Block, Siteadmin, SkipCaptcha, Upload, Automoderated users, delete, edit, move, nsTeam2RO, nsTeam2RW, nsTeam2_talkRO, nsTeam2_talkRW, protect, rollback, Administrators, template
293,689
edits
Changes
Dominion Voting Systems (view source)
Revision as of 20:47, November 20, 2020
, 20:47, November 20, 2020→2016 Utah Republican caucus
Despite warnings from security experts,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lapowsky|first1=Issie|title=Utah's Online Caucus Gives Security Experts Heart Attacks|url=https://www.wired.com/2016/03/security-experts-arent-going-like-utahs-online-primary/|accessdate=|work=WIRED|date=21 March 2016}}</ref> Utah Republican Party officials billed the online voting system, for which the state paid $150,000. Multiple issues occurred with the system, with voters receiving error messages and even being blocked from voting. Smartmatic received thousands of calls from Utah voters surrounding issues with the process. ''The Washington Post'' states that "the concern seems to be less with the technology and more with the security of the devices people use to vote".<ref name=":2">{{cite news|last1=Phillips|first1=Amber|title=Utah Republicans are holding a first-ever online presidential primary. And it's not going so well.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/22/utah-republicans-are-holding-a-first-ever-online-primary-and-its-not-going-so-well/|accessdate=|work=[[The Washington Post]]|date=22 March 2016}}</ref> According to Joe Kiniry, the lead researcher of Galois, a technology research firm:<ref name="DOTsmart"/>{{quotebox|Several of us did a lightweight analysis of it remotely, to see how it was built and deployed and this sort of thing ... we found that they were using technologies that even modern Web programmers stay away from. ... It’s like the dumbest possible choices are being made by some of these companies with respect to deployed technology that should be mission-critical!}}
Despite warnings from security experts,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lapowsky|first1=Issie|title=Utah's Online Caucus Gives Security Experts Heart Attacks|url=https://www.wired.com/2016/03/security-experts-arent-going-like-utahs-online-primary/|accessdate=|work=WIRED|date=21 March 2016}}</ref> Utah Republican Party officials billed the online voting system, for which the state paid $150,000. Multiple issues occurred with the system, with voters receiving error messages and even being blocked from voting. Smartmatic received thousands of calls from Utah voters surrounding issues with the process. ''The Washington Post'' states that "the concern seems to be less with the technology and more with the security of the devices people use to vote".<ref name=":2">{{cite news|last1=Phillips|first1=Amber|title=Utah Republicans are holding a first-ever online presidential primary. And it's not going so well.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/22/utah-republicans-are-holding-a-first-ever-online-primary-and-its-not-going-so-well/|accessdate=|work=[[The Washington Post]]|date=22 March 2016}}</ref> According to Joe Kiniry, the lead researcher of Galois, a technology research firm:<ref name="DOTsmart"/>{{quotebox|Several of us did a lightweight analysis of it remotely, to see how it was built and deployed and this sort of thing ... we found that they were using technologies that even modern Web programmers stay away from. ... It’s like the dumbest possible choices are being made by some of these companies with respect to deployed technology that should be mission-critical!}}
====Philippines====
Smartmatic has been criticized by various entities for its motives and handling of elections in the Philippines.<ref name="NEVERagain"/><ref name="IBONsmart">{{cite web|title=Automated Polls: Privatized elections, foreign-controlled democracy (Part 2)|url=http://ibon.org/2016/05/automated-polls-privatized-elections-foreign-controlled-democracy/|website=[[IBON Foundation]]|accessdate=}}</ref> In opinion polls, voters have approved of Smartmatic's automated system used by Comelec, with 84% of respondents stating that they had "big trust" in the automated process according to a June 2019 Pulse Asia Research poll.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rappler.com/nation/politics/elections/2019/237275-filipinos-trust-results-elections-2019-pulse-asia-survey|title=Most Filipinos express 'big trust' in results of 2019 elections – Pulse Asia|last=Tomacruz|first=Sofia|website=[[Rappler]]|language=en|access-date=2019-08-30}}</ref>
''The Manila Times'' has stated that Smartmatic's system was unreliable, glitchy and vulnerable to tampering.<ref name="NEVERagain"/> After the newspaper reported that Smartmatic had been funneling voter information through "unofficial servers",<ref name="SMARTservers">{{cite news|url=http://www.manilatimes.net/smartmatic-admits-using-unofficial-servers/275442/|title=Smartmatic admits using unofficial servers|last1=Pilapil|first1=Jaime|date=22 July 2016|work=The Manila Times|accessdate=}}</ref> ''The Manila Times'' ultimately called on officials from the country's electoral body, Comelec, to resign.<ref name="SMARTresign">{{cite news|url=http://www.manilatimes.net/defying-supreme-court-comelec-resign-en-banc/291628/|title=Defying the Supreme Court, the Comelec should resign en banc - The Manila Times Online|date=16 October 2016|work=The Manila Times|accessdate=}}</ref> William Yu of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, an election NGO, stated that such servers perform "many other activities before the elections" and that it "does not necessarily, automatically mean that data has been transmitted", though he requested that Comelec and Smartmatic provide an explanation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rappler.com/nation/197596-irregularities-2016-election-server-logs-not-necessarily-expert|title='Irregularities' in 2016 election server logs? Not necessarily, says I.T. expert|last=Bueza|first=Michael|website=[[Rappler]]|language=en|access-date=}}</ref>
In early 2017, ''The Manila Times'' reported that Smartmatic machines were equipped with [[SD card]]s where voter entries are recorded, citing Glenn Chong, a former congressman of the NGO Tanggulang Demokrasya (TANDEM) stating that "at least one SD card was tampered with", allegedly showing that Smartmatic's system was "very much open to hijacking or sabotage".<ref name="MTsd">{{cite news|title=Filipino people helpless against untrustworthiness of Comelec - The Manila Times Online|url=http://www.manilatimes.net/filipino-people-helpless-untrustworthiness-comelec/307702/|accessdate=|work=The Manila Times|date=19 January 2017}}</ref> A reviewer of the Philippine Linux Users’ Group stated that hacking into Smartmatic's system is "very difficult for outsiders" and that "it’s not as difficult to hack into the system if you’re a Comelec or a group of Comelec or Smartmatic personnel", expressing importance of monitoring by Comelec and asking the public to have good faith in the electoral body.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/04/16/information-technology-expert-says-aes-difficult-to-hack|title=Information technology expert says AES difficult to hack|website=Manila Bulletin News|language=en-US|access-date=}}</ref>
The IBON Foundation, a non-profit research organization based in the Philippines also criticized Smartmatic's system, stating in 2016 that "Why Smartmatic keeps on winning Comelec contracts boggles the mind especially considering the numerous and major malfunctions by the machines and services that Smartmatic provided in the past two elections" and that there were "allegations of rigged bidding to favor Smartmatic such as designing contracts where only Smartmatic can qualify or omitting requirements that will otherwise disqualify Smartmatic".<ref name="IBONsmart" />
=====2010 elections=====
Prior to the elections, Filipino-Americans called on [[President of the United States|President]] [[Barack Obama]] to investigate the background of Smartmatic prior to the elections due to its links to the Venezuelan government. Smartmatic described these actions as "trying to rehash a story based on market share".<ref name="PDIobama">{{cite news|url=http://www.pressreader.com/philippines/philippine-daily-inquirer/20100509/283141424974812|title=Obama asked: Investigate Smartmatic|date=9 May 2010|work=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]]|accessdate=|quote=Smartmatic has disclosed, he said, that its owners are families in Venezuela}}</ref> Following allegations of fraud, some employees of Smartmatic had their passports temporarily held.<ref name="ABSsons">{{cite news|url=http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/05/20/10/teddy-boy-blows-top-smartmatic-official|title='Teddy Boy' blows top at Smartmatic official|date=20 May 2010|work=[[ABS-CBN News]]|accessdate=}}</ref> At a fraud inquiry on May 20, 2010, Heider Garcia of Smartmatic was questioned on the transparency and what he called "unforeseen" occurrences during the election process, with Philippine official Teodoro Locsin Jr. – an automated poll advocate – sharply rebuking Garcia.<ref name="ABSsons" /> On June 29, 2010, the Philippine Computer Society (PCS) filed a complaint with the country's Ombudsman against 17 officials of the Commission on Elections and the Smartmatic-TIM Corp. for alleged “incompetence,” graft and unethical conduct.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100721-282412/Graft-raps-filed-vs-Smartmatic-Comelec-execs|title=Inquirer.Net: Graft raps filed vs Smartmatic, Comelec execs|publisher=|accessdate=}}</ref>
==== 2016 elections ====
Days after the May 2016 elections, Bongbong Marcos alleged that Smartmatic had tampered with the votes which cost him being elected Vice President of the Philippines and criminal proceedings were filed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against Comelec personnel as well as Smartmatic employees, with Election Commissioner Rowena Guanzon stating that Smartmatic had violated protocols.<ref name="INQUIREphil">{{cite news|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/785566/smartmatic-faces-probe|title=Smartmatic faces probe|last1=Uy|first1=Jocelyn R.|date=14 May 2016|work=Philippine Daily Inquirer|accessdate=}}</ref> After a Smartmatic employee fled the country, Bongbong Marcos accused the Comelec for his "escape", though two other Smartmatic personnel, one from Venezuela and the other from Israel, were present for criminal proceedings.<ref name="BONGsmart">{{cite news|url=http://www.manilatimes.net/comelec-hit-for-escape-of-smartmatic-engineer/268793/|title=Comelec hit for escape of Smartmatic engineer - The Manila Times Online|date=19 June 2016|work=[[The Manila Times]]|accessdate=}}</ref> In July 2016, it was reported that Smartmatic funneled votes through "unofficial servers".<ref name="SMARTservers" /> In an October 2016 editorial, ''[[The Manila Times]]'' called on all members of Comelec to resign due to the "innumerable controversies since its adoption of the Smartmatic-based Automated Election System".<ref name="SMARTresign" />
On June 7, 2017, the Philippine Department of Justice [[indicted]] "several Smartmatic and Comelec personnel for changing the script in the election transparency server on election night during the May 2016 national and local polls". Those charged with the tampering include Marlon Garcia, the head of the Smartmatic's Technical Support Team, as well as two other Smartmatic employees, Neil Baniqued and Mauricio Herrera, and Comelec IT employees Rouie Peñalba, Nelson Herrera, and Frances Mae Gonzales. The six were charged with "illegal access, data interference, and system interference" under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.<ref name="ABScbnIND">{{cite news|url=http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/07/17/smartmatic-comelec-personnel-ordered-indicted-for-halalan-2016-script-alteration|title=Smartmatic, Comelec personnel ordered indicted for Halalan 2016 script alteration|last1=News|first1=Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN|date=7 June 2017|work=[[ABS-CBN Corporation]]|accessdate=}}</ref>
In August 2017, it was revealed that Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista was allegedly paid commissions by Divina Law while serving as chairman "for assisting the law firm clients with the Comelec". Divina Law, a firm that provides legal advice to Smartmatic. Bautista admitted that he obtained "referral fees", but denied that it was due to his position in Comelec. According to House Deputy Minority Leader Harry Roque, the incident is "a very clear case of bribery" by Smartmatic.<ref name="CNNdivina">{{cite news|url=http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2017/08/08/Comelec-Andy-Bautista-Smartmatic-unexplained-wealth.html|title=Solon: Bautista's 'receipt of fee for Smartmatic referral' casts doubt on 2016 polls|date=9 August 2017|work=[[CNN]]|accessdate=|language=en}}</ref>
==See also==
==See also==