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Despite theft, Diebold assures Marylanders it's safe to vote

2004 code was mailed to critic, who alerted FBI. Officials say the current code is secure and voting in Nov. will be tamperproof
Written by Richard Koman, Contributor
Even as a stolen copy of the Diebold code used in the 2004 Maryland election was mailed to a critic of e-voting systems, the company and voting officials are assuring voters that the current system is safe and tamperproof, the ">Baltimore Sun reports.
"The availability of this software poses no threat to the safety, security and accuracy of elections in any jurisdiction using Diebold Election Systems voting machines," said David Byrd, the company's president.
Computer disks containing copies of the code were delivered Wednesday to former state Delegate Cheryl Kagan, a critic of Maryland Elections Administrator Linda H. Lamone.
The disks, according to labels, were created by two out-of-state companies required by law to test the software. The disks from one company, Ciber Inc., were encrypted to protect their contents and were not opened, said the statement from Diebold.

But the software from Wyle Laboratories was not encrypted, the statement said, suggesting those disks could be accessed. The statement noted that the two-year-old code is not currently used by any jurisdiction.

Republican Robert Ehrich and some Democrats are casting doubts on the systems and encouraging absentee voting.

Kagan said the focus should be less on the investigation and more on what she said is a long history of glitches within the State Board of Elections. "Why is it that Marylanders cannot go to vote in a couple of weeks with confidence that their voting machines will work and that their votes will be counted accurately?" Kagan asked.

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