The California recall election, held October 7, 2003, was controversial on a number of levels. It was the first such Gubernatorial challenge in the state's history, it sported a slate of 134 candidates (from computer gurus to actors), and it was nearly delayed by a legal challenge from the ACLU on the grounds of potential disenfranchisement of certain population groups. The complex set of resulting vote data, from 58 counties using a diverse range of equipment, was subsequently misinterpreted to promote various agendas. This talk will lend insight on what may await the US in November 2004 by providing an analysis that dispels erroneous assertions about the benefits of electronic voting, while raising strong questions about both the accuracy of election systems and the reports generated from them.