Suspicious Ohio Election Software

Days before the 2012 Presidential election, Ripple worked with Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman to publicize a lawsuit filed against Ohio’s Secretary of State, GOP operative Jon Husted, after discovering that Husted authorized the use of an untested, uncertified “experimental” software patch that controls vote counting tabulators in electronic voting machines in 39 counties in Ohio. Fitrakis believes this dubious last-minute modification violates FEC rules by circumventing outside review, testing and approval.

Fitrakis and Wasserman are renowned voting rights advocates who broke many of the major stories surrounding the theft of the 2004 election in Ohio, leading to a federal injunction and numerous criminal convictions.

The 2012 Fitrakis v. Husted story has been covered so far in many high profile outlets including the Associated Press, CBS News, BusinessWeek, MSNBC, CNN, TechCrunch, Salon, San Francisco Chronicle and countless others.

A hearing was held to determine whether this software patch will be removed and analyzed. We are currently awaiting the judge’s ruling.

Update: The judge denied the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) brought forth in Ohio’s Federal Court to stop the software patches from being used on voting machines in Ohio. Plaintiff Bob Fitrakis and attorneys are now in state Common Pleas Court for a hearing on same issue.

Update 2: Fitrakis returned from State Common Pleas Court, reporting that the judge ruled against his request for a TRO to remove the uncertified, untested software from some Ohio voting machines. The judge declined to interfere in an ongoing election, but indicated that he would consider taking action after the election if it was needed.