Broward machines count backward

[Sunder]

It sounds suspiciously like an int16 issue.

32K is close enough to 32767 after which a 16 bit integer goes negative 
when incremented.  Which is odd because it should roll over, not count 
backwards.

perhaps they did something like this:

note the use of abs on reporting.


int16 votes[MAX_CANDIDATES];

void add_a_vote(uint8 candidate)
{
 if (candidate>MAX_CANDIDATES) return;
 votes[candidate]++;
}

void report(void)
{
 int i;

 for (i=0; i<MAX_CANDIDATES; i++)
 {
  printf("Candidate %s got %d votes\n",candidates[i],abs(votes[i]));
 }

}

----------------------Kaos-Keraunos-Kybernetos---------------------------
 + ^ + :"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we.  /|\
  \|/  :They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country /\|/\
<--*-->:and our people, and neither do we." -G. W. Bush, 2004.08.05 \/|\/
  /|\  :                                                             \|/
 + v + :    War is Peace, freedom is slavery, Bush is President.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Sat, 6 Nov 2004, R.A. Hettinga wrote:

> <http://www.palmbeachpost.com/politics/content/news/epaper/2004/11/05/a29a_BROWVOTE_1105.html>
> 
> 
> Palm Beach Post
> 
> Broward machines count backward
> 
>  By Eliot Kleinberg
> 
> Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
> 
> Friday, November 05, 2004
> 
> 
> FORT LAUDERDALE - It had to happen. Things were just going too smoothly.
> 
> Early Thursday, as Broward County elections officials wrapped up after a
> long day of canvassing votes, something unusual caught their eye. Tallies
> should go up as more votes are counted. That's simple math. But in some
> races, the numbers had gone . . . down.
> 
> 
> Officials found the software used in Broward can handle only 32,000 votes
> per precinct. After that, the system starts counting backward.