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| 11-9-06: A quick update on doings |
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| Author |
Message |
    
Bev Harris
Frequent Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Site_admin
Post Number: 168
Registered: 10-2006
Best of Black Box? 
Votes: 5 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Thursday, November 9, 2006 - 7:26 pm: | 
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Unlike 2004, when we did a shotgun mass Freedom of Information Act to thousands of counties -- then actually collected on the ones we felt would be most likely to generate real evidence -- this time the FOIAs (called public records requests at the state level) are being done differently.
Yesterday, we combed through thousands of reports and selected about 500 that we have targeted for a closer look. We are adding to those now and then as new reports come in.
This year, we are doing very customized public records requests, going after strategic information in a way that matches up with specific anomalies. It's a slog. Public records work always is. But it can be a reliable way to identify issues in a way that public officials can't deny, since the records come from the public officials themselves.
Communications
As you may have noticed, the past three months has been focused on mass communications here at Black Box Voting. The whole point, after proving the vulnerability of the voting machines, was to get that across to the public. I felt that in my speaking engagements, I was preaching to the choir. Election Integrity efforts had developed a fantastic bunch of independent-minded and autonomous citizens, but we needed new people.
Black Box Voting, through the efforts of Jim March, Kathleen Wynne, Vickie Karp, and I, did nonstop mainstream media interviews for months on end, culminating in an exhausting push in connection with the HBO film where (in addition to dozens of major newspapers and radio shows), we got the issue onto Fox Network (several times!), CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, and even got it discussed on "The View" -- twice!
Collection of evidence
Beginning last March, we started pushing video, photo, and public records for evidence gathering. The response was picked up all over among dozens of groups, many larger and more organized than we are. Citizens have done amazing work, and evidence continues to pour in!
Developing the evidence
On the HBO documentary "Hacking Democracy", the work you saw happened while the media wasn't paying any attention to elections. That's the time we slog along, following up on records, investigating the answers we get. What showed up in 80 minutes on HBO represents four years of work, most of it while no one was looking.
We're in that phase again, but this time, it is much accelerated because so many phenomenal groups are charging along full speed ahead doing similar, sometimes different, and always passionate work. We've got a real "swarm" going now. Everyone is getting more work done in less time.
And we have to, if we are going to solve this by 2008. There is a huge amount of work that needs to be done to achieve real change.
I'll keep you abreast of new developments as often as I can during the next few weeks. There is a lot going on behind the scenes!
Jim, Vickie, Kathleen, and I are all so busy we barely have time to talk to one another, and we're scattered through three states doing unexpected things that move this issue forward. But as you can see, the plans are succeeding.
- The Citizen's Tool Kit has been downloaded more than 10,000 times.
- The Black Box Voting Book, which went online in 2003, has been downloaded nearly half a million times!
- Photos of motherboards and multiple exploits have been demonstrated on videotape, proving that vendors are full of baloney when they say their systems are secure.
ES&S, Hart Intercivic, and AutoMARK software has escaped into the wild.
And now there are more computer programmers than ever willing to take a long, hard look at the stuff.
Stay tuned. |
STEVEN LEE QUARLES
Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Stevenleeq
Post Number: 4
Registered: 11-2006
Best of Black Box?
Votes: 1 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Friday, November 10, 2006 - 8:08 am: |
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Shame on me for relaxing for even a minute because the democrats took congress. The issue of free and acurate elections goes to the core of the democracy. Has the election been thrown, or should I say, not stolen, to take the wind out of the sails of all of us who are outraged? No one election or combination of elections, or promises of investigation and fixing can equal the need to protect the cornerstone of our democracy. I am guilty of apathy and realize I haven't the resources to fight. Like a child who must first learn to stand in order to walk, and to walk in order to run, so to must I, use my anger to motivate me to move in a direction that will give me the tools necessary to further develop into a force with like-minded peole. It is not going to be easy, breaking old patterns. And when I fall, I, like the child, must get up and try, try, try, again. Be safe, be true, and don't let up! |
Patricia Gracian
Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Patginsd
Post Number: 2
Registered: 06-2006
Best of Black Box? N/A
Votes: 0 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Friday, November 10, 2006 - 11:26 am: |
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Bev,
If other states are like California, each polling place is supposed to post a printout of the totals from each machine outside each polling place. In California, they are supposed to stay up for 72 hours. That means today, Friday, they should still be up before they are thrown in the trash. Citizens should notify their local candidate's volunteers and all other political activists to get assigned to several of these polling places to go collect this ripe fruit! All election integrity activists should be called to help in this effort. |
Dan Oetting
Frequent Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Dan_oetting
Post Number: 236
Registered: 07-2006
Best of Black Box? N/A
Votes: 0 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Friday, November 10, 2006 - 3:51 pm: |
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Don't wait for the clock to expire to collect evidence. I've been out since election night with my digital camera photographing the tapes. The time limit is to give everybody a chance to view the data before the tapes are taking down. After the waiting time expires you can revisit the poll locations and pick up the actual tape.
The time varies in several states so be sure to check your state laws before removing any of these election records. Some stated don't post the tapes at the polls. For instance, in Virginia:
<http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+24.2-658>
§ 24.2-658. Devices with printed return sheets; disposition of sheets.
"One copy of the printed return sheets shall be made available by the clerk of the circuit court on the day following the election and for sixty additional days for inspection and transcribing information therefrom by the public." |
Chuck Garner
Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Chuck_garner
Post Number: 29
Registered: 06-2006
Best of Black Box? N/A
Votes: 0 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 8:02 am: |
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I'm pretty sure that the Diebold candidate, Doolittle, "won" the CA 4th District, with the connivence and collusion of at least 4 out of 9 counties. The problem is proving it- Doolittle is joined at the hip with Jack Abramoff, the jackass actually believes that the Iraq fiasco is foretold in the bible, and like a typical Bush chickenhawk he's all for it. So why didn't he get swept out with the rest of the crooks? I don't know, but I'd like to find out; any advice on where to start is greatly appreciated Oh yeah, my County, Lassen, went almost double for Doolittle, yet nobody I know wanted him to be re-elected. |
Bev Harris
Frequent Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Site_admin
Post Number: 175
Registered: 10-2006
Best of Black Box? N/A
Votes: 0 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 10:07 am: |
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Which four counties are you thinking? |
Chuck Garner
Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Chuck_garner
Post Number: 30
Registered: 06-2006
Best of Black Box? 
Votes: 1 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 11:28 am: |
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I posted an answer less than 30 minutes ago, but somehow it disappeared. The 4 counties are: Lassen, Modoc, Butte and Sierra. Plus, keep in mind that whenever the race is close, Diebold manages to produce results that are just beyond the margin that will trigger a recount. I also tried to post a web site where the county returns could be found, and a web site for the voting systems used in each county, but they are now inaccessable too. For another viewpoint on Lassen County politics, go to: http://northstatescience.blogspot.com |
Jerry Berkman
Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Jerry
Post Number: 28
Registered: 05-2006
Best of Black Box? N/A
Votes: 0 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 1:27 pm: |
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I summarized the vote totals for the 9 counties
as of today at:
http://election-reform.org/ca4.txt
(I tried copying the table here, and it was hard to read).
The four counties you name contribute only about an eight of the votes in the district.
What part looks suspicious to you?
As for triggering a recount, there is no such threshhold in California. |
Chuck Garner
Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Chuck_garner
Post Number: 31
Registered: 06-2006
Best of Black Box? N/A
Votes: 0 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 4:51 pm: |
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One definition of being "positive" is, being wrong at the top of your lungs, and that's what I've been. Jerry Berkman is right, of course. I don't know about the non-existence of a recount threshold in California, but he's probably right about that too. So, I'll just grit my teeth and fight harder in the next election two years hence.
Unless Doolittle gets ratted out by his good buddy Jack Abramoff, gets indicted and sent to Fed-ex, I'll just have to wait. |
Paul Kalamaras
Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Wxwatcher_007
Post Number: 2
Registered: 11-2006
Best of Black Box? N/A
Votes: 0 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 5:32 pm: |
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Bev,
Your doing a great job here. I read menu posts here with the main issue of the MS Access database. The point here is that Diebold has not done a very good
job in having a secure means to protect these votes, end of story!. First of all there should be an SOP or standard operating procedure and QA written by the state or Feds. You have 3 vendors for the bids. You set the guidelines not them and NO SECRECY!. Form an indepedent team with scientists, data processors, programmers and QA people to find a way to create a final requirement that would protect the recording of these machines as well as required an extra person as a watch dog or final QA person after the polls close to check all paper trail printouts.
Finally, the whole machine should be secured and sealed from anyone trying to get into the machine, the internal part. Also, consider certified methodolgy procedure in the process of the final vote count. An indepedent amount that would be good would be about 7. Each one of their own expertise as well as a person from the public as you to fulfill the process, this will set the way for a very good standard operating procedure and QA program. If there is any doubt with the counts then there should be a total recount of all the votes made. Also law enforcement such as the sheriff should be the security person to investigate any wrong doing or suspect tampering. Perhaps video cameras at the election offices would suffice in a discreet area used only for final voting tabuilations.
I hope that I may have given some ideas. I work as an environmental engineer. We take very strongly as to the methods used to measure and evaluate test data and confirm the methodologies from the Feds. We also require witnessing any environmental tests. The point here is that we must verify everything from the validity of the data and to the Quality Assurance of any recording device and measurements of any electronic datalogger.
On a side note, I need to get proof of my absentee ballot results to make sure that the votes I had were the ones I picked. Bev, how do I handle this?
I need to go to the Supervisor of Elections office and ask for the copy of the scan made? I live in Palm Beach County. If there is any known discrepancies I will tell you.
Paul |
Vickie Karp
Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Vickie_karp
Post Number: 29
Registered: 12-2004
Best of Black Box? N/A
Votes: 0 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 7:40 am: |
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Our job is really cut out for us now, with a good portion of the population (Democrats) backing off this issue because they think everything is okay now! As Bev experienced during some of her recent media interviews, now conservative Republicans may become the ally. Regardless of which party aligns itself with us, the problem of e-voting fraud remains as serious as ever. As Bev said on Alex Jones' show the day after the election, "Nothing has changed with
these machines in the last 24 hours!"
I feel exhausted by the massive efforts so many of us here exerted prior to and including election day to educate voters and get whatever media attention possible to the issue. Yet here is Bev, working day and night, an example of tireless patriotism, to continue the battle ahead. Let's all take a nap, get up refreshed, and continue to get after it! Bev is giving us all the ammunition we can use!
Vickie |
dan monte
Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Danmonte
Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2006
Best of Black Box? N/A
Votes: 0 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 5:47 pm: |
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Counting CA votes
Over the course of 4 days I copied the Sect States web postings of the Cal vote.
On Nov. 9 I down loaded the Assembly and Stated Senate Votes, the State wide positions and the County Stats, where the total county turnout is shown.
I then entered the info into an Excel spread sheet. By Saturday I realised that I had not copied the Congressional votes, which I then did. After entering all this info into the spread sheet I found numerous cases where the total congressional vote was over 100% of the total county turnout. Today, Nov. 13, I went back to the Sect. State web site and found that numerous counties updated their information, San Diego found more than 60,000 votes.
OK, this is totally frustrating at this time. Is there somewhere this information can be obtained in spread sheet form? Or are there any folks out there who would want to share the load? Should we wait for a final posting date? When would that be? |
Bob Dean
Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Rcdean
Post Number: 3
Registered: 01-2006
Best of Black Box? N/A
Votes: 0 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 6:08 am: |
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Dan Monte,
What format are you getting the data in? Are you importing it into excel or hand entering it? I may be able to help import it, depending on the format.
Bob Dean |
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