California Ballot Initiative Could Stop A Democrat in the White House

Everyone needs to read this post from Senator Barbara Boxer.

This is the most dangerous attempted proposition ever proposed for California. This would apportion their electoral votes based on vote count. It would no longer be winner take all, but unless every state adopted the same proposition it would make it nearly impossible for a Democratic candidate to win the presidency in 2008 and possibly longer.

The electoral college needs to be eliminated and we need to go to a system of one person, one vote but it can not be in just one state. This is a real attempt to hijack democracy and one that the Republicans will push hard to pass. Every progressive in America needs to stay informed about this proposed ballot initiative and do everything in their power to see it fail. The Republicans can not win on merit so they want to resort to rigging the system. Spread the word especially to voters of California.

Voting Changes in California

It is good to see that someone has some common sense and is realizing that our voting system can be hacked. California Secretary of State Debra Bowen placed restrictions on black box voting equipment.

After a months-long review of California's electronic voting machines, Bowen on Friday placed rigorous security conditions on voting equipment used in dozens of counties and limited the use of two of the most widely used machines.

Friday was the deadline for Bowen to certify voting systems for the early presidential primary in February 2008.

Bowen announced the moves a week after University of California computer experts found that voting machines sold by three companies — Diebold Election Systems, Hart InterCivic and Sequoia Voting Systems — were vulnerable to hackers and that voting results could be altered.

Bowen said the UC investigation revealed some vulnerabilities that would allow hackers to manipulate the systems "with little chance of detection and with dire consequences."

Her review also found that the machines posed problems for disabled voters.

Specifically, Bowen said she had decertified the machines for use and then recertified them on the condition they meet her new security standards.

In a move with potentially wide-ranging consequences, Bowen also limited the Diebold and Sequoia machines to one per polling place — Monterey County has 124 polling locations. Bowen said that would help voters with disabilities cast their ballots while significantly reducing the threat of vote manipulation.

Let's hope the example set by California is followed throughout the United States. Anyone who thinks that our current system of voting is secure from widespread fraud should read What Happened in Ohio.

Our democracy relies on free and fair elections. There can be no question as to the legitimacy of our vote.

Diebold Voting Machines Vulnerable to Virus Attack

It is time to outlaw these machines.

Diebold Election Systems Inc. voting machines are not secure enough to guarantee a trustworthy election, and an attacker with access to a single machine could disrupt or change the outcome of an election using viruses, according to a review of Diebold's source code.

"The software contains serious design flaws that have led directly to specific vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit to affect election outcomes," read the University of California at Berkeley report, commissioned by the California Secretary of State as part of a two-month "top-to-bottom" review of electronic voting systems certified for use in California.

paper ballots are the only way to guarantee the integrity of our elections. Without that we can never know if the vote tally is correct. We must call upon our elected officials to decertify these machines. Our democracy depends on free and fair elections.

California Voting Machines Are Hackable

State-sanctioned teams of computer hackers were able to break through the security of virtually every model of California's voting machines and change results or take control of some of the systems' electronic functions, according to a University of California study released Friday.

The researchers "were able to bypass physical and software security in every machine they tested,'' said Secretary of State Debra Bowen, who authorized the "top to bottom review" of every voting system certified by the state.

I am sure the results would be the same in every other state if similar tests were conducted. It is time to outlaw the use of these machines. A paper trail would help but I do no think it solves the entire problem. A paper ballot is the best hope of an honest election.