Post by Boomer Chick on Nov 11, 2004 7:55:40 GMT -5
active links in article:
November 8, 2004
www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/11/con04490.html
Sequoia Gives Away Electronic Voting Machines in Swing State Before November Election
A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Paul R. Lehto
I’m a lawyer researching Sequoia Electronic Voting systems used in Washington state. They are also used in the swing state of Nevada (in all counties) thanks to federal grants.
In August of 2004 Sequoia wanted to get its software into the Reno area (Washoe County Board of Commissioners). How much do you think it costs to license their software for voting purposes? $30,000 a year, plus an annual adjustment for increased costs and inflation EXCEPT THAT THE FIRST FOUR YEARS ARE FREE. That’s right, free. See page 743 (PDF). Sequoia wanted to get their software into swing states like Nevada so badly, they gave away the first $120,000 in licensing fees for four years to get the counties to sign on. Nevada’s population is 90% urban, consisting mainly of Clark County (Las Vegas) and Reno (Washoe County). Nevada also previously received around $15 million in federal grants to defray the anticipated $17 million cost of the voting machines themselves.
Washoe County Clerk Dan Burk stated in the minutes of the Washoe County Board of Commissioners that although the prior investment of Washoe County in Diebold voting machines would in a sense be lost, the new Sequoia machines "would be paid for through the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and not with County funds." See Page 429 (PDF). Consequently, both the Sequoia voting machines and the Sequoia voting software licensing was free to Washoe County, Nevada.
The link and the relevant paragraph showing the software was free to Washoe County is below my automatic signature. Support for the free machines via HAVA federal grants is in the Review-Journal article linked to above.
Paul R. Lehto, Attorney at Law
Everett, WA
"Upon recommendation of Dan Burk, Registrar, through Katy Singlaub, County Manager, on motion by Commissioner Galloway, seconded by Commissioner Humke, which motion duly carried, it was ordered that the Software Licensing Agreement between Washoe County and Sequoia Voting Systems Inc. be approved and Chairman Shaw be authorized to execute the same. It was noted that there would be no cost to Washoe County through 2007 and; beginning with the year 2008, the annual licensing fee would be $30,000, to be paid by Washoe County. It is also noted that this amount would remain the same through December 31, 2009 and increases in the annual fee would not exceed 10 percent per year of the annual licensing fee for the year 2005."
-- Excerpt from the Minutes of the Board of County Commissioners Meeting, Nov. 18, 2004
A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
November 8, 2004
www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/11/con04490.html
Sequoia Gives Away Electronic Voting Machines in Swing State Before November Election
A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Paul R. Lehto
I’m a lawyer researching Sequoia Electronic Voting systems used in Washington state. They are also used in the swing state of Nevada (in all counties) thanks to federal grants.
In August of 2004 Sequoia wanted to get its software into the Reno area (Washoe County Board of Commissioners). How much do you think it costs to license their software for voting purposes? $30,000 a year, plus an annual adjustment for increased costs and inflation EXCEPT THAT THE FIRST FOUR YEARS ARE FREE. That’s right, free. See page 743 (PDF). Sequoia wanted to get their software into swing states like Nevada so badly, they gave away the first $120,000 in licensing fees for four years to get the counties to sign on. Nevada’s population is 90% urban, consisting mainly of Clark County (Las Vegas) and Reno (Washoe County). Nevada also previously received around $15 million in federal grants to defray the anticipated $17 million cost of the voting machines themselves.
Washoe County Clerk Dan Burk stated in the minutes of the Washoe County Board of Commissioners that although the prior investment of Washoe County in Diebold voting machines would in a sense be lost, the new Sequoia machines "would be paid for through the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and not with County funds." See Page 429 (PDF). Consequently, both the Sequoia voting machines and the Sequoia voting software licensing was free to Washoe County, Nevada.
The link and the relevant paragraph showing the software was free to Washoe County is below my automatic signature. Support for the free machines via HAVA federal grants is in the Review-Journal article linked to above.
Paul R. Lehto, Attorney at Law
Everett, WA
"Upon recommendation of Dan Burk, Registrar, through Katy Singlaub, County Manager, on motion by Commissioner Galloway, seconded by Commissioner Humke, which motion duly carried, it was ordered that the Software Licensing Agreement between Washoe County and Sequoia Voting Systems Inc. be approved and Chairman Shaw be authorized to execute the same. It was noted that there would be no cost to Washoe County through 2007 and; beginning with the year 2008, the annual licensing fee would be $30,000, to be paid by Washoe County. It is also noted that this amount would remain the same through December 31, 2009 and increases in the annual fee would not exceed 10 percent per year of the annual licensing fee for the year 2005."
-- Excerpt from the Minutes of the Board of County Commissioners Meeting, Nov. 18, 2004
A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION