(Article) Commission advises against use of e-voting

Villain

From RTE

"Commission advises against use of e-voting

30 April 2004 12:12
The Independent Commission on Electronic Voting has come down against the system being used nationwide for the local and European elections on 11 June.

In its report, which has just been published, the commission said that tests carried out to date on the system are insufficient to establish its reliability for use in the elections.

It also says it has not been able to satisfy itself sufficiently as to the accuracy and secrecy of the chosen system.



The commission emphasises that its conclusion is not based on any finding that the system will not work, but on the finding that it has not been proven at this time to the satisfaction of the commission that it will work.


The commission was set up by the Government to look into the accuracy and security of the electronic voting system.

The Government had said it will abide by whatever recommendations the commission makes.

Around €40 million has so far been spent in acquiring the necessary machines.

In the wake of the report, the Labour Party called on the Minister for the Environment, Martin Cullen, to resign.

Labour claims Mr Cullen totally ignored all valid concerns raised by opposition parties and by every technical expert."


Well oh well what now??

star gazer

originally posted by irish1
Well oh well what now??

practice using your pencil!
It could be just a postponement of the introduction, but the testing to be done should include a voter verified paper trail and it should be meticulous.

Villain

Originally posted by star gazer
practice using your pencil!
It could be just a postponement of the introduction, but the testing to be done should include a voter verified paper trail and it should be meticulous.

Oh I'm sure it will come in but it's a Blow to Cullen and Bertie.

Looks like the opposition is gunning for Cullen:
http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/04/30/story145323.html

Sparks

And I thought the CEV would be a whitewashing exercise

Well, this time I'm happy to be publicly proved wrong and made to eat my words!

sceptre

So I guess we can't verify the accuracy of the results in the constituencies that used it last time out?

fjon

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/04/30/story145318.html

Sparks

Originally posted by sceptre
So I guess we can't verify the accuracy of the results in the constituencies that used it last time out?

Not only that, the recently released statistics from the last time out showed serious discrepencies - in Dublin North, 1200+ votes showed up in the ballot modules that weren't on the presiding officer's tally, and 800+ were missing in Dublin South - those amounts are more than what would be needed to change who was elected, btw...

cruiserweight

So I guess we can't verify the accuracy of the results in the constituencies that used it last time out?

Were different machines not used the last time out, I may be wrong!

The Biff

Surely Martin Cullen MUST resign now as Environment Minister?

This was his "pet-project" and he's blown it big-time. He's wasted a stash of cash that could have been spent on many more needy projects, and he couldn't even convince a small Independent Commission (that he possibly had SOME say in the selection or approval of the appointees) of the security and reliability of the new system.

The man is an fool. His judgement is flawed. He must resign.

alleepally

"quote:So I guess we can't verify the accuracy of the results in the constituencies that used it last time out?"

That's a very good point. I hadn't thought of that

"Surely Martin Cullen MUST resign now as Environment Minister?"

If it was anywhere else in the world, he would, but someone I think he'll have to be pushed. Can we all send in a tax rebate now as Cullen wasted all those millions on the advertising campaign alone. I tell you, I seriously p1ssed off the way money is thrown around this county, YOUR money and MY money.

Villain

Bloody big cock up but, how much money was spend on advertising this??

Typedef

Fourty Million on the machines.

Ludicrous Radio Ads with hot sounding chicks, professing the "Ease, security and sexiness" of said voting system.

No closed source system, will ever get my support!

vorbis

I'd agree Typedef, at least with an open source one, we'd hear less from the luddites complaining about the evil machines. Its a right irish cock up this. Are they still going to proceed with it for future elections. Otherwise all the money is written off.

sceptre

Hope they got the machines with the optional rust proofing.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but would these machines be stored in a warehouse untill the next elections anyway regardless as to whether they are used in this one or not?
It wouldn't be a total waste of money unless they are never ever going to be used.

Its possible that they can be tweeked to leave a viable trail of some sort?
And that further testing may mean the commision could recommend them later?

The egg on the ministers face then is that he acted too fast and disregarded critisism untill the last minute and not that he hadn't a good if partly flawed idea.

dahamsta

Originally posted by Earthman
The egg on the ministers face then is that he acted too fast and disregarded critisism untill the last minute and not that he hadn't a good if partly flawed idea.

The man hasn't a brain in his head, he couldn't have an idea. And don't forget that in addition to the above, he lied through his teeth too.

adam

daveirl

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