Florida up to Voting Machine Hanky Panky again?

Keep an eye on Lake County!!

Attorney general subpoenas voting machine companies

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Attorney General Charlie Crist said Wednesday that his office has issued subpoenas to the three companies certified to sell voting machines in Florida as he reviews a dispute between the firms and Leon County's elections supervisor.

Election Systems & Software Inc., Sequoia Voting Systems Inc. and Diebold Election Systems Inc., a subsidiary of North Canton, Ohio-based Diebold Inc., have refused to sell equipment to let disabled voters cast ballots without help in Leon County. Elections supervisor Ion Sancho has been outspoken about his concern that the devices can be easily manipulated to change race outcomes.

The subpoenas seek information about whether the companies agreed among themselves not to do business with Leon County, which needs the equipment to comply with the federal Help American Vote Act.

"It is critical for our democratic process to work efficiently and effectively, but of most importance, fairly," Crist said. "These subpoenas are to ensure that the rights of our voters with disabilities as well as all Florida voters are secured."

Crist wants to see copies of documents relating to sales of voting machines by Diebold, E,S&S and Sequoia in Florida since January 2003.

Crist's office, which began the investigation in early February, was asked last week by the Miami-Dade Election Reform Coalition to investigate whether the companies were violating antitrust laws.

Diebold, however, has agreed to revisit its business dealings with Leon County, Secretary of State Sue Cobb reported Wednesday.

Michelle Shafer, spokeswoman for Oakland, Calif.-based Sequoia said the company "regards any allegations of wrongdoing in this matter as without merit and stands ready to fully cooperate" with the investigation.

"We are confident a review of the facts will show that our company made a decision not to enter into a long-term formal relationship with Leon County after a thorough examination of our previous working relationship with the county," said Ken Fields, spokesman for Omaha-based E,S&S. "We did not believe that we would have the kind of working relationship that is key to providing smooth running, reliable and accurate elections. "

Sancho and the Florida American Civil Liberties Union were delighted with the state's action.

"I can't read anybody's minds, but up to this point in history no vendor has ever refused to sell to a willing jurisdiction who wants to purchase equipment," Sancho said. "Ironically after Leon County conducted tests that revealed vulnerabilities to their e-voting systems, then nobody would sell to us."

Florida ACLU executive director Howard Simon called the attorney general's action "the first step to ensuring that the right to vote is not held hostage to the whims of the vendors of voting equipment."

Michelle Shafer, spokeswoman for Oakland, Calif.-based Sequoia said the company "regards any allegations of wrongdoing in this matter as without merit and stands ready to fully cooperate" with the investigation.

"We haven't seen it, but obviously we will review it," said David Bear, spokesman for the elections division at Diebold.

"We are confident a review of the facts will show that our company made a decision not to enter into a long-term formal relationship with Leon County after a thorough examination of our previous working relationship with the county," said Ken Fields, spokesman for Omaha-based Election Systems. "We did not believe that we would have the kind of working relationship that is key to providing smooth running, reliable and accurate elections. "