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Paper Ballots Will Return In MD and VA

Posted by timothy on from the but-this-baby-is-soaked-in-bathwater dept.

cheezitmike writes "According to a story in the Washington Post, 'Maryland and Virginia are going old school after Tuesday's election. Maryland will scrap its $65 million electronic system and go back to paper ballots in time for the 2010 midterm elections. In Virginia, localities are moving to paper after the General Assembly voted last year to phase out electronic voting machines as they wear out. "The battle for the hearts and minds of voters on whether electronic systems are good or bad has been lost," Brace said. The academics and computer scientists who said they were unreliable "have won that battle."'"

9 of 420 comments (clear)

  1. Welcome to your local polling place... by timpintsch · · Score: 3, Funny

    Will that be paper or plastic?

  2. Makes it sound bad? by nine-times · · Score: 5, Funny

    The academics and computer scientists who said they were unreliable "have won that battle."'

    Damn those stupid, fearful academics and computer scientists! Always standing in the way of progress!

    Seriously, though, what's the tone they're going for there?

    1. Re:Makes it sound bad? by Col.+Klink+(retired) · · Score: 4, Funny

      To be fair, the people supporting the machines have done a pretty good job of showing how bad they are. Here's a guy "debunking" the myth that the machines are nefariously changing your vote. He shows that it's just miscalibrated, shows how easy it is to recalibrate, then shows how well it works after that (except that selecting "Republican Ticket" selects Ralph Nader).

      --

      -- Don't Tase me, bro!

  3. I want my money back! by Subm · · Score: 5, Funny

    I paid Diebold good money for thousands of votes in those districts in that election.

    If they don't deliver I expect my money back!

  4. Re:Random thoughts. by east+coast · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh oh! This will be like 9/11 times 2000. That's right, 1,822,000!

    Actually, 9/11 * 2000 = 1636.3636363636

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
  5. Re:suddenoutbreakofcommonsense by Qzukk · · Score: 4, Funny

    This story is nothing more than an "isolatedpocketofcommonsense"

    I'd save your complaints until people start using the "suddenpandemicofcommonsense" tag.

    --
    If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
  6. Say what??? by HangingChad · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...to me it's interesting to note that all your examples are idiocy in America.

    There are other countries in the world? When did that happen?

    Next you're going to be telling me they all don't speak English as a native language. Everyone can understand English if you say it loud enough.

    --
    That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
  7. Re:suddenoutbreakofcommonsense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think "batshit insane" is a bit too mild a term.

    Yeah, European here.

    The European view of the US election, in Star Wars characters:

    Obama: Luke. Young and inexperienced, but a candidate for hope.
    Biden: Han Solo. Technically on the side of good, but a mercenary at heart.
    McCain: Palpatine. Aged, evil politician, with undoubted experience but doubtfully the people's good at heart.
    Palin: Jar-Jar Binks. Irritating as all heck.

  8. Re:suddenoutbreakofcommonsense by geobeck · · Score: 5, Funny

    She doesn't believe in dinosaurs?! Even with her running mate's first-hand accounts?

    --
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