www.oregonvrc.org the illusion of democracy: an urgent call to action for national election reform...
TRANSCRIPT
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
The Illusion of Democracy:The Illusion of Democracy:
An Urgent Call to Action for National Election Reform
An Urgent Call to Action for National Election Reform
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
Prepared byPrepared by
Oregon Voter Rights CoalitionOregon Voter Rights Coalition
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.org
June 2006June 2006
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Shaken Voter ConfidenceShaken Voter Confidence
In 2000, a post-election Harris Poll estimated that 20-30 million Americans did not trust the validity of the Presidential election results
Before the 2004 election, a poll by the legal website FindLaw.com found that 42% of voters already did not trust the new electronic touchscreen voting machines
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
A Jan. 2005 National Annenberg Election Survey interviewed 100,000 voters and found that 30% of American voters—representing over 36 million voters— were not confident that their vote had been counted accurately in 2004
Shaken Voter ConfidenceShaken Voter Confidence
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The initial results of a May 2006 Zogby People’s poll of Pennsylvania voters, commissioned by OpEdNews, found that the majority of people who do not use Fox News as their primary news source believe that the 2004 presidential election was stolen
Shaken Voter ConfidenceShaken Voter Confidence
The analysis found “that except for viewers of right wing news show, Fox News, poll respondents believe that the 2004 presidential election was stolen”
Shaken Voter ConfidenceShaken Voter ConfidenceViewers (by Network) in PA Who Believe
the 2004 Election Was Stolen(May 2006 Zogby Poll)
70%
65%
64%
56%
56%
49%
0.5%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
FOX
NBC
OTHER
ABC
CBS
MSNBC
CNN
Pri
mar
y N
etw
ork
Wat
ched
Percent of Viewers Source: OpEdNews.com
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
with the right election commissioners, he could get the machines to sing “Home Sweet Home.”
He also wanted to be buried in Louisiana “so he could remain active in politics after his death”.
After the invention of lever voting machines, Dem. Gov. Earl Long of Louisianaonce boasted that,
Governor Earl Long
May His Voice Live On!
This Is NOT a Partisan IssueThis Is NOT a Partisan Issue
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Other Election Rigging ExamplesOther Election Rigging Examples
1948: Democrat Lyndon Johnson’s U.S. Senate victory in Texas over Republican Coke Stevenson, earning him the name “Landslide Lyndon”
2000: Florida’s Republican Gov. Jeb Bush and Secretary of State Katherine Harris’ disenfranchising felon database
2003: Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Delay’s gerrymandering in Texas
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The Founder’s IntentThe Founder’s Intent
When the American founders developed our democratic framework, one of the things they understood with absolute
clarity was that there are some things that We the People do for ourselves — where
We the People hold the rights
These things areknown as
The CommonsThe Commons
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The CommonsThe Commons
All of these things are currently under attack
by privatization
public schools
public lands
public roads
police/fire dept.
the water we drink
the air we breath
the internet
public airwaves
Examples include:
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The most precious of all The Commons is
The CommonsThe Commons
The vote is the beating heart of democracy!
In a healthy democracy, every citizen’s vote is
sacred
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
“In a democratic republican form of government such as ours, where
people place the political power in the hands of their representatives, voting is
the only legitimate way to transfer power from the people to the
government” *
* Ex parte Yarbrough, 110 U.S. 651, 667 (U.S., 1884)
Legitimate Transfer of PowerLegitimate Transfer of Power
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Having an honest and transparent
election system for all American
citizens is therefore the cornerstone of
our government and our society
Legitimate Transfer of PowerLegitimate Transfer of Power
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
PurposePurpose
The purpose of this presentation is to sound an alarm that our elections and the electorate are no longer
under the control of the American people
Partisan politicians are privatizing our local and national election systems through the
2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
Brief Review of the 2000 Presidential Election
Brief Review of the 2000 Presidential Election
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
At 2:16 a.m. on Nov. 8, 2000, Fox News declared that the pivotal state of Florida
had gone for George W. Bush
Election Night, Nov. 7-8, 2000Election Night, Nov. 7-8, 2000
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Minutes later, other news organizations joined Fox News in calling Florida for Bush
Election Night Nov. 7-8, 2000Election Night Nov. 7-8, 2000
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
At Fox News Network, the person at the helm of the election decision teamwas John Ellis
The election numbers he was working from were not official, but the viewers did not know that. Nor did theyknow that Ellis was G.W. Bush’s first cousin
Election Night Nov. 7-8, 2000Election Night Nov. 7-8, 2000
John Ellis
Ellis was in phone contact
with cousin G.W. Bush throughout
election night
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
the networks were forced to retract the Florida call
for Bush
Two hours later,
Election Night Nov. 7-8, 2000Election Night Nov. 7-8, 2000
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The strategy was a complete success— creating a lasting impression that Bush
had already won the election
Election Strategy a SuccessElection Strategy a Success
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
Overview of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
of 2002
Overview of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
of 2002
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
On Oct. 29, 2002, President Bush signed the Help America Vote Act
The stated intent of HAVA was to correct
many of the problems that
occurred in the 2000 election
HAVA Signed by President BushHAVA Signed by President Bush
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
HAVA established the Election Assistance Commission, in part, to“establish a program to provide funds to
States to replace punch card voting systems”
As of Dec. 1, 2005, over $2.3 billion in payments had been distributed to states,
including $27.8 million to Oregon
EACEAC
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
don’t appear on the official list of eligible voters have their eligibility challenged by an election
official
HAVA introduced Provisional Ballots, a.k.a. Placebo Ballots
“Individuals shall be permitted to cast a provisional ballot if they present themselves to vote at a polling place in an election for Federal office and either”:
Provisional BallotsProvisional Ballots
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
“Diebold paid some $275,000 to [Jack] Abramoff’s firm, Greenberg Traurig, with the apparent aim of keeping legislation requiring paper trails in the voting process from getting into HAVA. Conveniently, Abramoff pal [Rep.] Bob Ney
According to an April 2006 article in Rolling Stone Magazine:
No Paper Trails in HAVANo Paper Trails in HAVA
[R-OH], one of the HAVA architects, blocked every attempt to put paper trails into law.” Jack Abramoff
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
Election SystemsElection Systems
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Registered voter records / database
Ballots
Ballot definition files (BDFs) for electronic systems
Voting systems
Vote counting systems
Components of Election SystemsComponents of Election Systems
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Voting SystemsVoting Systems
Lever machines
Electronic voting (e-voting/DRE)
1 Paper ballot system
Hand-marked paper ballots1,2
Punch cards1
2 Includes optical scan systems
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Vote Counting SystemsVote Counting Systems
Electronic tabulators* (centrally located, such as at the county elections office)
– includes optical scan systems
* Electronic election system
Hand-counting
Source: Verified Voting, http://verifiedvoting.org/article.php?id=5135
Electronic tabulators (centrally located) are used for optical scan, electronic voting, punch card, and lever machine systems
Voting Technologies Used in the 2004 ElectionVoting Technologies Used in the 2004 Election
Technology /
Characteristic
Optical Scan ElectronicVoting
Punch Card Lever Machine Paper Ballot
Expected use inNov. 2004
32% 29% 19% 13% <1%
Ballottechnolog
Paper
Labeledchoices on a
computerscreen
PaperLabeled
mechanicallevers
Paper
In-precinctcountingtechnology
Electronic Electronic ElectronicManual /Electronic
Manual
Central countingtechnology
Electronic Electronic Electronic Electronic Electronic
Ballots can beverified by thevoter or manuallychecked during arecount or audit.
YesSome are
equipped withpaper ballots
Yes No Yes
Technology /
Characteristic
Optical Scan ElectronicVoting
Punch Card Lever Machine Paper Ballot
Expected use inNov. 2004
32% 29% 19% 13% <1%
Ballottechnolog
Paper
Labeledchoices on a
computerscreen
PaperLabeled
mechanicallevers
Paper
Expected use inNov. 2004
32% 29% 19% 13% <1%
Ballottechnolog
Paper
Labeledchoices on a
computerscreen
PaperLabeled
mechanicallevers
Paper
In-precinctcountingtechnology
Electronic Electronic ElectronicManual /Electronic
Manual
Central countingtechnology
Electronic Electronic Electronic Electronic Electronic
In-precinctcountingtechnology
Electronic Electronic ElectronicManual /Electronic
Manual
Central countingtechnology
Electronic Electronic Electronic Electronic Electronic
Ballots can beverified by thevoter or manuallychecked during arecount or audit.
YesSome are
equipped withpaper ballots
Yes No Yes
Ballots can beverified by thevoter or manuallychecked during arecount or audit.
YesSome are
equipped withpaper ballots
Yes No Yes
32% 29% 19% 13% <1%
Technology
Expected use in Nov. 2004
Optical Scan Electronic Voting
Punch Card Lever Machine
Paper Ballot
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
ALL electronic election systems, including e-voting (touchscreen/DRE) and optical scan systems, currently use proprietary, undisclosed software, i.e., secret vote counting
There is NO government or public examination of the software for inaccurate or malicious code
Voting TechnologiesVoting Technologies
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Paper ballots with “fill in the oval” or similar type of voter-marked paper ballot system
Tabulated data is compiled on computer; the potential may exist for undetectable hacking and tampering with election results in database
Data transferred via disk or electronically
John JohnsonPete PetersonLars Larson
Contest 1
Your County
Sven Svenson
John JohnsonPete PetersonLars Larson
Contest 1
Your County
Sven Svenson
Optical Scan Voting SystemsOptical Scan Voting SystemsOptical Scan Machine reads the paper ballots using an electronic Ballot Definition File (BDF) and votes are tabulated using proprietary, trade secret software
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Numerous studies and test demonstrations have shown that current electronic election systems, including paper ballot/optical scan
systems, can have serious security flaws and potential for error
Electronic Election SystemsElectronic Election Systems
So what’s the big controversy about these systems?
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Computer scientists have been some of the primary activists leading the fight against electronic voting machines and tabulators
that use proprietary (trade secret) software
Dr. Avi Rubin
Technical Director of the Information Security Institute at Johns Hopkins
University
Dr. Rebecca Mercuri
Research Fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of
Government
Dr. David Dill
Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University
Who Opposes These Systems?Who Opposes These Systems?
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Test Demo. Discovers FlawsTest Demo. Discovers Flaws
Recent News – Spring 2006:
Harri Hursti, a computer programming expert from Finland, working with Bev Harris of Black Box Voting, discov-ered a major security flaw in the Popular Diebold AccuVote TSx e-voting system
See Hursti’s reports at www.blackboxvoting.org
Harri Hursti
Finnish computer programming expert
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The machines can be contaminated through:
network connections (wireless or otherwise)
PCMCIA cards
other peripheral devices
Hursti’s FindingsHursti’s Findings
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Hursti’s FindingsHursti’s Findings
There are several backdoors that pose security risks
each backdoor exists in 3 layers and allows the system to be modified in extremely flexible ways without even basic levels of security involved
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The design allows someone to take over the computer motherboard and turn it into a zombie
Anyone with a screwdriver and a $20 electronic gadget bought at Fry’s can take control of the machines
Hursti’s FindingsHursti’s Findings
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
“[T]hese attacks are permanent in nature, surviving through the election cycles. Therefore, the contamination can happen at any point of the device's life cycle and remain active and undetected from the point of contamination on through multiple election cycles and even soft-ware upgrade cycles.” ~ Harri Hursti
Hursti’s FindingsHursti’s Findings
Source: Hursti, Harri. 2006. Diebold TSx Evaluation – SECURITY ALERT: May 11, 2006 Critical Security Issues with Diebold TSx; Black Box Voting, Inc. (www.blackboxvoting.org)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
“What Mr. Hursti discovered in Utah is the most serious vulnerability that we've ever seen in a voting system. This particular vulnerability is serious enough that you
can affect multiple machines from a single attack. That's what makes it so
dangerous.”
~ David Jefferson, the Computer Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory who independently reviewed Hursti's work for
California's Secretary of State, Bruce McPherson
Comments on Hursti’s FindingsComments on Hursti’s Findings
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
“It is like the nuclear bomb for e-voting systems. It's the deal breaker. It really makes the security flaws that we
found (in prior years) look trivial.”~ Avi Rubin, computer science professor,
Johns Hopkins University
Comments on Hursti’s FindingsComments on Hursti’s Findings
Dr. Avi Rubin
Technical Director of the Information Security Institute at Johns Hopkins University
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Optical Scan Security FlawsOptical Scan Security Flaws
June 3, 2005, Leon County, Florida:
In a test demonstration done in conjunction with Black Box Voting and with the consent of Leon County Elections Supervisor Ion Sancho, Harri Hursti was able to hack into a Diebold optical scan system undetectably and change the results of a test election
-- known as the “Hursti Hack”
Harri Hursti
Finnish computer programming expert
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
“The Diebold optical scan system uses a dangerous programming methodology, with an executable program living inside the [memory card of the] electronic ballot box. This method is the equivalent of having a little man living in the ballot box, holding an eraser and a pencil.”
Hursti Hack FindingsHursti Hack Findings
Source: OnLineJournal.com (www.onlinejournal.com/evoting/060305BBV/060305bbv.html)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The Black Box Voting team “proved that the Diebold optical scan program, housed on a chip inside the voting machine, places a call to a program living in the removable memory card during the election. (contd.)
Hursti Hack FindingsHursti Hack Findings
Source: OnLineJournal.com (www.onlinejournal.com/evoting/060305BBV/060305bbv.html)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
(contd.) The demonstration also showed that the executable program on the memory card (ballot box) can easily be changed, and that checks and balances, required by FEC standards to catch unauthorized changes, were not implemented by Diebold—yet the system was certified anyway.”
Hursti Hack FindingsHursti Hack Findings
Source: OnLineJournal.com (www.onlinejournal.com/evoting/060305BBV/060305bbv.html)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Routine logic & accuracy tests — touted by election officials across the nation as being the gold standard for discovering problems — will not catch this type of manipulation
Hursti Hack FindingsHursti Hack Findings
-- See Hursti’s reports at www.blackboxvoting.org
Harri Hursti
Finnish computer programming expert
Source: OnLineJournal.com (www.onlinejournal.com/evoting/060305BBV/060305bbv.html)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Brennan Center StudyBrennan Center Study
Latest News – June 27, 2006:
The Brennan Center for Justice, a non-partisan think tank at NY University
School of Law, released a report on its year-long study of vulnerabilities in
electronic election systems
Task force participants: internationally renowned government, academic, and private-sector scientists, voting machine experts and security professionals
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The task force examined the 3 primary types of electronic election systems:
e-voting without a paper trail
e-voting with a voter-verified paper trail
precinct count optical scan systems
These systems account for 80% of the voting machines that will be used in Nov.'s election
Brennan Center StudyBrennan Center Study
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
ALL of these electronic election systems “have significant security and reliability vulnerabilities”
There are more than 120 security threats to these systems
Brennan Center Study FindingsBrennan Center Study Findings
Source: Brennan Center (http://brennancenter.org/programs/downloads/Executive%20Summary.pdf)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
ALL of these systems “are equally vulnerable to an attack involving the insertion of corrupt software or other software attack programs designed to take over a voting machine”
Such attacks could threaten the integrity of a state or national election
Brennan Center Study FindingsBrennan Center Study Findings
Source: Brennan Center (http://brennancenter.org/programs/downloads/Executive%20Summary.pdf)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Random, transparent audits of the paper records or ballots are necessary to enhance security
Brennan Center Study FindingsBrennan Center Study Findings
Source: Brennan Center (http://brennancenter.org/programs/downloads/Executive%20Summary.pdf)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Electronic election systems are also prone to mechanical problems and error
Many, many such problems have been documented, some that have actually
changed the election outcome and were corrected only with a hand count
(For an extensive list of documented errors and problems, see Voters Unite’s website at www.votersunite.org/)
Other Documented ProblemsOther Documented Problems
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Basic errors or outright manipulation with electronic election systems can affect tens of thousands of votes or more, rather than just the hundreds
that might be impacted by paper errors or manipulation
What’s the Impact?What’s the Impact?
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
“Nationwide, according to the federal commission charged with implementing election reforms, as many as 1 million
ballots were spoiled [in the 2004 election] by faulty voting equipment – roughly one
for every 100 cast.”~ Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Other Documented ProblemsOther Documented Problems
Source: Kennedy, Robert F., Jr. 2006. Was the 2004 Election Stolen? Rolling Stone Magazine, 6/1/06 (http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/was_the_2004_election_stolen)Article also found at CommonDreams.org (http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0601-34.htm)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Who would YOU rather believe about the security and accuracy of current electronic election systems —
private, for-profit vendors with close ties to a political party and/or a foreign government, or
computer scientists and computer security experts?
Who Would You Believe?Who Would You Believe?
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Criticism of electronic election systems is NOT a criticism of our election officials
and workers, whose jobs are to ensure elections are conducted properly
The problems with the current e-election systems and processes are beyond their
control
Criticism Where DueCriticism Where Due
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
Electronic Election System Company Ownerships
Electronic Election System Company Ownerships
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
According to Spokesmen: According to Spokesmen:
there is NO federal agency with regulatory authority over the elections industry
there are NO government standards or restrictions on who can sell or service voting machines and systems
there is NO agency or organization that even has a complete list of voting machine companies in the U.S.
In other words, the vendors are policing themselvesIn other words, the vendors are policing themselves
Jorge MartinezUnited States Election Justice Department
Brian HancockUnited States Election Assistance Commission
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Top 3 Companies in the U.S.Top 3 Companies in the U.S.
ES&S and Diebold together tabulate 80% of the votes in the U.S.
Sequoia has 1/3 of the electronic voting machines on the market
1.
2.
3.
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
1980: American Information Systems (AIS) was founded by brothers Bob and Ted Urosevich
1999: AIS became ES&S
Bob Urosevich
Ted Urosevich
ES&SES&S
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Half of the company startup money for AIS came from millionaires William & Howard Ahmanson, Jr.
Howard F. Ahmanson, Jr.
Background of AIS / ES&SBackground of AIS / ES&S
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
A Christian Reconstructionist / Dominionist, he stated in the Orange County Register hisgoal of replacing constitutionallaw in the U.S. with Biblical law
Openly advocated a radical plan for the theocratic takeover of America
Who’s Howard Ahmanson, Jr. ?Who’s Howard Ahmanson, Jr. ?
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Currently a member of the ultra-right wing Council for National Policy
Provides millions of dollars to causes that are designed to discredit and defeat the teaching of Darwin’s theory of evolution and the promotion of teaching “Intelligent Design”
Who’s Howard Ahmanson, Jr.? Who’s Howard Ahmanson, Jr.?
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
During the 2004
elections, the
companies run
by the Urosevich
brothers counted
an alarming 80%
of the votes
Urosevich Brothers’ Influence Urosevich Brothers’ Influence
DieboldPresident: Bob Urosevich
ES&SVice Pres.: Ted Urosevich
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
When Bob Urosevich
left ES&S for Diebold,
he was replaced at
ES&S by new CEO
Chuck Hagel
Chuck Hagel, New CEO at ES&S Chuck Hagel, New CEO at ES&S
Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
In 1995, Hagel was running the voting machine company that would count the votes in his 1996 bid for the U.S. Senate
He was trailing in the polls to his opponent, former Gov. Ben Nelson, 65% to 18%, yet Hagel amazingly came from behind to win with 56% of the vote
He was the first Republican Senate winner in the state in 24 years
In both the 1996 and 2002 elections, ES&S counted 85% of the votes in Nebraska
Chuck Hagel, New CEO at ES&S Chuck Hagel, New CEO at ES&S
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Senator Hagel retains a
$1 - $5 million ownership in
ES&S’s parent company,
McCarthy Group, as he
contemplates a run for the
Presidency in
2008
Chuck Hagel, New CEO at ES&S Chuck Hagel, New CEO at ES&S
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
In the 2004 election, Dieboldcounted 50% of the votes in
30 states
Diebold’s Influence Diebold’s Influence
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
“I am committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year.”
In August 2003, Wally O’Dell, the CEO of Diebold and a major donor to the Bush campaign, invited 100 wealthy fellow partisans to a fundraiser at his mansion in suburban Canton, Ohio. His invitation stated:
Diebold’s CEO, Wally O’Dell Diebold’s CEO, Wally O’Dell
Wally O’Dell
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Wally O’Dell
Diebold’s CEO, Wally O’Dell Diebold’s CEO, Wally O’Dell
O’Dell resigned his position in Dec. 2005 after whistleblower allegations that Diebold may have mishandled elections in Georgia and Ohio in 2004
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Prior to the 2004 election, Diebold employed 5 convicted felons as senior managers and software developers to help write central compiler computer code that counted the votes
Diebold’s Employees Diebold’s Employees
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Prior to being hired by Diebold, Dean had been convicted on 23 counts of felony theft in the 1st degree
He had been convicted of planting back doors in his software using a “high degree of sophistication” to evade detection while stealing a half million dollars over a period of 2 years
One of those convicted felons was Jeff Dean, Senior Vice-President and senior programmer on Diebold’s central compiler code
Diebold’s Employees Diebold’s Employees
Jeff Dean
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Turns out that Dean and Elder met in prison while Elder was serving a 5-year sentence for cocaine trafficking
Cedar Creek Correctional Facility
Elder went on to manage a Diebold division respon-sible for printing election ballots and punch cards
When word of Dean’s past began to surface, Diebold demoted him to a consultant status, replacing him with John Elder
Diebold’s Employees Diebold’s Employees
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Sequoia began as American Voting Machine under the control of
stockholders in Rockwell, a major defense contractor in the 1960’s
Sequoia Voting SystemsSequoia Voting Systems
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Resigned in 1973 and later went to prison, after being indicted by NY Federal Grand Jury for bribing Buffalo, NY election officials
Lloyd DixonFounder & CEO
Convicted of bribing Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas
Louis WolfsonNext Owner
Convicted on charges related to bribing the Louisiana Commissioner of Elections, paying $8-10 million over a 10-year period
Phil FosterRegional Mgr.
Rocco RicciSoutheast Rep.
Sequoia’s EmployeesSequoia’s Employees
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Sequoia’s parent company is now Smartmatic International Company
Sequoia’s Foreign TiesSequoia’s Foreign Ties
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Discovering the ownership of Sequoia was difficult. According to Illinois officials
in April 2006, it took them tracing it through “four countries, two hemispheres
and three shell corporations.”
Sequoia’s Foreign TiesSequoia’s Foreign Ties
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
What they found was that Smartmatic International Company is owned by Venezuelans with close ties to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
Sequoia’s Foreign TiesSequoia’s Foreign Ties
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Triad is a smaller company but played a key role in the 2000 and 2004 elections in
Florida and Ohio
Owner Tod Rapp is a generous donor to the Republican Party as well as to
President George W. Bush’s campaign
TriadTriad
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Rapp is also President of the Psephos Corp., a Triad affiliate, which supplied the notorious butterfly ballot used in Palm Beach County, Florida in the 2000presidential election
You can still order a commemorative butterfly ballot set from the Psephos website for just $59.95 Palm Beach Butterfly Ballot Set
TriadTriad
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
In the summer of 2003, Rep. Peter King (R-NY), while at a function on the White House lawn, was interviewed on film by Alexandra Pelosi for her documentary, Diary of a Political Tourist. King exalted, “It’s already over. The election’s over. We won.”
When asked by Pelosi how he knew that Bush would win, King answered, “It’s all over but the counting. And we’ll take care of the counting.”
Rep. King and President Bush on Air Force One
Prophetic StatementProphetic Statement
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
So why has Karl Rove so boldly predicted a Republican dynasty for the next 40 years?
Republican PredictionRepublican Prediction
Karl Rove (Senior Advisor and
Deputy Chief of Staff in the Bush Administration)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The entire state of Oregon now uses optical scan election systems
In 2004, 98% of Oregon’s votes were tabulated (counted) on machines
manufactured byAIS, BRC, ES&S, and Sequoia
Election Systems in OregonElection Systems in Oregon
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
Problems With the 2004 Federal Election
Problems With the 2004 Federal Election
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Ohio Secretary of State during the 2004 elections
Co-Chair of Ohio’s 2004 Bush re-election campaign
Problems in OhioProblems in Ohio
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Blackwell’s actions resulted in the suppression and disenfranchisement
of well over 100,000 voters in Ohio
Ohio – Sec. of State BlackwellOhio – Sec. of State Blackwell
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Ohio – Sec. of State BlackwellOhio – Sec. of State Blackwell
On Sept. 7th, 2004, all county boards of elections were ordered to reject all voter registration forms not printed on white, uncoated paper of not less than 80 lb. text weight
Limited the use of provisional ballots, effectively disenfranchising over 100,000 citizens (according to Ohio’s Republican Gov. Bob Taft) by using a narrow interpretation of HAVA requirements
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Provided insufficient voting machines in more minority, less affluent, and Democratic areas, causing tens of thousands of voters to wait in lines for up to 10 hours
(How many voters couldn’t afford to wait for several hours and gave up?)
Mark Duncan / Associated Press
Ohio – Sec. of State BlackwellOhio – Sec. of State Blackwell
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
On Nov 2nd (Election Day), he banned all press and exit pollsters from Ohio’s voting places
Arranged Ohio’s post-election recount schedule so as to leave no time for adequate recounts
Has yet to file a compliance report with the Government Services Administration, which had given him $41 million to enforce the Help America Vote Act in Ohio
Now a candidate for Ohio Governor
Ohio – Sec. of State BlackwellOhio – Sec. of State Blackwell
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
July 2, 2004 – consulting firm employed by the Ohio Democratic Party
Oct. 11, 2004 – Lucas County Democratic headquarters in Toledo
Ohio – Other Dirty TricksOhio – Other Dirty Tricks
The only items taken were computers containing highly sensitive campaign-related information and Democratic voter lists/strong Kerry supporters
Break-ins at Democratic campaign offices:
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Bob Bennett, Republican Chair of the Cuyahoga Board of Elections (BOE) and Chair of the Ohio Republican Party, has confirmed that prior to the 2004 elections, his BOE eliminated — without public notice — a staggering 175,414 voters from the Cleveland-area voter registration rolls
Ohio – Other Dirty TricksOhio – Other Dirty Tricks
Massive Voter Suppression:
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The Republican Party used a technique called “caging,” where they sent registered letters to newly registered voters in minority and urban areas, and then challenged the voting eligibility of 35,000 individuals who refused to sign for the letter or if the mail came back undeliverable
Massive Voter Suppression:
Ohio – Other Dirty TricksOhio – Other Dirty Tricks
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The available data shows that “in Ohio alone, at least 357,000 voters, the over-whelming majority of them Democratic,
were prevented from casting ballots or did not have their votes counted in 2004”Source: Kennedy, Robert F., Jr. 2006. Was the 2004 Election Stolen? Rolling Stone Magazine, 6/1/06 (http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/was_the_2004_election_stolen)Article also found at CommonDreams.org (http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0601-34.htm)
Ohio – Summary of ProblemsOhio – Summary of Problems
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
In Ohio, the final machine tallies showed George W. Bush had 118,000 more votes than John Kerry — an average winning margin of less than 6 votes per precinct
Ohio – 2004 Election ResultsOhio – 2004 Election Results
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Over 7 million Americans live and work abroad — a global bloc some call the 51st state
In addition to active and retired military, these citizens include a large number of professionals who are young, college-educated, multi-lingual, and progressive
Overseas VotesOverseas Votes
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The Dept. of Defense is responsible for administering the overseas votes,
military and civilian, through the Federal Voting Assistance Program
(FVAP) and its website(www.fvap.gov)
Overseas Votes – D.o.D. TacticsOverseas Votes – D.o.D. Tactics
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The FVAP’s website makes ballots more accessible abroad and serves
as a clearinghouse for electoral requirements for all 50 states
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Overseas Votes – D.o.D. TacticsOverseas Votes – D.o.D. Tactics
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
A Zogby poll of active passport holders, released in August 2004,
found Kerry was favored over Bush 58% to 35%
Overseas Votes – D.o.D. TacticsOverseas Votes – D.o.D. Tactics
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
On August 23, 2004, at the height of overseas voter registration requests, the
FVAP website suddenly shut down, becoming inaccessible to civilians using
several foreign internetservice providers from
25 countries.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Overseas Votes – D.o.D. TacticsOverseas Votes – D.o.D. Tactics
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
According to the FVAP’s web manager, Susan Leader, access was blocked due to users constantly attempting to hack
these sites. “We do not expect theblock to be lifted.”
An Army officer involved in the admin-istration of the U.S. vote in Germany called this claim “patently ridiculous”
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Overseas Votes – D.o.D. TacticsOverseas Votes – D.o.D. Tactics
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The website stayed down until Sept. 22nd, 6 weeks before Election Day, making it much more likely that absentee ballots mailed from oversees would arrive too
late to be counted in the election
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Overseas Votes – D.o.D. TacticsOverseas Votes – D.o.D. Tactics
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Overseas Votes – D.o.D. TacticsOverseas Votes – D.o.D. Tactics
Result of the website shutdown: Thousands of overseas voters
were disenfranchised
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Summary of Problems in 2004Summary of Problems in 2004
These examples are just the tip of the iceberg of documented voter suppression and disenfranchisement dirty tricks used in Ohio — and several other states — in
the 2004 election
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Summary of Problems in 2004Summary of Problems in 2004
Nationwide, millions of legitimate voters were prevented from casting ballots and
approximately 3,600,380 ballots were cast but never counted
Source: Palast, Greg. 2006. Armed Madhouse. Penguin Group, New York; pp. 189-190.
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Summary of Problems in 2004Summary of Problems in 2004
One estimate is that Kerry won the popular vote by
8 million votes or more*
* According to Mark Crispin Miller, author of the book, Fooled Again, an in-depth study of the 2004 election, as stated in speeches and interviews
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
Exit PollsExit Polls
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The official national election exit poll was conducted by Mitofsky International — an internationally known exit polling firm — and assisted by Edison Media Research
Mitofsky was hired by the NationalElection Pool (NEP), a consortium of the major news organizations — the Associated Press, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, and NBC
2004 Election Exit Poll2004 Election Exit Poll
Warren J. Mitofsky
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Exit Poll ResultsExit Poll Results
In late afternoon of Election Day, exit polls in the presiden-tial election showed that Democratic candidate John Kerry
was winning by a landslide in electoral votes and was ahead by 3% in the popular votes nationwide
John F. Kerry
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
During the late evening/ early morning hours, the final machine tallies showed George Bush the victor in both the popular and electoral votes — a stunning last-minute turn-around
Final Machine Tally ResultsFinal Machine Tally Results
George W. Bushon Election Night 2004
Data in Presidential Race - Election Day 2004
4:00 pm 6:00 pm 8:00 pm 10:00 pm 12:00 am 2:00 am
2
4
6
8
10
Com
pariso
n of
Can
dida
tes'
Sta
ndin
g (P
erce
nt)
Approx. Time (ET)Nov. 2, 2004 Nov. 3, 2004
Legend
Exit Poll Data - BushExit Poll Data - Kerry
Machine-Tallied Count - Bush
election data at polling head- quarters was down, reportedly due to malfunction
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
2
4
6
8
10
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
Machine-Tallied Count - Kerry
2
Total Exit Poll Respondents*
Posted National Exit Poll Data*
= 8,349
= 11,027
= 13,047
= 13,531 (+3.7%)
= 13,660 (+1%)
1 3 4 5
0 0
Graph 1. Candidates' Standing in Exit Polls & Machine Count by Time
5
1
2
3
4
Oregon Voter Rights Coalitionwww.oregonvrc.org
Developed by Beth E. Peterson 03/2005 rev.1a 12/2005
NEP data as released by CNN. The number of respondents represents the total number of
the projection estimates. (Source: <http://www.exitpollz.org>.)
*
Machine Tallies
Exit PollsKerry
Kerry
Bush
Bush
Server
Down5.5% Flip
in Results
+
-
Kerry Bush Kerry Bush Kerry Bush Kerry Bush Kerry Bush
Kerry Bush Kerry Bush Kerry Bush Kerry BushKerry Bush Kerry BushKerry Bush Kerry Bush
Kerry Bush Kerry Bush Kerry Bush Kerry Bush Kerry Bush Kerry Bush
Kerry Bush Kerry Bush
NOV. 2004 ELECTION
Graphs prepared by Beth E. Peterson
Exit Polls vs.Machine Tallies in
11 Battleground States
45
50
55
40
COLORADO
Exit Poll Machine Tally
Tallied vs. Exit Polls = Bush +3.4%
Per
cent
of T
ota
l Vot
es
45
50
55
40
MINNESOTA
Kerry BushExit Poll Machine Tally
Tallied vs. Exit Polls = Bush +5.5%
Per
cent
of T
ota
l Vot
es
45
50
55
40
OHIO
Exit Poll Machine Tally
Tallied vs. Exit Polls = Bush +6.7%
Per
cent
of T
ota
l Vot
es
45
50
55
40
FLORIDA
Exit Poll Machine Tally
Tallied vs. Exit Polls = Bush +4.9%
Per
cent
of T
ota
l Vot
es
45
50
55
40
IOWA
Exit Poll Machine Tally
Tallied vs. Exit Polls = Bush +2.2%
Per
cent
of T
ota
l Vot
es
45
50
55
40
MICHIGAN
Source: CNN news network, as listed inThe Unexplained Exit Poll Discrepancy, by Steven F. Freeman, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Dec. 29, 2004; http://www.appliedresearch.us/sf/Documents/ExitPoll.pdf
Exit Poll Machine Tally
Tallied vs. Exit Polls = Bush +1.6%
Per
cent
of T
ota
l Vot
es
45
50
55
40
NEW MEXICO
Exit Poll Machine Tally
Tallied vs. Exit Polls = Bush +3.7%
Per
cent
of T
ota
l Vot
es
45
50
55
40
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Exit Poll Machine Tally
Tallied vs. Exit Polls = Bush +9.5%
Per
cent
of T
ota
l Vot
es
45
50
55
40
NEVADA
Exit Poll Machine Tally
Tallied vs. Exit Polls = Bush +3.9%
Per
cent
of T
ota
l Vot
es
45
50
55
40
PENNSYLVANIA
Exit Poll Machine Tally
Tallied vs. Exit Polls = Bush +6.5%
Per
cent
of T
ota
l Vot
es
45
50
55
40
WISCONSIN
Exit Poll Machine Tally
Tallied vs. Exit Polls = No Diff.
Per
cent
of T
ota
l Vot
es
Machine Tally
Results
Exit Polls
Correlating “Red Shift” with Electoral College Votes in the Top 10 Critical States
All Critical States
All Non-Critical StatesA
vera
ge P
erc
en
t of
Red
Sh
ift5 Critical States with the
Greatest “Red Shift” (NH, OH, PA, MN, FL)5 Critical States with the Least “Red Shift” (NV, NM, CO, IA, MI)
Tota
l Ele
cto
ral C
olleg
e V
ote
s
Source: Webb Mealy, Ph.D. http://www.selftest.net/redshift.htm
The 5 critical states with the greatest discrepancy between exit poll results and tabulated results also commanded nearly twice as many Electoral Votes as the other 5 critical states
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Explanation for DiscrepancyExplanation for Discrepancy
by the media and political pundits was that the presidential exit polls
were flawed and exit polls in general are not accurate
The predominant explanation promoted
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Historically, exit polls have proven to be very accurate, often to within
½ of 1% (0.005)
Discrepancies between exit polls and the final vote counts is solid evidence that something in the
election results is wrong
Proven Reliability of Exit PollsProven Reliability of Exit Polls
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Even the Bush administration considers exit polls to be such a
reliable way to expose large-scale fraud that it has helped pay for
election exit polls in other countries
Example: Ukraine 2004
Proven Reliability of Exit PollsProven Reliability of Exit Polls
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Proven Reliability of Exit PollsProven Reliability of Exit Polls
In Nov. 2004, John Tefft, deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, pointed to such a discrepancy to argue that the presidential election in Ukraine had been stolen
Election protesters in Ukraine, Nov. 2004
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The Ukrainians, after protesting en masse in sub-freezing temperatures, got a new presidential election — which resulted in a different winner
Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine
Proven Reliability of Exit PollsProven Reliability of Exit Polls
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
In the 2004 U.S. presidential election, the official explanation for the
discrepancy between the exit polls and the final machine tallies, as stated in the
Edison/Mitofsky report, was thatmore Kerry supporters participated in
the exit poll
Official ExplanationOfficial Explanation
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
However,
the technical section in the E/M report contradicted the conclusion that more Kerry supporters participated in the exit poll
the analysis made the assumption that the machine tallies were correct — it did not consider the possibility that the machine tallies were incorrect and the exit polls correct
Official ExplanationOfficial Explanation
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
To date, the official, final exit poll data has not been released to the public
Official Exit Poll DataOfficial Exit Poll Data
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
According to computer security expert Chuck Herrin,
Additional NoteAdditional Note
“the sudden unreliability of exit polls in the U.S. coincides with the use of paperless electronic
voting machines”
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Discrepancies with substantial swings also occurred in as many as 7 U.S. Senate races —
all in favor of the Republican candidates
Mel Martinez (R-FL) Tom Coburn (R-OK) John Thune (R-SD) Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Jim Bunning (R-KY)
+13% swing
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
+9% swing
U.S. Senate Races - 2004U.S. Senate Races - 2004
Richard Burr (R-NC)
+9% swing
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Note: Paperless electronic voting machines were used in the state
U.S. Senate Race - 2002U.S. Senate Race - 2002
Georgia
+12% swing for Chambliss over Cleland
Max Cleland (D)
Saxby Chambliss (R)
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
In 2003 in California, Republican Arnold Schwarzenneger defeated a popular Latino Democrat who substantially led in polls a week before the election in strongly Democratic California
Georgia 2002: Republican Sonny Perdue defeated incumbent Democratic Governor Roy Barnes after a suspicious 16% election-day swing in the vote
Gubernatorial Races – 2002, 2003Gubernatorial Races – 2002, 2003
Note: Paperless electronic voting machines were used in both states
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
There is no known information available on U.S. House races
regarding anomalies or discrepancies in the 2002 or 2004 elections
U.S. House RacesU.S. House Races
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
ConclusionConclusion
There is no basis for confidence in election results that were based on machine counts tallied with secret
software
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
Is It Voter Fraud or Election Fraud?
Is It Voter Fraud or Election Fraud?
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Voter Fraud vs. Election FraudVoter Fraud vs. Election Fraud
Voter FraudVoter Fraud: fraud perpetrated by the : fraud perpetrated by the individual voter(s)individual voter(s)
Examples: voting more than once, voting Examples: voting more than once, voting when not legally allowed to vote (both when not legally allowed to vote (both felonies)felonies)
Small-scale fraudSmall-scale fraud
Touted remedy: Voter I.D. lawsTouted remedy: Voter I.D. laws
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Election FraudElection Fraud – fraud perpetrated by – fraud perpetrated by others (i.e., candidates or political others (i.e., candidates or political parties) to rig an election, sometimes parties) to rig an election, sometimes with help from corrupt election officialswith help from corrupt election officials
Examples: voter suppression and Examples: voter suppression and disenfranchisement, stuffing of ballot boxdisenfranchisement, stuffing of ballot box
Often large-scale fraudOften large-scale fraud
Remedies: (Varies)Remedies: (Varies)
Voter Fraud vs. Election FraudVoter Fraud vs. Election Fraud
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Which type of fraud do YOU think has been occurring?
HINT: Claims of widespread voter fraud are totally false
Voter Fraud vs. Election FraudVoter Fraud vs. Election Fraud
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
What About the 2006 Mid-Term Elections?
What About the 2006 Mid-Term Elections?
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
A Solution or a Ruse?A Solution or a Ruse?
In the 2004 election, people felt calmed by the illusion that the problems of the 2000 election were being corrected — while
in fact the opposite was happening Voter Lines in Florida, 2004
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
A Sept. 2005 Report to Congress by the Government Accountability Office on electronic voting system security and
reliability identified a long list of vulnerabilities and problems
2005 GAO Report to Congress2005 GAO Report to Congress
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Identified problems included: Weak security controls
System design flaws
Inadequate security testing
Poor security mgmt.
Incorrect system configuration
Inadequate system version controls
Vague and incomplete voting standards
2005 GAO Report to Congress2005 GAO Report to Congress
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
The 2005 GAO report states that, although the Election Assistance Commission has led efforts to address problems, changes have not been implemented. Therefore, there will be little improvement in the 2006 elections
over the 2004 elections.
2005 GAO Report Warning2005 GAO Report Warning
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
40% of all votes will be cast on paperless electronic voting machines (66 million voters)
More than 30.6 million voters will see new voting equipment
2006 Mid-Term Elections2006 Mid-Term Elections
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
Towards a SolutionTowards a Solution
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
ignore the strong evidence of systematic election fraud in the last 3 federal election cycles?
trust private companies like ES&S, Diebold and Sequoia to accurately count our votes?
ignore the estimated 36 million voters who were not confident that their vote in the 2004 election had been counted or counted accurately?
believe that the 2006, 2008, or 2010 elections will be any different if we do nothing to address problems?
Questions to Ask OurselvesQuestions to Ask Ourselves
Can WE THE PEOPLE afford to:
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
WE THE PEOPLE need to take action in order to reclaim our “common right” to
an open, transparent, and verifiable
Actions to TakeActions to Take
election — to reclaim our vote and our
democracy
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Actions to TakeActions to Take
demand that corporations and politicians get out of counting our votes
develop open-source election software for transparency
use a scientifically designed election verification process
WE THE PEOPLE need to:
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Ensuring Election IntegrityEnsuring Election Integrity
Methods of ensuring election integrity:
Logic and Accuracy Test
Audit of Precincts
Countywide or Statewide Verification
Recount
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Methods of Ensuring Election Integrity Methods of Ensuring Election Integrity
Logic and Accuracy Test
Purpose: To test machine calibration
Method: Compares the machine count with a small test deck of paper ballots, e.g. 100 or 1,000 ballots
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Methods of Ensuring Election Integrity Methods of Ensuring Election Integrity
Audit of Precincts
Purpose: To determine if a pattern of machine errors occurred by checking the accuracy of results in a specified percentage of precincts*
Method: The machine count is compared with a hand-recount of paper ballots in a percentage of precincts; a pattern of discrepancies between the counts MAY trigger further investigation
* This method is NOT, in itself, designed to find countywide or statewide inaccuracies or to trigger a countywide or statewide recount
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Methods of Ensuring Election Integrity Methods of Ensuring Election Integrity
Countywide or Statewide Verification
Purpose: To ensure that the certified countywide or statewide results are accurate
Method: Compares the countywide or statewide machine count with a hand-counted, scientifically determined sample of paper ballots; a significant discrepancy between the sample results and the machine results will trigger a mandatory full hand-recount
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Methods of Ensuring Election Integrity Methods of Ensuring Election Integrity
Recount
Purpose: To determine the actual results
Method: Hand-recounting ALL of the paper ballots for the race(s) in doubt
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
Democracy Requires ActionDemocracy Requires Action
We as patriotic individuals need to:
support non-partisan election integrity efforts
become more informed about the FACTS
help raise awareness about the need for election reform
ask your elected officials to support election reform
www.OregonVRC.orgwww.OregonVRC.
org
don’t let another questionable election go unchallenged!
don’t let another questionable election go unchallenged!
Democracy Requires Action Democracy Requires Action
Most importantly,
www.OregonVRC.org
www.OregonVRC.org
For more information, visit
http://www.OregonVRC.org
For more information, visit
http://www.OregonVRC.org
“Either every vote is sacred,or democracy is a sham.”
~David Cobb, 2004 Green Party presidential candidate
“Either every vote is sacred,or democracy is a sham.”
~David Cobb, 2004 Green Party presidential candidate