Saturday, January 16, 2010

Breaking News: Massachusetts Senate Election Being Rigged

Gee, I didn't see a story on this anywhere in the Globe.

"Easily Hacked Voting Systems to be Used in MA Special Election for the U.S. Senate

by Nathan Barker and Brad Friedman

.... As the election looms, tempers flare, money is poured into the contest from all sides, and Democrats sweat out what should have been a safe seat for them - a Democrat named Kennedy has held that particular seat for more than the last 50 years - questions about whether the election results can be trusted have already emerged in a race where the stakes couldn't be higher....

Fears are mounting that the final vote tallies could be as questionable as they were in the recent NY-23 Special Election for the U.S. House. Perhaps even more so.

The electronic voting systems used in Massachusetts are notoriously plagued with problems and vulnerabilities, and are in violation of federal voting system standards. Moreover, they are sold, programmed, and maintained by a company with a disturbing criminal background....

Could we see another repeat of last November's U.S. House Special Election in New York, where questions still persist about the tabulation of the race and the failed and faulty voting systems that voters were forced to use?

But could we see another repeat of last November's U.S. House Special Election in New York, where questions still persist about the tabulation of the race and the failed and faulty voting systems that voters were forced to use?

*********************

The climactic finale of Hacking Democracy, due to undocumented "interpreted code" in the system, included by Diebold in violation of federal voting system guidelines, the Diebold Accuvote op-scan system is easily hacked and votes can be flipped in such a way that the tampering would likely never be discovered.

The vulnerability, easily exploited by Finnish computer security expert Harri Hursti in the film, resulted in flipped results for a mock election held in Leon County, FL several years ago. At the time, news of the hack sent shockwaves throughout the e-voting industry, and among state and federal election officials. But the federally certified machines were never decertified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, despite the discovery of the code in violation of federal standards. That code, allowing this simple exploitation, still remains on the systems to be used in next week's special election in Massachusetts....

Joseph Kennedy (no relation to Ted), a Libertarian running on the Independent Party ticket could also throw a wrench into the works

Yeah, but we are going to screwing Brown!!

--MORE--"

Thanks for the heads-up.

Also see:
 That's a first, huh?

My guess is Marty will hang on and Joe will keep his gatekeeper role as he receives a promotion because of Dodd's retirement and moves up to Armed Services.

Either way, THIS TUESDAY should be VERY INTERESTING!!!

And so should the DAY AFTER if BROWN WINS!!

Then we shall see if the Globe hollers stolen, huh?

Or if are they in on it, 'eh, Bay-Staters!??
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