There is something fishy about the NASED ITA qualification process.

On March 29, 2007, I had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Anthony Boldin, the CEO and president of Voting Technologies International (VTI). We discussed the certification status of VTI equipment in the State of Wisconsin.  During this conversation Mr. Bolding briefly touched on his travails with the NASED ITA qualification process for voting systems.

Since July 2006 the VTI system has been examined by the Wyle/Ciber team. A report was generated and sent to theNASED Voting Systems Board Technical subcommittee. Questions were raised by the technical sub-committee.  The VTI system was returned for re-examination by the Wyle/Ciber team. A second report was generated and sent to the NASED Voting Systems Board Technical sub-committee. Questions were raised by the technical sub-committee.  The VTI system was returned for re-examination by the Wyle/Ciber team. A third report was generated and sent to the NASED Voting Systems Board Technical sub-committee. Questions were raised by the technical sub-committee. The VTI system was returned for re-examination by the Wyle/Ciber team. A fourth report was generated and sent to the NASED Voting Systems Board Technical sub-committee. Questions were raised by the technical sub-committee. The VTI system was returned for re-examination by the Wyle/Ciber team. A fifth report was generated and sent to the NASED Voting Systems Board Technical sub-committee.  As of a couple of weeks ago the status of the VTI system is pending before the NASED Voting Systems Board Technical sub-committee.

I believe I have this count correct.  Mr. Boldin was speaking quickly, but even if I am off by one this is incredible. 

While I am no fan of the extraordinarily weak 2002 Voting System Standards (VSS), I do expect the standards to be applied to all voting systems evenly.  I cannot see how this is the case with the VTI system.

According to a report in the Star Express, Voting Technologies International (VTI) has apparently gone out of business, leaving county officials that have purchased the company’s voting equipment concerned about future elections. One of the smaller players in the voting equipment industry, VTI had contracts with counties in only three states – seven counties in Kansas, four counties in Indiana, and one county in Wisconsin.

Based in Milwaukee, Wiscon, the company has received little attention. In a study of 2004 election data conducted by David C. Kimball of the University of Missouri-St. Louis VTI registered a 4.1% undervote rate, good for second place behind the Unilect Patriot’s astonishing 6.8%. The company’s VotCenter with VotWare election management software is not listed as having received a NASED qualification number in the most recent list of voting systems from last summer.

Like most states that have held primaries this Spring, Indiana has had its share of election woes. The delivery of uncertified software to 72 counties by ES&S and MicroVote prompted an investigation and threats of stiff penalties by Secretary of State Todd Rokita. The investigation found that ES&S may have committed around 30 violations of the Indiana Election Code. The state's smallest voting machine vendor, VoTing Technologies International, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was also involved in election controversy. Election results were severely delayed in three out of the four Indiana counties that used the company's equipment and at least one candidate, Republican Terry Conrad, is considering a challenge.

On election day, voters described numerous problems with machine malfunctions that caused long lines and prompted some voters to wait up to two hours to vote.

The star Tribune reported:

“I think we need to go ahead with a new election,” he said. Several voters and candidates agree with him, he said. Conrad wants a new election because “I don’t believe the results are there. I don’t think they are accurate.” 

 

Conrad doesn’t believe the election was run very smoothly. He’s heard that several polling places had computer problems “and some people didn’t get to vote because they had to go to work and couldn’t wait.”

Used in only one county nationwide, VoTing Technologies International's VotWare system recorded a 4.1% undervote rate, second only to the Unilect Patriot's 6.8% according to a study conducted by David C. Kimball of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.