So, this is to answer a question Robyn asked me last night.  She asked if the issues w/the Diebold machines are just due to the fact that the technology is still in its infancy.  The answer is a resounding "NO".  First, let me say that this is not (or should not be) a partisan issue.  There are scoundrels in both major parties who would steal an election in a heartbeat.  However, only current winners can logically be accused of it...  and it doesn't mean that it was or wasn't done.  What it means is that it's possible, and it should NOT be possible.  The citizens/voters should not stand for this.

Let's go back to basics.  I feel I'm radical in this issue- meaning "at the root", and not "crazy"! I honestly feel ALL voting machines should just be abolished outright and EVERY vote should be done on paper except possibly space-cast ballots for those citizens in orbit who are unable to use paper ones.  Why? 

In 1993, I was able to witness the counting of 'my' ballot and similar ones in South Lancaster, MA.  How did they do this?  There was a wooden box which had been constantly monitered by multiple people of varying parties which held the ballots.  Each ballot's deposit was signalled by a ringing little bell and a counter being incremented on the ballot box.  At the end of the voting day, the box was emptied with multiple parties present from a variety of parties.  Votes were counted in public in the following manner.  A stack was handed to one person with a checksheet.  That person tallied the votes.  The same stack was rechecked by someone else.  I think this was done more than two times.  So, each stack had been independently cross-checked by multiple people who did not have access to each others' results.  Once the stacks were counted and cross-checked, they were added.  Of course, this addition being done multiple times by multiple parties.  This was a totally public process.  Those of us not cleared to count could watch from the balcony. 

The argument some use against paper is that it is too time consuming in large districts to do this.  This is an insane argument.  The number of election day volunteers should always be a scalar multiple of the number of ballots!!!  Yes, it's time consuming, but if you can't get at least this much participation in a democracy, we don't DESERVE one!  Seriously!

Paper is accurate and does not take as much time as some people would believe.  Yes, counting punchcards *would* be harrowing, but paper ballots which are DESIGNED to be counted by hand are not harrowing!

So, Robyn, the technology has always existed to have a secure election.  No machine should ever be created or used to replace hand counting unless it is at LEAST this foolproof.  It's ludicrous!  The principles of voting security should never be compromised for convenience.  We truly have lost our democracy.  I don't know if we can get it back again.  It's doubtful.