Computer experts to review voting machines

Associated Press     22 August 2005

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A county elections board has asked a team of computer experts to test its recently purchased touch-screen voting machines to ensure the devices' programs are sound.

The San Francisco-based Election Science Institute said it will run simulations of what the machines would handle during an election. Critics worry the electronic machines could be susceptible to fraud through computer hacking or programs within the machine that could alter votes.

The Franklin County Board of Elections has agreed spend $15.1 million for more than 4,500 touch-screen voting machines from Election Systems & Software Inc., with the Omaha, Neb.-based company set to deliver the devices by May.

The institute, already reviewing the elections board's performance during the 2004 presidential vote, will point out any problems to ES&S and the county, and offer advice on how to fix them.

The computer experts also will recommend pre-election tests that the elections board can run to make sure the machines are secure and devise training programs for poll workers.

"We know there are going to be weaknesses with this system," said Steven Hertzberg, the institute's founder. "We're trying to mitigate any weaknesses that we see."

Jill Friedman-Wilson, a spokeswoman for ES&S, said the company welcomes the independent testing of machines that also are scrutinized by federal and state agencies, which certify them for sale.

In Cleveland, up to 10 subpoenas have been issued in the handling of the presidential recount in December by the Cuyahoga County elections board, according to special prosecutor Kevin J. Baxter. The Erie County prosecutor said the investigation was in the fact-finding stage.

The investigation was prompted by complaints from Green Party candidate David Cobb and Libertarian Party candidate Michael Badnarik. They claimed the sample recount precincts weren't randomly ed and a test-run recount was done without witnesses.

Cobb and Badnarik together received less than 0.5 percent of the vote in Ohio, which President Bush won to ensure his re-election.