NYT: The Voters Will Pay. IA Senate blocks election audits. Alberta may test internet voting

The New York Times has an oped on how ES&S's near total domination of the voting systems market in the US will impact voters and taxpayers...The Iowa Senate has halted an election audits bill, House File 682...

Some Canadian municipalities have already adopted internet voting. Now the province of Alberta is considering testing it. Brian Fjeldheim, Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer says: “Once it has been proven to be effective, that the votes can be certified, all that security stuff can be looked after, I certainly see that as something that’s coming..." But the integrity of an internet election cannot be proven say experts. Technologists warn that internet voting is not transparent and is inherently insecure...

All this and more in today's voting news below...


IL: Update: Discovery recount finds no change (Diebold Accuvote-OS & TSX for accessible)
http://daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=452715
Iroquois County...Discovery recounts allow checking of 25 percent of the precincts to determine if there is any rationale to seek a court-ordered full recount.
Both a machine recount and hand recount of the ballots produced no change...

IL: Bill to move primary advances
http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/state-36824-primary-illinois.html

IN: INDIANA COUNTY: Software would aid in election preparations
http://online.indianagazette.com/articles/2010/02/25/a_news/10036061.txt
Using $79,829 in state grant money, the county will purchase software from Election Systems & Software, of Omaha, Neb., that will allow technicians in the county's data processing center to do the computer programming for the voting machines used in the local elections.

IA: Iowa Senate Lags; Legislation to Protect the 2010 Vote In Jeopardy
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/02/26/419
The Senate has halted action on House File 682, which requires a hand count of a random sample of ballots after each general election...

IA: Iowa Voters Action Alert: Help Safeguard the 2010 Elections In Iowa
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/199/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=28214

MN: Bill moving up primary passes House
http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/state-and-regional/mn/article_a5b56cd0-2246-11df-a2e4-001cc4c002e0.html

MS: Miss. felon voting ban upheld
http://www.sunherald.com/2010/02/25/1981944/miss-felon-voting-ban-upheld.html
A three judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled Thursday the state of Mississippi can write restrictions on voting into its constitution, including to bar certain felons voting.

OH: Angry voters outraged by election changes
http://bit.ly/aALyNF COSHOCTON — Former County Commissioner Larry Stahl of Bakersville made an impassioned plea Thursday to the Coshocton County Board of Elections to find out if there is anything he could do to return polling locations and precincts in the county to where they were.

TN: Herron approves e-mail ballot for soldiers (unvoted ballot only)
http://www.nwtntoday.com/news.php?viewStory=37567
The bill (SB2681) allows Tennessean members of the armed forces to receive ballots via e-mail.
...
The soldiers votes would be cast with the same processes and security measures that currently apply.


VA: Va. House panel votes to make voter records private
http://bit.ly/cODCNl A House of Delegates subcommittee voted 5-1 to close off all access to voter history lists.
... the lists should either be made available to everyone or no one.

VA: Virginia Bill on Who can See List of who Voted Hits a Snag
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/02/26/virginia-bill-on-who-can-see-list-of-who-voted-hits-a-snag/

VT: Burlington IRV fundraising under attack
http://bit.ly/dmD2Bx ...Repeal IRV also said the group supporting IRV, 50% Matters, while claiming to be a “grass-roots” organization, was instead “acting like a money pipeline for huge out of town contributions.”

VT: My Turn: Instant runoff good for democracy
http://bit.ly/cZPfsZ
OpEd by former Governor Howard Dean

National

The Voters Will Pay
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/26/opinion/26fri3.html?ref=opinion
It was bad news for the voting public when Election Systems and Software, the nation’s largest voting machine company, announced last fall that it was acquiring the elections division of Diebold, the nation’s second-largest voting machine company.

Canada: Alberta may test Internet voting
Bill 7 accepts 92 recommendations
http://bit.ly/bXaTmd

Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to Voting News at this link:
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=============================================
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Disclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.

Iowa needs post-election audits. Internet voting spreads in Canada local elections, Closing in on the Google hackers

Maryland might not have enough money to conduct the November election?.....Upshur Co TX will pay $30K to Hart InterCivic program machines, print ballots and tally results for the March 2 primaries. The county clerk would have charged $2K...
Wisconsin U state senate rejects internet voting, cites i-vote fiasco in 2008...

Sean Flaherty asks fellow Iowans, and especially Polk County folks to help protect the 2010 elections by asking lawmakers to pass House Bill 682 to require post election audits...

All this and more in today's voting news below....


CA: Editorial: Privately run election questionable
http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/ci_14468312?nclick_check=1
... the idea of a private firm reporting to City Hall, and being assisted by City Hall, in conducting a city election sounds a bit cozy

CO: Plaintiff's Surreply regarding Defendant's Motion to protect TrueBallot from deposition - Marks v. Koch (Aspen Election Transparency Suit)
http://bit.ly/bUVbmm

CT: Republicans hire attorney to challenge Bysiewicz's lawsuit
http://bit.ly/8XeML3

CT: Garcia: Small Fundraisers to Qualify For The Citizens Election Program
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=2922

FL: Florida Voters, Submit Your Ballot Request NOW for the April 13, 2010 Special Election! http://www.fvap.gov/global/news/nr3-2010.html

IA: Iowa Needs a Post-Election Audit
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/02/25/410
Iowans, and especially Polk County folks, please take some time out of your busy day to protect the 2010 elections...

KY: Election official says she was told to steal votes
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/02/25/1155312/precinct-worker-clay-election.html

MD: State falls short on paying for fall election
http://www.marylandreporter.com/page5505129.aspx
The state probably doesn't have enough money in its proposed budget to conduct November's election...

MO: What’s in the Missouri campaign finance bill?
http://politicalactivitylaw.com/?p=8294
The bill would ban most committee-to-committee transfers of campaign donations, an attempt to reduce the “money laundering” that lawmakers have alleged goes on.

PA: Tell The Inquirer: Election Problems Go Deeper Than One Precinct
http://www.electionreformnetwork.us/node/226

PA: The Point: Indefensible
Chesco's '08 polling-place maneuver was a disgrace.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/currents/20100221_The_Point__Indefensible.html
Some of the 1,440 who voted there that day waited for seven to eight hours in the rain, queuing up close enough to working railroad tracks to reach out and touch passing freight cars.

TX: Communication gaps blamed for Upshur ballot miscue
Contracting with Austin firm delays ballots
http://bit.ly/9rgBdl

TX: Upshur County gets ballots in under the wire
http://bit.ly/8Z4YTq

WA: Suspending initiatives? Controversial but common
http://bit.ly/94FUC3

WA: Initiatives and lawmakers, part deux
http://bit.ly/d54XYQ
For all the talk about big changes for Washington’s much-used, much-maligned initiative process, not a single initiative crackdown is passing this legislative session.

WI: Student Senate nixes online voting
http://bit.ly/c1HYHq
Student Senate voted down a resolution Monday attempting to conduct the 2010 Student Body Elections online instead of paper ballot form.

VA: UBE technical glitch extends voting time (online voting)
http://www.cavalierdaily.com/2010/02/23/ube-technical-glitch-extends-voting-time/
University of Virginia. The University Board of Elections experienced technical difficulties during the first hour of student-elections voting at 8 a.m. yesterday ...certain offices were missing from the ballot. After first attempting to resolve the issue itself, the UBE consulted Information Technology & Communication, which identified the problem as a wide-spread glitch rather than an isolated incident.

VT: So troops' votes count - by Deborah Markowitz is Vermont secretary of state and a Democratic candidate for governor http://bit.ly/ahpCEJ
Gov. Douglas ...suggests that we should instead implement Internet voting or accept ballots for at least two weeks after the election. But neither of these solutions will work.


National

State Compliance with the MOVE Act
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015352.html
Electionline.org has this report on state lawmakers' and election administrators' efforts to comply with the the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, including its requirement that they provide for electronic transmission of registration and ballot requests

"Election Lawyers Divided Over Prospects for Legislative Response to Citizens United"
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015350.html

EAC issued election administration information this week to state and local election officials on five topics: canvassing and certifying an election, conducting a recount, administering provisional ballots, building community partnerships, and communicating with the public. http://bit.ly/cYp91e

Proposed Constitutional Amendment to Overrule CU
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015346.html

International

Closing in on the Google hackers
http://msdnrss.thecoderblogs.com/2010/02/24/closing-in-on-the-google-hackers/

Canada: Alberta to grant prisoners the right to vote
http://bit.ly/bpDU9o
Alberta will give prisoners in provincial jails the right to vote as part of sweeping changes to its Elections Act.

Canada: Whitewater council will decide on alternate voting for 2010 election
http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2463592
WHITEWATER REGION -The finance and administration committee will recommend council adopt the alternate voting process for the 2010 municipal election.

By allowing taxpayers of Whitewater Region to vote by telephone and Internet...

Philippines: More than half of voting machines pass tests, Comelec says
http://bit.ly/bMi6HK
...About 60,000 of the 82,200 Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines “are working," Comelec Chairman Jose Melo told reporters on Thursday.


Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to Voting News at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/votingnews
To assist with Daily Voting News, please send links to news articles to us at votingnews@earthlink.net
=============================================
"The Voting News is a free service made possible in part by support from Verified Voting Foundation. You can help support the Voting News by sending a check to Verified Voting Foundation, PO Box 4104, Carlsbad, CA 92018. Be sure to note "for Voting News" in the memo line of your check! Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law."
Donate online at this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate-vn

Disclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.

Aspen tries to stop deposition of TrueBallot, US DOJ showdown over GA voter verification, No ballot mulligans

No mulligan rule in elections - The wrong name will be on a ballot for a school board race in St Louis MO and can't be corrected because the voting machines are already programmed and ballots printed..

...The Georgia bill to have troops vote over the internet has passed the house and heads to the senate next. Meanwhile the former Director of National Intelligence told a senate panel that "If the nation went to war today, in a cyber war, we would lose,”...

The Philippines ballot boxes have switched at the last minute -from translucent to opaque black design to protect ballot markings from sunlight. Additionally there will be no audit before poll winners are proclaimed...

Paying our respects: Condolences to Rick Hasen of ElectionLawBlog on the passing of his father.

All this and more in today's voting news below.....

CA: "Initiative would put redistricting back into Legislature's hands"
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015340.html

CO: Reply in Support of Defendant’s Motion for a Protective Order- Marks v. Koch (Aspen Election Transparency Suit)
http://bit.ly/bMurHu On February 16, 2010 the Aspen City attorneys filed a memorandum in support of their motion for a protective order to prevent or limit Marilyn Marks from deposing TrueBallot Inc.

CO: August election will be mail-in in Eagle Countuy
http://bit.ly/9ioBw5

GA: The Showdown Over Preclearance of Georgia's Voter Verification Program
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015341.html
In recent years, the U.S. Department of Justice has rarely exercised its preclearance power under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act to stop election adminstration rules from taking effect. But in a letter issued Monday, DOJ declines to withdraw its objection to Georgia's proposed program for verifying voters' citizenship.

GA: Bills aid open records, overseas voting, education
http://bit.ly/cB3QVO
The House passed House Bill 655, which establishes a pilot program beginning with the 2012 general and primary elections, to allow the electronic transmission of absentee ballots by those in the military and for overseas residents.

HI: Hawaii Officials Plan For 5/22 Special House Election
http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/02/hawaii_official.php
The HI State Office of Elections has set 5/22 as the target date for the special election to replace Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-01),

MN: Interview with Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie
http://bit.ly/btnC87

MO: Clayton school district error leads to wrong name on ballot *
http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2010/02/22/daily29.html
St. Louis. Susan Buse is running for re-election to the Clayton school board but you won’t find her name on the April 6 ballot.

Instead, you’ll find her maiden name, Susan Bradley. A Clayton school district official miscopied Buse’s name when filling out paperwork to submit to the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners in January.

NE: Soldiers to receive voting confirmation
http://bit.ly/akA6AA

NC: Internet elections (LTE pushing internet voting)
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/02/24/354595/internet-elections.html

TN: Tennessee Bills Would Remove Recount Authority in Primaries from Political Parties
http://bit.ly/bwKCZK
Bills are pending in both houses of the Tennessee legislature to provide that when a partisan primary election result is disputed, the dispute should be resolved by an administrative law judge, not by the political party’s own officials.

VT: Burlington IRV draws outside money
http://bit.ly/aRFDMc

WA: Lawmakers take aim at Pierce County voting methods while ignoring real problem
http://bit.ly/a3LtZ7
...House Bill 1572 simply mandates all mail-in voting statewide. It's an unnecessary and terribly intrusive mandate. The state has no compelling interest in exactly how Pierce County voters are allowed to cast votes.
...
The obvious fix - requiring that ballots be received by the end of Election Day, as Oregon and virtually every other state that votes mostly by mail does - could not be simpler.

WI: Editorial: State should go slow on National Popular Vote bill
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20100223/OSH0602/2230372
The bill would change the way Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes are assigned. Instead of going to the presidential candidate who won the popular vote in the state, Wisconsin's votes would go to the candidate who won the national popular vote.

National

Condolences to Rick Hasen (Dan Tokaji will be filling in for Rick for awhile)
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015342.html

U.S. Unprepared for ’Cyber War’, Former Top Spy Official Says
http://bit.ly/dwZRrO

"Campaign Finance Shift May Aid Critics"
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015336.html

America Facilitates Absentee Voting
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=49247


International

Canada: City moves to paperless ballots for next election
http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2462428
Paper ballots are out for this October's municipal elections in Stratford.
The Internet and telephone are in.

Philippines: Ballot boxes switched at last minute
http://bit.ly/dmf7RS
He said while the commissioners were initially sold on translucent ballot boxes, they had to go with an opaque black design that would shield the security markings from sunlight

Comelec chief: No audit before poll winners are proclaimed
http://bit.ly/bDPG9d
Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Jose Melo on Wednesday rejected the idea of conducting the random manual audit before the declaration of the winners in the May polls, saying that it will only cause unnecessary delays.

Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to Voting News at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/votingnews
To assist with Daily Voting News, please send links to news articles to us at votingnews@earthlink.net
=============================================
"The Voting News is a free service made possible in part by support from Verified Voting Foundation. You can help support the Voting News by sending a check to Verified Voting Foundation, PO Box 4104, Carlsbad, CA 92018. Be sure to note "for Voting News" in the memo line of your check! Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law."
Donate online at this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate-vn

Disclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.

GA bill would end touch-screen voting, Dont violate integrity of military vote

Distrust of paperless voting is a bi-partisan issue in Georgia with Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica) introducing HB 1215 to ban paperless voting and in favor of an optical scan system with ballots that can be recounted by hand in any dispute.Other signers of the bill include Karla Drenner (D-Atlanta); Bobby Franklin (R-Cobb County); and Barry Loudermilk (R-Cassville). Another signer was Austin Scott (R-Tifton), the Republican candidate for governor....

Meanwhile Virginia lawmakers still considering bill to allow purchase of some paperless machines... CO. election integrity expert Harvie Branscomb pleads the case to keep in-person voting in Eagle County Co...

All this and more in today's voting news below....

CO: Court Requested to Permit Video Recording of Marks v. Koch (Aspen Election Transparency Suit)
http://aspenelectionreview.blogspot.com/2010/02/court-requested-to-permit-video.html

CO: A plea for in-person voting in Eagle County
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/letter-editor/139384
Voters deserve to retain their choice of voting in person or by mail. Precinct polling places keep elections more secure, are likely to produce better accuracy, are less subject to mischief, and provide many natural opportunities for citizen oversight and correction of errors.

CT: Hearing On Public Financing – Ad Hoc Testimony On Voting Integrity Issue
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=2907
Yesterday the Government Administration and Elections Committee held hearings on proposed fixes to the Citizens Election Program which has been ruled unconstitutional and is currently under appeal.

FL: Ensure uniform voting (opinion)
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/feb/22/na-ensure-uniform-voting/
But even with the importance of home rule, counties should not be allowed to create their own standards for recounts, audits and other procedures when it comes to statewide and national elections. One code must fit all.

GA: Bill would end touch-screen voting
http://bit.ly/ad8sWE

GA: A bill to ban paperless ballots dropped — Kemp opposes on economic grounds
http://bit.ly/cW14x3
Just before the Legislature went on a two-week, budget-driven hiatus, state Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica) dropped HB 1215, would would mandate an end to the use of Georgia’s paperless voting tabulators, in favor of an optical scan system whose ballots could be recounted by hand in any dispute.

GA: Georgia may abandon electronic voting
http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-02-22/story/georgia_may_abandon_electronic_voting
House bill would return state to paper ballots
The bipartisan legislation, House Bill 1215 by Rep. Tim Bearden, R-Villa Rica, would require paper records and hand recounts in contested elections. The touch-screen machines in use across the state now only record votes electronically.

GA: Will This Be the Case That Gets a Supreme Court Majority to Overturn Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act?
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015334.html

MI: Whiteford seeks township hall
http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100221/NEWS01/702219971
OTTAWA LAKE...one of the voting machines that township residents will be using in the election is stored in the supervisor’s bedroom.
...
If voters okay a five-year, 1-mill levy Tuesday, storing election machines and boxes of township records and holding office hours will get a little easier in Whiteford Township.

MO: Police investigating theft at Board of Elections office in St. Louis
http://www.fox2now.com/news/sns-ap-mo--electionsboard-theft,0,4584342.story
Items taken include a laptop, a satellite radio deck, a radio, a TV converter box and a small amount of cash. There was no sign of forced entry.

NM: San Juan County complains of state voting requirement
http://www.daily-times.com/ci_14452520
...San Juan County was the only county in New Mexico to store data on its own computer server until the state forced it to store data on its Santa Fe server this month. The New Mexico Secretary of State's Office required the county to join New Mexico's 32 other counties that have stored information in Santa Fe for years.

TN: New machines in store for 2010 election (paper ballots optically scanned)
http://bit.ly/daJCf2

TN: Election Commission ratifies federal court settlement
http://bit.ly/9B6irE
The Rutherford County Election Commission voted Monday to accept an agreement that would end Administrator of Elections Hooper Penuel’s participation in a federal lawsuit.

VA: ‘Hardships' in House, Senate budget (bills still actively under consideration)
http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/cms/story.php?id=1105
HB 1225: Allows localities to continue to purchase touch-screen voting machines in order to maintain one such machine per voting place. A prior state law prohibited local governments from replacing old machines in order to facilitate conversion to optical scan paper ballots.

VT: Letters to the Editor: Instant Runoff Voting
http://bit.ly/cmIE7h
5 pages of letters in favor or opposed to the Mar 2nd ballot measure to repeal IRV

WA: Don’t violate integrity of military vote
http://heraldnet.net/article/20100220/OPINION02/702209997
To say that the bill does not institute Internet voting is inaccurate. E-mail is the Internet. The same security concerns that caused the Pentagon to abandon Internet voting in 2004 pertain to this bill.

National

Exclusive: NYT Public Editor Concedes O'Keefe 'Jounalistically Unethical', But No Correction Recommended
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7715

Activists pin hopes on the Academy
http://www.congress.org/news/2010/02/19/activists_pin_hopes_on_the_academy
For some Oscar viewers, the excitement this year is not which movie wins Best Picture, but how it will win.

Hart, Avante Resolve Voting Machine Patent Suit (registration required)
http://bit.ly/awZCLI
Law360, New York (February 23, 2010) -- Voting machine company Hart InterCivic Inc. has agreed to a settlement in its patent infringement suit against Avante International Technology Inc. over electronic voting systems


International

India: There’s a Trojan in the EVM!
http://www.dailypioneer.com/237973/There%E2%80%99s-a-Trojan-in-the-EVM!.html

Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to Voting News at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/votingnews
To assist with Daily Voting News, please send links to news articles to us at votingnews@earthlink.net
=============================================
"The Voting News is a free service made possible in part by support from Verified Voting Foundation. You can help support the Voting News by sending a check to Verified Voting Foundation, PO Box 4104, Carlsbad, CA 92018. Be sure to note "for Voting News" in the memo line of your check! Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law."
Donate online at this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate-vn

Disclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.

WA military email voting clears house, Cyber War Wake Up Call, More trustworthy voting systems

Election Equipment Certification Delivers Poor Results says the Champaign County Clerk, Mark Sheldon. Sheldon says: "If we want a system that earns the trust of every voter we need to institute post election audits, more extensive testing, and a certification process that is more open and flexible."

In Washington State, two bills of note: a bill to allow military to vote by fax or email has cleared the house, and a bill to force Pierce Co Washington voters to vote by mail....As officials consider putting our military's votes and associated data online, please read "Cyber War Wake Up Call" over at DefenseTech.org...


All this and more in today's voting news below....


AK: State settles lawsuit, agrees to offer voter aid in Yup'ik
http://www.adn.com/2010/02/19/1148117/yupik-elders-win-right-to-elections.html
The state has settled a lawsuit brought by Yup'ik-speaking elders and tribal councils demanding that the Division of Elections provide ballots and voter assistance in Yup'ik.

AZ: Election officials use GPS devices to track equipment
http://bit.ly/930O9h
Program aims to lift voter confidence
Maricopa County elections officials are starting a new program that will track all 17,000 pieces of voting equipment through GPS technology.

CA: Federal Court in San Diego Issues Clarification: Independent Expenditure Committees May Accept Unlimited Sums from Corporations, Labor Unions, and Others
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015328.html
Disclosure: I am co-counsel for the City of San Diego in this matter.(Rick Hasen)

CA: Two Legal 'Situations'
http://democracycounts.blogspot.com/2010/02/two-legal-situations.html
Humboldt County Election Transparency Project

CA: DA investigates allegations of voter fraud in Montebello
http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_14438007#ixzz0gJIxeN7n
"I actually went to someone's door regarding an absentee voter and I learned the person hadn't lived there for two years," Veneziano said. "It seems like there is a lot of voter fraud concerning absentee ballots."

CA: State Chief Justice Calls For Reform Of Initiative Process
http://www.ktvu.com/news/22618847/detail.html
STANFORD, Calif. -- California Chief Justice Ronald George told a Stanford University symposium Friday that the state's voter initiative process has helped to make the state government dysfunctional and "is sorely in need of reform."

CO: Editorial - Voting changes make sense (Editorial in favor of 100% vote by mail)
http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/fort-morgan-opinion/ci_14410371

FL: Court: Petition Signatures Cannot Be Revoked
http://bit.ly/bW2CAo
The Florida Supreme Court said Thursday that a petition-signature revocation law, passed in 2007, substantially burdened the rights of citizen-led efforts to change the Constitution

IL: Election Equipment Certification Delivers Poor Results
http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2010/02/22/election-equipment-certification-delivers-poor-results/
Champaign County Clerk...Election equipment manufacturers and election officials are prevented from implementing even common sense changes to the software and hardware running elections because of the costly and lengthy certification process.

KY: Insider Fraud In Kentucky
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=2904
We have blogged in the past about the fuzzy line between retail and wholesale vote fraud...

ME: Residents invited to discuss proposed city voting changes ; A special meeting on Tuesday in Portland seeks feedback on changes in government.
http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3885912
Should Portland voters elect a mayor? Should the city allow non- citizens to vote? Should voters rank candidates in order of choice rather than pick just one?

OH: Voter fraud case dismissed
http://www.toledofreepress.com/2010/02/22/voter-fraud-case-dismissed/
The board found that Lisa Cherry, as a student who has “every intention of returning home,” has the right to be registered in Lucas County and denied the challenge against her voter registration.

VA: Virginia Bill Advances, Would Expand Groups That May See List of Which Voters
http://bit.ly/bJWHn9
Virginia law already lets political parties, candidates, PAC’s, and elected office-holders obtain the list of which voters voted in the last election. A bill is moving through the legislature that adds a new category to the list, namely, groups that encourage voter turnout. It is SB 624

TX: Hidalgo County's mobile voting unit could lessen politiqueras' influence
http://www.themonitor.com/articles/machines-35686-voting-lessen.html
The crew that handles mobile voting meets by 6 a.m. every morning at the elections department.

They load up the rented van and travel to the location of the day. After manning early voting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., they pack up the voting machines and get ready to do it again the next day.

VA: Many 'hot' bills move from House to Senate
http://bit.ly/ax8FVm
HB 390: State Board of Elections and voting equipment requirements - chief patroned by Del. Rosalyn R. Dance; The bill would exclude absentee voters from the calculation of registered voters. It would be used to determine the number of direct recording electronic voting devices as required in each precinct.

VA: Nosy neighbors could know your votes
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/nosy-neighbors-could-know-your-votes
A bill, SB624, sponsored by state Sen. Janet Howell, D-Fairfax County, would allow the lists to be obtained by "nonprofit organizations that promote voter participation and registration "

WA: Election bills staying alive
http://bit.ly/9uVTjW
HB 2483 military email/fax voting, SHB 1572 forces Pierce County to Vote By Mail,
HB 1880 removes the requirement that mail ballot return envelopes must have a secrecy flap to conceal the voter’s signature and telephone number, HB 2495 allows ballots to be tabulated starting at 8 a.m. on the Monday before the Primary...

WA: The Legislature Fights Back: Citizen Initiatives in Washington State
http://electls.blogs.wm.edu/2010/02/22/the-legislature-fights-back-citizen-initiatives-in-washington-state/
This past January, for the second time in two years, a bill has been filed with the Washington State legislature to amend the State Constitution, removing the provisions allowing for citizen initiatives and referendums.

WI: DA finds no problem with primary vote count at nursing home
http://www.greenfieldnow.com/news/84978262.html


National

Giles Confirms (Again, This Time on Video) the O'Keefe-Breitbart ACORN 'Pimp' Lie
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7714

Cyber War Wake Up Call
http://defensetech.org/2010/02/19/cyber-war-wake-up-call/
Given the U.S. dependence on computers, the Internet and the entire information infrastructure, our adversaries see our vulnerability to acts of cyber aggression as our soft under-​​belly and that makes it a prime target in their eyes.

USENIX EVT/WOTE '10 Call for Papers
http://eventseer.net/e/12469/
Submissions are due April 16, 2010

EAC seeks comments on proposed Maintenance of Expenditure (MOE)
http://www.eac.gov/blog-postings/eac-seeks-comments-on-proposed-maintenance-of-expenditure-moe
EAC is accepting public comments through March 24 on a proposed Maintenance of Expenditure (MOE) policy. Read the proposed policy and instruction for submitting comments here.

International

Canada: Is Internet Voting Headed to Thunder Bay?
http://bit.ly/bYorIB
Thunder Bay City Clerk John Hannam is working to seek ways to encourage greater voter participation in this fall's civic election. Over the next week, the City will be issuing Requests for Proposals seeking to offer Internet voting and other electronic voting options. In addition, the city is issuing an RFP for new vote tabulators.

Canada: Voting via Internet
http://www.tbnewswatch.com/news/82363/Voting-via-Internet-
Thunder Bay’s next municipal election may feature an online polling station
The decision on whether or not the city will adopt online voting for the Oct. 25 election is a few steps away from becoming a reality.

Iraq: Fears of Iraq poll boycott after Sunni party pulls out
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/21/fears-iraq-poll-boycott-sunni
Head of National Dialogue Front withdraws from election, raising concerns of repeat of 2005

Iraq: Secular party withdraws from Iraq's elections
Xinhua
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-02/20/c_13181117.htm
An Iraqi secular party led by Sunni prominent politician dropped out of the country's March elections, protesting the ban of hundreds of candidates, a statement by the group said Saturday

Sri Lanka: Measures taken for recount of presidential votes: Ravi
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/02/measures-taken-for-recount-of.html
"All necessary measures are being taken for a recount of the votes cast at the Presidential Election," said the former UNP Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake addressing an interactive public meeting in the Kesbewa area.

Ukraine: Tymoshenko drops court challenge against Yanukovych
http://bit.ly/bMC6BT

Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to Voting News at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/votingnews
To assist with Daily Voting News, please send links to news articles to us at votingnews@earthlink.net
=============================================
"The Voting News is a free service made possible in part by support from Verified Voting Foundation. You can help support the Voting News by sending a check to Verified Voting Foundation, PO Box 4104, Carlsbad, CA 92018. Be sure to note "for Voting News" in the memo line of your check! Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law."
Donate online at this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate-vn

Disclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.

GA lawmaker wants paper ballots, Internet voting-Solution or snake oil?

GA state Rep. Tim Bearden has introduced paper ballot law HB 1215... Clay Co KY poll worker says it was easy to steal more than 100 votes in one election...See the court docs for Dominion's suit to stop NY City purchase of ES&S voting machines over at Bo Lipari's blog...Over 75,000 systems compromised in cyberattack......"Internet voting, solution of snake oil?". Ben Rothke elaborates in "Dont Stop The Handcount - A Few Problems With Internet Voting"...Less than 10% of Ontario municipalities utilize phone or Internet voting...

All this and more in today's voting news below....

AZ: Arizona Bill Moves Ahead, Would Simplify Presidential Candidate Listing on November Ballot
http://bit.ly/bsKdMf
Only six states still print the candidates for presidential elector on November ballots. The most populous of these six states is Arizona, which has ten electoral votes.

CT: Connecticut Secretary of State Sues Herself to Obtain Decision that She is Eligible to Run for Attorney General
http://bit.ly/cnfWlF
Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz says she will file a lawsuit in state court, seeking a decision that she is eligible to run for Attorney General this year.

GA: Lawmaker Wants Paper Ballots
http://wsbradio.com/localnews/2010/02/lawmaker-wants-paper-ballots.html
...Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica) has introduced HB 1215 that would do away with the current electronic voting machines in favor of some form of paper ballot.

"The integrity of voting is priority number one and you can ensure that by making sure there's a paper trail,"

GA: County managers: budget plan will hurt election, library, tax offices
http://www.thecrier.net/articles/2010/02/16/front/budget.txt

IN: Ind. Senate Keeps Vote Center Legsilation Alive
http://bit.ly/9lmdqp

KY: Clay precinct worker testifies that officials taught her to steal votes *
http://www.kentucky.com/latest_news/story/1147902.html
...Wanda White testified that Clerk Freddy Thompson — the county's chief election officer — helped show her how to manipulate voting machines along with Charles Wayne Jones, the Democratic election commissioner.

The scheme involved duping people to walk away from the voting computer before finishing their selections, then changing their choices, said White, the Democratic judge in a precinct in Manchester.

White said she stole more than 100 votes that election.

NV: Lawyer calls ACORN ‘hated, feared,’ seeks separate trials
Judge denies motion to separate case, saying trials would be identical
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/17/acorn/

NY: Dominion Sues to Stop New York City Contract with ES&S (update, docs posted)
http://www.bolipari.com/boblog/2010/02/dominion-sues-to-stop-new-york-city-contract-with-ess/
Update I, 2/19/10 – Court documents posted, links here

NY: Questions Raised about NYC's Voting Machine Selection Process
http://reformny.blogspot.com/2010/02/questions-raised-about-nycs-voting.html
In its memorandum of law, Dominion argues that the Board of Elections ignored procurement laws and procedures and established its own procurement process that did not make clear the criteria for selection. According to the memorandum, ES&S received extra points for optional features that cannot legally be used in New York.

SC: SC lawmakers put early voting under the microscope (Audio)
http://bit.ly/9K4sU2
...The State Senate is currently working on legislation that would combine early voting with the photo ID measure.

TN: Voter Registration Would Require Affirmation
Prospective Voters Would Have To Check Citizens Box
http://www.wsmv.com/politics/22582223/detail.html

TX: Voter registration tangled in Web
http://bit.ly/bFBms3 Opponents of Tax Assessor-Collector Leo Vasquez accuse him of failing to live up to an agreement to put information quickly online that informs would-be voters that their registrations are incomplete.

TN: Rep. Yokley Rejects Criticism By GOP On Military Ballot Bill
http://www.greenevillesun.com/story/308186
...In a quote that was part of Forester's statement, Yokley said, "The well-being and ready status of our troops is something I think of every day. I have a son now serving in the military."
...
The men and women of our armed services make sacrifices every day to defend the right to vote. Exposing our soldiers to the possibility of voter manipulation would be a disservice to their sacrifice."

VT: Burlington debates IRV
http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=12010188

WA: Military voting system works (LTE)
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/1143625.html
We can all agree that military and overseas voters deserve the best opportunity to cast a timely vote. However, systems in place need to be secure and verifiable. Senate Bill 6238 and House Bill 2483, which allow fax and e-mail of voted ballots , achieve neither. A more sensible approach would be to follow the new federal requirement providing for the electronic transmission of blank ballots, but not voted ballots.

WA: How lawmakers voted on I-960 suspension, vote-by-mail, tuition hikes
http://bit.ly/c07cyR
2SHB 1572 passed the House by a vote of 57 to 41 and is now before the Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections

National

Rothke - Dont Stop The Handcount A Few Problems With Internet Voting
Ben Rothke, CISSP is a senior security consultant with Information Security Magazine
http://www.slideshare.net/Benrothke/rothke-dont-stop-the-handcount-a-few-problems-with-internet-voting

Over 75,000 systems compromised in cyberattack
http://bit.ly/dj9LFx

Giles Admits O'Keefe, Breitbart ACORN 'Pimp' Story was a Lie: 'It Was B-Roll, Purely B-Roll'
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7708
Speaking to Washington Independent reporter David Weigel today at CPAC, Hannah Giles, who posed as a prostitute in James O'Keefe and Andrew Breitbart's infamous, highly-doctored, heavily-overdubbed, secretly-taped ACORN hit videos, confirms what we've been reporting for several weeks here: O'Keefe never dressed as a pimp in the offices of ACORN.

In The Public Interest: Fast track the Citizens United Bill
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-gilbert/iin-the-public-interesti_b_469190.html
Polls from the left, right and center show that few approve of the justices' ruling. In fact, a shocking poll this week clocked eight out of ten Americans outright disagreeing.

An angry old dog--F E Act Now
http://www.fixcongressfirst.org/
The Fair Elections Now Act has 135 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. Today I'm asking you to help increase that number to 218 -- the amount needed to pass this crucial bill. FixCongressFirst.org has two ways for you to help make that happen.

EAC Public Meeting Report for February 19, 2010
http://www.eac.gov/News/meetings/02-19-09-public-meeting-washington-d-c
Commissioners voted 3-0 to publish an amended proposed Maintenance of Expenditure/Effort (MOE) Policy for a thirty-day public comment period. EAC will post the amended document as soon as it is available. For more information, see the agenda documents here. An on-demand webcast is available now

International

Canada: Townships hone in on electronic voting
http://bit.ly/bejqV9
EMC News Area voters will have the opportunity to cast their ballots from the comfort of their own homes in the upcoming election, after five local townships agreed to make use of an electronic voting service provider.

North Dundas council approved a proposal by Intelivote, as recommended by township clerk Jo-Anne McCaslin, which will allow voters to make their choices by telephone or over the Internet.

In addition to North Dundas, the townships of North Stormont, South Dundas, South Stormont and South Glengarry are to make use of the system.

Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to Voting News at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/votingnews
To assist with Daily Voting News, please send links to news articles to us at votingnews@earthlink.net
=============================================
"The Voting News is a free service made possible in part by support from Verified Voting Foundation. You can help support the Voting News by sending a check to Verified Voting Foundation, PO Box 4104, Carlsbad, CA 92018. Be sure to note "for Voting News" in the memo line of your check! Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law."
Donate online at this link:
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Disclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.

Responsible tech use for Overseas Vote,VT rejects email voting, Dominion sues over NY ES&S contract

Just in from Verified Voting: "Responsible Use of Technology for Overseas Voting". From the report- "The security challenges posed by the electronic transmission of voted ballots are too formidable to allow the use of such systems at present. Before experimenting with voted ballots transmitted through cyberspace, we must together create a transparent public process to consider how to set cyber-security criteria..."

Florida SOS Browning proposes delay in purchasing disabled accessible voting equipt....
....Brennan Center has update on "Concerns About New York’s Voting Machines"...Bo Lipari reports- "Dominion Sues to Stop New York City Contract with ES&S"...

All this and more in today's voting news below....

CT: Registrar of Voters suit: Alleged to have fudged petitions for herself and relatives
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=2896

FL: COUNTIES COULD PUNT BUYING VOTING EQUIPMENT FOR DISABLED
http://bit.ly/b7W09Q
Tallahassee -- The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee unveiled a package Wednesday that would delay a requirement for county election supervisors to buy $45 million in optical-scan voting equipment for the disabled from 2012 to 2016.

[...The state still has $67 million in HAVA funds
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/electionreform/message/12625 ]

GA: Measure may ease voting from afar
http://www.forsythnews.com/news/article/4500/
In House Bill 665, the District 23 state representative from Cumming offers an alternative to the current ballot mailing system, one that could quicken the process by allowing them to vote electronically.

HI: New chief elections officer selected for Hawaii; no special election date set yet
http://bit.ly/aad4Mo

IL: Kane County votes all counted, but fighting might not be over
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=360024

OH: Old voting machines must go (ES&S iVotronic)
http://putnamsentinel.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=6713

MA: Online elections bill passes SGA Senate (University of Mass.)
http://dailycollegian.com/2010/02/18/online-elections-bill-passes-sga-senate/
More details on the concerns of the Senators will be provided in two videos and in an expanded version of this article to be released on Friday.

NY: Dominion Sues to Stop New York City Contract with ES&S
http://www.bolipari.com/boblog/2010/02/dominion-sues-to-stop-new-york-city-contract-with-ess/
Posted by: bolipari. In a surprise move, Dominion Voting Systems has filed an Article 78 lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court in Albany to stop the New York City Board of Elections from awarding a $70 million dollar contract for new voting machines to ES&S.

NY: Concerns About New York’s Voting Machines: An Update
http://bit.ly/d1BFg8
...The Board of Elections spoke with our coalition last Thursday, and agreed to take the following steps

SD: ACLU seeks to expand voting lawsuit
http://bit.ly/9M6yyh
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – The American Civil Liberties Union wants to expand a voting rights lawsuit against state officials into a class-action lawsuit on behalf of American Indians in South Dakota.

TN: Ketron bill to ease military voting advances
http://bit.ly/b7w5IU
...The bill...authorizes a county Election Commission to e-mail a ballot to each member of the armed forces.
...
The legislation helps the state comply with the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, which took effect in October. That law requires the Department of the Army and Postal Service to expedite the return of ballots by using express mail, since they cannot be returned electronically due to election security concerns.

VA: Suit filed over rejected NSU voter applications
http://bit.ly/9FjTKA
Two voting rights groups asserting that Norfolk State University students were improperly denied the right to vote in the 2008 election have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn state law that prohibits full access to voter-application records.

VT: House votes to move primary election date up three weeks, to Aug. 24
http://vtdigger.org/2010/02/18/house-votes-to-move-primary-election-date-up-three-weeks-to-aug-24/
An amendment proposed by Rep. Tom Koch, R-Barre City, which would have kept the Sept. 14 date intact and required the Secretary of State’s office to adopt a new e-mail voting system for overseas absentee voters, failed 50 to 95, along Republican and Democratic lines...

VT: Primary Date Likely To Move To August (email balloting for military rejected)
http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/87228/
(Aswad) "I believe that electronic transmissions can very easily be compromised. We're all aware of the fact that even Pentagon transmissions have been compromised and I believe that the security of the ballot is very sacred."

WI: Waukesha mayoral totals revised because of missed votes *
http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/84708947.html
...
In one case, the tape of vote counts was delivered to City Hall but not added into the totals. In the other, Neill explained in an interview, staffers who collected the tapes at polling places were unaware that a machine designed for people with disabilities had some votes on it and that tape was not collected.


National

Responsible Use of Technology for Overseas Voting
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/02/18/403
Verified Voting. Thursday, February 18, 2010 ...Experts in technology such as NIST, the GAO and internal reviewers of Department of Defense projects cite significant concerns with respect to the electronic submission of voted ballots

$750,000 in federal grants are available to fund college poll workers
http://www.eac.gov/blog-postings/750-000-in-federal-grants-are-available-to-fund-college-poll-workers

ES&S Diebold Purchase: Groups Endorse Remedies for Unlawful Concentration of Market Power
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=2888

US lawmakers call for legislation to limit corporate campaign spending
http://bit.ly/99P6Er

International

Iraq: Iraq Election Deteriorates as Leading Candidates are Banned
http://bit.ly/bqNfjN
Seven hundred billion dollars and more than 4,200 American lives later, the government of Iraq is on the verge of conducting an election already being labeled illegitimate

Philippines: More voting machines should be audited to ensure polls' credibility
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/184255/more-voting-machines-should-be-audited-to-ensure-polls-credibility
But Alvia said that at least 2.5 to 3 percent of the 82,200 PCOS units or five poll machines per congressional district should be manually audited.

Philippines: Revert to manual poll count, Comelec urged
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/243986/revert-manual-poll-count-comelec-urged
...
the country's biggest telecommunications companies, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) and Globe Telecom, had expressed apprehension in hosting the main election data center for fear of attacks. The main data center will transmit the election results from precincts to the Comelec headquarters.

Ukraine: Ukraine High Court Suspends Election Results
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7017858932#ixzz0fwRXJTTF
...
The court's decision came a day after Tymoshenko appealed for the suspension while the court considers the evidence of electoral fraud she submitted. The evidence will be used to support her appeal for a recount of votes


Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to Voting News at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/votingnews
To assist with Daily Voting News, please send links to news articles to us at votingnews@earthlink.net
=============================================
"The Voting News is a free service made possible in part by support from Verified Voting Foundation. You can help support the Voting News by sending a check to Verified Voting Foundation, PO Box 4104, Carlsbad, CA 92018. Be sure to note "for Voting News" in the memo line of your check! Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law."
Donate online at this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate-vn

Disclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.

Groups warn ES&S merger is security threat, Future of CA Voting comments posted, VA officials sued over voter files

The news is fairly light today so be sure to read the public comments on the Future of Voting in California now posted at the CA SOS website. The comments come from experts, advocates, interested citizens and also voting vendors including internet voting vendors...
ES&S Diebold Purchase: Groups Endorse Remedies for Unlawful Concentration of Market Power... In NM, the house has voted to contributions from lobbyist, the bill now heads to the senate.... Voting to become easier for Alabama service members....

All this and more in today's news below....

AL: New bill would expand absentee voting options (next to state senate)
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20100217/NEWS02/2170352/1009
The bill would allow service members to file requests for ab­sentee ballots by e-mail or fax. Currently, the requests must be made by U.S. Postal Service. It also would allow for the ballots to be sent to the service mem­bers by e-mail or fax, as well as U.S. Postal Service.

CA: ACLU of Northern California Opposes “Top-Two Open Primary”
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/02/17/aclu-of-northern-california-opposes-top-two-open-primary/
CA: Breaking News: Federal District Court Issues Important Split Decision in San Diego Campaign Finance Case
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015297.html

CA: Battle lines form over electronic signatures to qualify ballot initiatives
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14415504?nclick_check=1
...But hours after Chief Elections Officer Warren Slocum announced Tuesday that he would reject any electronic signature scribbled on an iPhone's touch screen, the founders of a Silicon Valley start-up company said they would file a lawsuit this week challenging the rejection.
...
"I think that until it's clear that this kind of technology can't be tampered with, hard copy signatures should be the way to go," Smith added. "I don't think we're clear on that point." (Pam Smith, President of Verified Voting)

CT: ES&S Diebold Purchase: Groups Endorse Remedies for Unlawful Concentration of Market Power
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=2888

NC: City feeling pressure to change its election system
http://bit.ly/a0pNeA
Settlemyer and City Manager Sally Sandy drove home the point when they said Morganton's alone-in-the-state status running its own municipal election could cost $25,000 to $30,000 or more for new hardware
...
Today, no N.C. city has its own board of elections — except Morganton. An increasing number of people are asking why.

NM: House votes to ban contributions from lobbyists, contractors
Bill bans contributions to candidates and political parties
http://newmexicoindependent.com/47804/house-votes-to-ban-contributions-from-lobbyists-contractors

VA: Virginia Election Officials Sued for Unlawfully Denying Access to Voter Files
http://bit.ly/9Md1Pb

VA: Election Law Society Symposium! March 18, 2010
http://electls.blogs.wm.edu/2010/02/17/election-law-society-symposium/
(William & Mary) The Election Law Society is proud to announce its fourth annual Election Law Symposium, “Back to the Drawing Board: The 2010 Census and the Politics of Redistricting.”

National

Groups and Election Officials Warn Department of Justice that Voting Machine Vendor Merger will Inflate Costs to Taxpayers, Threaten Election Accuracy and National Security
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/02/17/401
The letter strongly warns of profound risks to national security when one vendor controls the programming and maintenance of the election equipment in a 70% majority of election jurisdictions or entire states. Centralization of voting system programming and maintenance increases the possibility of widespread election failure, the experts warn, which could have the potential to de-stabilize the Nation and could present a threat to U.S. national security.

"Poll: Large majority opposes Supreme Court's decision on campaign financing"
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015295.html

Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to Voting News at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/votingnews
To assist with Daily Voting News, please send links to news articles to us at votingnews@earthlink.net
=============================================
"The Voting News is a free service made possible in part by support from Verified Voting Foundation. You can help support the Voting News by sending a check to Verified Voting Foundation, PO Box 4104, Carlsbad, CA 92018. Be sure to note "for Voting News" in the memo line of your check! Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law."
Donate online at this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate-vn

Disclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.

TX court: only disabled to e-vote in Webb Co., IL undervote law shames some voters

A Reminder: You Don’t Want Voting Controlled By One Company...Kansas SOS Issues New Instructions About Interestate Database Matching...The 49th District Court in Texas ruled that only disabled voters will use the touchscreen voting machines....
Election integrity expert Dr. Charles E. Corry hopes to administer elections and is running for El Paso County Clerk and Recorder. Corry has the online book "Vote Fraud and Election Issues" and served on the (IEEE) voting equipment standards committee from 2001-2009...See Tom Barrow video account of his candidacy in the 2009 Detroit Mayoral election, recount process and discussion on history of vote rigging...

All this and more in today's voting news below.....

CA: Rethinking elections
Amid budget shortfalls, can we afford all these special elections?
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-logan16-2010feb16,0,7617068.story?track=rss

CO: Voting transparency expert Dr. Chuck Corry is running for El Paso County Clerk and Recorder
http://corryforclerk.com
Corry's online book about Vote Fraud and Election Issues
http://www.ejfi.org/Voting/Voting.htm

CT: Denise Merrill formally enters SOTS race
By Luther Weeks on February 15, 2010
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=2875

IL: Legislators offer ideas to improve election process
http://bit.ly/b5bmWg
The ideas range from making it easier for young people to vote to improved methods for election officials to keep dead voters off the registration rolls.

IL: Under-vote law limits right to secret ballot
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_07ba6d18-1900-11df-af83-001cc4c002e0.html
This new law should be abolished. It serves no practical purpose except to shame some voters and erode our right to be entirely left alone in the voting booth.

IN: 2 plans to ease voting stumble
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100216/NEWS07/302169990
INDIANAPOLIS – Two major election proposals – no-fault absentee voting by mail and allowing counties to use vote centers – have hit roadblocks
...
Battles thinks the legislature should learn from the pilot counties and set minimum standards for the model, including the size and speed of computer servers and technology for an electronic poll book, before opening it up statewide.

KS: Kansas Secretary of State Issues New Instructions About Interestate Database Matching
http://bit.ly/csizE3
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In response to concerns expressed by national voting rights groups Project Vote and the Fair Elections Legal Network (FELN), the Kansas Secretary of State has issued new instructions to county election officials to ensure that eligible voters are not wrongfully removed from the rolls under an ongoing program to update voter registration databases based on interstate matching.

MI: Tom Barrow's engrossing account of his candidacy in the nonpartisan 2009 Detroit Mayoral election and recount process
http://blip.tv/search?q=tom+barrow (video)
The speech video is in 3 parts. You will learn about the long history of insider election rigging in Detroit, and how the same methods are now used around the state

MT: Montana Secretary of State Linda McCulloch Discusses Records Management, E-Voting
http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/745690
We're very excited about online voter registration. One barrier, more than anything, is it costs money to implement this system

NH: New Hampshire Ballot Access Bill Passes Committee
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/02/16/new-hampshire-ballot-access-bill-passes-committee/

NY: New election system takes shape in Port Chester
http://www.lohud.com/article/20100215/NEWS02/2150333/-1/newsfront/New-election-system-takes-shape-in-Port-Chester
PORT CHESTER — Attorneys are working out details of a new kind of ballot to be used in the June 15 village election, which will fill all six trustee seats under a court-ordered cumulative voting system.
...
The village has hired FairVote and a full-time coordinator to help organize the voter education effort.

NY: Racial Roots Underlie Debate on Felons’ Voting Rights
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/12/a-call-for-voting-rights-for-parolees/

NY: Brennan Ctr for Justice Report: Jim Crow in New York
http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/jimcrowny
Together, targeted criminalization and felony disenfranchisement stripped African Americans of their voting rights – and suppressed African American’s political power for decades. The discriminatory impact of these laws and practices continues to this day.

TX: 49th District Court Decides on Voting Machines (uses optical scan and DRES)
http://www.laredosun.us/notas.asp?id=3919
Webb County. "By law only people with a disability can use these machines, especially people with a sight problems"...

WA: Wash. House says all elections should be via mail (bill heads to senate next)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_xgr_mail_in_ballots.html
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The state House says Pierce County should get in line with Washington's other 38 counties and switch to all-mail voting.

WA: R-71 petitions: Supreme Court sets April hearing
http://blogs.sos.wa.gov/FromOurCorner/index.php/2010/02/r-71-petitions-supreme-court-sets-april-hearing/
The U.S. Supreme Court has set an April 28 hearing date for a nationally watched public records-elections case arising from Washington’s practice of allow public release of initiative and referendum petitions under terms of the state’s voter-approved Public Records Act.


National

A Reminder: You Don’t Want Voting Controlled By One Company
http://jenkinsear.com/2010/02/15/a-reminder-you-dont-want-voting-controlled-by-one-company/
This merger is terrible. On face, we certainly don’t want one company controlling virtually all of our voting. Political cronyism and potential abuse aside, ES&S’ subpar track record also reinforces the aforementioned point.

New option for states on inmates in the Census
http://nonprofitvote.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-option-for-states-on-inmates-in.html
“The census is going to say where the prisons are and how many people are in them, which will enable states the practical choice of counting them in the wrong place or not counting them at all.”

Stuart Taylor Writes Extensive Review of Thernstrom's "Voting Rights--And Wrongs"
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015293.html

Not Reauthorizing Things, Including the EAC
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=3113
Scott Adler (Associate Professor at the University of Colorado) and I have an opinion piece in Roll Call today about how Congress has basically given up on the basic work of running the government.


International

Afghanistan's government seeks more control over elections
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/14/AR2010021401698.html
Monday, February 15, 2010 HERAT, AFGHANISTAN -- The Afghan government has drafted proposed changes to election law that would remove all three foreign members from the body that investigates fraud, limit the number of women in parliament and establish a host of new qualifications for candidates to run for office.
...
Presidential candidates would also have to deposit 5 million afghanis (about $100,000), which would be refunded only if the candidate wins or receives at least 20 percent of the vote. Of the 32 presidential candidates listed by the election commission in the final results of last year's vote, only two cleared this threshold.

India: Indian EVMs cannot be trusted: BJP President Gadkari
http://janamejayan.wordpress.com/2010/02/14/indian-evms-cannot-be-trusted-bjp-president-gadkari/
New Delhi: Urging members across the political spectrum to initiate a debate on the ’sanctity’ of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in India ‘which are the easiest to hack’, BJP President Nitin Gadkari said paper back-up during elections was ‘necessary.’


Iraq: Only 1 in 5 blacklisted Iraqi candidates to run
http://bit.ly/a1mcSq
BAGHDAD — A controversial Iraqi political panel has banned all but 93 of the hundreds of the candidates it blacklisted as being loyalists to Saddam Hussein from running in next month's elections.

UK: Goldman Sachs accused of rigging tax vote (internet voting)
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26716188-5015825,00.html

Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to Voting News at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/votingnews
To assist with Daily Voting News, please send links to news articles to us at votingnews@earthlink.net
=============================================
"The Voting News is a free service made possible in part by support from Verified Voting Foundation. You can help support the Voting News by sending a check to Verified Voting Foundation, PO Box 4104, Carlsbad, CA 92018. Be sure to note "for Voting News" in the memo line of your check! Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law."
Donate online at this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate-vn

Disclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.

Aspen ballot image court date set, Goldman Sachs fishy internet vote

The cost of transparency: The lawsuit to force release of ballot images from Aspen Colorado's May 2009 election is set for March 22-23. By that time, the plaintiff's legal fees are expected to total $75,000. The city of Aspen has moved for a protective order to disallow testimony from voting vendor True Ballot's staff... Witness says KY lawmaker gave $40,000 to vote-buying group...

The ACLU Challenges Illegal Disfranchisement of American Indian Voters in South Dakota...
Was there cheating in Goldman Sachs internet vote? 5,000 votes against the "Robin Hood" tax came from 2 servers at Goldman Sachs...Worries grow about America’s cyber security......In Anambra State, Nigeria, only 350 out of 1.8 million registered voters were able to cast a vote in the governorship election because "their names were not in the revised voters registers."

CA: Voting rights suit settled with Riverside County
http://bit.ly/c21cjF
The U.S. Justice Department has settled a lawsuit with Riverside County that claimed the county didn't provide help for Spanish-speaking voters.

CA: OSDV Testifies (sort of) at CA Voting Systems Hearing
http://www.trustthevote.org/osdv-testifies-sort-of-at-ca-voting-systems-hearing
First, my take is the CA Secretary of State needs to conduct another Hearing that is strictly focused on the challenges and opportunities of open source technology in elections systems

CO: Trial set in suit over Aspen's May election results
http://bit.ly/bj5TBq
Aspen resident Marilyn Marks' lawsuit over the city's Instant Runoff Voting has been scheduled for trial in March. Marks is seeking release of photographic images of the ballots from last May's election.

FL: Despite deal with justice department, no blacks run for office in Lake Park
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/despite-deal-with-justice-department-no-blacks-run-224223.html
After spending nearly $80,000 on attorneys to defend itself against the lawsuit, the commission in October agreed to abandon the at-large system and switch to one that has been used successfully throughout the South to assure blacks are elected to public office.

GA: GOP: Voter ID issue headed to ballot
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20100211/NEWS01/2110340/1002

KY: ELECTION FINANCES: Jefferson County Kings are not the only elected folks facing financial scrutiny in the commonwealth over their campaign spending and fundraising
http://bit.ly/9runRf

KY: Witness: State lawmaker gave $40,000 to vote-buying group *
http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2010/02/05/witness-state-lawmaker-gave-40000-to-vote-buying-group/

MD: Maryland should ban contested judicial elections
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/09/AR2010020903524.html
For judges, drumming up campaign money -- often from lawyers who appear before them -- and marketing themselves undermines the perception of impartiality and can in practice lead to its corrosion.

NM: Time To Give Challengers A Fair, Equal Opportunity
http://www.stpns.net/view_article.html?articleId=106532676010210813710
SOCORRO, New Mexico (STPNS) -- Which knuckleheads in Santa Fe came up with idea that city clerks across New Mexico could have the early voting machines in their office at election time every two years – even though their bosses (incumbent mayors and councilors) may be running for re-election?

NY: "Auditing" Regs Confirm Op-Scan Vulnerabilities
http://re-mediaetc.blogspot.com/2010/02/auditing-regs-confirm-op-scan.html
... and if we make enough exceptions to cover discrepancies between hand and machine counts, then almost any machine, even rigged ones, will pass "audit."

NY: Local assemblymen vote down absentee ballot changes
http://bit.ly/clV0Iq

OH: Money saved or wasted? Cuyahoga County pays for unused voting machines
http://www.wkyc.com/news/politics_govt/politics_article.aspx?storyid=130630&catid=130

OH: Cuyahoga County taxpayers on the hook for voting machines being sent back
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/02/cuyahoga_county_taxpayers_on_t.html
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County's costly conversion to modern voting technology took another expensive twist this week when commissioners agreed to pay $600,000 to return 300 unneeded and unopened ballot scanners.

The county ordered 1,500 machines in 2008 but now needs only 1,200 because of a reduction last year in the number of voting precincts.

SD: ACLU Challenges Illegal Disfranchisement of American Indian Voters in South Dakota
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/02/08-2
An ACLU report providing a historical overview of systemic discrimination against American Indians, limiting their ability to participate in local, state and national elections, can be found at: www.aclu.org/votingrights/minority/41203pub20090930.html

TX: Texting, voting proposals advance
http://bit.ly/c7lJX9
ONLINE VOTING - Senate Bill 2767 requires the secretary of state to study and report on the cost and feasibility of online voter registration.

VT: Burlington's Instant Runoff Voting On Ballot Again (podcast available)
http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/87191/
The future of instant run off voting in Burlington will be decided on Town Meeting Day when voters address whether it should be repealed.

National

Redistricting Reform Part 4
http://electls.blogs.wm.edu/2010/02/15/redistricting-reform-part-4/
William & Mary Election Law Society

The Case Against Corporate Speech
http://bit.ly/9mdz6Z
In the absence of a future court overturning Citizens United, the fundamental response should be a constitutional amendment. We must exclude all commercial corporations and other artificial commercial entities from participating in political activities. Such constitutional rights should be reserved for real people, including, of course, company employees, to enhance a government of, by and for the people.

Worries grow about America’s cyber security
http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/1745277.html
The deputy secretary of defense says “the cyber threat” is the one thing that keeps him up at night.

The director of national intelligence says such attacks pose a severe menace to the “fragile system behind the country’s information infrastructure.”

O'Connor fears cash will flood judicial races
http://www.freep.com/article/20100210/NEWS01/2100343/1322/OConnor-fears-cash-will-flood-judicial-races


International

Iraq: Iraq election campaign opens with concern over sectarian disqualifications
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2010/0212/Iraq-election-campaign-opens-with-concern-over-sectarian-disqualifications

Netherlands: How does the system work?
http://www.dutchnews.nl/local-elections-2010/2010/01/how_does_the_system_work.php
"Voting computers have been abandoned because they are not fraud-proof."

Nigeria: Anambra Elders Raise Legal Team to Defend Election
http://allafrica.com/stories/201002100202.html
It called for investigation into some of the hiccups in the exercise, such as the messy voter register. It added: "In a state constituency made up of 1.8million registered voters, only about 350 persons were able to cast their votes.
...
"The question whether this disempowerment of people was the result of mere incompetence on the part of INEC officials or it was a part of a deeply meditated conspiracy should be investigated immediately. It is important that in the future more attention be paid to the accurate compilation and the integrity of the voters' register."

UK: Scotland. system used in 2007 will return for 2012 council polls
Award election contract with caution – MSP
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1574497?UserKey=#ixzz0fRJD4KEq
The voting and counting system now synonymous with the election night debacle of 2007 will return for the council elections in 2012, the Scottish Government has confirmed.
...
The government’s determination to stick with STV guarantees the return of electronic counting, because a manual count would take up to three days.

UK: Straw backs bid to save election night counts
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8507050.stm
Election counts will have to begin within four hours of polls closing under proposals backed by Jack Straw

UK: Plan to ensure election night counts 'may be unworkable'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/feb/10/government-election-night-counts
Electoral Commission criticises plan requiring vote-counting to start within four hours of polls closing on election night.
Campaigners believe overnight counting is vital to retaining interest and faith in the democratic process

UK: Goldman Sachs, Goldman Sachs, clicking in the votes?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/feb/11/goldman-sachs-tobin-tax
Public appears to take on role of Sheriff of Nottingham in 'Robin Hood' tax poll – but should foul play be suspected?
...
almost 5,000 no votes against the Robin Hood tax within 20 minutes – turned out to emanate from just two computer servers, one of which was registered to the investment bank Goldman Sachs.


Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to Voting News at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/votingnews
To assist with Daily Voting News, please send links to news articles to us at votingnews@earthlink.net
=============================================
"The Voting News is a free service made possible in part by support from Verified Voting Foundation. You can help support the Voting News by sending a check to Verified Voting Foundation, PO Box 4104, Carlsbad, CA 92018. Be sure to note "for Voting News" in the memo line of your check! Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law."
Donate online at this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate-vn

Disclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.