Alameda County invokes performance clause in Diebold contract


Requests written plan in 10 days

Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - The oldest West Coast customer of Diebold Election Systems is calling company executives on the carpet today, citing "disappointment and dissatisfaction" with Diebold voting equipment.

Why?

• "the large-scale failure of electronic devices used to produce ballot-access cards for voters -- delayed Super Tuesday voting at 200 polling places in Alameda County and more than 560 in San Diego County. "
• '"programming problems' in the Democratic and American Independent Party presidential primaries."
• "a glitch in the Oct. 7 recall election that mysteriously awarded thousands of absentee votes for Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante to Southern California Socialist John Burton."
• "Diebold also has failed to supply certified software and hardware. State elections officials found uncertified voting software running last fall in Alameda and all other counties that Diebold serves."

Bradley Clarke, Alameda County's Registrar of Voters, "has demanded that company executives provide written assurances 'of Diebold's ability and honest commitment to this contract and to a prompt and comprehensive solution to the many problems we have experienced.'"