In the category of good news may I present this headline:
Maryland House votes to oust Diebold machines
It would replace $90M worth of e-voting machines with systems offering a paper trail
The article is here.
More on the flip.
Yeah!
Maryland politicos want to be rid of Diebold in a bad way
The state of Maryland stands poised to put its entire $90 million investment in Diebold Election Systems Inc. touch-screen e-voting systems on ice because they can't produce paper receipts.
The state House of Delegates this week voted 137-0 to approve a bill prohibiting election officials from using AccuVote-TSx touch-screen systems in 2006 primary and general elections.
The legislation calls for the state to lease paper-based optical-scan systems for this year's votes. State Delegate Anne Healey estimated the leasing cost at $12.5 million to $16 million for the two elections.
A really bad way. It's going to cost them millions, yet it passed with no nays. 137-0.
They will eventually use the Diebold machines, but only after they are equipped with a paper trail. They noted that security issues in California and Florida prompted them to take action.
One battle in a long war, with many more to be won. But the security issues are becoming common knowledge. And that's a good thing.