Reply #18: From Texas: Election problems renew electronic voting concerns [View All]

Election problems renew electronic voting concerns
By ANNA M. TINSLEYSTAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

Computer glitches. Overcounts. Improper computer programming. Bad batteries.

These are among the problems that have cropped up in communities nationwide -- including in Tarrant County -- with electronic voting in recent weeks and months.

And although officials say most of the issues have been resolved, the problems have renewed concerns among some critics that electronic voting -- without paper backups -- could lead to widespread problems exceeding those in Florida that slowed the recount of the 2000 presidential votes.
"Election systems are not immune," said Dan Wallach, an associate professor at Rice University who specializes in computer security and electronic voting. "Barring radical advances in computer technology, these machines are basically computers with software that can have bugs and be tampered with.

"If all the numbers add up, then it might have worked and it might not have worked," he said. "When you have a system where the inner workings of the system are a secret, like with electronic machines, you don't know."

More: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/14192074.htm