Security Bites 118: Voting in America
Voting--it's the cornerstone of our democracy. But in recent years, both the systems we use and the trust we have in the accuracy of our votes have been challenged.
A new report (PDF) looks at all the systems currently in use--from paper ballots to Direct-Recording Electronic machines--and the issues that surround them. Researchers at Fortify analyzed threats against three phases of an election (voter registration, casting votes, and tabulating votes), highlighting specific ways voting systems have been compromised, summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of current voting techniques, and then providing guidance for voters to ensure their votes are handled properly in upcoming elections.
This week, Robert Vamosi spoke with co-authors Brian Chess and Jacob West of Fortify about their report.
Not surprisingly, Chess and West draw parallels between the electronic systems handling our votes and those that handle our financial transactions. They conclude with several ways the federal and state governments can work with voting machine vendors to adopt business software assurance techniques into the systems they create.
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As CNET's resident security expert, Robert Vamosi has been interviewed on the BBC, CNN, MSNBC, and other outlets to share his knowledge about the latest online threats and to offer advice on personal and corporate security. Listen to his podcast at securitybites.cnet.com or e-mail Robert with your questions and comments. 
Robert Vamosi has appeared on CNN, NBC, ABC, MSNBC, and various other media outlets as an expert on computer viruses, spyware, identity theft, phishing, and other criminal activities on the Internet.
I do not think that the nation should see these polls at all. Who cares? We're just furthering the pack mentality. If the liberal media says that Obama is winning then the remaining sheep want to pile behind the supposed winner. This is what the liberal media fools hope will happen.
I think we can all make up our own minds. We dont need any biased media telling us what is supposed to happen and how we are supposed to make it so.
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That was the one statement I can agree with. All that "left-wing liberal media" bull is laughable though - you realize that "liberal media" just means "unwilling to kill fuhrer bushit's backside like faux news does".
Oh, and you should be prepared - mcSHAME has no chance whatsoever unless he cheats the election like fuhrer bushit did. That's the consequence of 8 years of trying to ruin America. Repukes are toast.
A VOTE FOR MCSHAME IS A TREASONOUS ACT AGAINST AMERICA!
As interesting, and ultimately more important, is the 'electoral system'. In one different electoral system, voters would rate candidates from 1-10. The highest cumulative score wins. A system better than our current one would presumably guard against the 'Nader Effect', where it is suspected that Ralph Nader and Al Gore split votes enough to let George Bush collect the most of the three.
My information comes from a book review in the Nov-Dec 2008 issue of American Scientist. The book is 'Gaming the Vote: Why Elections Aren't Fair (and What We Can Do About It), by William Poundstone (Hill & Wang).
A wide discussion on the topic can only be beneficial.
I have had no problem with ANY type of ballot I have used. If a person cannot figure it out even with all the help you get to understand how to use which ever method is being used, then you should stay home because you are too stupid to vote.
I have also noted that the only areas that have recounts and complaints of voter fraud, or where people have said they were kept from voting are run by democrats.
Ohio had thousands and thousands of people come into the state to get out the vote. They were put up in houses for at least a 30 day period. In Ohio you are allowed to register and vote if you have an address for at least 30 days. Many of those that came into Ohio to get out the vote admitted that they themselves had registered and voted in Ohio even though they had homes in other states. There are over 200,000 new registrations. Micky and Minnie are registered many times, but we cannot question these registrations. Yes the secretary of state this election cycle is a democrat.
To slow voter fraud down we need to eliminate motor voter, use picture ID's to vote, live 6 months in a state before you can GO IN to register and other than absentee ballots there should be no early voting. If it is too inconvenient for to get to the polls with all the people who will pick you up and take you to vote then you don't need to vote.
For years this has worked and now all of a sudden it doesn't? I don't think so.
- by lkbrown5 November 3, 2008 12:33 PM PST
- It's worse than the article suggests.
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(9 Comments)Democracy as we know it ended in the US. Sigh.
http://www.truthout.org/110308A