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Courant Op-Ed: Daniel Patrick Moynihan warned of national popular vote risks

By Luther Weeks on April 17, 2011

We have learned more about voting integrity since the time of Senator Moynihan. It would be even worse than he imagined.

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Photo ID: “Birther Bills” For All?

By Luther Weeks on April 16, 2011

  • This year’s proposals are the strictest voter identification proposals ever considered by states. Most severely limit forms of acceptable identification voters may show and make scant allowances for those unable to obtain the specific form of identification required by the law, even if they have other forms of ID that can verify their identities at the polls.
  • Photo ID proposals will cost cash-strapped states up to $20 million to implement.

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Wisconsin: Democracy In The Gap: Between Impatience And Incompetence

By Luther Weeks on April 11, 2011

The best outcome of a recount would be to determine the correct winner of the election, leading to an improved system in Wisconsin, and serving as an example to other states. Yet, Democrats should not get their hopes up for a change in the result.

Let us hope that something good comes from the election error and concern in Wisconsin.

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Losing democracy in cyberspace

By Luther Weeks on April 7, 2011

Voting computers, like heads of state, must be held accountable to the people they serve.

As we have said, many times, with regard our audits in Connecticut: “If we dismiss all differences as human counting errors, if there ever was error or fraud it would not be recognized.”

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Virtual war a real threat…to water and democracy

By Luther Weeks on April 3, 2011

LATimes reports on cyber threats to a Southern California water system. This is why we have been testifying against “online” voting and highlighting that even good size cities cannot protect their systems. Clearly each of Connecticut’s 169 towns could not afford even the expense of threat assessment of online voting systems. A good start would be vulnerability assessment of our existing paper ballot and voting machine security.

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Security Theater: Scary! Expert Outlines Physical Security Limitations

By Luther Weeks on April 1, 2011

Connecticut’s ballots and voting machines are vulnerable. We are subject to many of the characteristics of “Security Theater” outlined by Dr. Roger Johnston of Argonne Lab’s Vulnerability Assessments Team. “Security” seals can be compromised, undetected in seconds. That is only the tip of the iceberg. Forget those Dracula movies. Contemplate the value of ballots to our democracy while watching the video.

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Laws interact – be careful what you legislate

By Luther Weeks on March 28, 2011

Earlier this month we cautioned the legislature about enacting the UMOVE Act without providing election officials an opportunity to check for conflicts with existing laws. We highlight an example of a similar conflict in existing state and local laws that frustrates officials and disenfranchises voters.

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A little bit of nonsense in well intended proposed law

By Luther Weeks on March 25, 2011

“If you cannot fit all the races or candidates on a paper ballot…then use a paper ballot”

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Efforts to make Internet secure are ineffective

By Luther Weeks on March 20, 2011

Could Connecticut or any or our 169 municipalities accomplish what the U.S. Government and the Defense Department has not?

“cyber crime and cyber espionage are daily occurrences in the United States and are doing long-term damage to the nation’s economy and global competitiveness. What’s more, they set the stage for cyber attacks. ‘Some of our opponents use cyber criminals as mercenaries,'”

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Op-Ed: Photo ID’s downsides for voting

By Luther Weeks on March 14, 2011

Photo ID may be a well-intentioned idea, but it is expensive “security theater” that will disenfranchise far more voters than any fraud it will prevent.

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