March 29, 2006

Florida subpoenas voting machine companies

"Florida's attorney general on Wednesday subpoenaed three companies after they refused to sell machines to a Florida county whose elections supervisor has become a leading critic of electronic voting.

Attorney General Charlie Crist said his office had issued subpoenas to seek sales documents from Diebold Election Systems Inc. of Diebold Inc. (DBD.N: Quote, Profile, Research), Election Systems & Software Inc., or ES&S, and Smartmatic's Sequoia Voting Systems Inc.

The investigation will look at how the companies marketed voting machines to Florida counties and why all three companies declined to sell voting equipment for disabled voters to Leon County, possibly flouting anti-trust laws and the civil rights of voters there, Crist's office said.

"It is critical for our democratic process to work efficiently and effectively, but of most importance, fairly," Crist said in a statement. "These subpoenas are to ensure that the rights of our voters with disabilities as well as all Florida voters are secured."

Posted by Randy Riddle at March 29, 2006 03:39 PM