Die, Die, Diebold

Proud to be a Californian when we can make news like this.

State Blocks Digital Voting

SACRAMENTO - California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley on Friday withdrew his approval of electronic voting machines throughout the state - a step that could force many voters to return to paper ballots in November.

Shelley's decision - which experts called the most significant setback yet in the nation's shift to computerized voting - allows 10 of 14 California counties that use electronic voting to reapply for certification if they meet 23 new security conditions.

The remaining four counties - San Diego, San Joaquin, Solano and Kern - are banned from using their touch-screen systems in November. Shelley, the state's top elections official, also called on California Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer to investigate the company that made the equipment in those counties, Diebold Election Systems, for allegedly lying to state officials.

Across California, registrars of voters said they were surprised by Shelley's action, which was harsher than steps recommended by an advisory panel earlier this week.

"At this point in time, electronic voting doesn't appear to be an option," said Scott Konopasek, San Bernardino County's registrar of voters. "This really came out of the blue today."

Shelley, at a news conference in his office, said he was deeply concerned about a host of election day problems that prevented an unknown number of voters from casting ballots in March.

In San Diego County, for example, the Diebold AccuVote-TSx system malfunctioned, causing 55% of the county's polling places to open late and preventing an unknown number of voters from casting ballots, according to a report by the secretary of state.

In Orange County, thousands of voters were issued the wrong ballots on voting machines made by Hart InterCivic. As a result, some voters cast ballots in races in which they were ineligible and were prevented from voting in races that affected them. Orange County officials later blamed the problem on inadequate training of poll workers.

In the most drastic action announced Friday, Shelley banned Diebold's AccuVote-TSx from use in the November election, meaning that four counties that own the equipment - San Diego, San Joaquin, Solano and Kern - will have to find another way to collect votes in November.