26 December 2008, 4:04 pm
Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler wants $8.5 million to fix inaccurate voting machines. Diebold Elections Systems sold the touch screen machines to Maryland in 2001. Those machines now need $8.4 million worth of repairs to ensure secure and accurate voting.
Gansler wants the company to reimburse Maryland state for those repairs.
"They should pay even more than that because the system they sold us in the first place, where they said we would have reliable results that these are accurate machines and they could not be tampered with, has proven to be not true."
The accuracy and dependability of the machines came into question in 2004. An independent investigation was carried out after several complaints were made. Maryland claims it then spent millions to correct flaws discovered during the investigation.
"At this point, we have some leverage because there's an outstanding bill for $4 million the state owes Diebold," Gansler told the media. "It's our position they owe us $8.5 million, so this dispute will be resolved in court."
Diebold spokesmen say the company has done everything to help and questioned the timing of the complaint.
The case is currently waiting to be heard in federal court.
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