Electronic voting accuracy questioned
By BARRY HALVORSON news@leader-news.com

The accuracy of the touch screen voting machines used by Wharton County in the Nov. 6 Texas Amendment election was both brought into question and defended during Tuesday's meeting of commissioners court.

The item was placed on the agenda by Precinct 1 Commissioner Mickey Reynolds, who represents the Boling area. He said Boling resident Jim Welch's problem with a voting machine on Election Day was a concern. The commissioners took no action following presentations by Welch and Wharton County Election Official Judy Owens.

Welch spoke before the commissioners for more than a half-hour outlining his reasons for the county going back to paper ballots for elections. He said his concerns were prompted by his own voting day experience saying a voting machine changed his vote.

He said Americans are being asked to place their faith in a system despite, in his opinion, "It is an indisputable fact that such systems can be manipulated."

He cited several examples of instances collected from the Internet and other investigative reports where various individuals, groups and organizations have actually hacked into voting systems. He also claimed it wasn't an issue of partisan politics and adding a printer to provide voters with a receipt wouldn't correct the situation because programmers can write the change into the software system.

Welch said the only solution was going back to paper ballots with results posted at the various polling places. Owens said logistically, paper ballots just don't work any more.

"To have hand counted ballots just wouldn't work," she said. "We already can't find election judges to work the 14 hour day required and to count at the polling places would mean we need three people to count and an election judge at each location."

In defense of the system in use, Owens said the kind of electronic attacks described by Welch couldn't happen in Wharton County. The equipment is stand alone with the electrical connection being the only outside connection, she said, adding the software programming is kept separated from the equipment and stored under lock and key in her office.

In regards to attacks on the voting equipment at the individual polling locations, Owens said new law prohibits bringing electronic devices, such as laptop computers and even cell phones, into voting locations to prevent any possibility of such manipulation.

She added the equipment is tested multiple times before each election. She also pointed out the tests are open to the public and citizens can actually try out the machines at those meetings.

Owens apologized for the problem, adding it wasn't the result of a software error, but an error in calibrating the equipment itself. She said the unit was taken out of service when the problem was noticed and the results it had stored were verified before being used.