RE: Hand count or open source

["Some Guy" <someguy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul -- I think this is an excellent idea.

If the systems had functioned properly last week and the law would have
allowed you to look at your vote by the number that you had recorded from
you ballot - then this would have worked.

As far as I can tell the law doesn't allow this, but that doesn't mean that
it cannot be changed.

If you are the only person that knows what ballot you cast by the number
that is on it, then technologically should be able to find the image in the
scanning computers to see it and how it was tallied.

If the secrecy in voting wanks on this list would simply listen to and
understand what you are proposing without getting their panties in a knot
about barcodes and numbers then they might see the value of this. Imagine
going to a terminal at the C&Rs office after the election and looking up you
ballot number? You could be sure that it was tallied as the image shows you
voted.

Of course your union boss could also check to see if you voted as you said
you did, and that's what the detractors are all about. Vote selling, and
other imagined activities. I don't see this stuff. Probably because you
can't buy my vote, or if I sold it I'd make the buyer pay through the nose!
I wonder what 3rd assistant dog catcher is worth?

Some Guy who won't sell his vote

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul E Condon [mailto:pecondon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 10:53 PM

Checking an individual vote seems to me to require that each ballot
have a serial number or ID number that the voter can write down and
use to check the his vote record in a database of counted votes. I can
contemplate this idea, but I have a hard time believing that it will ever
receive the blessing of this group, or of any other in my lifetime.

Is something else meant by "check"?
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