Microsoft has been circulating the changes it wants made to a NY State election law so that e-voting machines can continue to use Windows as their operating system. According to Bo Lipari‘s blog:

Microsoft’s proposed change to state law would effectively render our current requirements for escrow and the ability for independent review of source code in the event of disputes completely meaningless – and with it the protections the public fought so hard for.

Adding insult to injury, these changes are being slipped into a bill that may be voted on Monday or Tuesday, June 18 or 19. That bill’s stated purpose is to make “technical changes” to the recent law moving the date of New York’s presidential primary to February. Because this bill involving the new primary date must be passed next week before the Legislative session ends (New York has jumped on the bandwagon to be part of the super presidential primary in February 2008) this grave weakening of the public’s right to review software would come along part and parcel with the primary date change.

If you live in NY, now might be a good time to call your state senator and assemblyperson. Not sure who those critters are? Bo points to lookups for the senate and the assembly. [Tags: evoting microsoft democracy ny ]

Categories: Uncategorized dw