Brazile: NIST is Right. Paperless Electronic Voting Machines
December 4, 2006
The Washington Post is reporting today on a federal agency assessment that asserts that electronic voting machines without a paper trail "cannot be made secure." The "sweeping condemnation" of the electronic voting machines was drafted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. According to the Post, "NIST said that voting systems should allow election officials to recount ballots independently from a voting machine's software." [Washington Post, 12/01/06]
At its Fall Meeting in Chicago in August, the Democratic National Committee adopted a resolution pledging to work with "Congress to adopt legislation and regulations which will prevent abuse under H.A.V.A. and ensure uniform standards for state voter lists and mandatory verified voter trails and back-up audits for use with electronic voting machines." [DNC Affirms Re-Authorization of VRA]
DNC Voting Rights Institute Chair Donna Brazile issued the following statement:
"NIST is right. Paperless electronic voting machines 'cannot be made secure.' The new NIST report is confirmation that the mandatory verified voter trails the DNC and its Voting Rights Institute have championed are vital to restoring the confidence of the American people in their own democracy. Voting is our most fundamental right, no American should ever have to worry that his or her vote may not be counted. We applaud the NIST for putting the country's best interests first, and urge the Election Assistance Commission to adopt the NIST recommendations."
