Bob Fitrakis of the FreePress reminds us how “Conspiracy Theories” are used and abused:
Bob Bites Back: A history of computer voting “conspiracies” <read>
When you are lazy, ignorant and not willing to do research – accuse your more-informed opponents of being “conspiracy theorists.” A recent Columbus Dispatch editorial utilized this technique in its defense of Ohio’s antiquated and easily hacked voting apparatus.
The Dispatch, with few facts or statistics, stated that, “Secretary of State Jon Husted claims ‘…Ohio’s current voting equipment should be in fine shape through the 2016 election.’” In a subhead, the Big D also claimed “Transparent bipartisan approach should head off conspiracy theorists.”…
We live in a world where hackers can get into the Pentagon, CIA and major corporations, but we’re to believe they are stymied by antiquated, vulnerable computer voting machines programmed with secret proprietary software. If I’m a conspiracy theorist saying our voting machines are hackable and democracy is at risk – then I’m in good company with most of the major academic computer scientists in the country.
If course, that is Ohio. We on the other hand, are worried about other crazy theories, like parties after Church, at work, and the Union hall or at military installations where “We will get some candidate and issue information and then all vote our absentee votes together”. Like the concerns in Colorado from 2010.
Many Coloradans fear union hall voting brunches as much as church congregations` voting breakfasts during the two-week run-up to Election Day. The potential for voter intimidation is much greater with mailed ballots than at the polls. And while voting at the kitchen table is convenient, the secrecy of the ballot can be compromised in ways that do not exist at the polls.
Now from Seattle, this video of a “Ballot Box” with a “tamper resistant contraption“, in the hands of practically anyone: King County acknowledges using cardboard boxes to collect ballots <video>
I have to agree with officials that this ballot box and method does make me more interested in elections.
If you have voted Absentee, for the election tomorrow, we ask “Do you know where your ballot is, and where it has been?
