Windham, New Hampshire Officials Meet to Select Analysts for Forensic Audit – Choose Verified Voting as First of Three Companies for Review

 

Tonight, the Windham Board of Selectmen held a public meeting to discuss their choice of an analyst for the forensic audit team that will investigate the largest discrepancy between machine and hand counts for any election in the history of New Hampshire.  This meeting was already shrouded in controversy when the Town Administrator announced 13 days ago that this meeting would be held in a non-public session when legally there were no grounds to qualify it for such secrecy.  There was such outcry to this decision to hide their deliberations from the public, that the Selectmen’s phone lines and email inboxes were flooded by outraged citizens.  As a result, a week ago today, the Selectmen reversed this misguided choice and announced this evening’s meeting would be held in public.

Tonight, only 4 out of the 5 selectmen were present (it was unclear why Selectwoman Jennifer Simmons did not attend), and 3 of the 4 announced support for the team of Dr. Andrew Appel and Verified Voting.

The lone dissenter voted for Jovan Hutton Pulitzer.  Tomorrow it is widely expected that Sec. of State William Gardner will announce the second analyst, chosen jointly with the NH Attorney General.  Then, the two analysts chosen will together select the third analyst to round out the forensic audit team.  The bill signed into law on April 12 by Gov. Sununu (Senate Bill 43), requires the audit to be completed in 45 days, making May 27th the “drop dead date” to get this completed.

I feel the choice of Dr. Appel and Verified Voting is an excellent starting point for this audit team.  ASOG, headed by Col. Phil Waldron, as well as Doug Logan of Cyber Ninjas made excellent presentations last week but were not chosen.  All of us here in NH are eager to see who the AG and Sec. of State choose and are anxious to see how this team rounds itself out.