CHICAGO // Electronic voting machines being used by Ohio in today's election contain a software "back door" that could allow alteration of the balloting results, a Green Party candidate for one of the state's 16 US congressional districts claimed in a federal court lawsuit.
Robert J Fitrakis filed papers in federal court in Columbus, seeking an order blocking the use of the machines and the software in vote counting. Named as defendants in the case are the Ohio secretary of state, Jon Husted, and Omaha, Nebraska-based Election Systems & Software Inc.
There's an "an imminent risk that persons who are not under the supervision and control of defendant Husted" or the county boards of election may exploit the alleged breach to "alter the recording and tabulation of votes cast," Mr Fitrakis said in the court filings on Monday.
Matt McClellan, a spokesman for Mr Husted, rejected the allegations as "ridiculous".
"We did not touch, update, patch or do anything to the tabulation systems or the voting machines," Mr McClellan said on Monday in a phone interview. "There's no vulnerability to the system whatsoever."
Mr McClellan said a "reporting tool" was installed that is intended to ease the reporting of results tonight.
The US presidential contest between the president, Barack Obama, and for Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has been marked by two dozen lawsuits in the past six months over voter rules, including photo ID requirements and limited poll hours. Today's election may bring a new wave of litigation over the casting and counting of ballots.
Voter rights advocates and lawyers for the candidates may initially head to court to keep polls open longer because of machine breakdowns, to make up for Hurricane Sandy's aftermath, or to bar partisan poll-watchers challenging the rights of some to vote, said Edward Foley, a law professor at Ohio State University. Democrats in Florida have sought to extend early voting hours there, and in Ohio they are challenging last-minute restrictions on provisional ballots. Litigation over such ballots, usually cast when a voter's credentials are challenged or inadequate, and counted after the polls close, may at the very least push resolution of the race past November 6.
An NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist College survey of likely voters in Ohio released on November 3 showed Mr Obama ahead of the former Massachusetts governor 51 per cent to 45 per cent. The survey had a 3.1 percentage point margin of error. No Republican presidential candidate has won election without carrying Ohio.
