Vote fraud: Standards of evidence

Yahoo has a new group called ElectionFraud2004. Useful info, but I gotta warn ya: These groups can fill up your mailbox fast.

Chuck Herrin, a professional security auditor, demonstrates how one could hack into the GEMS central vote tabulator system:

My paper shows with both commentary and images how easily an election could be lost as our fictional attacker breaks in and changes 11,000+ votes on an actual running installation of the Diebold Regional Vote Tabulation software. It includes before and after Official Election Results, screenshots, and timestamped audit logs that show no sign of any wrongdoing. I was in and out in about 5 minutes - it's so simple I hate to even call it "Hacking".

Media lockdown: Peter Coyote and Bev Harris have both alleged (in rather similar terms) that the media have been told not to touch this story. Told by whom? That remains to be seen, but this report tells us that the redoubtable Keith Olbermann now faces firing -- which, you may recall, is the very fate we predicted.

Speaking of press reaction, you'll want to read this report by Media Matters For America. A sample:

Though articles about the prevalence of Internet-based "conspiracy theories" regarding voting irregularities have appeared in several major newspapers -- including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe -- these articles focused on general speculation about voter fraud rather than on the voting irregularities that actually occurred. Media Matters for America previously noted the failure of most television and cable news networks to report on the glitch in one suburban Ohio town's electronic voting system that resulted in 3,893 extra votes for President George W. Bush; the three media outlets cited above did cite that glitch as an incident that has fueled speculation about vote fraud, but each ignored the negative-25-million-vote episode and other irregularities.

Bev Harris and company are taking Florida like a hurricane:

Black Box Voting has launched a fraud audit into Florida. Three investigators (Bev Harris, Andy Stephenson, and Kathleen Wynne) are in Florida right now. We will initiate hand counts on selected counties that have not fully complied with our Nov. 2 Freedom of Information request by Monday (Diebold counties) or Tuesday (other counties).

A good story about election fraud appeared in the Moscow Times, of all places.

Consortium News has received much interesting reader response on the vote fraud stories written by Bob and Sam Parry.

How about a class action civil suit? That's my response when I read about the systematic abuse of the voting rights act in minority areas of Ohio. For complete audio of the hearings into Ohio disenfranchisement, go here. A classic example:

"Harvey Wasserman of Bexley said he tried to vote absentee with the same home address he has used for 18 years but was told he couldn't because his absentee application had the wrong address.

"But the notice telling me I had the wrong address arrived at the right address," he said.

The sheer cumulative magnitude of these assaults on democracy justify a revote.

The horror stories involving twelve-hour waits in minority neighborhoods on election night give the lie to James Galbriath's deceptive declaration in "The Nation" that lines were longer in pro-Bush counties, hence the undervaluation of the Bush vote by the exit polls. (Galbraith concentrated on Florida, but the same principle applies.)

Finally: Being, in the end, a cynical sort, I am starting to wonder about the value of even reporting on this surge toward fascism. In the end, everything comes down to the question: "What is to be done?" Ian Solomon, associate dean at the Yale Law School, addresses that very problem:

So what is to be done now?

My client conceded the race on the belief that the results were clear. The results are anything but clear, however, and American democratic legitimacy requires an honest reappraisal of the events in Florida and around the country.

Three members of Congress already have requested that the GAO conduct an investigation into the troubling reports of problems with voting machines.

The mainstream media must immediately realize that this issue rises above partisanship and demands attention.

The time is now for voters from all states that used electronic voting machines to request an audit of results and a manual recount of ballots if possible.

We have a duty as Americans to fix these problems for the future and make sure there is a transparent and trustworthy voting system.

Right, Ian. But with the beneficiaries of vote fraud in complete control and the mainstream media in snooze mode, just how do you propose to accomplish these worthy goals?

We can, and will, maintain the search for better evidence of vote fraud. But one thing few understand is that, by world standards, we already possess sufficient evidence. Repeated exit poll disparities favoring one party do constitute damning evidence, despite what some people may tell you. Exit polls are the only way to verify a computerized vote. Such disparities, as I have pointed out several times, brought about a rebellion and a change of government in the former Soviet state of Georgia.

Well before the election, I suggested ways we could peacefully rebel. Idea numero uno: A massive refusal by Democrats to pay taxes unless and until the government schedules a revote using fair methodology. I heard a caller to the Randi Rhodes program offer another good idea: A massive work stoppage by Democrats. (Remember: Blue states produce most of this nation's wealth.)

Realistically, however, mass numbers of people will never embrace such measures. Rebellion means eschewing comfort, risking punishment, and embracing uncertainty. Most will balk at so decisive a step. "Maybe the evidence of vote fraud isn't strong enough," we will tell ourselves. "Maybe we should wait until stronger proof comes out. Then we'll do something. Maybe."

And what proof is strong enough? I predict that the continual demand for better evidence will always result in a case of "moving the goal posts." Would a confession by a conspirator be considered excellent evidence? Most would answer "yes" -- today. But if such a confession should make headlines tomorrow, pundits (including those on the left) will do their damndest to poke holes in the story. They will demand something even more conclusive.

If you do not want to believe an idea, no proof is ever conclusive.

A genuine belief that vote fraud occurred requires the taking of action, a suggestion repellent to most of us. Hell, even I tend to shake my head at the idea.

And so here we are -- too cowardly to do what the Georgians did. What would our founding fathers say about us?