Mark,
Diebold is just a company that has a product they want to sell. It is their avowed policy to create an election machine in accordance with the standards, provisions and certification processes of the jurisdictions that orders the machines. I personally think it is a huge mistake not to provide a paper trail for elections, but that apparently will be the choice of each jurisdiction. In my view, very few localities will opt for a non-paper trail device.
In any event, I supply you with an excerpt of a recent press release from Diebold. The gist of the press release is that they are indeed reacting to criticism towards their devices and are responding accordingly just like any smart well-managed corporation would.
Keep in mind it doesn't do this company one bit of good to supply a machine that doesn't work, can be manipulated, experiences software/hardware problems or operate in a manner that causes customers to doubt its accuracy or fairness. And, if they do, they should go out of business.
corporate-ir.net
"MCKINNEY, Texas, Dec 18, 2003 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via Comtex/ -- Diebold Election Systems, Inc. (DESI), is announcing a complete restructuring of the way the company handles qualification and certification processes for its software, hardware and firmware. This restructuring includes the creation of an executive-level position dedicated to meeting compliance and certification requirements. "We are committed to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the procedures we employ to address certification issues, and to communicate with the respective governing and certification authorities and our customers," said Bob Urosevich, president of Diebold Election Systems.
"Our intent in making these organizational changes is to ensure the public's confidence that all of our hardware, software and firmware products are fully certified and qualified by all of the appropriate federal, state and local authorities prior to use in any election," said Urosevich. "Helping ensure the right for all to vote reliably, privately and accurately, including the sight disabled, is of paramount importance to us." |
