Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Sequoia Vote Machine Can't Do Simple Arithmetic?

Posted by Zonk on from the lessee-nothin-into-nothin-carry-the-nothin dept.

whoever57 writes "Ed Felten is showing a scan of the summary from a Sequoia voting machine used in New Jersey. According to the paper record, the vote tallies don't add up — the total number of Republican ballots does not match the number of votes cast in the Republican primary and the total number of Democratic ballots does not match the number of votes cast in the Democratic primary. Felten has a number of discussions about the problems facing evoting, up to and including a semi-threatening email from Sequoia itself." Update: 03/20 23:30 GMT by J : Later today, Felten added an update in which he analyzes Sequoia's explanation. He has questions, comments, and a demand.

5 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. Maybe the votes were not placed? by Ngarrang · · Score: 5, Informative

    At first, I was thinking,"Oh, maybe some people chose not to vote after calling up either Rep or Dem." But then I realized the math involved. The computer says 60 votes were cast for the Reps, but 61 votes are actually placed.

    Sheesh, why does this have to be so difficult. We can conduct trillions of dollars of business electronically, but we still don't have an effective digital voting system? I think the conspiracy here is by someone who hates technology likes to kill trees for paper balloting, not that digital voting is being rigged.

    --
    Bearded Dragon
  2. Re:Not only that... by Jaysyn · · Score: 3, Informative

    Mod down, way NSFW.

    --
    There is a war going on for your mind.
  3. Re:Count from Zero by Shakrai · · Score: 3, Informative

    I live in NY (still using the old level machines, which I love :) ), and consistently the people running the poles forget to switch the switch on the side of the machine to "enable" republican or democrat (depending on whose in the both last, and whose in it next). Heck, the people running the polls are usually retired, elderly, and volunteer.

    What county do you live in? Here in Broome County they give us colored cards (green for the Democrats, pink for the Republicans) that we had out to the voters after signing them in. The voter then gives that card to the person operating the machine who sets the primary lever accordingly before hitting the entrance button that allows them to vote.

    I've been running a polling place since 2004 and I've never had that mistake happen in a Primary Election. If you've seen it happen more then once or twice you should probably inform your local Board of Elections so they can address the problem. It just isn't supposed to happen that way......

    --
    I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
    We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
  4. Re:Minor correction: by Naughty+Bob · · Score: 4, Informative

    And an Update: Sequoia's intimidation has worked , the state won't be sending Felten a machine.

    --
    "Be light, stinging, insolent and melancholy"
  5. Re:Huh? by tmalone · · Score: 3, Informative

    in the primary you have to pick a side if you want to vote. Democrat or Republican. Once you choose, you must vote within that party. At least in a closed primary that is how it works. So, if you're a registered Green, you don't get to vote in the primary. In the general election of course, everybody gets to vote.