http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/13419065.htmNo excuses for gaps in election security
OUR OPINION: TESTS SHOW FLAWS IN SYSTEM, NEED FOR PAPER TRAIL
Some people will think that the Tallahassee election supervisor's experiment of hacking into his voting machines was just a bit of grandstanding. But even if it were -- and we don't think it was -- anyone responsible for, or interested in, accurate election results should pay close attention. The tests by Leon County election supervisor Ion Sancho showed that even voting equipment believed to be secure can remain vulnerable to a determined hacker.
A paper trail
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What is troubling, though, is that the Florida Legislature and state election officials haven't done all that they can to make sure that Florida's elections aren't an invitation to fraud or abuse. Florida does not require a paper trail for votes, which would give election supervisors a means to verify the accuracy of a machine count.
Uniform standards
Broward and Miami-Dade election officials say they are aware of the need to make the entire voting system -- equipment, personnel, facilities and procedures -- as secure as possible. But the lack of uniform standards across the state -- despite the snafus and problems of the 2000 election that led to widespread complaints from voters -- means that Florida elections are still vulnerable to abuse.
At minimum, the state should require more testing of voting machines and audits of elections. Ultimately, though, the state should require that all voting machinery provide a paper trail. Banks already do that with receipts for ATM transactions. Voters deserve the same consideration.