[LINK] AEC faces backlash over vote counting ‘black box’

[Sam Silvester]

On Wed, Jul 20, 2016 at 11:48 AM, Brendan <brendansweb at optusnet.com.au>
wrote:

> On 07/20/2016 11:54 AM, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote:
>
>> AEC faces backlash over vote counting ‘black box’
>> George Lekakis
>>
>> http://thenewdaily.com.au/news/election-2016/2016/07/19/aec-backlash-vote-counting/
>>
>
> However, computer experts claim that the digital counting process cannot
>> be fully observed by the scrutineers of candidates because the AEC
>> refuses to disclose the source code of the automated system.
>>
>
> The lack of the ability to scrutinize electronic ballots is their major,
> and I would hope fatal, flaw (not so in America, where they don't seem to
> care about properly verifying the electoral process). I don't see that
> access to source code helps the issue.
>

To be honest, I just don't see how it's possible to trust that there isn't
a fencepost error or the like in the preference distribution software
without the ability to scruitinise the process (hence, source code).

There's reviews conducted after each election where process issues are
discussed and improvements made - how would one even go about knowing
there's an issue to investigate if it's all closed?

Sam