Michigan elections director casts doubt on vote-hacking concerns

Looks like all the hyperbole surrounding some report from so called "experts" might be hooey.

The Michigan elections director said Michigan didn't use electronic voting and nothing was connected to the internet.

Settled science again !!


Michigan elections director casts doubt on vote-hacking concerns

Michigan's elections director expressed skepticism today about national reports that say a computer security expert at the University of Michigan is part of a group of scientists questioning the results of the presidential election in Michigan and two other states, claiming that their analysis identified irregularities that could point to possible computer hacking.

J. Alex Halderman, director of U-M's Center for Computer Security and Society, is one of a small group of computer scientists urging the Democratic presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton to call for recounts in the battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, according to reports on CNN and elsewhere, citing an unnamed source.

Chris Thomas, the longtime director of Michigan's Bureau of Elections, said Michigan doesn't use the electronic voting machines identified in the report as being the sources of potential hacking.

"We are an entire paper and optical scan state," Thomas told the Free Press this morning. "Nothing is connected to the Internet."

I swear you cant make this stuff up... you would think people would have checked to make sure there was electronic voting before running with that story...

I think I need some whiskey...

a reply to: xuenchen

" I Am Your Voice "
" Drain The Swamp "

Two Quotes from Mr. Trump that Resounded among the American Voters , and Won him this Election . Ok , Next on the Agenda , Make America Great Again .

a reply to: xuenchen

Maybe Now Michigan will be Building Cars Again..........

a reply to: xuenchen

Good gawd. You couldn't write this stuff in a fiction novel.

Interesting that the "expert" Computer Scientist from Michigan didn't know about his own state's voting procedures and equipment.

Should we wonder out loud if perhaps he might have had his own agenda? After all he IS a college professor.

I spent years doing statistical research for hard science like computer systems engineering as well as social sciences.
A researcher's bias shows up in assumptions about the data and the implied causative effects.
"Correlation isn't causation".

ganjoa

So...

How do the tabulated vote counts get stored/recorded after they are counted? In file cabinets? How are the results sent to anyone else? By carrier pigeon?

The guy is doing a CYA, hardcore.

And who cares, shouldn't periodic audits be done anyway to ensure the integrity of our voting system? When was the last time one was done?

If Hillary had won, I'm sure Trump people would be saying the same thing, calling for audits and re-counts. They had already been beating the "rigged election" drum for months.

And if they did want an audit or recount?

I'd support them.

Yes, I would support them. I don't care who won, it's not a bad idea. Chances are Trump still wins, but who cares? The only people saying "move on! He won!" are people who are scared there's a chance something will be found.

If it had been Hillary who won, I wouldn't be telling Trump people to shut up and move on. I'd be saying, "Sure, lets do that audit and recount -- let's make sure there wasn't any funny business this time, and if so -- fix it and find new ways to prevent anymore funny business".

The power to vote is one of the most powerful things we Americans have.

Shouldn't we take it seriously, regardless of who "wins"?

EDIT: And anyone who says its a waste of time and money clearly doesn't hold the right to vote, and election system with a shred of reverence or respect. Claiming that it's all a big waste is disrespectful to the institution itself, and un-American.

If Hillary thought there was an opportunity to win the election via recount(s), you could bet your last pantsuit that she'd jump on it!

Instead, she's going straight to the Electoral College "electors", and make them an offer they can't refuse.

a reply to: Kettu

You dont know either , do ya ? The results are transferred by a encrypted USB storage device
Like was said , NO INTERNET. Perhaps the caps will make it sink in

a reply to: Gothmog

So...how are the results transmitted to anyone? Hand carried USB drive? Is there a "print results" button on the USB drive? No? Didn't think so.

Also how is the ballot loaded onto the USB drive, so that the ballot can be loaded onto a voting machine?

When plug an encrypted USB drive into a computer, you have to UNLOCK it before you can transfer files onto it. And then you have to UNLOCK it once you plug it into the voting machine to program the machine with the ballot.

While transferring the ballot information to the drive (which is then encrypted) it's entirely possible malware like was seen in Ukraine could hitch a ride.

originally posted by: Kettu
a reply to: Gothmog

So...how are the results transmitted to anyone? Hand carried USB drive? Is there a "print results" button on the USB drive? No? Didn't think so.

Also how is the ballot loaded onto the USB drive, so that the ballot can be loaded onto a voting machine?

When plug an encrypted USB drive into a computer, you have to UNLOCK it before you can transfer files onto it. And then you have to UNLOCK it once you plug it into the voting machine to program the machine with the ballot.

While transferring the ballot information to the drive (which is then encrypted) it's entirely possible malware like was seen in Ukraine could hitch a ride.

They are loaded up to a system NOT CONNECTED to the Internet.There is no human intervention . The key is ENCRYPTED . You understand encrypted , yes ? No way for anyone to change . So what is up with you and verifying the vote count ? Lyin , crooked , Hillary LOST. Period.

Do ya think they will find "hanging chads" with an electronic or scanned ballot ?

ETA: No , the unlock does not need human interface either . The file is never UNENCRYPTED , The program does that.