Election Day Thread

[sketerpot]

I've always wondered just how hard it would be to actually screw up an electronic voting system. I mean, seriously.

Code: Select all

if( choice == KERRY ) {
    JohnKerry++;
} else if( choice == BUSH ) {
    GeorgeWBush++;
}

Honestly, it must take effort to fuck that stuff up.

That's fine if JohnKerry and GeorgeWBush are simple variables and you can get the whole country to vote on one computer. The problems come when you're tallying the votes, and making sure that someone doesn't do some crazy shit with the voting system at some point. Network security is hard, and convincing people that nobody tampered with the results is even harder. For an example of some really funky shit, read Reflections on Trusting Trust, which talks about a self-perpetuating, invisible trojan horse that Ken Thompson wrote once, along with some good mind-bending.

[darthdavid]

I don't get to vote till the next election, but If I could vote this year it would be for The Giant Douche. After all, atleast a douche is clean...

[Rogue 9]

voted kerry

Aren't you German?

[Howedar]

Giant Douche (D) for President
McCain for Senate

various local shit

[Joe]

I'm abstaining, and I feel good about it. I do wish I had registered in Athens to vote against that awful gay marriage ban which is going to pass anyway, but oh well.

[fgalkin]

Can't vote. But if I could, I'd be voting for Kerry.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[President Sharky]

*The Bird of Death flies overhead*

*The Earth trembles in apprehension*

JUDGEMENT DAY HAS ARRIVED

[Crayz9000]

I've always wondered just how hard it would be to actually screw up an electronic voting system. I mean, seriously.

Code: Select all

if( choice == KERRY ) {
    JohnKerry++;
} else if( choice == BUSH ) {
    GeorgeWBush++;
}

Honestly, it must take effort to fuck that stuff up.

You'd have to re-code the system for each election then. Better that you have "election configuration" files , with each candidate listed in an easily-understood format (XML perhaps?).

But the machines should not be exposed to the Internet, bebcause I don't think it would be possible to secure the machines beyond all reasonable doubt, when human stupidity is factored in. They could, of course, work by using a small LAN and recording votes on a "black box" network drive (with encryption, of course) or something which would be held by the polling officials. Then, the devices are collected, hooked up, and the votes are tabulated...

[Rogue 9]

Hey, hard to get worse than the current two.

[Robert Treder]

I voted for Kerry for president, Mike Honda (D) for HR (he's the best congressman in the world, I swear - the guy's a genius, a great public speaker, is super nice, never takes the wrong side of an issue, and he personally answers all correspondence directed to him), Gap Kim, Nam Nguyen, Rod Diridon Jr, Pat Kolstad, and Jamie McLeod for City Council (not that those names mean anything to you), and I didn't vote for any of the school or judge positions, because I don't know the candidates, and I'm too lazy to do my research on them. I also didn't vote for senator because I don't like Barbara Boxer, but I don't like the other guys either. Same sitch with state legislature.

As far as state/local measures go, I voted against the things that help indian gaming, I voted for stem cell research, and I voted for the education bonds on the ballot.

[HemlockGrey]

Pardon, the opponent I was looking for was Goldwater. Fucking gliomas steal more of my memory every day.

I take it you saw the Daisy Girl ad.

Could I vote, I'd vote Kerry.

[Dalton]

In about forty minutes, I'm going to put on some clothes, walk down to my old elementary school and click the little lever marked "John Kerry".

In fact, I'm probably going to do what I've never done before: vote a straight party line. I've had it up to my ears with the Republicans this year.

[Patrick Degan]

Make of this what you will:

Linky

High Turnout Means Kerry Victory

John LeBoutillier
Monday, Nov. 1, 2004

Beginning last spring I wrote of the theory of the Passion Differential - the difference between the anti-Bush forces and the pro-Bush forces.

I added that the Democratic nominee was basically irrelevant to this race; that the anti-Bushies were creating a wave of support and all the Democratic nominee had to do was to climb aboard an imaginary surfboard and “ride that wave” to victory.

Well, we are now a day before the biggest election since the epic 1980 battle between the failed presidency of Jimmy Carter and the electoral tidal wave ushered in by his challenger, Ronald Reagan.

What is going to happen tomorrow?

A tsunami of new voters, young voters, recently registered-by-the-Democrat Party-and-George Soros voters, minority voters and unhappy-with-the direction-of-the-country voters is going to swell the voting lines all day tomorrow.

We are going to have an unprecedented turnout - the largest ever - and that is not good news for the GOP and President Bush.

Story Continues Below

The higher the turnout - and some estimate upward of 120 million voters - the better it is for Kerry because those new voters are coming to vote against President Bush.

How do we know this?

# Early Voting numbers are at an all-time high. In Florida people are willing to wait 3 1/2 hours to vote on a Sunday!

# Absentee ballot applications are at an all-time high.

# There is unprecedented interest and passion across the board for this election. All polls ask that question - and over 70% of voters this year claim to be paying “a lot of attention” to the race.

# Viewership for all 3 debates was substantially higher than for the 3 debates 4 years ago.

# The Democrats, ACT and their labor pals have a better get-out-the-vote operation than Bush and the GOP do.

Polling of those who have already voted in Florida is decidedly anti-Bush; the same in Iowa where Kerry is leading 56-39 among those who have already voted.

Yes, early voting polls could be an aberration; but that is doubtful.

Plus the best pollster - John Zogby, who was the only correct pollster 4 years ago - now shows a Kerry surge in the Battleground states (except Ohio). Zogby predicts a Kerry victory tomorrow.

What indications to look for tomorrow?

Cable TV will have cameras positioned in key precincts around the country. If we see lines literally around the block, we will know that indeed the huge turnout is underway. And if it is, the race may not even be that close.

Exit polling will be done by the 5 TV networks - and the results will seep out by late afternoon (they always do).

Prediction: the anti-Bushies will defeat the pro-Bushies tomorrow night by 3 points in the popular vote and will garner over 280 electoral votes.

John Kerry - sitting atop the surfboard on this anti-Bush wave - will be the President-Elect.

[Patrick Degan]

However, on the Lighter Side, we do have this:

It's now official: Ralph Nader is certifiably insane

Posted by Pile on 2004-11-01 16:53:16 (659 views)
[Stupid People]
Politics

Ralph Nader is now selling a DVD of himself debating minature dolls representing Kerry and Bush. Apparently his rejection from the Presidential debates has finally pushed him over the deep end.

Using the actual questions from the Presidential debates, Ralph discusses his plans for pulling our troops out of Iraq, solutions for the energy crisis, is Ken having an affair with G.I. Joe, and what's with that stuck up biatch Barbie.

[MKSheppard]

AAAAAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!

Voting has begun as of 7:00 AM EST

[MKSheppard]

Goddamnit, my clock is 5 minutes fast.

[Col. Crackpot]

holy fuck Patrick, thats great!!!

&:14 am time for me to go vote.
<sigh> i'm sure glad there are a lot of omportant local races this year because i'm so sick of turd and douche.

[Vympel]

Well it's 11:43pm, November 2nd, here, so in the time it takes me to go to sleep, wake up, get to work, and check the progress, the polls will be nearly closed ... I think.

[Mr Bean]

Don't blaim me, I voted for Kodos

[Tsyroc]

AAAAAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!

Voting has begun as of 7:00 AM EST

Actually I think it started at midnight Eastern Time.

Some small east coast city opens up their voting at midnight for all 26 of their voters. Before I left for work last night I saw on TV that people had already filled out their ballots and were waiting for midnight so they could turn them in.

[Stravo]

Just came back from voting. The lines were lllooong. I haven't seen them this long in any election I voted for and its ealry in the morning in my neighborhood. Its not just the old folks, I saw alot of College Age kids on line as well.

My big complaint is the fact that the voting is a littel chaotic and disorganized. One machine for my district broke down leaving only a single machine. The people checking voter registration did not ask me for ID and took my word for it when I pointed to where I was in the voting book.

The lady running the line on the machines complained that the numbers on the voter cards given to us in order to get in the machines were not in numerical order and that was the only way to confirm and match voter to vote. The older black gentlemen at the table replied "It don't matter what the numbers are as long as they get in and out."

Frankly I was more than a bit disturbed by this non chalant attitude after 2000. Anyway I have a very good feeling today, I think we're going to have a massive turn out and all those new registrations that the polls tried to ignore are going to come up and bite everyone in the ass.

I await now to lick the tears of anguish from Sean Hannity's face.

[Zaia]

It's now official: Ralph Nader is certifiably insane

LMAO, oh my God, that's awesome!

[EmperorSolo51]

I voted for George W Bush, here in the Granite State of New Hampshire.

[Vohu Manah]

After waiting about 30 minutes in line, I voted using those stupid touch screen machines (~ 8am, give or take a few minutes). Kerry, Mikulski (the few ads of Pipkin's I've heard insulted me, I believe the man is crazy), and Ruppersburger got my vote. Not much in the way of local initiatives were on the ballet (an uncontested judicial seat and a confirmation for a county clerk).

[Zaia]

After waiting about 30 minutes in line, I voted using those stupid touch screen machines (~ 8am, give or take a few minutes). Kerry, Mikulski (the few ads of Pipkin's I've heard insulted me, I believe the man is crazy), and Ruppersburger got my vote. Not much in the way of local initiatives were on the ballet (an uncontested judicial seat and a confirmation for a county clerk).

Yay, another Marylander! Yeah, Pipkin is a major dickhead. Good job voting for good ol' Barb.