1/ I get questions frequently from people who have heard the SOS say that the BMD QR code ballots can be audited to tell who won. I'll explain why he is wrong.
Your BMD ballot vote is stored in the barcode. The text doesn't count. The computer reads only the QR code.
Your BMD ballot vote is stored in the barcode. The text doesn't count. The computer reads only the QR code.
2/ The printer is supposed to print a candidate's name that matches what you entered on the touchscreen and what you hope the QR code symbol stands for. But you don't know whether the name matches the QR code.
So you really don't KNOW who you cast your vote.
So you really don't KNOW who you cast your vote.
3/ That can be overcome IF two unlikely things happen:
--every voter thoroughly and accurately checks before scanning to be sure that the printed list reflects his choices. (Hard to do, to remember all the contests), AND
--there is a thorough post election audit.
--every voter thoroughly and accurately checks before scanning to be sure that the printed list reflects his choices. (Hard to do, to remember all the contests), AND
--there is a thorough post election audit.
4/ Reality --very few people check their ballots before scanning. Therefore those are untrustworthy source documents for auditing.
If you pressed the screen for candidate Sam, but the printout & QR code said "Mary," and you didn't check, then your Mary vote was not intended.
If you pressed the screen for candidate Sam, but the printout & QR code said "Mary," and you didn't check, then your Mary vote was not intended.
5/ But auditors would never know that you pressed screen for Sam. The official record says Mary. The bug that changed your vote goes undetected. No one knows that your vote was recorded wrong.
6/ Think of it like going to the grocery, selecting a gallon of milk for $4.05. But the barcode is miscoded for organic milk at $4.50.
Most of us would never notice on our grocery receipt that it was $.45 more and said "organic."
Most of us would never notice on our grocery receipt that it was $.45 more and said "organic."
7/ But the store recorded a sale of a 1/2 gallon of organic milk, not a gallon of regular milk, and collected your money for organic milk.
The store's official records are for organic milk because the barcode was miscoded.
The store's official records are for organic milk because the barcode was miscoded.
8/ Only IF you review your receipt will you know that the records are wrong.
But your receipt could be wrong too. The barcode could be for organic milk, but the receipt may say regular milk in the text.
The official record (your vote) was for organic milk! (Which you hate!)
But your receipt could be wrong too. The barcode could be for organic milk, but the receipt may say regular milk in the text.
The official record (your vote) was for organic milk! (Which you hate!)
9/ Even if the auditors match up the sales records with the receipts, no one will ever know that you chose regular milk when the records say organic milk.
It's the same way with touchscreen printed ballots.
It takes thorough review by voter and then an audit to catch errors.
It's the same way with touchscreen printed ballots.
It takes thorough review by voter and then an audit to catch errors.
10/ It should not be so complicated!!
Just mark a paper ballot with a pen and let it be scanned and audited.
There will be no question about your choice and no one can hack your hand marked ballot.
Just mark a paper ballot with a pen and let it be scanned and audited.
There will be no question about your choice and no one can hack your hand marked ballot.
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