System "Election" Landers Falsification

Recently the chairman of the Central Election Commission Vladimir Churov made a number of vigorous applications that forthcoming parliamentary elections on December, 2nd would be unprecedented fair. At that he reported on the State Automated System "Elections" with praise. It, ostensibly, will also not admit any linden. Then why did it happen earlier?

 

Why each election campaign in Russia - no matter parliamentary or presidential - is always accompanied by charges of the Kremlin in falsifications of the results of voting by means of this very system? Then judicial claims and multi-monthly trials follow. The founder of the system would help to answer topical questions. But who is it?

 

After long searches I was given the name of the main designer of the first turn of State Automatic System "Elections" of Dr.Sci.Tech., professor Jury Lomov. More than 40 years he has worked for defense of the country in the closed scientific research institutes. He got the rank of the honored worker of science of the Russian Federation and the winner of the State premium of the USSR. He defended more than 30 copyright certificates on utility inventions.

 

- Jury Sergeevich, how did system "Elections" appear?

 

- After elections in 1993 of members of the Federation Council and deputies of the State Duma the election committees - then there were over 92 thousand of them - literally sank in the ocean of papers. They had to shovel manually some millions sheets of the most different documentation. It is clear that there were mistakes. It became clear: it's impossible further to carry out elections using such antediluvial way - it is necessary to charge processing of reports to automatics. So there was a decree from August, 23rd, 1994 about creation of the State Automated System "Electons". Our scientific research institute "Voshod" where I worked as the first deputy director on science was appointed the chief developer. A unique problem was set before us. It was necessary to create technological system which following the law would reflect all voting procedure from the top to bottom, the order of transfer and gathering of its results, definition of the results of elections. Then it was necessary to dissolve all electronics on cities and villages including remote auls and "hot" points, to set computers, to adjust and unite net, to search and train personnel. There was practically no mass-media which would not predict us inevitable failure. However the will of the staff of scientific research institute and our accessory manufacturers, their experience, genuine enthusiasm allowed to solve that fantastic problem in the shortest terms. During elections in the State Duma in 1995 system "Elections" to the surprise of skeptics started and did itself justice.

 

- However, it generated belief that it's thought up so that authorities "on scientific basis" could forge quietly the results of voting.

 

- What do you mean "could"? I also saw on TV as one "expert" sitting with his back to the viewer assured that special chips were incorporated into the system. As if the Federal agency of the governmental communication operates them through satellites providing victory of the necessary party or of the candidate. It is full delirium. If it is a question of not authorized access - intervention from the outside, first of all we made emphasis on algorithms of non-destruction of information. In case of its deliberate distortion it automatically, I stress, automatically returned to its initial form. So it is useless to correct it. It's another matter when under the instruction of officials the garbled data about results of elections in the region is deliberately entered into the system. That is it is deformed first and then entered. Then it would really help "to launder" phoney. Besides the State Automatic System "Elections" is - an excellent monitoring system. Its information is invaluable for those to whom it is accessible. And, certainly, authorities use it making profit from the fact that the country is located in 11 time zones. By results of voting, say, in Far East it's possible to orientate oneself and take measures so that in Ural or in Kaliningrad the results will be "right" in favour of own candidate or party.

 

- Jury Sergeevich, please, tell us why electronics till now has not replaced ballot boxes? Experts unanimously assure: the main falsification takes place in polling districts, especially, rural ones. As well as on the way to territorial election commission when under instructions of the governors the reports are garbled in favour of you know whom. Whether it was impossible to close those gaps?

 

- Manual voting is - really a nutritious ground for malversations and displays of administrative resource. Do they use it? Without any doubts, as numerous litigations showed. Already in 1995 the Central Election Commission made a decision about automation of polling districts. Certainly, it was possible and necessary to execute that target during twelve years. But they didn't execute. I think, not casually. It means, it's necessary for someone on the top.

 

- Not once I heard complaints of deputies of the State Duma that the State Automatic Systen "Elections" appeared to be not under control. Say, it's completely in the hands of the Central Election Commission and there they could "fiddle". Whether it is possible to establish such a control that "fiddling" in the Central Election Commission in general would become impossible?

 

- A question is reasonable though not the deputies of the State Duma should set it. Having passed in due time the Federal law about the State Automatic System "Elections" the members of parliament with own hands created monopoly of the Central Election Commission. It is possible to reduce everything that is written there to one phrase - all: the system itself, the right for its operation and data about the results of voting belong to the Central Election Commission. It's their owner! But if the deputies complain on opacity of calculation, then what about simple observers who often are being pulled by force to polling districts? In fact it turns out: our people according to the Constitution - is maximum and unique source of authority. However, under the order set by authorities, calculation of voices, the announcement of the results of elections, formation of authority for some reason appeared in the hands of officials of "the ministry on elections" as the Central Election Commission is also called.

 

None civilized country of the world and especially - neither the Europe nor the USA has such unique formation. After elections people often go mad - I voted differently! And send shows the Central Election Commission (to its territorial bodies) claims: you have incorrectly calculated. It looks from above and grins: "Try to prove in court that your calculations are correct and mine - are not". Nobody was successful in it. To achieve cancellation of the elections recognized by the Central Election Commission lawful, is impossible. Why such order is set? According the logic of the article of the Constitution people shouldn't entrust the process of formation of authority to some deskbound "office". Let's recognize that the Central Election Commission is trustworthy but in case of falsifications at places it becomes co-partner of seizure of power. And there shouldn't be such an opportunity even theoretically. 

 

In 2003 the system was modernized, however, I didn't take part in it already. But I am still convinced: it is necessary to liquidate monopoly of the Central Election Commission on the State Automatic System "Elections" and make it public. For this purpose it is necessary to establish the automated workplaces for observers of different levels in it. One - for observers on the sites, others - in staffs of parties, the third, say, - in the State Duma (All these details can be thought over and established legislatively). It is not necessary to carry out any "parallel calculations" and thousand public observers - all these old men and women. The main thing is - that the society itself in real time could observe and supervise work of the system and a course of definition of the results of voting. And if to it obligatory automation of the local election commissions could be added, then the State Automatic System "Elections" will be "open, socially and politically neutral system functioning in publicly-legal floor, directly infringing interests of society and citizens, tool of the state construction and public control" as it was intended to be by us. Its status as state, which main target is maintenance of fair elections will prove to be true. To speak about the State Automatic System "Elections" as about finished, legally faultless, socially and politically safe system it is not possible without these basic principles. And in this sense forthcoming parliamentary elections will not be fair - the opportunity of falsification of the results of voting is incorporated by authorities in the very existence of manual voting on polling districts. All the rest - from devil.