Friday, July 29, 2005

Citizen arrested for asking to see the Diebold computer in action, counting votes

Jim March, a member of the Black Box Voting board of directors,
was arrested Tuesday evening for trying to observe the Diebold
central tabulator (vote tallying machine) as the votes were being
counted in San Diego's mayoral election (July 26).
(- online discussion: http:/www.blackboxvoting.org -)
...During the tallying of the election, the Diebold computer
was positioned too far away for citizens to read the screen.
Citizens could not watch error messages, or even perceive
significant anomalies or malfunctions.
Unable to see the screen, March went into the office where the
tabulator was housed. Two deputies followed him and escorted
him out.
According to Hamilton: "He was not belligerent, not at all.
After he went inside the tabulator room he came [was escorted]
out and he said clearly 'I'm not resisting.' They handcuffed
him, took him out of the building. They put him in a squad car.
They're going to take him to the police station, book him and
take him to jail," said Hamilton. "He's getting charged with a
felony, 'interfering with an election official.'"

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