Georgia goes from the frying pan into the fire
After 2002, as the years passed and evidence mounted that our touch-screen system, including the Kennesaw Center for Elections, were not up to the task of providing secure and transparent elections, our leaders did nothing, until it became impossible to ignore the situation. When the server at Kennesaw was revealed to have been easily breached, operations were transferred to the Secretary of State's office, but with the some of the same employees overseeing the process. When it became absurd to ignore the fact that our voting machines used an outdated operating system, the Secretary of State convened a sham commission in 2018 to make recommendations to the state legislature to replace the system.
Both that commission and the legislature blatantly ignored the expert evidence that voting computers all have security issues, and they shoved through another vulnerable system that in no way addresses the flaws of the old system. In many ways the new one is worse, as it introduces unreadable barcodes to encode and tabulate voter intent.
As the courts get involved, Georgia might have a hope of turning this debacle around. Only hand-marked paper ballots and authentic risk-limiting audits can return transparency and the voter chain of custody back to its citizens.
Both that commission and the legislature blatantly ignored the expert evidence that voting computers all have security issues, and they shoved through another vulnerable system that in no way addresses the flaws of the old system. In many ways the new one is worse, as it introduces unreadable barcodes to encode and tabulate voter intent.
As the courts get involved, Georgia might have a hope of turning this debacle around. Only hand-marked paper ballots and authentic risk-limiting audits can return transparency and the voter chain of custody back to its citizens.
As a prominent columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jay Bookman could have been an ally for transparent voting. Unfortunately, he denied the evidence, and fought the efforts of activists to alert the public to Georgia's "election mess." Only after it became impossible to deny does he write an article that would have been much more effective had it been penned back in 2002 or 2003.
By Jay Bookman for Georgia Recorder Aug 23, 2019
By Jay Bookman for Georgia Recorder Aug 23, 2019
By Brad Friedman Aug 4, 2006
By Steven Rosenfeld for Truthdig Aug 22, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Aug 22, 2019
Judge finds several serious flaws with Georgia's current election technology.
By Timothy B. Lee for ARS Technica Aug 16, 2019
By Timothy B. Lee for ARS Technica Aug 16, 2019
District Judge Amy Totenberg also ordered the state to create a backup plan that does not use the obsolete machines in the event its new system is not ready in time for the 2020 elections.
By R. Robin McDonald for Law.com Aug 15, 2019
By R. Robin McDonald for Law.com Aug 15, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Aug 15, 2019
By Associated Press for New York Times Aug 15, 2019
By Marilyn Marks Aug 15, 2019
Editorial Page Atlanta Journal-Constitution Aug 11, 2019
Unfortunately, an entire page devoted to Georgia's new Dominion voting system did little to clarify the issues. Editor Andre Jackson dredged up the irrelevant past by talking about paper ballot boxes at the bottom of lakes and hanging chads from the now-extinct punch-card system. David Becker tried to dispel the ample evidence that voters do not spend adequate time verifying barcode ballots, then backtracked by saying that poll workers can mitigate the problem with good signage and reminders. Sen Gloria Butler alluded to nonexistent "BRE codes" and misrepresented the votes of Georgia Senators, who overwhelmingly support hand-marked paper ballots.
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Aug 9, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Aug 2, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Aug 2, 2019
Tests took place in state of Texas on the same equipment Georgia is purchasing, They rejected it. Jan 16-17, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jul 29, 2019
By Joseph Marks for Washington Post Jul 15, 2019
By Tami Abdollah for AP Jul 13, 2019
By Timothy Pratt and Undark for The Atlantic Jul 13, 2019
By Mark Niesse and Greg Bluestein for Atlanta Journal-Consitutiton Jun 17, 2019
By Garland Favorito May 7, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution May 2, 2019
ES&S justifies the unjustifiable--barcode balloting.
In the second of a two-part series: How a few private companies that have little oversight and keep information secret run US elections
By Jordan Wilkie for The Guardian Apr 23, 2019
By Jordan Wilkie for The Guardian Apr 23, 2019
In the first of a two-part series: Many jurisdictions will offer voters a paper trail in 2020. But the systems involved are far from foolproof
By Jordan Wilkie for The Guardian Apr 22, 2019
By Jordan Wilkie for The Guardian Apr 22, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Apr 24, 2019
By Andrew Appel, Richard A. DeMillo and Philip B. Stark Apr 21, 2019
By Greg Bluestein and Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Apr 3, 2019
This voting machine “reform” package is a power grab meant to enrich Gov. Kemp’s friends.
By Anoa Changa for Rewire.News Apr 3, 2019
By Anoa Changa for Rewire.News Apr 3, 2019
Mar 24, 2019
Paper Ballots Are Safe Only if Marked by Hand, Not by Machine
By Jennifer Cohn for Who.What.Why Mar 19, 2019
By Jennifer Cohn for Who.What.Why Mar 19, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Mar 14, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Mar 13, 2019
By Stephen Fowler for Georgia Public Broadcasting Mar 13, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Mar 13, 2019
By Brad Friedman for bradblog.com Mar 11, 2019
By Jim Galloway, Greg Bluestein & Tamar Hallerman for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Mar 11, 2019
Letter to the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives
By Lt Col Tony Shaffer for U.S. Base
By Lt Col Tony Shaffer for U.S. Base
Prepared by Edward Perez for OSET Institute March, 2019
Cybersecurity experts are baffled by Georgia officials' handling of an issue that has made the state infamous.
By Eric Geller for Politico Mar 9, 2019
By Eric Geller for Politico Mar 9, 2019
By Andrew Appel for Freedom to Tinker Mar 8, 2019
By Jason Johnson for The Root Mar 7, 2019
How newly elected Governor Brian Kemp is undermining the vote—all while potentially enriching a company with close ties to his administration.
By Bob Mower for The New Republic Mar 6, 2019
By Bob Mower for The New Republic Mar 6, 2019
By Jim Denery for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Mar 1, 2019
The new machines still pose unacceptable risks in an election that U.S. intelligence officials expect to be a prime target for disruption by countries such as Russia and China.
By Eric Geller for Politico Mar 1, 2019
By Eric Geller for Politico Mar 1, 2019
By Robin Fuchs Mar 1, 2019
From Election Defense Coalition Feb 27, 2019
From Chris Harvey to Brad Raffenspeger on costs of hand-marked paper ballots Feb 25, 2019
By Johnny Kauffman for WABE Feb 25, 2019
One of the creators of risk-limiting audits.
By Philip B. Stark, Dept. of Statistics , University of California Feb 18, 2019
By Philip B. Stark, Dept. of Statistics , University of California Feb 18, 2019
By Harvie Branscomb for Election Quality Monitor Feb 17, 2019
By Rep. Barry Fleming forThe Insider Advantage Georgia Feb 15, 2019
Should read "HB-316"
By Harvie Branscomb for Election Quality Monitor Feb 15, 2019
By Harvie Branscomb for Election Quality Monitor Feb 15, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Feb 14, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Feb 8, 2019
Feb 5, 2019
By Gloria Tatum for Atlanta Progressive News Feb 4, 2019
From VoterGA.org
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jan 30, 2019
By Abigail Abrams for Time Jan 26, 2019
By Garland Favorito for VoterGA Jan 20, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jan 19, 2019
By Garland Favorito Jan 14, 2019
By Jennifer Cohn for Who.What.Why Jan 11, 2019
YouTube
By S.A.F.E. Commission member Dr. Wenke Lee for Linkedin Jan 10, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jan 10, 2019
By Ryan Germany Jan 10, 2019
Jan 7, 2019
Recommended Objectives, Proposed Requirements, Legislative Suggestions with Legislative Appendices
By Garland Favorito
By Garland Favorito
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jan 7, 2019
By Jennifer Cohn for Who.What.Why Jan 2, 2019
By Susan McWethy for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jan 2, 2019
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Dec 20, 2018
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Dec 12, 2018
By Susan Greenhalgh and Jason Pye Dec 12, 2018
By Wenke Lee for S.A.F.E. Commission Oct 8, 2018
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Sep 17, 2018
By Andrew Appel for Freedom to Tinker Sep 14, 2018
By Ellen Nakashima for Washington Post Sep 16, 2018
This document provides a very brief overview of cybersecurity and discusses the design considerations for secure voting. As presented to the Georgia Office of the Secretary of State’s “Secure, Accessible & Fair Elections (SAFE) Commission,"
By Wenke Lee Aug. 30, 2018.
By Wenke Lee Aug. 30, 2018.
ES&S Aug 28, 2018
By Leroy Chapman for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Aug 26, 2018
Submitted to state of Georgia Aug 24, 2018
By Jacob Hoffman-Andrews for Electronic Frontier Foundation Aug 20, 2018
By Ben Nadler for The Augusta Chronicle Aug 16, 2018
By Lisa Hagen for WABE Aug 9, 2018
From 11alive.com Aug 9, 2018
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Aug 9, 2018
Johnson County, KS debacle using ES&S ExpressVote.
By Lynn Horsley, Steve Vockrodt and Hunter Woodall for The Kansas City Star Aug 8, 2018
By Lynn Horsley, Steve Vockrodt and Hunter Woodall for The Kansas City Star Aug 8, 2018
Colorado-based Coalition for Good Governance and voters from four Georgia counties claim the state's voting infrastructure is too old and too vulnerable to trust.
By R. Robin McDonald for Law.com Aug 6, 2018
By R. Robin McDonald for Law.com Aug 6, 2018
By Cathy Cox for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jul 29, 2018
By Richard DeMillo for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jul 29, 2018
ES&S Senior Engineer: "...most people won't look at the paper receipt." Each voter has the option to turn a BMD into the old DRE by hitting the "cast ballot" option. Jun 19, 2018
By Alexandra Ma for Business Insider Jun 4, 2018
By Maya T. Prabhu for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jul 10, 2018
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jun 13, 2018
By Jay Senter for Shawnee Mission Post May 16, 2018
By Jennifer Cohn for Medium May 13, 2018
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution May 8, 2018
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Apr 23, 2018
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Apr 13, 2018
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Mar 30, 2018
By Denis O'Hayer and Johnny Kauffman for WABE Mar 30, 2018
By Gloria Tatum for Atlanta Progressive News Mar 24, 2018
By Johnny Kauffman for WABE Mar 26, 2018
With Garland Favorito of VoterGA and Sara Henderson of Common Cause Georgia Mar 20, 2018
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Mar 19, 2018
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Mar 14, 2018
By Mark Niesse for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Mar 13, 2018
As unverifiable touchscreen DREs are phased out of our nation's voting systems, unverifiable touchscreen BMDs ('Son of DREs') are on the way...
By Jennifer Cohn for Bradblog.com Mar 12, 2018
By Jennifer Cohn for Bradblog.com Mar 12, 2018
Johnny Kauffman for WABE Mar 7, 2018
By Mark Niesse for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Mar 8, 2018
By Jennifer Cohn for Medium Mar 6, 2018
By Maya T. Prabhu for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Feb 28, 2018
By Andrew Appel for Freedom to Tinker: Research and Expert Commentary on Digital Technologies in Public Life Feb 22, 2018
By Tamar Hallerman, Greg Bluestein and Jim Galloway for Political Insider Jan 25, 2018
By Johnny Kauffman for WABE Jan 24, 2018
Barbara Simons believes there is only one safe voting technology.
By Jill Leovy for The Atlantic Dec, 2017
By Jill Leovy for The Atlantic Dec, 2017
News release from Colorado Sec. of State Wayne W. Williams Nov 22, 2017
By Mark Niesse for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Nov 22, 2017
Karen Bernal, Pia Gallegos, Sam McCann & Norman Solomon, Task Force Members for Democratic National Committee 2017
By Gloria Tatum for Atlanta Progressive News Nov 7, 2017
Amid suspicions that Moscow has been meddling in U.S. politics, the Homeland Security Department is working closely with states and local governments to tighten election security.
By Christina A. Cassidy for U.S. News Nov 4, 2017
By Christina A. Cassidy for U.S. News Nov 4, 2017
By Johnny Kaufman for WABE Sep 25, 2017
By Kristina Torres for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Sep 7, 2017
By Marilyn Marks for Medium Jun 13, 2017
By Brian Klas for Washington Post Feb 9, 2017
"Risk-limiting audits" use sound math to make sure the right candidate won.
By Cyrus Farivar for arsTechnica Nov 18, 2016
By Cyrus Farivar for arsTechnica Nov 18, 2016
New legislation hopes to make elections more secure by making them less electronic.
By News Staff for Government Technology Sep 21, 2016
By News Staff for Government Technology Sep 21, 2016
NIST Press Release Jan 21, 2015
Prepared by Steven Bennett for State of Colorado Dec, 2014
The IEEE Voting System Standards Committee is developing standards and guidelines for voting systems to create a common data format for election systems. Voting system data will be easier to export and utilize in election processes and by the general public.
By John Wack for The National Institute of Standards and Technology Sep, 2014
By John Wack for The National Institute of Standards and Technology Sep, 2014