With all of the news about Dominion and GEMS, I thought it was odd that there is not a peep out of Connecticut.
Several times over the past few years there have been questionable results, yet nothing has been looked into.
So I started looking into it for CT...
I started with the actual Contract for Voting Systems and Services to replace the outdated lever voting systems previously in place, located here:
biznet.ct.gov/SCP_Documents/…
First thing that caught my eye was LHS Associates name on page 1.
LHS Associates website states the following:
"LHS Associates was founded in 1972 in Andover MA as Lynn Haas Services. We began providing computer based services to municipalities in the areas of voter lists, tax billing services, jury lists and similar products." (con't)
"Over time, our business has evolved to the point where we are now, almost exclusively, an election services company."
lhsassociates.com
Almost exclusively an ELECTION SERVICES COMPANY...
Then why did they obtain a PPP loan for between $150,000-$350,000 under the industry heading of "Commercial and Institutional Building Construction"?
projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/ba…
On their website, they boast
"We have become the largest provider of election services in the Northeastern US, serving more than 750 towns, cities, counties and unions throughout New England and New York."
"Our growth can be attributed to one major factor; our excellent customer service. Our employees pride themselves on providing the highest level of service in a timely manner."
"For more than 20 years, LHS marketed the highly regarded AccuVote tabulating systems. We have more than 4000 AccuVote systems installed and will continue to support the AccuVote well into the future."
"Our latest voting solution is the Image-Cast line of products by Dominion Voting Systems. These products are among the most advanced technologies on the market today."
"In addition to our election tabulating equipment, we offer a full line of election related accessories, including tabulator supplies, voting booths, ballot bags, crowd control products and much, much more."
Doesn't sound like Commercial and Institutional Building Construction industry to me!
Under Voting Systems tab, it lists their products.
lhsassociates.com/vs/
The machine that most resembles what was used at my voting location is the Accu-Vote hardware.
lhsassociates.com/resources/Accu…
GEMS is mentioned on first page of flyer!
"Transmits its results to host computer"? How do they actually "transmit" to Election Central?
Page 16 of the Contract states (line directly above signature)
"Diebold Election Systems, Inc. name has been changed to Premier Election Solutions, Inc."
Both names have ties to Dominion software.
A search for Premier Diebold and Dominion yields the following website. verifiedvoting.org/election-syste…
Mid/bottom of page explains the events that lead to these companies being involved with one another.
Here is a detailed thread on Dominion and the potential issues that can occur in the states that use the software.
Interesting that CT is not listed! I am working on a FOIA to determine which actual software CT SoS uses.
h/t: @intheMatrixxx
threadreaderapp.com/thread/1325207…
Here is a link to the initial website that outlines a flaw within the GEMS program. There are other links within the site, but I will list each in its own tweet.
blackboxvoting.org/fraction-magic…
blackboxvoting.org/fraction-magic…
At the very beginning of this site is an explanation how GEMS impacted a race in 2014.
...candidate named Wanda Halbert. On Election Night, she noticed as votes accumulated, the number of votes were somehow getting subtracted as new votes were added.
The link above also contains the following:
GEMS USER MANUAL documents weighted race feature:
blackboxvoting.org/docs/diebold/G…
"Smith searched for evidence that GEMS programmers had discussed methods to reduce roundoff, truncation, or lost value errors. He began searching online email databases for messages about issues w/ decimal votes.
These are available because over 13,000 emails were leaked in 03."
This article outlines some of the "changes" made. thegatewaypundit.com/2020/11/breaki…
I believe that we deserve to know if something is not proper with any portion of the process/results.
I will be submitting a FOIA request for information not readily available online. If you think of questions that I can include, please let me know!
In CT General Statutes, Chapter 147 Voting Methods, Section 9-241, there is a reference to an agreement with The University of Connecticut or Connecticut State University System.
I found mention of an agreement between then SoS Bysiewicz and engineering faculty at VoTeR Center at UCONN, or Voting Technology Research Center.
news.engr.uconn.edu/voter-center-a…
The report referenced in the above mentioned article is listed here:
voter.engr.uconn.edu/voter/wp-conte…
I am looking at details regarding any continued involvement in elections past this initial "test" and will post anything I find.
voter.engr.uconn.edu/voter/
VoTeR Center: Mission Statement
The mission of VoTeR Center is: advise state agencies in use of electronic election tech, investigate voting solutions/equipment, develop/recommend safe use procedures for electronic systems used in the electoral process.
It appears there is still UCONN involvement in our elections!
Lets not forget how many voting locations used pencil! Votes can easily be changed, and the instructions on the actual ballots were to use blue or black pen.
I'm still not satisfied with what I have found so far, and it is quite curious that we use hardware from the very company making headlines. Yet not one word from our state officials to address this matter, either in dismissing it or acknowledging it could be a potential issue.
So I kept searching for info to be added to my FOIA request. I stumbled upon this SoTS press release from 2018, with various links.
portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Press-Rel…
Of particular interest was this:
State gets cash from feds to fight cyber attacks on voting system
"It's just six weeks until Election Day, and the SotS has announced the purchase of 169 of the "AccuVote Optical Scan tabulators" that the state has been using since 2006."
Link to article in tweet referenced above:
ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry…
SotS Denise Merrill (D-Conn.) saying, "In Connecticut our voting machines are never connected to the internet. This is not about the way your vote is tabulated. Our machines, our tabulator machines cannot be hacked in that way."
When IS it about way votes are tabulated??
A simple web search regarding AccuVote brings up the following:
verifiedvoting.org/election-syste…
The highlighted locations used the AccuVote OS system in 11/20 election.
2 items stand out under heading of "Security Concerns"
1) Correct Inks
Some Optical Scan systems have trouble reading red inks/inks w red in them. Voters shld use writing instrument provided at polling place/if voting at home, black ballpoint pen that doesnt bleed thru paper.
Several voters inquired about the sharpies they were given to vote with. Given the stated security concern about an instrument bleeding thru, did using sharpies indeed cause issues? No one wants to address this concern either. The silence is deafening.
Other "Security Concern" topic:
Memory Card Is Sensitive
Corrupt memory cards may be able introduce viruses, cause the main election server to crash and falsify votes.
Falsify votes you say?
One of the other articles mentions the following:
"Merrill said Connecticut’s election system are not connected to the Internet, making it virtually impossible for hackers to tap into it."
Only VIRTUALLY impossible? So possibility still exists?
rep-am.com/local/news-loc…
Let's look at a recent discovery in New Hampshire. For reference, here is the map showing where these same systems were used 11/20 election. New Hampshire IS included!
Given we have a Blue Trifecta in this state, I'm not surprised no one has come forward to request that this be thoroughly investigated.
It's disturbing that doing the right thing for the people whom elected officials are supposed to serve is just a campaign slogan.
Haven’t gotten to pull this apart in screen shots but since i can’t text the link, let’s see if I’m allowed to post it here: voter.engr.uconn.edu/voter/wp-conte…
In PA, this suit claims mail in ballots were unconstitutional due to lack of a constitutional amendment being in place:
Full lawsuit docs
democracydocket.com/wp-content/upl…
Details of Act 77
legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/l…
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