Diebold Weighs Strategy for Voting Unit

http://www.heraldsun.com/business/21-825762.cfm

CLEVELAND -- Diebold Inc. saw great potential in the modernization of elections equipment. Now, analysts say, executives may be angling for ways to dump its e-voting subsidiary that's widely seen as tarnishing the company's reputation.

Though Diebold Election Systems -- the company's smallest business segment -- has shown growth and profit, it's faced persistent criticism over the reliability and security of its touch-screen voting machines. About 150,000 of its touch-screen or optical scan systems were used in 34 states in last November's election.

The criticism is particularly jarring for a nearly 150-year-old company whose primary focus has long been safes and automated teller machines.

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Critics remained. About the time of the November elections, HBO aired a scathing documentary entitled "Hacking Democracy" that again raised questions about the security of Diebold machines.

Might Diebold choose to keep the voting business and grow it?

"It's a possibility, but I'd assign it a very low probability," Luria said.

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Fascinating. :evilgrin: