NEWS: Group Cites Electronic Voting Problems (and more simple math

Group Cites Electronic Voting Problems
http://www.blackenterprise.com/yb/ybopen.asp?section=ybaa&story_id=60441350&ID=blackenterprise
<snip>---
WASHINGTON - The record use of electronic voting machines on Nov. 2 led to hundreds of voting irregularities and shows the need for higher standards, a voting rights group said Thursday.

The companies that make the electronic machines said their equipment was reliable and had relatively few problems considering the millions who cast their ballots.

The Election Verification Project reviewed nearly 900 reports of electronic voting problems on Election Day, ranging from lost votes in North Carolina to miscounted votes in Ohio and breakdowns in New Orleans that caused long lines and shut down polling places.
---<snip>

900 Problems eh? Remember my post about simple math...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=41029&mesg_id=41029

900 problems... lost votes in NC is considered 1 -- added votes in Ohio is considered 1 (how I interpret what they are saying)...

so, to that original math equation.

900 x 4000 extra votes = 3,600,000

What was the difference in votes again?

<snip>---
The members of the verification project said they hadn't seen evidence that the problems would change the election results - President Bush captured 60.5 million votes to Sen. John Kerry's 57.1 million. But they said the problems raised the specter of that possibility in a closer race.
---<snip>

That's a different of 3.4 million.

do they cite the popular vote as evidence that nothing would change. I'm so sick of this shit. The race comes down to Ohio, maybe Flordia, and we're talking hudreds of thousands of votes, not 3.5 million.

Mind you, I think a national recount would flip the popular vote. But it's usesless to even mention that.

It's ridiculous for them to say that the problems couldn't change the outcome. Very minor voting errors/glitches/extra votes in each precinct, when there are 175,000 of them across the U.S. could make a HUGE difference.

If you only added 25 votes for Bush in 175,000 precincts, whether by glitch or fraud, it's 4,375,000 extra votes nationwide -- and enough to win. 25 "mistaken votes" would easily go unnoticed, and it could easily be said (if discovered in just a few areas) "hey, it's not enough to change the outcome.

This is EXACTLY the reason EVERY vote should be counted correctly.