Comment by Karma Pippin (Academic)

We know that all computer systems are vulnerable to even undetectable errors. We also have heard repeatedly of computer systems that malfunction on election day. In fact they can fail or be deliberateley corrupted at any stage of their design, manufacture, and use. The methods used to tamper with computers can be extremely difficult to foresee and detect. Therefore, it is crucial to the integrity of elections that voting systems provide to us a means of recording and recovering voter intent that does not depend on the reliability of software. The creators of these systems have enormous responsibility. We have put the technology of private entities between our precious voting privilege as U.S. citizens and election outcomes.