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March 16, 2008

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner revealed to the Columbus Dispatch that an investigation into electronic voting machines (ES&S iVotronic), used in Franklin County last fall, found that the machines were tampered with to remove a candidate name from the ballot.  Forensic investigators also found that the County failed to test the machines before use, as required by law, and that:

“a function that tracked changes to the machines was purposely turned off.” 

That function is significant in a post-election audit or recount, as we found during our investigation in 2006.  At page 3 of this Recount Report, the “Real Time Audit Log” (RTAL) reported a “password override,” indicating that the machine had been entered during the election.

These same machines failed minimum security standards when tested in the landmark study, Project EVEREST, the latest in a long line of studies condemning computerized voting systems.

These same machines were used in Ohio’s hotly disputed 2004 election, where questionable results from several precincts failed to result in criminal prosecutions. 

One precinct reported negative 25 million votes for John Kerry.  I personally believe that a patriotic hacker sent up a red flag by programming such a ridiculous outcome, in the hope that someone would investigate.  Apparently not. 

Other questionable results, like the Gahanna precinct that awarded Bush 3800 votes where only 600-some voters are registered, appear to have been hacked with the intent of throwing the election. No official investigating the 04 election found any wrongdoing.   

We have scientific evidence that the machines CAN be hacked; we have dubious outcomes; and we have motive.  This isn’t rocket science; it’s basic forensic investigation. 

Undeterred by science, politicians of all stripes move forward with plans to use wholly non-securable voting equipment which counts the vote in secret.  System guards, de facto leaders of the Left, urge us to continue in this charade called democratic elections. 

So ya thought ya  might like to go to the vote 
to feel the warm thrill of confusion 
that space cadet glow 

I’ve got some bad news for you, Sunshine 
The machines are all rigged, back in their crib 
They sent in a throng to make sure you play along 
We’re gonna find out where the patriots stand…

            ~ Adapted from In the Flesh by Pink Floyd

It matters not to Government (a modern day euphemism for organized crime) that since 2000, the will of the People has been thwarted. 

New York attorney Andi Novick advises that prior to passage of the Orwellian-named Help America Vote Act, for the past 150 years, legislators have understood that election integrity must be protected from insiders.   

Even tho computerized voting systems are the easiest to corrupt, are outrageously expensive, and – most importantly to some – count the vote in secret, election officials across the nation insist on using them, including Secretary of State Brunner. 

I have a better idea.  Let’s dump the machines, and have 8-10 people per precinct show up at the polls on Election Night, ready to hand count the ballots.  I recommend the Sort-and-Stack method, using a Reconciliation Audit Slip.