[EM] Why We Shouldn't Count Votes with Machines

[Jonathan Lundell]

On Oct 8, 2008, at 6:26 PM, Kathy Dopp wrote:

> Your method is not method-independent because the only way to check
> machine counts is with hand counts and some methods are LOTS easier to
> accurately and efficiently hand count than other methods, and checking
> the results of running a small set of test ballots, or even a large
> set, does zip to check election results accuracy.

My suggestion of test data sets is simply a convenience to the authors  
of counting software, to provide a first-level check of their  
correctness. The real verification is in the agreement of many  
independent counters.

STV counting software isn't actually all that difficult to read and  
understand (not for everybody, of course, but for a very large number  
of people). I'd be willing to rely on a computerized count in which  
many independent, open-source counting programs (which could certainly  
included some written by critics of the system) agreed on the result.

That's not really necessary for IRV, of course, which is easy, if a  
little tedious, to count by hand.