As regular readers are aware, there are 4 algorithms used to assign voter ID numbers in New York. The state ID is called an SBOEID. The county ID numbers, I call CID numbers. The primary algorithm, the Spiral, links CID and SBOEID numbers in a unique and reversible way. In so doing, they create a hidden attribute to each affected record that can be used to clandestinely track or access the records. This represents a serious security risk, and possibly a security breach.
The SBOEID numbers in use in New York are split into two main regions. I call them in-range and out of range. In range numbers typically have registration dates before 6/15/2007. Out of range numbers mostly have later registration dates. There are two in-range algorithms: Spiral and Metronome. Until yesterday, the Metronome was a puzzle to me. I had given up on ever solving it.
However, I was curious to see if maybe I would see something I hadn’t seen before if I took one last look before closing the file forever. I’m glad I did.
Fifty-eight counties use the Spiral, and four; Erie, Nassau, Westchester, and Wyoming, use the Metronome. The easiest way to see the difference is to show scatterplots from counties that use each algorithm. The first chart below is the Spiral, the second one is the Metronome. Both have SBOEID numbers on the Y axis and CID numbers on the X axis.
As you can see, the algorithms are very different. Except, they aren’t. Wyoming was the smallest Metronome county, so I used it as my starting point. As I scrolled through the numbers, I noticed something familiar: it looked like two different strands of numbers were interlaced. The spacing was different than what I was used to in the Spiral, but it still seemed to be happening.
On a lark, I decided to precalculate what the SBOEID numbers should be if it was the Spiral. This would show how different the algorithms were. Except, it didn’t. The pre-calculated list of SBOEID numbers perfectly matched Wyoming SBOEID numbers that were highlighted by the different number strands. That is, when a list of numbers changed, from 32,001, 32,002, 32,003, etc to something different, like 27,896, before returning to the previous numbers, 32,004, etc, it always lined up with a change in the pre-calculated Spiral ID numbers.
It was hard to see this before, largely because it turns out there were a lot of deleted SBOEID numbers in 2 of the Metronome counties, Wyoming (33%) and Erie (17%). Most counties were missing only .05% of their numbers, making it easy to see past the gaps. In Wyoming, the gaps were so huge that it was difficult to understand the relationship of the numbbers to each other. To solve the SID half of the equation, I had to put the missing numbers back into the database (see illus at top of page).
It turns out that the Metronome is a combination of the Spiral, used for SBOEID numbers only, and a different algorithm used for the CID numbers. The difference between the decimalization algorithm used by other counties, and whatever was done in the Metronome counties, is what caused the difference in the scatterplots for the two algorithms.
Later, I may reclassify these as 62 counties use the Spiral for calculating the SBOEID list, but the “Decimal” algorithm is used in 58 counties to make the CID list, and the Metronome is used in four counties for their CID numbers.
And now, a word from our sponsor:
I noticed a few subscribers drop off recently, so I wrote one post a day for a week to see if that would bring the level back up. It worked for unpaid subscribers, but not paid. Over the last week (after the experiment) I’ve been nursing my left hand, which feels injured somehow, and my right shoulder, still impinged, as I worked out the Metronome and a few other things. The point is, I’m still working on material for readers. I was hoping that the 5 posts in one week would give me a little break this week while I did that work. Instead, it may have created an expectation that I’d keep it up. To be clear, my goal is twice a week. If there are more, that’s my present to you. If there are less (if that has ever happened) I will make it up.
A big paid subscriber just dropped off, so I hope some others come in. My conservative white male straight Christian status has made it very difficult to work in the industries most of my experience is in: entertainment and education. If you are so inclined, I do appreciate subscribers, paid or not, because they give me the motivation to stay creative and to keep generating material. More than once, I have in the past made extra posts or illustrations because I noticed an uptick in subscribers.
All my best to everyone,
AZ/AP
Take heart, young man. Never give up nor give in. You're doing some incredible sleuthing, so much so that the insurrectionists that created these algorithms are probably scrambling to try to get one step ahead of you again.
I've been a paid subscriber, but a recent cancer diagnosis has me hoarding my nickels until I get a handle on my treatment expenses. I'll be back, as soon as possible.
Carry on!
Keep up the awesome work!