California Certification

[Deborah Seiler <deborahseiler@attglobal.net>]

Certification of the R6 received a unanimous recommendation from the 
California Secretary of State's 7 member Voting Systems Panel 
today.  Legally, only the Secretary of State can certify it, but his 
certification is typically a pro forma ratification of the VSP's 
recommendation. I expect to have the signed certificate within a few days.

Lou Dedier, the Elections Division analyst responsible for voting system 
certification, told the panel our system had functioned without a hitch. 
(Little did he know I was sitting there with a machine with a frozen 
throat!) He noted the high quality components, saying we had "spared no 
expense" to develop a quality product.  He also described to the Panel his 
inability--in contrast to some other systems--to break into it from the 
screen.  He later told me he used his Palm pilot to break into another 
system, illustrating the dangers of wireless upload.  He also told me 
privately that he attempted to program the PCMCIA card but failed.  His PC 
told him he had a one in 40 billion chance of success.  He told me this in 
contrast to SureVote's system which he said he broke into in "a minute and 
a half" and ESS's which he hacked in "an hour."

Lou did say that Avante passed Wyle on 11/24. Hart and Avante will probably 
be on the VSP agenda in January, though Lou said he had 150 questions for 
Hart to respond to.

Anyway, a big thanks to Larry, Ian, Susan, Steve, and anyone else involved.
Now, any suggestions for fixing the card reader?  Something is blocking the 
throat so the card can't be inserted even partially.