Re: 2D Barcode Reader for Celphone Cameras

[Paul E Condon <pecondon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, Aug 01, 2006 at 12:50:59PM -0600, Ralph Shnelvar wrote:
> OK, so now we know that an untrained user can read bar codes.
> 
> What are the implications?  How can we trace back from the bar code (serial
> number) to the voter?
> 

The bar code seems to be necessary for the operation of Hart paper
ballot scanning system. I don't really believe all that I'm told about
Hart software, but I sense that people involved get really, really
agitated if it looks like they may loose the bar code. So, I suppose
it is really needed. And, at some stage in that system the cast votes
of an individual voter are associated with this bar code somewhere in
the computer data. If some bad person has access to these data, he
might be able to combine it with other data to learn how individuals
voted their ballot. So, the vote wouldn't be by secret ballot.

But what else does bad person need? He needs a table of voter names
matched with bar code numbers of the ballot that each voted. Bad
person might be able to induce some election judges to use bar code
scanners and cameras to collect these extra data. But election judges
are poorly trained at what they are supposed to do. Asking them to do
something really extra, and really sneeky, is not realistic. Already,
many are resigning for fear of the extra work on the new computer
voting machines.

I know that it is said that Colorado State Constitution has a clause
about identifying marks on ballots. We really ought to respect the
Constitution, or amend it. 

While writing this I got to thinking about what might be possible if
bad person were able to scan the ballots under ultraviolet(UV) light.
I think UV reveals fingerprints. Bad person could separate out the
ballot judges' finger prints. The rest of the prints on the ballot
are voter prints. Soon, the government will have a database of voter
finger prints (maybe). Who wants to make an issue out of this?
More turmoil. More excitement. 

And what does this say about the clause in the Constitution. Who
can vote a ballot without leaving finger prints on it? Oh, yes,
voters should be provided with surgical rubber gloves. ;-)

-- 
Paul E Condon           
pecondon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx