'Daily Voting News' For June 19, 2008

I want to go back to my comments in yesterday's DVN about the ETC and their report. Prior to the EAC taking over voting system testing and certification from the National Association of State Election Directors the vendors had a direct line to the volunteers who approved and qualified the testing of the voting systems. The vendors wined and dined election officials at gatherings of Secretaries of State, State Election Directors, and the Election Center. They had a close relationship with those who reviewed testing and made the decisions as to whether voting systems should be qualified; and they always were. No wonder voting systems fail with regularity. Now the vendors have lost the ability to influence the system and they don't like it at all. The jury is still out but our voting systems have to be better for all of the scrutiny they are getting before certification. It's time to give the vendors a hanky to dry their tears. ...