I am still astonished that any state allows Diebold machines to be used. Wholly apart from the fact that Diebold’s president was a Bush campaigner who promised to deliver Ohio for the president, Diebold’s machines have always been known for (a) a lack of a paper trail, and (b) the ability to be hacked. Now that ability is demonstrated as being very, very easy to do. This post gives step-by-step instructions on how to hack a Diebold machine in four minutes, using only $12 in materials, without leaving a trace of manipulation (link via Engadget).

And with the hotly contested race in San Diego, where “Duke” Cunningham lost his seat due to corruption, the Democratic challenger lost by only 4% of the vote. Diebold machines were among those used in the election, and controversy erupted when it became known that election workers were taking the Diebold machines home for “sleepovers”–though with the machines being open to hacking with only 4 minutes’ work, it is likely that even a sleepover wouldn’t be necessary to throw the Diebold machines’ results into question.

That elections results, however, are now moot, because the GOP leadership in the House illegally usurped San Diego’s right to certify the election by swearing in the presumed Republican winner before local officials approved the election results. So, corruption and election-stealing all around–the Republican Party has this down to an art.