How can I be sure that my vote is being counted if I am casting it
> into a black box whose internal software is a complete unknown? As
> long as the voting machine is a closed mystery, how can we be sure
> elections are free and fair?
They could take a lesson from the gambling industry. Manufacturers of gambling devices used in Nevada (and elsewhere) have to meet strict requirements and pass thorough inspections before they can be used. Among other things the manufacturer has to submit both the source code (and all required build tools) and the executable image (which is retained for later verification) for analysis and testing. The box has to meet certain physical requirements, such as running the code out of ROM (not Flash memory) or be able to verify a copy running in RAM against a ROM copy, must keep circuit boards inside a protective cover that has a security locking mechanism, and a slew of other hardware, software and communication requirements.
Believe me, the gambling industry takes "trust" seriously.
(for the curious,
John Meissen snipped-for-privacy@aracnet.com