Stung by criticism over whether its e-voting technology is sound, Diebold Election Systems joined with five other electronic voting machine manufacturers Tuesday to "identify and address security concerns" about the industry.

Under the auspices of the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), a Washington-based technology trade group, Diebold, Advanced Voting Systems, Election Systems & Software, Hart InterCivic, Sequoia Voting Systems and Unilect formed the Election Technology Council (ETC) to "raise the profile of electronic voting."

With the presidential election less than a year away, the group also plans to develop a code of ethics for companies in the electronic voting sector and to make recommendations in the areas of election system standards and certification.

"Electronic voting is the logical next step in the evolution of voting systems," said ITAA President Harris N. Miller. "The American people expect voting machines to be fast, accurate and reliable. They do not expect the technology itself to raise questions or cast doubt on election results. We look forward to working with the members of the ETC to help this industry find its collective voice and to bring the benefits of electronic voting to every citizen."

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