TX-Reports of paperless voting machines "flipping" votes

[Anti Federalist]

And, here we go again...of course, they are trying to pass it off as operator error.


Some Tarrant County Voters Report Problems When Selecting ‘Straight Party’ Option

https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2018/10/25/...-party-option/

By MaryAnn MartinezOctober 25, 2018 at 10:13 pm

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – In a hyper partisan election, some voters in Tarrant County are finding they’re selecting the candidate of the party they don’t want.

The issue is coming up when voters select the “straight party” option.

About ten voters in Tarrant County have complaints that something isn’t right when they select the “straight party” option… meaning they want to vote all Republican or all Democrat.

Tarrant County Elections Administrator Heider Garcia sees he believes he knows what the issue is, walking us through the process using a mock ballot.

“You just find a party you like. You’re going to click on it and wait until the machine marks everything on the ballot for that party,” said Garcia.

Sounds easy enough but about ten voters in Tarrant County have complaints that something isn’t right when they select the “straight party” option…meaning they want to vote all Republican or all Democrat.

The Texas Secretary of State, who is in charge of elections is warning voter, saying the Tarrant County residents who reach out to his office say “…it appeared to them that the machine had changed one or more of their selections to a candidate from a different party.”

Garcia showed us what can happen when voters move a selection wheel on voting machines in Tarrant County. After the “straight party” option is selected, the ballot takes a couple seconds to load the straight party option— giving voters plenty of time to push buttons below the screen— inadvertently allowing them to change their selections.

“You can always do your review when you get to the summary screen and make sure that what you are seeing on the screen is what you intend to vote for,” said Garcia.

The review page will automatically come up before you cast your final ballot.

“I told a couple of people today, you waited 20, 30 minutes today to vote. Take an extra 30 seconds to make sure what you’re about to record is what you came in to vote for,” said Garcia.

Election workers can help you learn the machine, but they can’t review your votes for your since it’s a secret ballot.

Click here for instructions on how to use the voting machines.

The electronic ballot is the one option during early voting, but in Election Day, you will be able to cast a paper ballot.

[William Tell]

Electronic voting needs to be banned.

[PAF]

Voting needs to be banned.

[Aratus]

One way is to have paper ballots scanned by e*machines.
When in doubt, have the paper ballots taken out of the boxes
with a secure lock on them and count them. if the numbers
do not precisely add up, then go through each set of ballots.
An outside hacker would have to also play games with each
polling place if each had a dual system approach to voting.

[Aratus]

Groups of voters can leave a paper trail that is more difficult to destroy.
Old fashioned counting by hand of each ballot takes longer. It is easier
to be semi-electric. Hackers when doing a simple hack change numbers.

[spudea]

I used those machines and yeah it's a dumb interface with the selection wheel.

[donnay]

Electronic voting needs to be banned.

I have been saying that for years! Anyone who has seen "Hacking Democracy" could see how easily they can rig elections with this electronic ballots and electronic counters for paper ballots.

[Danke]

I used those machines and yeah it's a dumb interface with the selection wheel.

At least u voted.
@TheTexan

[jmdrake]

And yet the only thing the GOP wants to talk about when it comes to voter fraud is voter ID. Hmmmm......

And, here we go again...of course, they are trying to pass it off as operator error.


Some Tarrant County Voters Report Problems When Selecting ‘Straight Party’ Option

https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2018/10/25/...-party-option/

By MaryAnn MartinezOctober 25, 2018 at 10:13 pm

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – In a hyper partisan election, some voters in Tarrant County are finding they’re selecting the candidate of the party they don’t want.

The issue is coming up when voters select the “straight party” option.

About ten voters in Tarrant County have complaints that something isn’t right when they select the “straight party” option… meaning they want to vote all Republican or all Democrat.

Tarrant County Elections Administrator Heider Garcia sees he believes he knows what the issue is, walking us through the process using a mock ballot.

“You just find a party you like. You’re going to click on it and wait until the machine marks everything on the ballot for that party,” said Garcia.

Sounds easy enough but about ten voters in Tarrant County have complaints that something isn’t right when they select the “straight party” option…meaning they want to vote all Republican or all Democrat.

The Texas Secretary of State, who is in charge of elections is warning voter, saying the Tarrant County residents who reach out to his office say “…it appeared to them that the machine had changed one or more of their selections to a candidate from a different party.”

Garcia showed us what can happen when voters move a selection wheel on voting machines in Tarrant County. After the “straight party” option is selected, the ballot takes a couple seconds to load the straight party option— giving voters plenty of time to push buttons below the screen— inadvertently allowing them to change their selections.

“You can always do your review when you get to the summary screen and make sure that what you are seeing on the screen is what you intend to vote for,” said Garcia.

The review page will automatically come up before you cast your final ballot.

“I told a couple of people today, you waited 20, 30 minutes today to vote. Take an extra 30 seconds to make sure what you’re about to record is what you came in to vote for,” said Garcia.

Election workers can help you learn the machine, but they can’t review your votes for your since it’s a secret ballot.

Click here for instructions on how to use the voting machines.

The electronic ballot is the one option during early voting, but in Election Day, you will be able to cast a paper ballot.

[Anti Globalist]

Screw electronic voting.

[TheTexan]

At least u voted.
@TheTexan

Experienced voters know how to use the machines, this whole thing is a non-issue

[Anti Federalist]

Experienced voters know how to use the machines, this whole thing is a non-issue

There should a publicly funded "school for voting" to learn how to do it properly.

[Anti Federalist]

And yet the only thing the GOP wants to talk about when it comes to voter fraud is voter ID. Hmmmm......

Those are very real problems as well.

Dealing with government is like dealing with autistic kids...can't comprehend two issues at the same time.

These touchscreen and all electronic machines should be banned.

[jmdrake]

Those are very real problems as well.

Dealing with government is like dealing with autistic kids...can't comprehend two issues at the same time.

These touchscreen and all electronic machines should be banned.

My concern is not the "black people can't get photo IDs" argument. That's stupid. I am bothered by the expansion of my need to use my de facto national ID card. Can't get on a plane without one. Can't get a job without one. (Once voluntary e-Verify becomes mandatory). Can't vote without one. Oh, and I love the "You have to have one to get on an airplane so why shouldn't you have to have one to do X?" But I thought the reason airport inSecurity was okay was because you don't have to fly if you don't want to?

I fully agree with you. Touchscreen voting machines should be banned. There was a man in Tennessee years ago who had a complete fix for electronic voting where there would be a paper trail and was 100% auditable. He was killed in a freak car accident that to me looked like black ops. But we could just use scantron machines. Complete audit trail and everybody has had to darken in bubbles since 3rd grade.

[Anti Federalist]

My concern is not the "black people can't get photo IDs" argument. That's stupid. I am bothered by the expansion of my need to use my de facto national ID card. Can't get on a plane without one. Can't get a job without one. (Once voluntary e-Verify becomes mandatory). Can't vote without one. Oh, and I love the "You have to have one to get on an airplane so why shouldn't you have to have one to do X?" But I thought the reason airport inSecurity was okay was because you don't have to fly if you don't want to?

Exactly, there is no valid security reason for passenger ID, other than Big Brother data tracking. Security can be achieved anonymously.

Voting is one of the few things I would argue ID is needed, to ensure that you are, in fact, qualified to vote, are in the locality that you are qualified to vote in, and are not voting twice or more, in multiple locations.

If government were not the size it was, and had such power and control over me, I wouldn't care.

[TheTexan]

There should a publicly funded "school for voting" to learn how to do it properly.

Good idea. I'll ask my congressmen to do add it to the high school curriculum. They've already added the "How to Interact with Police" courses I recommended, perhaps they'll add this as well.

Voting is, after all, the highest honor and duty that an American citizen has. It's important to learn how to do it correctly.

[Anti Federalist]

Good idea. I'll ask my congressmen to do add it to the high school curriculum. They've already added the "How to Interact with Police" courses I recommended, perhaps they'll add this as well.

Voting is, after all, the highest honor and duty that an American citizen has. It's important to learn how to do it correctly.

You sir, are a Great American!

[Zippyjuan]

Garcia showed us what can happen when voters move a selection wheel on voting machines in Tarrant County. After the “straight party” option is selected, the ballot takes a couple seconds to load the straight party option— giving voters plenty of time to push buttons below the screen— inadvertently allowing them to change their selections.

So the problem is operator error. Could just get rid of the "straight party" option.

[jmdrake]

Exactly, there is no valid security reason for passenger ID, other than Big Brother data tracking. Security can be achieved anonymously.

Voting is one of the few things I would argue ID is needed, to ensure that you are, in fact, qualified to vote, are in the locality that you are qualified to vote in, and are not voting twice or more, in multiple locations.

If government were not the size it was, and had such power and control over me, I wouldn't care.

I get that. But with electronic voting (and I know we both agree that it should be banned), issues of individual voter fraud pale in comparison. Maybe you can get 500 illegal immigrants to vote with fake voter registration cards. But with one computer programmer you can flip 50,000 votes. I get that politicians are "autistic" (though I wouldn't put autistic people down by comparing them to the loathsome class that is the modern American politician), but this just seems cynical to me. Anyway we have voter ID in our state and the woman who wrote the freaking RealID Act in the house is about to become our senator (and she sucks less than her democratic opponent....but not by much) so I'll take my photo id and registration card in a week and a half and go vote for none of the above.

[Anti Federalist]

So the problem is operator error. Could just get rid of the "straight party" option.

Yes, and I noted that in my OP.

How about getting rid of the electronic machines, period.

There is no reason to have a system that has no "hard copy" paper backup.

[Origanalist]

Y'all just don't vote hard enough.

[Swordsmyth]

Exactly, there is no valid security reason for passenger ID, other than Big Brother data tracking. Security can be achieved anonymously.

Voting is one of the few things I would argue ID is needed, to ensure that you are, in fact, qualified to vote, are in the locality that you are qualified to vote in, and are not voting twice or more, in multiple locations.

If government were not the size it was, and had such power and control over me, I wouldn't care.

Voting is the most dangerous activity on the planet.

[Swordsmyth]

Voting is the most dangerous activity on the planet.

Voter fraud should be punished with death.

Change my mind.

[Swordsmyth]

There is no need for ballots to be counted quickly, only hand counting should be allowed.

[Swordsmyth]

Voters in Texas are having their selection flipped to an entirely different party by the state’s 20-year-old ballot machines, officials have admitted.
Dozens of people attempting a straight-ticket choice – where they vote for the same party in all posts being contested – have reported their commands being disobeyed by the devices.
Republican voters say they have found themselves staring at screens telling them they have selected democrat Beto O'Rourke for the US Senate. Democrats say the same machines have told them they have favoured the Republican Ted Cruz for the same position.
It is unclear if anyone has actually voted for the wrong party as a result of the flipping as the machines give users the chance to correct any errors before confirming.
But the issue has added one more controversy to one of the most acrimonious midterm elections in American history.
Concerns with the devices were first raised on social media but state officials confirmed on Friday they were aware of the problem – which they then blamed on voter misuse.


In a statement on Friday, Ted Cruz said he had heard of “multiple reports” of race selections changing and told supporters: “Once you select the Republican party ticket, please be patient and do not select ‘next’ until the ballot has populated all of the selections.”
Gilberto Hinojosa, the Texas Democrat party chairman, demanded a public service announcement to warn voters, training for poll workers on the issue and the removal of “malfunctioning machines”.

More at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/midterms-...173036492.html