RSS
Twitter
Washington DC's Primary E-Votes Still Not Adding Up Properly
from the it's-not-like-we've-got-computers-that-can-count dept
You know, the one thing that computers are supposed to be good at is counting things accurately. So why is it so hard to do so when it comes to counting votes? We recently wrote about the case in Washington DC's primaries where election officials were struggling to figure out the source of an awful lot of votes for a non-existent write-in candidate. Sequoia, the makers of the e-voting machines in question, were quick to deny any and all responsibility with the hilariously "thou dost protest too much" statement: "There's absolutely no problem with the machines in the polling places. No. No."
Either way, it appears that officials in DC still can't properly add up the votes properly, and are noting that 13 separate races all show the exact same number of overvotes: 1,542, though no one can explain why. Sequoia continues to stand by its original statement that the problem must be one of human error -- though it fails to explain how simple human error would create 1,542 extra votes in 13 entirely separate races -- and why it didn't design a system that would prevent the ability for "human error" to create such votes.
Reader Comments (rss)
(Flattened / Threaded)
Yes, that is true
"Sequoia continues to stand by its original statement that the problem must be one of human error"
Yes, that is absolutely true.
The error was caused when a human placed the order for the Sequoia products. No doubt about it.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Their fault or not
With all of the black eyes the eVoting manufacturers have been receiving with regard to machine security, it would be a very savvy move if they were to respond by tripping all over themselves offering to analyze the results up, down, and sideways until the extra votes were explained.
Whether it is their fault or not. Maybe even especially if it's not. Fostering good will just CAN'T be a bad idea at this point.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
If it was televised...
"This election coverage is sponsored in part by Sequoia, Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, and Goldman Sachs.
Closed Captioning provided by "JPMorgan Chase & Co, AT&T and Blank Rome LLP."
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Like most of my questions and statements on TD, this is stupidly simplistic:
How hard is it to count simple button presses using an advanced piece of computing electronics?
I don't get it.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Yes, that is absolutely true.
The error was caused when a human placed the order for the Sequoia products. No doubt about it.
hehe, too true :)
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
why can't we use accounting software. i mean when I owe the bank money they always seem to keep track of that. Maybe if each vote counts as a dollar we can just add up the money at the end and who ever has the most wins.. kinda of the way it actually is anyway.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Puple Thumb
Come this election day I want a paper ballot and a purple thumb.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
I'll write you a program
I could sell this for millions, but instead I'll post it here. A C++ program to do this complicated task:
if (input == "John McCain")
JohnMcCain++;
else if (input == "Barack Obama")
BarackObama++;
else
{
writeIn = input;
cout "you are a hanging chad";
}
// yeah I know cout isn't right, formatting didn't like the brackets
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
The Dead Shall Rise Again!
What is so unusual about getting the "Living Impaired" folks to Register and Vote!
Chicago's Democratic Politicians been doing that trick for years!
Vote early, vote OFTEN!
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Their fault or not
Why does it have to be "black" eyes? Huh? Huh? Huh?
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Who cares
Its DC, its not like they really count anyway.
VOTE McCain 2008 - 'cause hes just crazy enough to do it.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Their fault or not
Hey, I didn't come up with the human body's bruising characteristics. Take it up with your "Intelligent Designer" ;-)
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: If it was televised...
This administration brought to you by BigOil [tm]. BigOil, "Greasing the palms that matter" (R). Also contributing is FarQueue [tm]. When it feels like the only things set free are the rules defining liberty, FarQueue.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Yes, that is true
Well, truly, the error started way before someone placed the order. The error was when a bunch of idiots in Florida could A: Follow an arrow, and B: Do not understand how to count to one (as in, punch only ONE candidate). Two issues that I do not recall mechanical lever machines ever having.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Re: Their fault or not
Who? Darwin? :p
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
1542 decimal is 0606 hexadecimal. That's a bit mask. Oops.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re:
1542 decimal is 0606 hexadecimal. That's a bit mask. Oops.
"... and here is where we ran the calculation in radians, programmed the result as degrees, and lawn-darted our billion dollar rover on Mars."
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Human Error ...
Perhaps the human error was selecting Sequoia as the vendor.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Human Error ...
HAH! How excellent of you, telling the same joke from post #1 all over again!
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Sequoia
Geez, how can they defend their machines and how would anyone even believe their defense after how they've already been written about? Well, maybe it hasn't been in the MSM.
To comply with a federal court order, Nassau County purchases ballot-marking devices from Sequoia Voting Systems. Of the first 240 devices delivered, 85% are too defective to be usable, placing the county in jeopardy of violating the court order.-- VotersUnite
http://www.issuelab.org/research/vendors_are_undermining_the_structure_of_us_elections
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Add Your Comment