Judge Voids Un-Auditable California Election

For only the second time in California history, a judge in Alameda County voided an election result and called for the election to be re-run, because the e-voting tallies from Diebold machines couldn't be audited. The vote was on a controversial ballot measure addressing the operation of medical marijuana dispensaries, and the result was a close margin. Activists went to court to demand a recount, but after the lawsuit was filed, elections officials sent voting machines back to Diebold. The court found that 96% of the necessary audit information had been erased. The judge ordered the ballot measure to be re-run in the next election.

Comments

Meh.

[Kingrames]

I can think of another close vote they should do the same with.

Missing the big picture

[CodeShark]

So Diebold reset the machines without producing a paper trail? Why in the heck would we ever think that would be okay? I say sue Diebold for the entire cost of the new ballot issue, because the county paid for services that have now been invalidated -- and Diebold knew they had problems going into the election.That's like going into surgery with a foot doctor who knows he's not qualified to be part of a heart surgery, methinks.

Change this to a presidential election (circa 2000) and try to recount an unauditable trail. Yeah, they argued about hanging chads and the whole mess, but there was a paper trail that said "absolutely, one voter, one vote, auditable". They even had a non-partisan group do a recount after the fact, and the paper trail showed that Bush in fact did win Florida. (uh oh, forgot to put on the flame retardant overcoat before I said that -- so folks, keep it cool -- I'm not particularly fond of Bush lately anyway!!).

But folks, I think that the significance of this decision is being totally overlooked, which is this: the American governmental system has worked again -- perhaps a rare again lately IMHO -- to let the people's voice be heard, in an accountable way. Good for the judge. Right call.