[kwlug-disc] Vote machines today

[William Park]

On 2022-06-02 16:51, Khalid Baheyeldin wrote:
> - *Anonymity:* a ballot cannot be traced to an individual, so there is 
> no pressure or reprisal.
> - *Decentralization:* ballots should not all go to one location to be 
> counted (where it can be switched, or stuffed). Otherwise, you can bribe 
> or threaten a few people to get a favorable result for you or your friends.
> - *Auditability:* ballots can be recounted with witnesses from various 
> candidates/parties. Software on the other hand can be modified by one 
> corrupt programmer or installer for a bribe, under pressure or for 
> ideology. Even if a committee supervises the software release, this is a 
> single point of failure (see next point), and there is no guarantee that 
> "this software" is what ended up on the web site, or released as an app.
> - *Transparency: *the entire process should understandable to a lay person

All of these are already happening.  All in all, the stuffs that you can 
see, I'm sure they pay attention.

My concern is stuffs that you don't see.  The program.  I'm sure they 
audit the program.  Is it micro-processor?  Windows machine running DOS 
program?  Government don't publish that, citing security.  Company don't 
open source it, because codes and hardwares are their IP.  We (in the 
list) all know many potential issues, like calibration, offset, fonts, 
contrast, density, ...

My favourite one, "offset".  The scanner has been calibrated and is 
reading the "X" correctly.  It's just that X for candidate #1 is counted 
as X for candidate #2, because offset can be inch, mm, or pixel. :-)