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Computer Voting Expert Ousted From Elections Conference
Denver CO 8/1/03 - Dr. Rebecca Mercuri, a leading expert in voting machine security, had her conference credentials revoked by the president of the International Association of Clerks, Records, Election Officials, and Treasurers (IACREOT), Marianne Rickenbach. The annual IACREOT Conference and Trade Show, which showcases election systems to elections officials, is being held at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Denver all this week.
Mercuri believes that her credentials were revoked because
of her position in favor of voter-verified paper ballots for computerized
election systems. "I guess in a very troubling way it makes sense
that an organization like IACREOT, that supports paperless computerized
voting systems, which are secret by their very design, would not
want computer experts who disagree with that position at their
meetings."
Dr. Mercuri said that her credentials were approved for
the first three days of the conference. She attended meetings of other
groups and visited the exhibitors hall. But it was only on Thursday as
she sat down to attend her first meeting at the IACREOT that President
Marianne Rickenbach took Mercuri out of the room and told her that her
credentials were being revoked. Rickenbach said that Mercuri had not filled
out the forms correctly. Mercuri protested, but was refused reinstatement.
Rickenbach did not return calls for an
interview.
Mercuri can be reached at the Adam's Mark Hotel through Saturday.
Lynn Landes
freelance journalist
(215) 629-3553