Washblog

Over the last few weeks, we've verified the following:

1. Diebold's GEMS versions 2.x uses Microsoft SQL Server. This information is in Diebold's response to King County's RFI (request for information) for highspeed ballot counting solutions. We obtained Diebold's response via an open records request.

2. NASED (Natl Assoc of State Election Directors) has certified Diebold's GEMS 2.1.6 for use with AccuVote OS Model D (firmware version 1.96.6) optical ballot scanners. That is the make and model of the ~700 optical scanners that King County currently owns and uses. The NASED certification id is N-1-06-22-22-008, awarded 3/9/2007. (See link below.)

3. Per the highspeed tabulator business case, the RFI, and Diebold's responses, simply upgrading to GEMS 2.x and using our existing hardware was not considered.

Washington Citizens for Fair Elections opposes King County Election's reckless plan to buy all new Diebold hardware and software.

We advocate using our existing optical ballot scanners for the central count. One option, among many, is to upgrade to GEMS 2.x. Our proposal is low-risk, low-cost, legal, and technically feasible.

Further Information

King County Elections Reckless Plan for Highspeed Tabulation

NASED Qualified Voting Systems

Certification of King Co's op-scans and touchscreens

Washington State Voting Systems

Diebold's brouchure for the AccuVote OS

Errata

Wow, this stuff is confusing. And I got some details wrong. I previously asserted "King County Election's current plan already includes upgrading the GEMS tabulation software to version 2.1.x."

This is not correct. I removed that bullet point from above.

Here's where it gets really confusing. King County has TWO different versions of the AccuVote OS. The precinct count version uses firmware 1.96.6. The central count version uses firmware 2.0.12.

But wait, there's more.

Assure is Diebold's name for their suite of products. (Ironic name, no?) Assure 1.x uses the older GEMS 1.x, which is based on Microsoft Access. Assure 2.x uses the newer GEMS 2.x, which is based on the Microsoft SQL Server.

Our claim remains that Diebold has a new version of GEMS which eliminates the 2Gb limitation and works with our current optical ballot scanners. Its seems like a simple software upgrade is a reasonable option. At least more reasonable than a complete overhaul.

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