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Jakeline · 03-11-2003, 02:10 PM

Here's a very interesting article about this whole issue: http://archive.salon.com/tech/featur...ting_machines/

For folks who don't want to read the whole thing, here's the gist of it:

There are several different types of touch-screen voting machines, but they generally break down into two different categories: the ones that print out human / machine readable ballots, and the others that do all the tabulating without a paper record. The machines that do the tabulating without the paper use proprietary formats, and their method of tabulation is considered a "trade secret." So, if you want to challenge the validity of the results and inspect the machine yourself, too damn bad (at least that's what a judge ruled in Florida.)

Personally, one of my friends is blind and tried using a vote-by-touchtone thing for the 2000 election. It was horrible, and he inadvertently voted for the wrong person. Technology is cool, but I'm not sure the idea has been fully hashed out.

03-11-2003, 02:10 PM	#6
Jakeline Disorderly Orderly Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 54	Here's a very interesting article about this whole issue: http://archive.salon.com/tech/featur...ting_machines/ For folks who don't want to read the whole thing, here's the gist of it: There are several different types of touch-screen voting machines, but they generally break down into two different categories: the ones that print out human / machine readable ballots, and the others that do all the tabulating without a paper record. The machines that do the tabulating without the paper use proprietary formats, and their method of tabulation is considered a "trade secret." So, if you want to challenge the validity of the results and inspect the machine yourself, too damn bad (at least that's what a judge ruled in Florida.) Personally, one of my friends is blind and tried using a vote-by-touchtone thing for the 2000 election. It was horrible, and he inadvertently voted for the wrong person. Technology is cool, but I'm not sure the idea has been fully hashed out.