDs.
For the person that mentioned it, yes, you need to use your CAC or ID card in a reader to log into any military computer, and sometimes a fingerprint reader too... and that's the nonsecure NIPRNET.
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
The Rats don't ever quit trying to keep the military from voting. During Clinton's reign the military sometimes didn't even get ballots and if they did they weren't returned on time. In 2000 a lot of military ballots were disqualified for dumb reasons.
He's concerned because the votes can't be separated and thrown away before counting like the old paper system.
I really do believe the Democrats will do whatever it takes to win. They know better than the voters, and certainly better than the Republicans. If they have to dump a lot of votes in the garbage to make the result come out right, that's just what they have to do.
The result is just too important to leave up to the voters.
Dems have really gone off the deep end.. is there not a low which they will not sink to?
Ummmm...
Let me think about that for a minute...
Ummmmm.... No.
"...I'm angry and astonished that they're doing it again without review, scrutiny, and oversight," said Holt."
I.e., You haven't given us a fair chance to develop ways to steal the votes of the overseas servicemen.
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