Forget Diebold

'Cause Diebold Election Systems doesn't exist anymore.

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Premier Election Systems.

Diebold Election Systems to Become Premier Election Solutions

ALLEN, Texas, Aug 16, 2007 PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX -- In conjunction with the announcement today by Diebold, Incorporated, to create a more independent structure for its elections systems subsidiary, Diebold Election Systems is changing its name to Premier Election Solutions.

Story

Could it be a result of Diebold's inability to find any buyers for its e-voting machine unit?

Or maybe it's because of the trouble with one of its biggest markets.

Perhaps the fact that its product just plain sucks?

Nah. I'm sure it's just like the president of Diebold--er, Premier--says:

"This is both a fresh identity for our company and a unique opportunity for us to concentrate our focus solely on providing best-in-class elections solutions for current and potential customers."

Just like Altria cum RJ Reynolds. It isn't about trying to escape their past. It's a good thing.

I mean, Diebold--um, Premier--wouldn't dare lie to anybody, would they?

•  Red-headed Stepchild Voting Systems

  would've been more appropriate.

  by grimc on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:52:56 PM PDT

  •  I want to tip you...

    but I can't support your defamation of the red headeds.

    by blueteam on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 10:38:38 PM PDT

    •  Fair enough.

      :D

      by grimc on Fri Aug 17, 2007 at 06:25:35 AM PDT

•  At least they're going to let us "vote"...

  ...for our next Premier.

  by Big Nit Attack on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:55:04 PM PDT

•  or, child of stalin

  you vote, we count

  by askyron on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:55:05 PM PDT

  •  Are You Sure?

    you vote, we count

    

    by JekyllnHyde on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:57:42 PM PDT

•  ohhhh

  they have a solution to elections all right.

  by BWildered on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:57:18 PM PDT

•  lipstick on a pig (nt)

  by subtropolis on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 10:00:44 PM PDT

•  and to think...

  they missed an opportunity to merge it with their ATM division to ensure accuracy and security.
  What's good for dollars should be good enough for votes, ya'd think.

  by BWildered on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 10:05:04 PM PDT

•  So the name has been changed

  to protect the (dare I say) illusion that we have free and fair elections?

  by Gram E on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 10:06:55 PM PDT

•  I hope no one buys it

  I want these bastards to pay; I want their malintended investment dried up and gone.  And if we find proof of illegal acts, I want them easy to track down.

  by Simplify on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 10:11:16 PM PDT

•  Drat!

  I thought they were bailing on elections systems.

  I change electronic voting machines to voting machines, which is the preferred tag. I'm not sure about Premier Election Solutions; but I'll check with the other librarians. Premier is a pretty innocuous name.

  by CalifSherry on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 10:20:06 PM PDT

  •  an innocuous name, and a snake strategy.

    Mark my words:

    The intention is to fool people with a generic sounding name that's not got obvious slime all over it.  

    Just watch what those bastards do about developing their brand identity.  After they've shredded all of the old documents from the "old company."  

    Predictions:

    They are going to make some kind of technology debut that's calculated to elicit wows from the clueless.  Then they are going to sponsor some kind of seminars or educational forums for county registrars, that are "open to the public" (by invitation only).  Then they will file lawsuits against counties and states that were planning to decertify electronic voting machines, this being done in the name of "fairness" (aww), but these lawsuits will be done in a manner that is calculated to not attract publicity.  

    Along the way they will try to offer the "new" machines as replacements for "earlier technology" in certain counties before the primaries, and do it at a subsidized ("promotional") rate to make it easier to "upgrade" to the "new cutting edge technology."  The "regular price" will be set about 17% higher than the eventual "list price," for a short while; this will serve to heighten the sense of received value for the promotional prices or in some cases "free" upgrades of the old machines for new (under NDA of course).  

    They will conduct unremarkable primaries on these machines.  They will trumpet these primaries as paragons of accuracy and rapid results.  They can actually conduct fair primaries because what they're looking for there is the R candidate who actually has the most popular support and is therefore most likely to be most competitive in the general election (less Rovian arithmetic is needed that way).  

    After that, the initially high "regular price" will be lowered by 17%.  Remember, they originally set their price as 17% higher than what they planned to charge for these things.  The lower price will be "justified" due to "more production capacity coming online."  (In fact it is normal in certain industries for this to occur without evil intent: the early price is higher and then the price drops a bit as more production capacity goes online.  Thus it will seem innocent when done by Premier.)  

    Thusly positioned, they will head into the general election of 2008, with Rovian arithmetic ready to rock.  (Or at least ready to tilt.  The vote, that is.).

    Unless we stop these foul wretches squarely in their tracks.

    Now roll up your sleeves, there's plenty of work to do.

    by G2geek on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 10:43:30 PM PDT

    •  My money is on Debra Bowen

      and Lowell Finley.

      by CalifSherry on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:12:48 PM PDT

      •  ultimately I think you're right,

        and I hope you're right.

        But I also suspect that Diebold/Premier is going to pull out all the stops in terms of PR to try to get themselves in for 2008.  And we need to be prepared for that.  

        The fight ain't over 'til the other side is in handcuffs.  

        by G2geek on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:55:07 PM PDT

•  Premier Election Solutions PES

  PES Dispensers
  I'm PES'd off
  The Government has PES'd on the constitution
  .
  .
  .

  by JML9999 on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 10:44:20 PM PDT

•  Love it! It's pronounced "pi-esss"

  How appropriate.

  No one's going to fall for a name change.

  by Einsteinia on Fri Aug 17, 2007 at 12:32:07 AM PDT

•  They are putting lipstick on a pig. n/t

  by quantumspin on Fri Aug 17, 2007 at 01:05:02 AM PDT

•  TAINTED ATMs

  They also make ATMs and they don't want people to think those are fishy too.

  by demwords on Fri Aug 17, 2007 at 01:27:14 AM PDT

•  "Premier" doesn't sound like democracy, does it?

  It sounds kind of elitist, and like the name of a certain official in a certain kind of non-democratic country, no?

  by PR Finn on Fri Aug 17, 2007 at 12:54:02 PM PDT