Live data from Hacker News

Voting Machine Used in Half of U.S. Is Vulnerable to Attack, Report Finds

wsj.com

31–40 of 207 posts

Re: Voting Machine Used in Half of U.S. Is Vulnerable to Attack, Report Finds

#31
post #18

With all of this discussion in Washington about Russian hacking and Russian voter influencing, why are these demonstrably vulnerable voting machines hardly mentioned? It would seem to me this should be a number one priority to prevent outside interference.

In fact the voting system seems to be getting more, rather than less, shady in some places. Eg, LA county: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17823702

Re: Voting Machine Used in Half of U.S. Is Vulnerable to Attack, Report Finds

#32
post #2

sigh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3_0x6oaDmI

Lot of generalizations and stupid assumptions in that video, like where he argues that of course the ballots will be uploaded over the internet without any authentication/checksum.

I don't see why a digital counting machine which is kept completely offline and is transported physically cannot be used, specially if we can verify it's counting functions by randomly verifying a few of those machines (also keep paper ballots, just use the machine to count ballots), or statistics, and use an external randomization/derandomization module.

Re: Voting Machine Used in Half of U.S. Is Vulnerable to Attack, Report Finds

#33

I work for the municipality of Skanderborg, Denmark. We have what we call digital elections, but what’s digitized is the registration process. Basically every adult gets a voting card with their information + a barcode, we scan those barcodes when they turn up to receive their ballot(is that the right word for voting list?), and then they are registered. The actual voting takes place on paper, and while it takes time…

I also live i Skanderborg.

As a side note our Politicians in Denmark, just trashed the posibility of using evoting, citing security, and that our current election system, is actually superior. The only thing we would gain, would be fast vote counting. Why sould we trade security for that?

Re: Voting Machine Used in Half of U.S. Is Vulnerable to Attack, Report Finds

#34
post #2

sigh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3_0x6oaDmI

Lot of generalizations and stupid assumptions in that video, like where he argues that of course the ballots will be uploaded over the internet without any authentication/checksum. I don't see why a digital counting machine which is kept completely offline and is transported physically cannot be used, specially if we can verify it's counting functions by randomly verifying a few of those machines (also keep paper bal…

Hang on. You want to use a counting machine, and then physically transport it around to avoid security issues instead of just using proven human counters and physically transported ballots because....???? Why? Just why? What problem is this solving? Does getting your results a few hours sooner make a single bit of difference to merit this madness?

Re: Voting Machine Used in Half of U.S. Is Vulnerable to Attack, Report Finds

#35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Elections are held on Tuesday as a way of restricting who can vote PERIOD. Poorer voters have a harder time getting off work, and getting transportation to voting site, which is usually close to their home, but not their work.

Seems simple enough to just make it a national holiday.

The system is designed to prevent (certain) people from voting. So while a national holiday would make sense in the abstract, it goes contrary to the goals of those who make the laws.

Re: Voting Machine Used in Half of U.S. Is Vulnerable to Attack, Report Finds

#36
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because citizens are not required to have ID and those that don't have one are disproportionately racial minorities and/or in lower socioeconomic classes. Democrats would be much more willing to allow ID to be required to vote if there was a national ID card issued to every citizen, but Republicans would be against any system that would try to create a national ID.

We desperately need a national ID card. Social security was never designed for this purpose and it's terrible for it. Drivers license requires having access to a car and some way to learn how to use it.

You can get an ID card that works as legal id but isn't a driver's license, but it still requires going to the DMV and burning at LEAST several hours, which isn't an option available to everybody.

Re: Voting Machine Used in Half of U.S. Is Vulnerable to Attack, Report Finds

#37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Elections are held on Tuesday as a way of restricting who can vote PERIOD. Poorer voters have a harder time getting off work, and getting transportation to voting site, which is usually close to their home, but not their work.

Seems simple enough to just make it a national holiday.

"Seems simple enough" is to politics what "this should be a quick fix" is to engineering.

Re: Voting Machine Used in Half of U.S. Is Vulnerable to Attack, Report Finds

#38
As much as electronic voting has its issues, it allows for quick counting and would allow for more fairer ways of voting, like priority lists (I mean, you could do that using paper, but it is a PITA and very subject to mistakes)

Ideally printed/machine readable votes (one that the voter doesn't take with them) sounds like could be an answer

Re: Voting Machine Used in Half of U.S. Is Vulnerable to Attack, Report Finds

#39
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why are elections not held on Sundays ? I assume that on average there are less people working that day that Monday - Friday, so less people would have to take time off from their job. Edit: Found this > In 1845, the United States Congress chose a single date for all national elections in all states. The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November was chosen so that there would never be more than 34 days between…

Elections are held on Tuesday as a way of restricting who can vote PERIOD. Poorer voters have a harder time getting off work, and getting transportation to voting site, which is usually close to their home, but not their work.

If this had an actual impact on the election you would see one side push for changing the day as a strategy if they are more popular in the poorer populations than their opponent. Republicans would definitely want this more now considering Donald Trump's voter base was mostly lower income people. Same could be said for Barack Obama during 2014.

Re: Voting Machine Used in Half of U.S. Is Vulnerable to Attack, Report Finds

#40
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It’s a little taxing, but everyone involved enjoy the process This is part of the problem in the United States. Voting is a chore, and you're often going to lose money (unpaid time off) to do it. If elections were national holidays and voting was treated as a privilege instead of a chore, we would be much better off.

The state of Oregon has vote by mail. Its awesome. My ballot gets mailed to me a few weeks before the election. I fill it out, and can either mail it back (I have to pay for a postage stamp) or drop it off at a ballot drop box all over town. there are all sorts of safeguards for things like not getting your ballot in the mail, etc. I was also automatically register to vote as an independent when I got my drivers lice…

This actually a bad idea: The reason for in person voting is poll monitors there are watching to make sure nobody knows how you voted.

There are have been cases of "vote for me or I'll break your legs". When you vote from home someone can come by and watch you mail your vote the "correct" way in.

Post reply on HN