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  • From: Chris Rossi <rossi AT webslingerZ.com>
  • To: RTP-area local music and culture <ch-scene AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: more exit poll info
  • Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 11:15:36 -0500

Hart Blanton wrote:

Those following this stream might be interested in today's NYT article on the voter fraud claims:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/12/politics/12theory.html?hp&ex=1100322000&en=bef1453564cd6e4e&ei=5094&partner=homepage
Well, the article says voter fraud claims are refuted, but it doesn't really refute them. No real hard evidence is brought to bear on the claims. At least not in this article. Maybe in other sources. Anyway, while I think it is very unlikely that the result of this election is going change as a result, what should be done to put the issue to rest is the same thing that should be done every election anyway, regardless of outcome or level of controversy. A small but statistically significant number of hand recounts in certain precincts. In this instance we can even concentrate on seemingly statistically anomolous precincts. If 5-10% of those precincts are recounted and the returns are still the same for those precincts, then folks will have to look elsewhere to figure out why exit polls don't match returns. But we will have checked the returns.

The other thing left to do, of course, is simply add up all the returns from various precincts and make sure the totals still come out to what they were reported as, since one of the claims by voter fraud theorists is that the hacking was more likely to have occured in the central tabulating computers. At any rate, that is much easier to do than a recount and states could probably get a few thousand computer geeks working on those numbers if they just released precinct level returns. If it all comes out, then we can put to rest claims of voter fraud once and for all.

This all ties in to a larger issue of election reform that needs to happen at the national level:

All persons running for public office as well as their supporters have a motive for interfering with election results. Current voting practice lacks uniform standards to insure election results are not tampered with, and many newer electronic voting systems fail to meet basic common sense standards of audibility and accountability. In order to guarantee fair elections, the bedrock of our democracy, the following reforms should be implemented as soon as possible:

1) FBOE certification of voting equipment used. Equipment must be vigorously inspected both by the federal board and be made open to inspection by the general public. Equipment will have to meet certain basic guidelines:
a) Paper audit trail
b) Completely open hardware and software
(to promote public scrutiny)
c) Other standards, such as handicap accessibility, etc... to be determined by FBOE.

2) Nationwide uniform electronic format for precinct level returns with public electronic access to those records. (To allow public scrutiny and independent statistical analysis.)

3) Mandatory, randomly selected, post election electronic audits of a statistically significant number of precinct/county/state level election results.

4) Mandatory, randomly selected, post election hand recounts of a smaller but still statistically significant number of precincts.

rossi




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