'Challengers' - Blackwell VI.C

* Surprising in bureucratic affairs, the $175,000.00, taxpayer-financed report was released on schedule: two weeks after the six-week review process, on December 2. Two comprehensive examinations from Compuware and InfoSENTRY demonstrated that many security weaknesses were present in the machines. Trumping even the John Hopkins' University study, the examinations provided the most extensive cache of information pertaining to the security of electronic voting machines

Referring to the 57 potential security risks discovered in each voter system Blackwell stated,

“Today’s release of information provides voters with a check list of problems found and a road map for corrections. In order to maintain strong public confidence in our elections systems, voters must be assured that the security risks uncovered in our reviews have been addressed and resolved.”

After Blackwell divided the road map into 13 high-potential risks, 11 medium-potential risks, and 33 low-potential security risks, he demanded that the four contracted companies improve their computer source code, end the potential for hacking, and fix points of failure specific to each voting machine.

Blackwell expected accountability for implementing the changes by seeking documentation of such changes from the voting machine vendor. He summarized his position by stating,

"I will not place these voting devices before Ohio’s voters until identified risks are corrected and system security is bolstered. Fortunately, all of the documented risks will be expeditiously corrected by each of our voting machine manufacturers. When Ohioans begin casting ballots on these electronic devices they will do so with the knowledge that the integrity of their voting system has been maintained.”

Blackwell would only allow Ohio voters to use the electronic voting machines after InfoSENTRY and Compuware had engaged in additional testing and the four contracted compaines sought recertification on the federal and state level.

* On December 2 Blackwell stated that he would apply for a federally mandated waiver, which would allow for a delay. Ohio would have, then, until 2006 as opposed to the 2004 General Election to implement fully the new voting machines. The permit was approved on December 19.

These further delays of additional testing would, not-so-suprisingly, slow the implementation of the machines from March, 2004 unto the special election held in August, '04. The various county board of elections had until January 15 to select their preferred voting machine.

Please e-mail the Editor-in-Chief with any questions.