Department of Justice says ES&S must sell off e-voting division purchased from Diebold

The Brad Blog reports that the Anti-trust division of the Department of Justice has ruled that Election Systems & Software, Inc.'s purchase of Diebold's e-voting division has created a voting machine monopoly. Had it stood, the purchase, made last September at rock-bottom prices, would have resulted in one privately-held and notoriously partisan corporation tallying some 70% of the votes cast in the nation.

The purchase was already under investigation by 14 different states, and had been opposed by election integrity groups, ES&S's competitor Hart Intercivic, the New York Times editorial board, and Senate Rules Committee chair Charles Schumer (D-NY).