Hale Co Alabama officials worry absentee mail ballot fraud is back...Vote totals were off, Caroll Co Arkansas officials recounted the votes after a power surge that may have skewed the election day results...Allegations of fraud and irregularities fly back and forth in Lucas Co Ohio...York County official says evidence anything with Newberry Twp. voting machines in spite of reports that least one machine froze up...Trial focuses on murky mail-in ballot methods in Fort Worth TX...The WVA SoS considers 5 county internet overseas voting pilot a success where 54 ballots were cast, & may have cost $75-$150K...
All this and more in todays voting news below...
AL: Hale County officials worry voter fraud is back
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20100528/NEWS/
100529584/1007/news?p=1&tc=pg http://is.gd/ctHNb
Faye Cochran, head of the Hale County Board of Registrars, said many of those casting absentee ballots got help from a man convicted of voter fraud in 1998 and a woman now awaiting trial on voter fraud charges.
AR: Ballots recounted, runoff voting begins *
http://www.carrollconews.com/story/1638615.html
Carroll County BERRYVILLE -- Certification of election results from the May 18 Preferential Primary are set to take place today.
...
Thrown into the mix at the last minute was a re-run of election day paper ballots. That process was ordered for yesterday evening because of a discrepancy discovered during the vote count reconciliation process.
According to Election Coordinator Bethe Henley, paper tapes taken off the 650 paper ballot vote-counting machine showed there was a possible power surge during the ballot count on election eve, May 18.
She said the power surge might have affected the count.
AZ: Court ruling OKs Ariz. law on non-voting by felons
http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles
/2010/05/27/20100527arizona-ruling-on-felons-voting.html http://is.gd/ctHL0
TUCSON - Arizona's law barring convicted felons from voting until after they've served their sentences has been upheld in court.
CA: Tuteur agrees to fix mistake
http://www.sthelenastar.com/articles/2010/05/27/news/local/
doc4bfdd1a257b90439850820.txt http://is.gd/ctHQ9 Napa County Registrar of Voters John Tuteur will reverse course on correcting the mistaken listing of a Democratic candidate for state Senate as a Republican.
Tuteur said he will send all 69,000 registered voters in Napa County a correction postcard
CA: Sutter Creek homeowner claims harassment over voter registration (Amador Co)
http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/news/newsview.asp?c=270197&topStory=1
CA: MontereyVote June 22, Special Primary Election for vacancy on Senatorial District 15. Do you live in the District? See the map at: http://bit.ly/cv6a4c
CA: Prop. 15: Public finance of state elections (video available)
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/politics/local_elections&id=7466671
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- On June 8, California voters will decide whether to pass Proposition 15. Backers call it the "Fair Elections Act." It's designed to get politicians out of the fundraising game. But opponents say it could cost taxpayers.
CA: California Bill to Use Instant Runoff Voting in Special Legislative Elections Does Not Pass Fiscal Committee
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/05/28/california-bill-to-use-instant-runoff-voting-in-special-legislative-elections-does-not-pass-fiscal-committee/
IA: Only one vote cast at Luther satellite station; cost is $500
http://www.decorahnewspapers.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=13&ArticleID=22560
NC: Dead people haunt county’s voter rolls
http://www.thecountycompass.com/cc/node/458
BAYBORO. The Board of Elections, comprised of Democrats David Cox and Ed Credle and Republican Judith Smith, agreed ‘probable cause’ exists to nix at least six former voters – including one who apparently died in 2003.
NM: Justice Department to Monitor Elections in New Mexico
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/justice-department-to-monitor-elections-in-new-mexico-95123574.html
OH: Stainbrook ally wants elections board probe
Board investigating fraud charges against Republican chairman
http://toledoblade.com/article/20100527/NEWS16/5270400
A day after the Lucas County Board of Elections said it would investigate voter fraud charges against allies of Lucas County Republican Chairman Jon Stainbrook, his camp demanded a wide-ranging investigation of "irregularities" by the board.
PA: York County solicitor says there is no evidence anything was wrong with Newberry Twp. voting machines http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/05/
york_county_solicitor_says_the.html http://is.gd/ctHVd
PA: Unsuccessful Newberry Twp. candidate blames voting machines *
http://www.yorkdispatch.com/local/ci_15181988
Even so, officials investigated and determined that, although one machine froze, there didn't appear to be any problems that affected the vote count.
Flannelly said the voter who was using the machine when it froze was able to vote using a different machine. The votes already on the machine were not lost, the machine was rebooted and was used for the remainder of the day.
SC: Beaufort cobbler known as the 'sole saver' and voting advocate
http://www.islandpacket.com/2010/05/27/1254475/beaufort-cobbler-known-as-the.html
Now the shoe's on the other foot.
It's a new generation's turn to contribute as much to the American dream as did Beaufort cobbler James W. Richardson, who died Wednesday at age 91.
Here was a man who was denied the right to vote after serving his country in World War II but waited on the courthouse steps day after day until he finally got the voting credential he so valued. Ultimately, Richardson served 34 years on the Beaufort County voter registration board, much of it as chairman.
TN: Former Union commissioner sentence for vote buying *
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=122663&catid=2
71-year-old Charlie Edward Cox pleaded guilty to buying votes during a 2006 election. Cox admitted he drove six people to the polling location, paid them $10 each, and told them which candidate to vote for
TX: Trial focuses on murky mail-in ballot methods
http://startelegram.typepad.com/politex/2010/05/trial-focuses-on-murky-mailin-ballot-lisa-woodard-charlotte-hogan-price.html#ixzz0pEbaOhl8
Questions over the unusual outcome of a runoff election in southeast Fort Worth made its way into a courtroom Wednesday.
TX: Texas attorney general investigators going door-to-door in Oak Cliff to investigate voter fraud (Absentee mail ballot fraud)
http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/05/texas-attorney-general-investi.html
And according to at least one person who was questioned by them, the investigators are turning up some troublesome discrepancies.
The AG is responding to complaints of ballot shenanigans by so-called "vote harvesters."
VA: McDonnell streamlines restoration of rights
http://www2.staffordcountysun.com/scs/news/state_regional
/article/mcdonnell_streamlines_restoration_of_rights/58234/
http://is.gd/ctHWX
WA: Port of Seattle CEO voted where he worked, not where he lived
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/
2011972282_portchief28m.html http://is.gd/ctHZz
WY: County Asks Judge To Amend Voting Rights Ruling
http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewswy/Fremont.County.asks.2.1719627.html
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) ― Lawyers for Fremont County asked a federal judge on Thursday to modify a recent order requiring the county to abandon its system of electing county commissioners at large and to start electing them from single-member districts
Internet Voting Watch
Electionline Newsletter May 20-2010
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/
wwwpewcenteronthestatesorg/Reports/Electionline_Reports/
electionlineWeekly05.20.10.pdf http://is.gd/ctI2d (pdf file)
Five counties in the Mountain State — Jackson, Kanawha, Marshall, Monongalia, and Wood —participated in an online voting pilot project for military and overseas voters during last week’s election and even though turnout was comparatively small, everyone agrees the program was a success.
...
The state allocated up to $150,000 for the project. But after everything is said and done Tennant said she doesn’t believe the state will have spent even half that.
[Eline report ballots cast online by County: Kanawha-11, Marshall-12,& Wood- 22] thats 45, missing some co reports.
West Virginia's Internet Voting Pilot Program Featured In Pew Center Newsletter (says total 54 ballots cast )
http://www.sos.wv.gov/news/topics/elections-candidates/Pages/WestVirginia'sInternetVotingPilotProgram
FeaturedInPewCenterNewsletter.aspx http://is.gd/ctI4c With four counties reporting their returns, 68 overseas voters and military personnel requested an online ballot. 54 of those ballots were voted and returned, or about 80 percent.
USAF Transforms 3,000 Officers to Cyberspace Security Experts
http://www.pinewswire.net/2010/05/usaf-transforms-3000-officers-to-cyberspace-security-experts/
Cyber security is a major initiative for the U.S. military now that cyber attacks from China, North Korea, Eastern Europe, and other nations have been launched
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to Voting News at this link:http://tinyurl.com/votingnews
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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.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Double voting in Hoke NC? TX Voter ID again? Elections automation, a lemon?
NC looks into possible double voting in Hoke Co..good thing Bullitt Co KY has paper ballots since 4 memory cards went missing...Some candidates for Avon, Indiana Town Council will be doing a forensic review of election. They are asking to review poll books, voting machine reports, paper ballots and ballot applications for absentee and early voting..CEIMN Dir. MARK HALVORSON has some straight talk about Minnesota Elections..Hefty sum to rig India's EVM's?...Philippines Elections automation, a lemon?
All this and more in today's voting news below...
AL: Some Jefferson County voters will have to vote twice
http://www.myfoxal.com/Global/story.asp?S=12548535
CA: Prop. 15 would test government funding of California state elections
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/21/local/la-me-prop15-20100521
CA: California Puts Vote Overhaul on the Ballot (Proposition 14)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/us/politics/27prop14.html
On June 8, voters will decide the fate of a ballot measure that would replace traditional primaries in state and Congressional elections with, effectively, two rounds of voting.
CA: Ballot flub costs overtime hours (vendor to foot bill)
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Ballot-flub-costs-overtime-hours-94982514.html
San Francisco. City workers are logging overtime hours in the run-up to the June 8 election to correct a ballot problem where hundreds of absentee voters got the wrong one in the mail.
CA: Vote for whimsy (get ready for June 8 statewide primary election )
http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/article_4a3a3fee-6881-11df-a7cb-001cc4c002e0.html Some spoof political signs have popped up among the crop of real ones at the corner of Jefferson Street and Imola Avenue, supporting free pizza for all Napans and a zombie for political office.
CA: COSTS MORE TO VOTE HERE
http://www.sthelenastar.com/articles/2010/05/27/opinion/
letters_to_the_editor/doc4bfdd05ac4131056493011.txt http://is.gd/csj93
When informed, Tuteur communicated to me that St. Helenans who vote by mail must pay the (unclear) postage themselves. In other areas of Napa, where mail balloting is mandatory and unavoidable, Tuteur’s office pays the postage.
CO: Status of Aspen’s IRV Method—--Up for Potential Repeal in November Election after November 09 Advisory Vote to Discontinue IRV.
http://www.glassballotbox.org/journal/2010/5/10/status-of-aspen-irv-up-for-repeal-in-november.html
FL: Supervisor introduces new voting machines
http://www.historiccity.com/2010/staugustine/news/florida/supervisor-introduces-new-voting-machines-3312 ...St. Johns County to attend an Open House on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 to preview St. Johns County’s new DS200 voting equipment
IL: Campus voting bill clears Senate committee; closer to final passage(full sen nxt)
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/news/2010-05-27/campus-voting-bill-clears-senate-committee-closer-final-passage .html the most controversial deals with its requirement that 12 separate counties, including Champaign, Coles and McLean counties in East Central Illinois, establish separate early voting and grace period registration sites on campuses for the Nov. 2 general election only.
IN: Court to review Avon council cote *
After close council races, court will look at possible polling place errors
http://www.indystar.com/article/20100527/LOCAL0502/
5270330/1020/LOCAL05/Court-to-review-Avon-council-cote http://is.gd/csjca
The filing came after his clients heard from voters who live within the town that the Town Council election wasn't on their ballots..
...
Yackey's petition filed in Hendricks Circuit Court requests that election records, including poll books, voting machine reports, paper ballots and ballot applications for absentee and early voting, be opened for review and inspection.
KY: Election night in Bullitt County goes off without a glitch - almost
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100526/ZONE10/5260307/Election-night-in-Bullitt-County-goes-off-without-a-glitch-almost
the clerk's office noticed that four out of 100 memory cards with voting data on them were missing, he said. The employees soon found three out of the four cards in clerks' bags and voting machines.
...
During this time, though, they realized the memory card was from another precinct that reported to Bullitt Central. They found that machine, which was in the clerk's office, and the memory card was still sealed within the machine.
MN: EDITORIAL: STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT MINNESOTA’S ELECTIONS, BY CEIMN DIRECTOR MARK HALVORSON http://www.ceimn.org/Photo_ID_elections_voting_
fraud_Brennan_CEIMN_Kaiser_Halvorson http://is.gd/csjeB
Minnesota has safeguards in place that protect against voter fraud, yet do not discourage voter participation though the creation of unnecessary barriers for legitimate voters.
NC: State looking into possible voter fraud in Hoke County*
http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2010/05/27/1002251?sac=Home
..voting machines showed two people voted twice during the May primary elections.
Shook said one of the people voted once during early voting and again on election day. Another voter appeared to have voted in two different precincts on election day.
Judy Pittman, an investigator with the State Board of Elections, said multiple voting is reported often, but it usually turns out to be a mistake rather than true fraud.
NJ: LA PARKER: One Willie vote could launch political career
http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2010/05/26/opinion
/doc4bfde4334a169708629955.txt http://is.gd/csjmy
NV: In Nevada, squawks over chicken costumes at polls
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jt
Fndw5nMi8N6NXK9k0xJOUaqRhgD9FUR70O0 http://is.gd/csjh9
CARSON CITY, Nev. — A ban on chicken costumes outside polling sites in Nevada, where they have become akin to politicking against a GOP Senate candidate, doesn't infringe on free speech, the state's top election official said Wednesday.
NY: Judge considers forcing Gov. Paterson to fill congressional seat sooner
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/05/
federal_judge_contemplating_or.html http://is.gd/csjjz
Syracuse, NY - A federal judge in Rochester is now considering whether to compel Gov. David Paterson to order an early special election to fill the seat of former U.S. Rep. Eric Massa.
LA: Voter registration available online
http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20100523/NEWS01/305230083/Voter-registration-available-online
Secretary of State Jay Dardenne is urging adults not registered to vote to register online at www.GeauxVote.com or at their parish registrar of voters’ office.
MD: Prison-based gerrymandering- “Maryland Bill” Podcast Episode #2
http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/news/2010/05/27/podcast2/
“one significant contribution to the problem was that sitting in the middle of this majority-minority district was one of the state’s large prisons”
“So we had really a majority-minority district in name only.”
NC: Pamlico begins clearing voter list of dead, relocated residents
http://www.newbernsj.com/news/residents-87819-dead-align.html
NY: End of an era
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/spin-cycle-1.812042/end-of-an-era-1.1955497 Nassau County Board of Elections workers on Thursday loading up old lever-action voting machines that are being put in storage to make room for new electronic voting machines
SC: South Carolina Senate Wages War Against Independent Candidates
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/05/27/south-carolina-senate-wages-war-against-independent-candidates/
SD: Settlement In SD Voting Rights Lawsuit
http://www.keloland.com/News/NewsDetail6371.cfm?Id=100546
They said they were illegally removed from the voter registration list after being convicted of a felony and given probation but no prison time.
TX: TribBlog: The Return of Voter ID
http://www.texastribune.org/blogs/post/2010/may/26/tribblog-return-voter-id/
State Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, with state Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland on the Texas House floor.
Remember that long, heated voter identification debate last session? State Rep. Debbie Riddle is working on a sequel.
The Houston Republican announced today that she will, once again, file "ballot security legislation that would require Texas voters to show a photo ID or two forms of non-photo ID at a polling place" next session.
UT: Cost-cutting move reduces Davis County polling sites from 69 to 26
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700035441/Cost-cutting-move-reduces-Davis-County-polling-sites-from-69-to-26.html
WV: Feds Issue Subpoenas in Lincoln County
http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=37264
The Lincoln Journal is reporting that several Lincoln County election officials have received federal subpoenas.
...
Those subpoenas go back to a federal investigation into alleged voter fraud in the county during the Primary Election.
Internet voting watch
Benefits, risks of e-mail ballots weighed
http://www.stripes.com/news/benefits-risks-of-e-mail-ballots-weighed-1.103564
CORRECTION: This story has been corrected to say that the Federal Voting Assistance Program system will allow overseas voters from participating states to request and mark their ballot online, but voters then must print the ballot out, sign it and mail it back. The original version of this story contained erroneously said one proposal would allow voters to cast their vote online without sending the ballot as an e-mail attachment.
National
Protect Our Elections Officially Launched
http://protectourelections.org/node/11
Today we officially launched this campaign. Please spread the word. We cannot afford another election that denies millions of citizens their right to vote. Please take a few moments to sign the petition so Congress knows that you want these election protection measures passed this year. We need your help and your support.
Microsoft Teams With Democracy Live to Assist Military Voters Secure Easier Access to Ballot
http://militarymattersfayette.blogspot.com/2010/05/microsoft-teams-with-democracy-live-to.html ...Finney went on to say that LiveBallot is not Internet voting, but simply delivering voter information, including a voter's specific ballot. Voters still must print and mail their ballot back in,
DISCLOSE Act handicapping
http://politicalactivitylaw.com/2010/05/27/disclose-act-handicapping/
The Hill takes a look at where votes may line up for the DISCLOSE Act.
International
India: EVM ‘FIXERS’ DEMAND HEFTY SUMS (Part 1)
http://www.indianevm.com/blogs/?p=166
...is tampering of electronic voting machines merely a theoretical proposition (as Prof Indiresan, ECI’s expert committee chairman would have you believe) or is there any ground level evidence of tampering?
Philippines: Elections automation, a lemon?
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=11676 Since election day, we have been swamped with an avalanche of complaints and reports of anomalies and electronic fraud -- some backed up by hard evidence, others sounding like red herrings
Philippines: Whistlerblower 'Koala Boy' casts doubt on Philippines election results
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/0527/Whistlerblower-Koala-Boy-casts-doubt-on-Philippines-election-results
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.
All this and more in today's voting news below...
AL: Some Jefferson County voters will have to vote twice
http://www.myfoxal.com/Global/story.asp?S=12548535
CA: Prop. 15 would test government funding of California state elections
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/21/local/la-me-prop15-20100521
CA: California Puts Vote Overhaul on the Ballot (Proposition 14)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/us/politics/27prop14.html
On June 8, voters will decide the fate of a ballot measure that would replace traditional primaries in state and Congressional elections with, effectively, two rounds of voting.
CA: Ballot flub costs overtime hours (vendor to foot bill)
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Ballot-flub-costs-overtime-hours-94982514.html
San Francisco. City workers are logging overtime hours in the run-up to the June 8 election to correct a ballot problem where hundreds of absentee voters got the wrong one in the mail.
CA: Vote for whimsy (get ready for June 8 statewide primary election )
http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/article_4a3a3fee-6881-11df-a7cb-001cc4c002e0.html Some spoof political signs have popped up among the crop of real ones at the corner of Jefferson Street and Imola Avenue, supporting free pizza for all Napans and a zombie for political office.
CA: COSTS MORE TO VOTE HERE
http://www.sthelenastar.com/articles/2010/05/27/opinion/
letters_to_the_editor/doc4bfdd05ac4131056493011.txt http://is.gd/csj93
When informed, Tuteur communicated to me that St. Helenans who vote by mail must pay the (unclear) postage themselves. In other areas of Napa, where mail balloting is mandatory and unavoidable, Tuteur’s office pays the postage.
CO: Status of Aspen’s IRV Method—--Up for Potential Repeal in November Election after November 09 Advisory Vote to Discontinue IRV.
http://www.glassballotbox.org/journal/2010/5/10/status-of-aspen-irv-up-for-repeal-in-november.html
FL: Supervisor introduces new voting machines
http://www.historiccity.com/2010/staugustine/news/florida/supervisor-introduces-new-voting-machines-3312 ...St. Johns County to attend an Open House on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 to preview St. Johns County’s new DS200 voting equipment
IL: Campus voting bill clears Senate committee; closer to final passage(full sen nxt)
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/news/2010-05-27/campus-voting-bill-clears-senate-committee-closer-final-passage .html the most controversial deals with its requirement that 12 separate counties, including Champaign, Coles and McLean counties in East Central Illinois, establish separate early voting and grace period registration sites on campuses for the Nov. 2 general election only.
IN: Court to review Avon council cote *
After close council races, court will look at possible polling place errors
http://www.indystar.com/article/20100527/LOCAL0502/
5270330/1020/LOCAL05/Court-to-review-Avon-council-cote http://is.gd/csjca
The filing came after his clients heard from voters who live within the town that the Town Council election wasn't on their ballots..
...
Yackey's petition filed in Hendricks Circuit Court requests that election records, including poll books, voting machine reports, paper ballots and ballot applications for absentee and early voting, be opened for review and inspection.
KY: Election night in Bullitt County goes off without a glitch - almost
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100526/ZONE10/5260307/Election-night-in-Bullitt-County-goes-off-without-a-glitch-almost
the clerk's office noticed that four out of 100 memory cards with voting data on them were missing, he said. The employees soon found three out of the four cards in clerks' bags and voting machines.
...
During this time, though, they realized the memory card was from another precinct that reported to Bullitt Central. They found that machine, which was in the clerk's office, and the memory card was still sealed within the machine.
MN: EDITORIAL: STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT MINNESOTA’S ELECTIONS, BY CEIMN DIRECTOR MARK HALVORSON http://www.ceimn.org/Photo_ID_elections_voting_
fraud_Brennan_CEIMN_Kaiser_Halvorson http://is.gd/csjeB
Minnesota has safeguards in place that protect against voter fraud, yet do not discourage voter participation though the creation of unnecessary barriers for legitimate voters.
NC: State looking into possible voter fraud in Hoke County*
http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2010/05/27/1002251?sac=Home
..voting machines showed two people voted twice during the May primary elections.
Shook said one of the people voted once during early voting and again on election day. Another voter appeared to have voted in two different precincts on election day.
Judy Pittman, an investigator with the State Board of Elections, said multiple voting is reported often, but it usually turns out to be a mistake rather than true fraud.
NJ: LA PARKER: One Willie vote could launch political career
http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2010/05/26/opinion
/doc4bfde4334a169708629955.txt http://is.gd/csjmy
NV: In Nevada, squawks over chicken costumes at polls
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jt
Fndw5nMi8N6NXK9k0xJOUaqRhgD9FUR70O0 http://is.gd/csjh9
CARSON CITY, Nev. — A ban on chicken costumes outside polling sites in Nevada, where they have become akin to politicking against a GOP Senate candidate, doesn't infringe on free speech, the state's top election official said Wednesday.
NY: Judge considers forcing Gov. Paterson to fill congressional seat sooner
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/05/
federal_judge_contemplating_or.html http://is.gd/csjjz
Syracuse, NY - A federal judge in Rochester is now considering whether to compel Gov. David Paterson to order an early special election to fill the seat of former U.S. Rep. Eric Massa.
LA: Voter registration available online
http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20100523/NEWS01/305230083/Voter-registration-available-online
Secretary of State Jay Dardenne is urging adults not registered to vote to register online at www.GeauxVote.com or at their parish registrar of voters’ office.
MD: Prison-based gerrymandering- “Maryland Bill” Podcast Episode #2
http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/news/2010/05/27/podcast2/
“one significant contribution to the problem was that sitting in the middle of this majority-minority district was one of the state’s large prisons”
“So we had really a majority-minority district in name only.”
NC: Pamlico begins clearing voter list of dead, relocated residents
http://www.newbernsj.com/news/residents-87819-dead-align.html
NY: End of an era
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/spin-cycle-1.812042/end-of-an-era-1.1955497 Nassau County Board of Elections workers on Thursday loading up old lever-action voting machines that are being put in storage to make room for new electronic voting machines
SC: South Carolina Senate Wages War Against Independent Candidates
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/05/27/south-carolina-senate-wages-war-against-independent-candidates/
SD: Settlement In SD Voting Rights Lawsuit
http://www.keloland.com/News/NewsDetail6371.cfm?Id=100546
They said they were illegally removed from the voter registration list after being convicted of a felony and given probation but no prison time.
TX: TribBlog: The Return of Voter ID
http://www.texastribune.org/blogs/post/2010/may/26/tribblog-return-voter-id/
State Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, with state Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland on the Texas House floor.
Remember that long, heated voter identification debate last session? State Rep. Debbie Riddle is working on a sequel.
The Houston Republican announced today that she will, once again, file "ballot security legislation that would require Texas voters to show a photo ID or two forms of non-photo ID at a polling place" next session.
UT: Cost-cutting move reduces Davis County polling sites from 69 to 26
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700035441/Cost-cutting-move-reduces-Davis-County-polling-sites-from-69-to-26.html
WV: Feds Issue Subpoenas in Lincoln County
http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=37264
The Lincoln Journal is reporting that several Lincoln County election officials have received federal subpoenas.
...
Those subpoenas go back to a federal investigation into alleged voter fraud in the county during the Primary Election.
Internet voting watch
Benefits, risks of e-mail ballots weighed
http://www.stripes.com/news/benefits-risks-of-e-mail-ballots-weighed-1.103564
CORRECTION: This story has been corrected to say that the Federal Voting Assistance Program system will allow overseas voters from participating states to request and mark their ballot online, but voters then must print the ballot out, sign it and mail it back. The original version of this story contained erroneously said one proposal would allow voters to cast their vote online without sending the ballot as an e-mail attachment.
National
Protect Our Elections Officially Launched
http://protectourelections.org/node/11
Today we officially launched this campaign. Please spread the word. We cannot afford another election that denies millions of citizens their right to vote. Please take a few moments to sign the petition so Congress knows that you want these election protection measures passed this year. We need your help and your support.
Microsoft Teams With Democracy Live to Assist Military Voters Secure Easier Access to Ballot
http://militarymattersfayette.blogspot.com/2010/05/microsoft-teams-with-democracy-live-to.html ...Finney went on to say that LiveBallot is not Internet voting, but simply delivering voter information, including a voter's specific ballot. Voters still must print and mail their ballot back in,
DISCLOSE Act handicapping
http://politicalactivitylaw.com/2010/05/27/disclose-act-handicapping/
The Hill takes a look at where votes may line up for the DISCLOSE Act.
International
India: EVM ‘FIXERS’ DEMAND HEFTY SUMS (Part 1)
http://www.indianevm.com/blogs/?p=166
...is tampering of electronic voting machines merely a theoretical proposition (as Prof Indiresan, ECI’s expert committee chairman would have you believe) or is there any ground level evidence of tampering?
Philippines: Elections automation, a lemon?
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=11676 Since election day, we have been swamped with an avalanche of complaints and reports of anomalies and electronic fraud -- some backed up by hard evidence, others sounding like red herrings
Philippines: Whistlerblower 'Koala Boy' casts doubt on Philippines election results
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/0527/Whistlerblower-Koala-Boy-casts-doubt-on-Philippines-election-results
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.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Ohio CD-18 recount. Double voting in Jefferson WV? Smartmatics alarming admission
Ohio SoS orders recount in 18th Congressional District, 16 counties must schedule by June 4..Are chicken costumes a form of free speech?..Montgomery Co TX will have recount on paperless machines and of course the result is unlikely to change...Some Bullit KY voters were given the wrong ballot...Internet voting spreads to another Canadian muni...Smartmatic admission of 'innocent' program errors alarms Philippine lawmakers. Errors include time stamp results with date earlier than election, number of voters inflated to 5x actual...More complex elections for UK may mean more complex solutions...
Note from editor - we thank those of you who send in articles, and we encourage others to do the same.
All this and more in today's voting news below....
CA: Signature fraud alleged in 4 Valley campaigns
Fresno Co. elections officials question petitions.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/05/21/1942529/fraud-alleged-in-4-valley-campaigns.html
Workers in four local campaigns used questionable signatures to get their candidate on the June 8 ballot, authorities say -- including one endorsed by a voter who is dead.
CT: More Connecticut reports for Voting System Clearinghouse
Connecticut has submitted three more reports to EAC's Voting System Reports Clearinghouse http://www.eac.gov/program-areas/research-resources-and-reports/copy_of_docs/state-local-voting-system-reports
CT: Registrar of Voters Primary, Bristol Connecticut
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3239 The Registrar of Voters can make a difference in election integrity, voter access, and candidate service.
KY: Some Bullitt residents voted in another city's election, changing outcome*
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100526/ZONE10/5260396/Some+
Bullitt+residents+voted+in+another+city+s+election++changing+outcome
http://is.gd/cqE3A
MD: Cordish lawyers push to invalidate signatures
Judge denies expert testimony
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bs-md-ar-slots-trial-signatures-20100525,0,5891160.story
MI: Military vote reform good step forward
http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20100526/OPINION01/5260324/Military-vote-reform-good-step-forward
uniformed service members can request absentee ballots for immediate delivery by email. The ballots themselves would be printed out and returned by regular mail.
MS: Suit filed against consent decree
http://gwcommonwealth.com/articles/2010/05/26/news/top_stories/
05262010news01.txt http://is.gd/cqE7o
David Jordan and Robert Moore are requesting that a judge dismiss or modify a consent decree signed by the Leflore County Election Commission and Mississippi Republican Party to settle a lawsuit.
In a motion filed Tuesday in Leflore County Circuit Court, the two public officials, both Democrats, allege “several major fallacies” in the consent decree, including..
NC: Runoff elections a waste of time ?
http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/may/26/runoff-elections-waste-time/
NV: Letter to secretary of state asks chicken suits be allowed at polls
http://www.lvrj.com/blogs/politics/Letter_to_secretary_of_state_asks_
chicken_suits_be_allowed_at_polls.html?ref=554 http://is.gd/cqE5B
ProgressNow Nevada, in its letter to the secretary of state, said there is no law prohibiting dress that includes costumes at the polls.
PA: COUNTY OF MERCER v. UNILECT CORPORATION
http://www.leagle.com/unsecure/page.htm?shortname=infco20100525152
The County of Mercer, Pennsylvania appeals the District Court's summary judgment in favor of UniLect Corporation. We will affirm.
OH: State orders recount in 18th Congressional District
http://www.cantonrep.com/newsnow/x2084265569/State-orders-recount-in-18th-Congressional-District The Tuscarawas County Board of Elections...
...The Board of Elections in each of the 16 counties in the 18th District must schedule the recount no later than 10 days from Tuesday, which would be June 4.
PA: Write-in candidate challenges results of York County Republican Committeewoman race * http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/05/write-in_candidate_challenges.html
The write-in candidate who challenged the controversial winner of a race for York County Republican committeewoman from Newberry Twp. filed a complaint Wednesday with the York County Election Bureau, claiming there was a problem with the voting machines. Maxine Kauffman, who challenged Christina Conley for the office, has asked Nikki Suchanic, director of voter registration, to put both of their names on the November ballot.
She wrote: “Some elderly folks indicated that they gave up in frustration because of the problems they experienced. During the weekend, I received additional feedback from voters advising me of machine malfunctions. I am sure you can confirm these problems with the polling place as some of the machines were shut down.”
PA: Candidate Requests No Recount in Close Lt. Governor Primary
http://newsblaze.com/story/2010052614390200002.pnw/topstory.html
Decision Saves State $500,000 During Difficult Financial Times
TX: Gaultney: Re-count may bring no change (Hart Intercivic eSlate paperless)
http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/05/25/conroe_
courier/news/hewett052610.txt http://is.gd/cqE8B
Montgomery Co. There will be three teams, with four people on each team, who will have the capability to retrieve paper records from the electronic voting machines.
TX: Former candidates question election procedures* (Hart Intercivic)
http://weatherforddemocrat.com/homepage/x2023219504/Former-candidates-question-election-procedures WEATHERFORD — Sherry Watson, a candidate for mayor, and Joshua Tarbay and Eric Matthews, who ran for Place 3 and Place 4 council seats, made the open records request via a hand delivered letter dated May 17. The candidates are asking that election results be retained on the voting machines rather than having the data erased and the machines prepared for the next election.
...
Responding to questions about state requirements for the testing of voting machines, Parten told The Weatherford Democrat he had violated a statute that dictates the second of three reliability tests be done immediately before the ballots are scheduled to be cast. Instead, he said the second test was completed after the ballots were cast.
“We did that incorrectly,” he said.
The first test was completed before the ballots were cast, Parten said, but not immediately before, “probably April 22 or 23.”
TX: District judge overturns May 2009 alcohol election in Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
http://friscoblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/05/district-judge-overturns-may-2.html
Since 1989, Texas law has required that historic boundaries be used in alcohol elections involving justice of the peace precincts if those precincts went dry in the past.
WV: Surkamp questions past vote irregularities *
http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/537369.html?nav=5006
CHARLES TOWN - A Jefferson County commissioner who faces two misdemeanor counts following an alleged attempt to cast a second ballot in a November referendum says others have voted twice in numerous local elections.
"Nine people voted twice, not just 'tried.' Their double votes were all treated as provisional ballots. ... There were no actions taken against the double-voters," Commissioner Jim Surkamp stated in a recent e-mail to The Journal.
...
Typically, she said, when an individual casts a second vote, one of their ballots is discarded. No additional action is usually taken.
...
In Surkamp's case, Maghan said the matter was taken out of the county's hands. Following complaints that were filed with the Secretary of State's Office by four individuals, an investigation was conducted regarding the situation.
National
The EAC has posted the public comments to the Overseas Vote Pilot Program Manual:
http://www.eac.gov/program-areas/voting-systems/military-and-overseas-voting-pilot-project/uocava-pilot-program-testing-requirements-comments-submitted
Examining the paradox of voter engagement
http://nonprofitvote.blogspot.com/2010/05/examining-paradox-of-voter-engagement_26.html
Internet voting watch:
Canada: Internet X’s
http://www.quintenews.com/2010/05/internet-xs/ Voting on-line is going to happen in this Fall’s municipal election in Prince Edward County.
UK: Robert McLaughlin: Whether we have PR or not, e-voting can boost participation
http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Robert-McLaughlin-Whether-we-have.6322354.jp
THE recent election has brought into sharp focus the process of voting and in particular the possible change in the voting system after a proposed referendum.
The additional complexity of a transferable vote will force a review of the process of running elections in the UK.
International
India: EVMs are vulnerable to fraud, reiterates Swamy
http://janamejayan.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/evms-are-vulnerable-to-fraud-reiterates-swamy/ MADURAI: Electronic voting machines (EVM) used in the country are vulnerable to fraud, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy said here on Monday.
...
Professor J. Alex Halderman of the University of Michigan and his computer science students had claimed that they were able to hack into the EVMs for manipulating the results.
Philippines: Smartmatic admission of 'innocent' program errors alarms lawmakers *
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/05/26/10/smartmatic-admission-innocent-program-errors-alarm-lawmakers
"The number of voters was multiplied by 5--our mistake," Flores said.
...
The time stamps, on the other hand, were a result of the clock of the PCOS machines going wrong, Flores said.
Philippines: Comelec asks DoJ to probe ‘Hello, Ronnie’
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100527-272271/Comelec-asks-DoJ-to-probe-Hello-Ronnie “Hello Ronnie,” the alleged wiretapped phone conversation between Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Election Commissioner Nicodemus Ferrer will be investigated by the Department of Justice.
Philippines: Deadline set to end poll fraud probe
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=1156 2
THE DEPARTMENT of Justice and Philippine National Police, functioning as the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) deputized agencies, on Wednesday set a mid-June deadline to complete the investigation of poll irregularities.
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.
Note from editor - we thank those of you who send in articles, and we encourage others to do the same.
All this and more in today's voting news below....
CA: Signature fraud alleged in 4 Valley campaigns
Fresno Co. elections officials question petitions.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/05/21/1942529/fraud-alleged-in-4-valley-campaigns.html
Workers in four local campaigns used questionable signatures to get their candidate on the June 8 ballot, authorities say -- including one endorsed by a voter who is dead.
CT: More Connecticut reports for Voting System Clearinghouse
Connecticut has submitted three more reports to EAC's Voting System Reports Clearinghouse http://www.eac.gov/program-areas/research-resources-and-reports/copy_of_docs/state-local-voting-system-reports
CT: Registrar of Voters Primary, Bristol Connecticut
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3239 The Registrar of Voters can make a difference in election integrity, voter access, and candidate service.
KY: Some Bullitt residents voted in another city's election, changing outcome*
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100526/ZONE10/5260396/Some+
Bullitt+residents+voted+in+another+city+s+election++changing+outcome
http://is.gd/cqE3A
MD: Cordish lawyers push to invalidate signatures
Judge denies expert testimony
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bs-md-ar-slots-trial-signatures-20100525,0,5891160.story
MI: Military vote reform good step forward
http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20100526/OPINION01/5260324/Military-vote-reform-good-step-forward
uniformed service members can request absentee ballots for immediate delivery by email. The ballots themselves would be printed out and returned by regular mail.
MS: Suit filed against consent decree
http://gwcommonwealth.com/articles/2010/05/26/news/top_stories/
05262010news01.txt http://is.gd/cqE7o
David Jordan and Robert Moore are requesting that a judge dismiss or modify a consent decree signed by the Leflore County Election Commission and Mississippi Republican Party to settle a lawsuit.
In a motion filed Tuesday in Leflore County Circuit Court, the two public officials, both Democrats, allege “several major fallacies” in the consent decree, including..
NC: Runoff elections a waste of time ?
http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/may/26/runoff-elections-waste-time/
NV: Letter to secretary of state asks chicken suits be allowed at polls
http://www.lvrj.com/blogs/politics/Letter_to_secretary_of_state_asks_
chicken_suits_be_allowed_at_polls.html?ref=554 http://is.gd/cqE5B
ProgressNow Nevada, in its letter to the secretary of state, said there is no law prohibiting dress that includes costumes at the polls.
PA: COUNTY OF MERCER v. UNILECT CORPORATION
http://www.leagle.com/unsecure/page.htm?shortname=infco20100525152
The County of Mercer, Pennsylvania appeals the District Court's summary judgment in favor of UniLect Corporation. We will affirm.
OH: State orders recount in 18th Congressional District
http://www.cantonrep.com/newsnow/x2084265569/State-orders-recount-in-18th-Congressional-District The Tuscarawas County Board of Elections...
...The Board of Elections in each of the 16 counties in the 18th District must schedule the recount no later than 10 days from Tuesday, which would be June 4.
PA: Write-in candidate challenges results of York County Republican Committeewoman race * http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/05/write-in_candidate_challenges.html
The write-in candidate who challenged the controversial winner of a race for York County Republican committeewoman from Newberry Twp. filed a complaint Wednesday with the York County Election Bureau, claiming there was a problem with the voting machines. Maxine Kauffman, who challenged Christina Conley for the office, has asked Nikki Suchanic, director of voter registration, to put both of their names on the November ballot.
She wrote: “Some elderly folks indicated that they gave up in frustration because of the problems they experienced. During the weekend, I received additional feedback from voters advising me of machine malfunctions. I am sure you can confirm these problems with the polling place as some of the machines were shut down.”
PA: Candidate Requests No Recount in Close Lt. Governor Primary
http://newsblaze.com/story/2010052614390200002.pnw/topstory.html
Decision Saves State $500,000 During Difficult Financial Times
TX: Gaultney: Re-count may bring no change (Hart Intercivic eSlate paperless)
http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/05/25/conroe_
courier/news/hewett052610.txt http://is.gd/cqE8B
Montgomery Co. There will be three teams, with four people on each team, who will have the capability to retrieve paper records from the electronic voting machines.
TX: Former candidates question election procedures* (Hart Intercivic)
http://weatherforddemocrat.com/homepage/x2023219504/Former-candidates-question-election-procedures WEATHERFORD — Sherry Watson, a candidate for mayor, and Joshua Tarbay and Eric Matthews, who ran for Place 3 and Place 4 council seats, made the open records request via a hand delivered letter dated May 17. The candidates are asking that election results be retained on the voting machines rather than having the data erased and the machines prepared for the next election.
...
Responding to questions about state requirements for the testing of voting machines, Parten told The Weatherford Democrat he had violated a statute that dictates the second of three reliability tests be done immediately before the ballots are scheduled to be cast. Instead, he said the second test was completed after the ballots were cast.
“We did that incorrectly,” he said.
The first test was completed before the ballots were cast, Parten said, but not immediately before, “probably April 22 or 23.”
TX: District judge overturns May 2009 alcohol election in Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
http://friscoblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/05/district-judge-overturns-may-2.html
Since 1989, Texas law has required that historic boundaries be used in alcohol elections involving justice of the peace precincts if those precincts went dry in the past.
WV: Surkamp questions past vote irregularities *
http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/537369.html?nav=5006
CHARLES TOWN - A Jefferson County commissioner who faces two misdemeanor counts following an alleged attempt to cast a second ballot in a November referendum says others have voted twice in numerous local elections.
"Nine people voted twice, not just 'tried.' Their double votes were all treated as provisional ballots. ... There were no actions taken against the double-voters," Commissioner Jim Surkamp stated in a recent e-mail to The Journal.
...
Typically, she said, when an individual casts a second vote, one of their ballots is discarded. No additional action is usually taken.
...
In Surkamp's case, Maghan said the matter was taken out of the county's hands. Following complaints that were filed with the Secretary of State's Office by four individuals, an investigation was conducted regarding the situation.
National
The EAC has posted the public comments to the Overseas Vote Pilot Program Manual:
http://www.eac.gov/program-areas/voting-systems/military-and-overseas-voting-pilot-project/uocava-pilot-program-testing-requirements-comments-submitted
Examining the paradox of voter engagement
http://nonprofitvote.blogspot.com/2010/05/examining-paradox-of-voter-engagement_26.html
Internet voting watch:
Canada: Internet X’s
http://www.quintenews.com/2010/05/internet-xs/ Voting on-line is going to happen in this Fall’s municipal election in Prince Edward County.
UK: Robert McLaughlin: Whether we have PR or not, e-voting can boost participation
http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Robert-McLaughlin-Whether-we-have.6322354.jp
THE recent election has brought into sharp focus the process of voting and in particular the possible change in the voting system after a proposed referendum.
The additional complexity of a transferable vote will force a review of the process of running elections in the UK.
International
India: EVMs are vulnerable to fraud, reiterates Swamy
http://janamejayan.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/evms-are-vulnerable-to-fraud-reiterates-swamy/ MADURAI: Electronic voting machines (EVM) used in the country are vulnerable to fraud, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy said here on Monday.
...
Professor J. Alex Halderman of the University of Michigan and his computer science students had claimed that they were able to hack into the EVMs for manipulating the results.
Philippines: Smartmatic admission of 'innocent' program errors alarms lawmakers *
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/05/26/10/smartmatic-admission-innocent-program-errors-alarm-lawmakers
"The number of voters was multiplied by 5--our mistake," Flores said.
...
The time stamps, on the other hand, were a result of the clock of the PCOS machines going wrong, Flores said.
Philippines: Comelec asks DoJ to probe ‘Hello, Ronnie’
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100527-272271/Comelec-asks-DoJ-to-probe-Hello-Ronnie “Hello Ronnie,” the alleged wiretapped phone conversation between Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Election Commissioner Nicodemus Ferrer will be investigated by the Department of Justice.
Philippines: Deadline set to end poll fraud probe
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=1156 2
THE DEPARTMENT of Justice and Philippine National Police, functioning as the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) deputized agencies, on Wednesday set a mid-June deadline to complete the investigation of poll irregularities.
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.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Unrecountable 2010 elections.WV fraud charges? Need forensics! FFEC to Crist: veto HB131
The 2010 Primaries: More Recounts than Recountable Elections...Doug Jones on the erosion of the secret ballot: "If we allow a weakened right to a secret ballot, how can we ask other countries to set higher standards, and what will we do if the crooks do end up in control of our elections?"...FFEC Urges Crist to Veto Elections Bill HB 131...Absentee Vote Fraud in Charleston, WV? Need Forensics!...A voting system needs 3 elements to be considered credible: Transparency, Verifiability & Accountability says Narasimha Rao, a leading election analyst in India...
All this and more in today's voting news below...
AZ: Emergency Relief Requested from U.S. Supreme Court in Arizona Public Financing "Matching Funds" Case
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016060.html
CA: SF returns diligently monitored following mail-in ballot mistake
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/SF-returns-diligently-monitored-following-mail-in-ballot-mistake-94801649.html
CT: Candidate Leaves Name On Ballot: Causing Unnecessary Primary Vote
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3232
Rob Simmons has ended his campaign, yet is leaving his name on the ballot.
FL: FFEC Urges Crist to Veto Elections Bill HB 131
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/electionreform/message/13548 FFEC's letter to the Governor cites the bill's delay of equitable treatment for disabled voters, its encroachment on local control of elections, and its provisions for insecure, unreliable Internet and FAX voting and communications for military and overseas voters.
FL: ACLU urges you to take action (HB 131)
http://fl.aclu.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=67921.0
FL: Groups file suit on redistricting ballot measure
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100522/article/5221041?p=all&tc=pgall
GA: Civil rights coalition targets voter verification
http://www.ajc.com/news/civil-rights-coalition-targets-534504.html
Citing Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act, Morales' attorneys argued the regulation mandates those states with a history of racial discrimination in voting rights obtain federal approval prior to enacting changes that affect voting.
ID: County Hopes New Ballot Will Make Voting Less Frustrating (Bingham County)
http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=12536040 ...This new form of voting is called Optical Scan Voting. It is much different and much faster than the traditional punch ballot system for the voters and the poll workers.
IL: Young Voters
http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2010/05/25/young-voters/ Champaign County Clerk. I’m preparing to go back to Springfield today to testify against yet another attempt to force Champaign County to open an early voting site on campus.
KY: Officials: Primary election one of best *
(Calloway County uses Danaher 1242 and Hart Intercivic e-Slate)
http://www.murrayledger.com/articles/2010/05/24/top_story/news01.txt
Other problems reported included temporary polling machine malfunctions and errors on the part of voters in machine operation; primarily due to unfamiliarity.
...
Machine malfunctions included some push buttons “sticking,” some buttons not “lighting up” and other errors which Coursey said were corrected by election officers at the scene when possible or other accommodations made...
Machines by county:http://elect.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/4384AC60-AD8F-497F-B62E-EA3E4625618F/225556/VotingEquipmentbyCounty1.pdf
MN: City council actions :: Korbel confirmed
The continuing cost of RCV: $244,000
http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.php?publication=downtown&page=65&story=15355
Barring a change in available technologies, Minneapolis municipal elections could cost almost $250,000 extra every year that ranked-choice voting is in place.
OH: Lorain County Board of Elections director alleges man committed voter fraud
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2010/05/25/news/mj2788390.txt
Adams said the man filed an absentee ballot on April 5 at the Lorain County Board of Elections, 1985 North Ridge Road, and then showed up to his polling location on May 4. This was the only violation of election laws that occurred during this election, Adams said.
WV: ABSENTEE VOTE FRAUD IN CHARLESTON, WV? NEED FORENSICS!
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=3225
WV: Lincoln officials reply after doubt cast on ballots
http://www.dailymail.com/News/201005240769 CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Several officials in Lincoln County are firing back at allegations that voter fraud was involved in its recent primary election, calling the claims "unsubstantiated" and "irresponsible.
Internet Voting Watch
Internet Voting: U.S. Representative Rush Holt responds to the New York Times
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3222
National
The 2010 Primaries: More Recounts than Recountable Elections
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/05/25/579
Pennsylvania will likely spend over $500,000 in state funds to recount an election that cannot be recounted, just as it did for an election for a Superior Court judgeship last year.
Doug Jones on the Secret Ballot
http://www.trustthevote.org/doug-jones-on-the-secret-ballot?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+trustthevote+ (TrustTheVote+Blog) ...if you look across the current voting system landscape, you find that the right to a secret ballot is being downplayed again and again.
...
It’s important to recall that it was not too long ago that big city political machines routinely violated people’s right to a secret ballot.
May and June Primaries - We're coming up on June, with lots of primary elections happening across the country for House and Senate seats and for governor
http://nonprofitvote.blogspot.com/2010/05/may-and-june-primaries.html
International
India: Why EVMs would go (Part 1): Because they aren’t fraud resistant
http://www.indianevm.com/blogs/?p=159 Elections are all about trust. If the losers and their supporters do not trust the election results and is there is no “physical evidence” or basis to show that their fears are unfounded, the legitimacy of election results would remain perpetually under a cloud.
Philippines faced with questions over Precinct Count Optical Scan machines
http://kathydopp.com/wordpress/?p=71 The entire automated election system, hailed as successful on a national scale, is now put to question by the massive failure of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines to faithfully transmit results of Monday’s elections in Nueva Ecija which has an electorate of more than a million.
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.
All this and more in today's voting news below...
AZ: Emergency Relief Requested from U.S. Supreme Court in Arizona Public Financing "Matching Funds" Case
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016060.html
CA: SF returns diligently monitored following mail-in ballot mistake
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/SF-returns-diligently-monitored-following-mail-in-ballot-mistake-94801649.html
CT: Candidate Leaves Name On Ballot: Causing Unnecessary Primary Vote
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3232
Rob Simmons has ended his campaign, yet is leaving his name on the ballot.
FL: FFEC Urges Crist to Veto Elections Bill HB 131
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/electionreform/message/13548 FFEC's letter to the Governor cites the bill's delay of equitable treatment for disabled voters, its encroachment on local control of elections, and its provisions for insecure, unreliable Internet and FAX voting and communications for military and overseas voters.
FL: ACLU urges you to take action (HB 131)
http://fl.aclu.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=67921.0
FL: Groups file suit on redistricting ballot measure
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100522/article/5221041?p=all&tc=pgall
GA: Civil rights coalition targets voter verification
http://www.ajc.com/news/civil-rights-coalition-targets-534504.html
Citing Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act, Morales' attorneys argued the regulation mandates those states with a history of racial discrimination in voting rights obtain federal approval prior to enacting changes that affect voting.
ID: County Hopes New Ballot Will Make Voting Less Frustrating (Bingham County)
http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=12536040 ...This new form of voting is called Optical Scan Voting. It is much different and much faster than the traditional punch ballot system for the voters and the poll workers.
IL: Young Voters
http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2010/05/25/young-voters/ Champaign County Clerk. I’m preparing to go back to Springfield today to testify against yet another attempt to force Champaign County to open an early voting site on campus.
KY: Officials: Primary election one of best *
(Calloway County uses Danaher 1242 and Hart Intercivic e-Slate)
http://www.murrayledger.com/articles/2010/05/24/top_story/news01.txt
Other problems reported included temporary polling machine malfunctions and errors on the part of voters in machine operation; primarily due to unfamiliarity.
...
Machine malfunctions included some push buttons “sticking,” some buttons not “lighting up” and other errors which Coursey said were corrected by election officers at the scene when possible or other accommodations made...
Machines by county:http://elect.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/4384AC60-AD8F-497F-B62E-EA3E4625618F/225556/VotingEquipmentbyCounty1.pdf
MN: City council actions :: Korbel confirmed
The continuing cost of RCV: $244,000
http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.php?publication=downtown&page=65&story=15355
Barring a change in available technologies, Minneapolis municipal elections could cost almost $250,000 extra every year that ranked-choice voting is in place.
OH: Lorain County Board of Elections director alleges man committed voter fraud
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2010/05/25/news/mj2788390.txt
Adams said the man filed an absentee ballot on April 5 at the Lorain County Board of Elections, 1985 North Ridge Road, and then showed up to his polling location on May 4. This was the only violation of election laws that occurred during this election, Adams said.
WV: ABSENTEE VOTE FRAUD IN CHARLESTON, WV? NEED FORENSICS!
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=3225
WV: Lincoln officials reply after doubt cast on ballots
http://www.dailymail.com/News/201005240769 CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Several officials in Lincoln County are firing back at allegations that voter fraud was involved in its recent primary election, calling the claims "unsubstantiated" and "irresponsible.
Internet Voting Watch
Internet Voting: U.S. Representative Rush Holt responds to the New York Times
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3222
National
The 2010 Primaries: More Recounts than Recountable Elections
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/05/25/579
Pennsylvania will likely spend over $500,000 in state funds to recount an election that cannot be recounted, just as it did for an election for a Superior Court judgeship last year.
Doug Jones on the Secret Ballot
http://www.trustthevote.org/doug-jones-on-the-secret-ballot?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+trustthevote+ (TrustTheVote+Blog) ...if you look across the current voting system landscape, you find that the right to a secret ballot is being downplayed again and again.
...
It’s important to recall that it was not too long ago that big city political machines routinely violated people’s right to a secret ballot.
May and June Primaries - We're coming up on June, with lots of primary elections happening across the country for House and Senate seats and for governor
http://nonprofitvote.blogspot.com/2010/05/may-and-june-primaries.html
International
India: Why EVMs would go (Part 1): Because they aren’t fraud resistant
http://www.indianevm.com/blogs/?p=159 Elections are all about trust. If the losers and their supporters do not trust the election results and is there is no “physical evidence” or basis to show that their fears are unfounded, the legitimacy of election results would remain perpetually under a cloud.
Philippines faced with questions over Precinct Count Optical Scan machines
http://kathydopp.com/wordpress/?p=71 The entire automated election system, hailed as successful on a national scale, is now put to question by the massive failure of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines to faithfully transmit results of Monday’s elections in Nueva Ecija which has an electorate of more than a million.
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.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Email balloting risks midterm election to hacking. Hanging Chads - 10 years later
16 states will allow overseas voters to return ballots via email for the midterm elections. "But cybersecurity experts and voter advocates contend that these well-intentioned efforts ignore the technical vulnerabilities of sending a voted ballot as an e-mail attachment, potentially subjecting this midterm contest to electronic vote rigging and hacking"...Meanwhile, the US Air force assigns 30,000 Cyber Warriors...GA's voter reg process disenfranchises valid voters....Mark Halvorson has "straight talk about Minnesota’s elections."...Chicken costumes banned at Nev. polling places...IN "Ballot Boxing", PBS Radio interviews Dan Wallach, activist Marybeth Kuznik,& John O’Grady, NY City Elections Chief to discuss reform 10 yrs after 2000 election fiasco...Were flash cards manipulated in Philippines election?...
All this and more in today's voting news below...
AL: Chapman to visit counties with alleged voter fraud
http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=12534379 Secretary of State Beth Chapman is informing voters of allegations of voter fraud prior to the primary election on June 1. So far, the office has received complaints of reported voter fraud from Greene, Macon, Perry and Wilcox counties.
AZ: San Luis mayor: Errors not voter fraud
http://www.yumasun.com/opinion/yuma-61172-county-city.html
...it would appear that just with members of council, their wives, and council members-elect, the error rate exceeded 35 percent!...
...
If one is to do something constructive that might reduce the error factor, may I suggest instituting a better system to check signatures?
CA: Candidate threatens to sue county
http://www.sthelenastar.com/articles/2010/05/22/news/saturday_
update/doc4bf6bf93c5540498201732.txt http://is.gd/cnPdg A Democratic state Senate candidate is threatening to sue Napa County after the local elections department refused to correct a misprint wrongly identifying her as a Republican
CO: The national trend toward open access
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/letter-editor/140730
If Michigan activists can review ballots for audits, why can’t we? If copies of Humboldt County California’s ballots are regularly posted on the web, why are Aspen’s more secret? If Minnesota can post their questionable ballots on the web, Why can’t Aspen? If Longmont, Colo.’s ordinary citizens can participate in an audit to test procedures for improvement, why are Aspen citizens prevented?
CO: City talks down, lawyers up
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100522/LETTER/100529945
Will Aspen simply protect their many election irregularities with big-time lawyers or instead solve the underlying problems and make sure anonymous records become accessible? I am hoping for the latter.
CT: Cops: Clinton woman tried to vote twice *
http://www.middletownpress.com/articles/2010/05/23/news/
doc4bf8b9229f249275065972.txt http://is.gd/cnPhR
Police say the woman was spotted by two other poll workers and prevented from casting a second ballot.
GA: Georgia’s Voter Registration Procedures Discriminate And Should Be Permanently Blocked, Civil Rights Coalition Argues
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/05/24-13
Under the procedures, U.S. citizens from minority communities were incorrectly flagged as non-citizens and prevented from registering to vote.
HI: 54 percent voter turnout in special election signals success of mail in ballots
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20100522/
BREAKING01/100522031/53.7+percent+voter+turnout+in+special+
election+signals+success+of+mail+in+ballots http://is.gd/cnPgj
LA: Cromer asks for voting machine analysis after malfunctions at House this week
http://www.actionnews17.com/News/tabid/59/articleType/Article
View/articleId/2072/Cromer-asks-for-voting-machine-analysis-
after-malfunctions-at-House-this-week.aspx http://is.gd/cnPjN
MN: Editorial: straight talk about Minnesota’s elections (By Mark Halvorson )
http://www.sleepyeyenews.com/news/x1070024365/Editorial-straight-talk-about-Minnesota-s-elections ...Norm Coleman’s recount attorney, Fritz Knacck said of the recount, “We were looking for fraud, but we didn’t find any.” We wish that Mr. Kaiser could be as forthcoming and honest about elections here in Minnesota. We invite you to read our report alongside his report and decide for yourself which one you find more credible.
MN: Our view: Break down barriers to voting
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/169495/
The march to demand documents at polling places, including photo IDs and proof of citizenship, has been quietly persistent — and as disturbing in its reach as in its potential for negatively influencing elections.
NV: Chicken costumes banned at Nev. polling places
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37296098/ns/politics/
Under the new rule, chicken costumes will be banned along with political buttons, shirts, hats and signs within 100 feet of polling places.
NY: MY VIEW: Making it possible for all to vote
By Virginia Martin Democratic Commissioner Board of Election
http://www.registerstar.com/articles/2010/05/22/opinion/letters/
doc4bf602e612afa678274222.txt http://is.gd/cnPm4 What's the value of going through the effort of obtaining accessible voting machines and training election workers to be competent and sensitive in their use if the people that would use them can't even get in the door?
SD: SD to pioneer electronic voting system (only for downloading blank ballots)
http://www.capjournal.com/articles/2010/05/10/news/
doc4be8e8d99d863018731317.txt http://is.gd/cnPnU
TN: Two claim Shelby County primary elections unfair
Say precinct changes prompted confusion
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/may/22/2-claim-unfair-primary-elections/
TX: Voter fraud allegations prompt lawsuit in San Luis
http://www.yumasun.com/news/san-61191-luis-prompt.html
SAN LUIS, Ariz. — A candidate in this city's mayoral race this year is following through with her vow to sue a one-time political ally who accused her of voter fraud in her 2006 campaign.
TX: McAllen voter fraud case finally falls apart
http://www.themonitor.com/articles/mcallen-38930-apart-voter.html
Case touted as example of ‘epidemic' at polls amounted to little, observers say
VA: Purcellville Files Elections Complaint
http://www.leesburg2day.com/articles/2010/05/21/news
/9718complaint052110.txt http://is.gd/cnPpU
The mayor was referring to signs placed outside the polling station advocating write-in votes for Mickey Mouse in the uncontested mayoral race May 4.
Internet Voting Watch
US: Benefits, risks of e-mail ballots weighed
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=70149
An increasing number of states will offer Americans living overseas a chance to return their completed ballots over the Internet this November.
But cybersecurity experts and voter advocates contend that these well-intentioned efforts ignore the technical vulnerabilities of sending a voted ballot as an e-mail attachment, potentially subjecting this midterm contest to electronic vote rigging and hacking.
...
“The best analogy,” Jefferson said, “is what would it be like if you conducted an election where people voted in absentee ballots with pencil, on a postcard which isn’t even in an envelope, and it was delivered hand to hand to hand to the county. That’s an analogy to how e-mail works.”
...
“E-mail itself isn’t secure,” said Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, president of the Overseas Vote Foundation. “It doesn’t go direct from one computer to another. It has quite a few stops, and at every stop the content can be manipulated.”
US: Overseas Internet Voting (LTE to NY Times by Congressman Rush Holt)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/opinion/l24vote.html
...Internet voting will be less secure and secret than the hard-copy ballot return for our service personnel already provided for and paid for by the law.
US: Help for the absentee voter
http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2010/05/help
_for_the_absentee_voter.aspx http://is.gd/cnPrU
What if yourr planned trip to Europe and confines of current election law make it impossible to file an absentee ballot for the June 8 runoff?
US: US Air Force Assigns 30,000 Cyber Warriors
http://cyberarms.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/us-air-force-assigns-30000-cyber-warriors/
Kenya: Annan team urges electronic voting for Kenya
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/Kenyanews/Annan-team-urges-electronic-voting-for-Kenya-8537.html ... “And because a national infrastructure to support e-registration and e-voting is in place, evidenced especially by use of mobile telephony and a broad GSM coverage, the Commission should embark on establishing an electronic system to support e-registration and e-voting for the 2012 ...
National
PBS Audio: Ballot boxing
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/culture/audio-ballot-boxing/714/
Nearly 10 years after hanging chads and butterfly ballots decided the presidential election, the way we vote still hasn’t changed. [interviews Scientist Dan Wallach, activist Marybeth Kuznik,& John O’Grady, NY City Elections Chief.]
Take Justice Off the Ballot
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/opinion/23oconnor.html
A better system is one that strikes a balance between lifetime appointment and partisan election by providing for the open, public nomination and appointment of judges, followed in due course by a standardized judicial performance evaluation and, finally, a yes/no vote in which citizens either approve the judge or vote him out.
International
Ethiopia: Ethiopians Vote in Election Marred by Intimidation Complaints
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-22/ethiopians-vote-in-election-marred-by-intimidation-complaints.html
India: Despite ECI’s penchant for them, EVMs would be gone in two years
http://www.indianevm.com/blogs/?p=147
“India’s EVMs use an extremely simple design with small software TCB, yet we find that this makes physically tampering with the devices relatively easy,” says the research paper prepared by Hari Prasad, Alex Halderman and Rop Gonggrijp – the team that exposed the vulnerabilities of EVMs recently.
Philippines: More losing bets claim they were offered 'altered' CF cards
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/191720/altered-compact-flash-cards-were-up-for-sale-bets-claim While playing golf in his home province in November 2009, the now defeated Surigao del Norte gubernatorial bet Robert Ace Barbers said he was approached by a man who offered him to 'pre-program’ compact flash cards in his favor.
...
Barbers, Defensor, and Lazaro were not the first individuals to claim that agents had been "roaming" around the country offering to rig the automated polls through pre-programmed cards.
Philippines: House probers focus on ‘error’ in CF cards
http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=25610:house-probers-focus-on-error-in-cf-cards&catid=23:topnews&Itemid=58
WAS the “error” on the configuration of the compact flash cards which caused the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines to malfunction five days before the May 10 elections deliberately done so that they can be recalled and “reprogrammed” to produce preprogrammed election results?
Philippines: Comelec asks DoJ to probe PCOS problems
http://politics.inquirer.net/politics/view/20100524-271824/Comelec-asks-DoJ-to-probe-PCOS-problems
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.
All this and more in today's voting news below...
AL: Chapman to visit counties with alleged voter fraud
http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=12534379 Secretary of State Beth Chapman is informing voters of allegations of voter fraud prior to the primary election on June 1. So far, the office has received complaints of reported voter fraud from Greene, Macon, Perry and Wilcox counties.
AZ: San Luis mayor: Errors not voter fraud
http://www.yumasun.com/opinion/yuma-61172-county-city.html
...it would appear that just with members of council, their wives, and council members-elect, the error rate exceeded 35 percent!...
...
If one is to do something constructive that might reduce the error factor, may I suggest instituting a better system to check signatures?
CA: Candidate threatens to sue county
http://www.sthelenastar.com/articles/2010/05/22/news/saturday_
update/doc4bf6bf93c5540498201732.txt http://is.gd/cnPdg A Democratic state Senate candidate is threatening to sue Napa County after the local elections department refused to correct a misprint wrongly identifying her as a Republican
CO: The national trend toward open access
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/letter-editor/140730
If Michigan activists can review ballots for audits, why can’t we? If copies of Humboldt County California’s ballots are regularly posted on the web, why are Aspen’s more secret? If Minnesota can post their questionable ballots on the web, Why can’t Aspen? If Longmont, Colo.’s ordinary citizens can participate in an audit to test procedures for improvement, why are Aspen citizens prevented?
CO: City talks down, lawyers up
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100522/LETTER/100529945
Will Aspen simply protect their many election irregularities with big-time lawyers or instead solve the underlying problems and make sure anonymous records become accessible? I am hoping for the latter.
CT: Cops: Clinton woman tried to vote twice *
http://www.middletownpress.com/articles/2010/05/23/news/
doc4bf8b9229f249275065972.txt http://is.gd/cnPhR
Police say the woman was spotted by two other poll workers and prevented from casting a second ballot.
GA: Georgia’s Voter Registration Procedures Discriminate And Should Be Permanently Blocked, Civil Rights Coalition Argues
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/05/24-13
Under the procedures, U.S. citizens from minority communities were incorrectly flagged as non-citizens and prevented from registering to vote.
HI: 54 percent voter turnout in special election signals success of mail in ballots
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20100522/
BREAKING01/100522031/53.7+percent+voter+turnout+in+special+
election+signals+success+of+mail+in+ballots http://is.gd/cnPgj
LA: Cromer asks for voting machine analysis after malfunctions at House this week
http://www.actionnews17.com/News/tabid/59/articleType/Article
View/articleId/2072/Cromer-asks-for-voting-machine-analysis-
after-malfunctions-at-House-this-week.aspx http://is.gd/cnPjN
MN: Editorial: straight talk about Minnesota’s elections (By Mark Halvorson )
http://www.sleepyeyenews.com/news/x1070024365/Editorial-straight-talk-about-Minnesota-s-elections ...Norm Coleman’s recount attorney, Fritz Knacck said of the recount, “We were looking for fraud, but we didn’t find any.” We wish that Mr. Kaiser could be as forthcoming and honest about elections here in Minnesota. We invite you to read our report alongside his report and decide for yourself which one you find more credible.
MN: Our view: Break down barriers to voting
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/169495/
The march to demand documents at polling places, including photo IDs and proof of citizenship, has been quietly persistent — and as disturbing in its reach as in its potential for negatively influencing elections.
NV: Chicken costumes banned at Nev. polling places
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37296098/ns/politics/
Under the new rule, chicken costumes will be banned along with political buttons, shirts, hats and signs within 100 feet of polling places.
NY: MY VIEW: Making it possible for all to vote
By Virginia Martin Democratic Commissioner Board of Election
http://www.registerstar.com/articles/2010/05/22/opinion/letters/
doc4bf602e612afa678274222.txt http://is.gd/cnPm4 What's the value of going through the effort of obtaining accessible voting machines and training election workers to be competent and sensitive in their use if the people that would use them can't even get in the door?
SD: SD to pioneer electronic voting system (only for downloading blank ballots)
http://www.capjournal.com/articles/2010/05/10/news/
doc4be8e8d99d863018731317.txt http://is.gd/cnPnU
TN: Two claim Shelby County primary elections unfair
Say precinct changes prompted confusion
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/may/22/2-claim-unfair-primary-elections/
TX: Voter fraud allegations prompt lawsuit in San Luis
http://www.yumasun.com/news/san-61191-luis-prompt.html
SAN LUIS, Ariz. — A candidate in this city's mayoral race this year is following through with her vow to sue a one-time political ally who accused her of voter fraud in her 2006 campaign.
TX: McAllen voter fraud case finally falls apart
http://www.themonitor.com/articles/mcallen-38930-apart-voter.html
Case touted as example of ‘epidemic' at polls amounted to little, observers say
VA: Purcellville Files Elections Complaint
http://www.leesburg2day.com/articles/2010/05/21/news
/9718complaint052110.txt http://is.gd/cnPpU
The mayor was referring to signs placed outside the polling station advocating write-in votes for Mickey Mouse in the uncontested mayoral race May 4.
Internet Voting Watch
US: Benefits, risks of e-mail ballots weighed
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=70149
An increasing number of states will offer Americans living overseas a chance to return their completed ballots over the Internet this November.
But cybersecurity experts and voter advocates contend that these well-intentioned efforts ignore the technical vulnerabilities of sending a voted ballot as an e-mail attachment, potentially subjecting this midterm contest to electronic vote rigging and hacking.
...
“The best analogy,” Jefferson said, “is what would it be like if you conducted an election where people voted in absentee ballots with pencil, on a postcard which isn’t even in an envelope, and it was delivered hand to hand to hand to the county. That’s an analogy to how e-mail works.”
...
“E-mail itself isn’t secure,” said Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, president of the Overseas Vote Foundation. “It doesn’t go direct from one computer to another. It has quite a few stops, and at every stop the content can be manipulated.”
US: Overseas Internet Voting (LTE to NY Times by Congressman Rush Holt)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/opinion/l24vote.html
...Internet voting will be less secure and secret than the hard-copy ballot return for our service personnel already provided for and paid for by the law.
US: Help for the absentee voter
http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2010/05/help
_for_the_absentee_voter.aspx http://is.gd/cnPrU
What if yourr planned trip to Europe and confines of current election law make it impossible to file an absentee ballot for the June 8 runoff?
US: US Air Force Assigns 30,000 Cyber Warriors
http://cyberarms.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/us-air-force-assigns-30000-cyber-warriors/
Kenya: Annan team urges electronic voting for Kenya
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/Kenyanews/Annan-team-urges-electronic-voting-for-Kenya-8537.html ... “And because a national infrastructure to support e-registration and e-voting is in place, evidenced especially by use of mobile telephony and a broad GSM coverage, the Commission should embark on establishing an electronic system to support e-registration and e-voting for the 2012 ...
National
PBS Audio: Ballot boxing
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/culture/audio-ballot-boxing/714/
Nearly 10 years after hanging chads and butterfly ballots decided the presidential election, the way we vote still hasn’t changed. [interviews Scientist Dan Wallach, activist Marybeth Kuznik,& John O’Grady, NY City Elections Chief.]
Take Justice Off the Ballot
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/opinion/23oconnor.html
A better system is one that strikes a balance between lifetime appointment and partisan election by providing for the open, public nomination and appointment of judges, followed in due course by a standardized judicial performance evaluation and, finally, a yes/no vote in which citizens either approve the judge or vote him out.
International
Ethiopia: Ethiopians Vote in Election Marred by Intimidation Complaints
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-22/ethiopians-vote-in-election-marred-by-intimidation-complaints.html
India: Despite ECI’s penchant for them, EVMs would be gone in two years
http://www.indianevm.com/blogs/?p=147
“India’s EVMs use an extremely simple design with small software TCB, yet we find that this makes physically tampering with the devices relatively easy,” says the research paper prepared by Hari Prasad, Alex Halderman and Rop Gonggrijp – the team that exposed the vulnerabilities of EVMs recently.
Philippines: More losing bets claim they were offered 'altered' CF cards
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/191720/altered-compact-flash-cards-were-up-for-sale-bets-claim While playing golf in his home province in November 2009, the now defeated Surigao del Norte gubernatorial bet Robert Ace Barbers said he was approached by a man who offered him to 'pre-program’ compact flash cards in his favor.
...
Barbers, Defensor, and Lazaro were not the first individuals to claim that agents had been "roaming" around the country offering to rig the automated polls through pre-programmed cards.
Philippines: House probers focus on ‘error’ in CF cards
http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=25610:house-probers-focus-on-error-in-cf-cards&catid=23:topnews&Itemid=58
WAS the “error” on the configuration of the compact flash cards which caused the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines to malfunction five days before the May 10 elections deliberately done so that they can be recalled and “reprogrammed” to produce preprogrammed election results?
Philippines: Comelec asks DoJ to probe PCOS problems
http://politics.inquirer.net/politics/view/20100524-271824/Comelec-asks-DoJ-to-probe-PCOS-problems
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.
Friday, May 21, 2010
1 in 10 AZ voters get wrong info. The Kansas Report and voter purges. Nassau ordered to ditch levers
While Michigan, Minnesota, California's Humboldt County and even other cities ..reaffirm citizens' rights to oversight, "Aspen taxpayers are funding an expensive battle to fight election transparency. Aspen, of all places." writes Mike LaBonte in LTE...Mississippi has entered into an agreement with several states to pull together what's been called "The Kansas Report." to purge duplicate voter registrations....Nassau County Bo Elections told to replace Lever Voting Machines...India should ditch EVMs, says expert: "Computers can be programmed to count votes honestly. But since nobody can watch them, they might just as easily be programmed to count dishonestly." ~ Rop Gonggrijp, a security researcher from the Netherlands...
All this and more in today's voting news below....
AL: Ford requesting investigation, safeguards in possible 'vote fraud'
http://www.thetuskegeenews.com/articles/2010/05/20/news/doc
4bf4011accea8721501724.txt http://is.gd/cjIUe
State Senate candidate Johnny Ford of Tuskegee has met with a U.S. Attorney to ask for an investigation into possible voter fraud in Bullock County.
AR: Voting error alters result in Poinsett * (ES&S iVotronic)
http://www.jonesborosun.com/story.php?ID=43278
...Poinsett County Clerk Fonda Condra told the county’s election commission that 53 electronic ballots for justice of the peace in District 8 were thrown out. That changed the total vote count from a 151-142 win for Jones to a 122-118 win for Sadler.
Condra said a poll worker brought up the wrong voting screen at the Bolivar township polling site in Harrisburg.
AR: Arkansas Green Party Trial Moved Into July
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/05/21/arkansas-green-party-trial-moved-into-july/
AZ: Wrong voting info sent to 191,000 Arizona homes *
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/05/20/20100520arizona-polling-errors-during-sales-tax-vote.html Leading up to Tuesday's sales-tax election, more than 10 percent of Arizona voters were told to cast ballots at the wrong location — and the reason why is in dispute.
AZ: Ninth Circuit, on 3-0 Vote, Upholds Matching Funds Requirement in Arizona Public Financing Scheme
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016034.html
In this post -Citizens United world, this is a rare win for supporters of reasonable campaign finance regulation.
CA: Attorney General OK's Monterey County election changes
http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20100520/NEWS01/100520037/1002/NEWS
01/Attorney+General+OK+s+Monterey+County+election+changes http://is.gd/cjARo
...state senate election to replace Santa Maria Republican Abel Maldonado - now lieutenant governor
CA: Tulare County absentee ballots on way; cause of delay is not clear (for June 8 election)
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20100520/NEWS01/5200313/1002/Tulare-County-absentee-ballots-on-way-cause-of-delay-is-not-clear Tulare County absentee voters who've not yet received a ballot may ask for a replacement if it doesn't arrive soon, county election officials said.
CA: Thousands of SF voters got wrong mail-in ballot
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15128512?nclick_check=1
SAN FRANCISCO—Thousands of San Francisco voters are holding wrong or duplicate mail-in ballots for the upcoming election because of a blunder by a contractor.
CO: Fighting good public policy (LTE by voting integrity activist Mike LaBonte)
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100521/LETTER/100529970/1020&parentprofile=1061
The arguments against transparency seem to be rooted in fuzzy laws and a misunderstanding of the meaning of “secret ballot.” The same issue came up in Michigan, but Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox explained it quite well in his recent decision that ballots are indeed subject to Freedom of Information Act requests:
CT: Legal History Perspectives on the Connecticut Bysiewicz Decision
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016031.html
HI: Hawaii moves primary to accomodate troups
http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2010/05/ap_military_hawaii_voting_052010/
IN: Hendricks County board to share election records
http://www.indystar.com/article/20100520/LOCAL05/5200450/1020/LOCAL05/Hendricks-County-board-to-share-election-records
DANVILLE -- The Hendricks County Election Board has agreed to give Avon Town Council candidates in two of the Republican primary races access to May 4 election records.
...
election records including poll books, voting machine reports, paper ballots and ballot applications for absentee and early voting be opened for review and inspection.
...
Yackey's petition claims that errors may have been made during the election in which some Avon voters may have been given out-of-town ballots in which the Avon Town Council races didn't appear.
NJ: McCormick Calls For Fair Election
http://njtoday.net/2010/05/21/mccormick-calls-for-fair-election/
Voting machine flaws discovered in the February 2008 presidential race have not been corrected, according to a Democratic candidate for County Clerk.
KY: Whitely county voters switch to paper ballots
http://thetimestribune.com/homepage/x1414107929/Whitley-County-voters-switch-to-paper-ballots
MS: Hosemann: Many voters dually registered
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20100520/NEWS01/5200346/1002
More than 27,000 voters on Mississippi's rolls also are registered in other states - which is illegal in the state, according to the Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann
...
Hosemann said the state has entered into an agreement with several states to pull together what's been called "The Kansas Report."
NY: Non-Party Nassau County Board of Elections Ordered to Implement Order Related to Replacing Lever Voting Machines http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016030.html
As someone who regularly teaches Remedies, I found this order quite unusual, given what I understand to be the power of a court to order a non-party to comply with an injunction or consent decree
OH: Printer error has Summit recounting absentee ballots by hand * (ballot on demand )
http://www.ohio.com/news/94622934.html
...
Summit County elections board employees will be working this weekend to count 8,000 absentee ballots by hand, thanks to a printer error.
The ballots were produced on a ballot-on-demand printer that incorrectly lined up the issues portion of some ballots. This meant the ovals filled in by voters were skewed, making it impossible for the optical-scan machines to read them properly.
Board employees discovered the problem Wednesday when doing remakes on ballots that had been improperly filled out by voters.
OH: Summit elections board reluctant to pay up ($197,000)
http://www.ohio.com/news/94543494.html
The Summit County elections board plans to appeal a decision that said Summit County Children Services was improperly charged to place its 2007 levy on the ballot.
VA: McDonnell trims wait times for felons applying for voting rights
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/05/mcdonnell_trims_waittimes_for.html
Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) announced today that he is reducing the time that must pass, from three years to two, before a nonviolent felon who has completed his sentence can apply to have his voting rights restored.
...
Thirty-nine states automatically return voting rights to felons who have completed their sentences. In Virginia, rights are revoked upon conviction and can be restored only by action of the governor.
WV: NEW INFO: Votes to be Recounted, Names of Dead on Absentee Ballots
http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/93158104.html
In Lincoln County, some are questioning the validity of those votes after the names of deceased people showed up on absentee ballots.
WV: More Suspicions Surface After Lincoln County Election
http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=80129
One county official says at least 11 dead people requested absentee ballots for the May primary.
...
Vance added voters were misled. He alleged voters who took advantage of early voting unknowingly signed absentee ballot applications when they registered for early voting.
National
Fair Elections Act commitment: Congress says goodbye to $2 million
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fairelectionswisconsin/message/2369
ES&S Completes Agreement to Sell Premier Election Solutions Intellectual Property and Other Assets
http://www.prlog.org/10691839-ess-completes-agreement-to-sell-premier-election-solutions-intellectual-property-and-other-assets.html Resolution will allow jurisdictions using Premier voting technology to move forward in election planning by selecting the vendor that best meets their needs
...
“ES&S retains ownership of Premier which retains the rights to support currently installed Premier products,”
International
Ghana: Avoiding a hasty adoption of E-voting in Ghana
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=182419
India: Tamper-proof? Scientists show EVMs can be hacked
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Tamper-proof-Scientists-show-EVMs-can-be-hacked/articleshow/5956051.cms ...Rop Gonggrijp, a security researcher from the Netherlands, said: "Such machines have already been abandoned in Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Florida (US) and many other places. India should follow suit
Ireland: Tactile ballots urged for blind voters
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0519/1224270654932.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.
All this and more in today's voting news below....
AL: Ford requesting investigation, safeguards in possible 'vote fraud'
http://www.thetuskegeenews.com/articles/2010/05/20/news/doc
4bf4011accea8721501724.txt http://is.gd/cjIUe
State Senate candidate Johnny Ford of Tuskegee has met with a U.S. Attorney to ask for an investigation into possible voter fraud in Bullock County.
AR: Voting error alters result in Poinsett * (ES&S iVotronic)
http://www.jonesborosun.com/story.php?ID=43278
...Poinsett County Clerk Fonda Condra told the county’s election commission that 53 electronic ballots for justice of the peace in District 8 were thrown out. That changed the total vote count from a 151-142 win for Jones to a 122-118 win for Sadler.
Condra said a poll worker brought up the wrong voting screen at the Bolivar township polling site in Harrisburg.
AR: Arkansas Green Party Trial Moved Into July
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/05/21/arkansas-green-party-trial-moved-into-july/
AZ: Wrong voting info sent to 191,000 Arizona homes *
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/05/20/20100520arizona-polling-errors-during-sales-tax-vote.html Leading up to Tuesday's sales-tax election, more than 10 percent of Arizona voters were told to cast ballots at the wrong location — and the reason why is in dispute.
AZ: Ninth Circuit, on 3-0 Vote, Upholds Matching Funds Requirement in Arizona Public Financing Scheme
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016034.html
In this post -Citizens United world, this is a rare win for supporters of reasonable campaign finance regulation.
CA: Attorney General OK's Monterey County election changes
http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20100520/NEWS01/100520037/1002/NEWS
01/Attorney+General+OK+s+Monterey+County+election+changes http://is.gd/cjARo
...state senate election to replace Santa Maria Republican Abel Maldonado - now lieutenant governor
CA: Tulare County absentee ballots on way; cause of delay is not clear (for June 8 election)
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20100520/NEWS01/5200313/1002/Tulare-County-absentee-ballots-on-way-cause-of-delay-is-not-clear Tulare County absentee voters who've not yet received a ballot may ask for a replacement if it doesn't arrive soon, county election officials said.
CA: Thousands of SF voters got wrong mail-in ballot
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15128512?nclick_check=1
SAN FRANCISCO—Thousands of San Francisco voters are holding wrong or duplicate mail-in ballots for the upcoming election because of a blunder by a contractor.
CO: Fighting good public policy (LTE by voting integrity activist Mike LaBonte)
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100521/LETTER/100529970/1020&parentprofile=1061
The arguments against transparency seem to be rooted in fuzzy laws and a misunderstanding of the meaning of “secret ballot.” The same issue came up in Michigan, but Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox explained it quite well in his recent decision that ballots are indeed subject to Freedom of Information Act requests:
CT: Legal History Perspectives on the Connecticut Bysiewicz Decision
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016031.html
HI: Hawaii moves primary to accomodate troups
http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2010/05/ap_military_hawaii_voting_052010/
IN: Hendricks County board to share election records
http://www.indystar.com/article/20100520/LOCAL05/5200450/1020/LOCAL05/Hendricks-County-board-to-share-election-records
DANVILLE -- The Hendricks County Election Board has agreed to give Avon Town Council candidates in two of the Republican primary races access to May 4 election records.
...
election records including poll books, voting machine reports, paper ballots and ballot applications for absentee and early voting be opened for review and inspection.
...
Yackey's petition claims that errors may have been made during the election in which some Avon voters may have been given out-of-town ballots in which the Avon Town Council races didn't appear.
NJ: McCormick Calls For Fair Election
http://njtoday.net/2010/05/21/mccormick-calls-for-fair-election/
Voting machine flaws discovered in the February 2008 presidential race have not been corrected, according to a Democratic candidate for County Clerk.
KY: Whitely county voters switch to paper ballots
http://thetimestribune.com/homepage/x1414107929/Whitley-County-voters-switch-to-paper-ballots
MS: Hosemann: Many voters dually registered
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20100520/NEWS01/5200346/1002
More than 27,000 voters on Mississippi's rolls also are registered in other states - which is illegal in the state, according to the Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann
...
Hosemann said the state has entered into an agreement with several states to pull together what's been called "The Kansas Report."
NY: Non-Party Nassau County Board of Elections Ordered to Implement Order Related to Replacing Lever Voting Machines http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016030.html
As someone who regularly teaches Remedies, I found this order quite unusual, given what I understand to be the power of a court to order a non-party to comply with an injunction or consent decree
OH: Printer error has Summit recounting absentee ballots by hand * (ballot on demand )
http://www.ohio.com/news/94622934.html
...
Summit County elections board employees will be working this weekend to count 8,000 absentee ballots by hand, thanks to a printer error.
The ballots were produced on a ballot-on-demand printer that incorrectly lined up the issues portion of some ballots. This meant the ovals filled in by voters were skewed, making it impossible for the optical-scan machines to read them properly.
Board employees discovered the problem Wednesday when doing remakes on ballots that had been improperly filled out by voters.
OH: Summit elections board reluctant to pay up ($197,000)
http://www.ohio.com/news/94543494.html
The Summit County elections board plans to appeal a decision that said Summit County Children Services was improperly charged to place its 2007 levy on the ballot.
VA: McDonnell trims wait times for felons applying for voting rights
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/05/mcdonnell_trims_waittimes_for.html
Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) announced today that he is reducing the time that must pass, from three years to two, before a nonviolent felon who has completed his sentence can apply to have his voting rights restored.
...
Thirty-nine states automatically return voting rights to felons who have completed their sentences. In Virginia, rights are revoked upon conviction and can be restored only by action of the governor.
WV: NEW INFO: Votes to be Recounted, Names of Dead on Absentee Ballots
http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/93158104.html
In Lincoln County, some are questioning the validity of those votes after the names of deceased people showed up on absentee ballots.
WV: More Suspicions Surface After Lincoln County Election
http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=80129
One county official says at least 11 dead people requested absentee ballots for the May primary.
...
Vance added voters were misled. He alleged voters who took advantage of early voting unknowingly signed absentee ballot applications when they registered for early voting.
National
Fair Elections Act commitment: Congress says goodbye to $2 million
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fairelectionswisconsin/message/2369
ES&S Completes Agreement to Sell Premier Election Solutions Intellectual Property and Other Assets
http://www.prlog.org/10691839-ess-completes-agreement-to-sell-premier-election-solutions-intellectual-property-and-other-assets.html Resolution will allow jurisdictions using Premier voting technology to move forward in election planning by selecting the vendor that best meets their needs
...
“ES&S retains ownership of Premier which retains the rights to support currently installed Premier products,”
International
Ghana: Avoiding a hasty adoption of E-voting in Ghana
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=182419
India: Tamper-proof? Scientists show EVMs can be hacked
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Tamper-proof-Scientists-show-EVMs-can-be-hacked/articleshow/5956051.cms ...Rop Gonggrijp, a security researcher from the Netherlands, said: "Such machines have already been abandoned in Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Florida (US) and many other places. India should follow suit
Ireland: Tactile ballots urged for blind voters
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0519/1224270654932.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.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Dominion buys Premier-Diebold. US experts hack India EVM. Smartmatic flaw stuns officials
WPBS radio interviews Kim Alexander of CalVoter...Michigan Atty Gen: "Voted ballots...are public records.."..Revolving door in PA swings toward Internet Voting..Anti-Trust: Dominion acquires Diebold assets from ES&S...San Francisco unsure how many wrong ballots issued...Delaware City ends "poll tax"...US experts 'hack' India e-voting machines...Philippines Rep. Locsin blows top over Smartmatic election return flaws... The Philippines is ordering investigation of poll fraud..Which UK polls disenfranchised voters?.
All this and more in today's voting news below...
AL: Alabama: still disfranchising the arrested and convicted
http://www.votelaw.com/blog/archives/006383.html
The Montgomery Advertiser reports: With just one day left to register for the June 1 primary, the issue of prisoner and felon voting is once again in the spotlight, and at least one community organizer is concerned that a lack of knowledge and confusion over the issue could disenfranchise thousands of people who are eligible to vote this year.
AR: Suit alleges machine changed votes* (ES&S iVotronic w/VVPAT)
http://www.lovelycitizen.com/story/1636013.html
BERRYVILLE -- In a lawsuit filed Friday, F. Owen Kendrick, a candidate for Carroll County clerk, alleges that early votes cast for him on an electronic voting machine in the Berryville courthouse were registered as votes for his opponent in the Democratic primary, incumbent County Clerk Jamie Correia. Early voting takes place in the county clerk's office
AR: Arkansas Green Party Trial Set (week of June 28-July 2)
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/05/19/arkansas-green-party-trial-set/
The issue is the state’s requirement that parties must poll 3% of the vote for President, in presidential years, or be removed from the ballot.
CA: California Voting: 58 Counties, 58 Procedures (radio interview)
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/may/19/california-voting-58-counties-58-procedures/
MAUREEN CAVANAUGH at KPBS interviews Kim Alexander, president, California Voter Foundation and Deborah Seiler, San Diego County Registrar of Voters
CA: New mail-in ballots may be sent out after blunder*
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/New-mail-in-ballots-may-be-sent-out-after-blunder-94363109.html
A blunder has left thousands of San Francisco voters holding the wrong mail-in ballot for the June 8 election, in which pivotal primaries for statewide offices are at stake, along with the outcomes of local and state propositions.
CA: PROP. 14, California's Top Two Ballot Measure, Leades 60-27 in Public Opinion Polling: Expect a lawsuit after it passes http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016018.html
CA: Irked supervisors will be asked to fund special elections
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/05/19/1147063/irked-supervisors-will-be-asked.html
CT: Anti-Trust: Dominion acquires Diebold assets from ES&S
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3201
This acquisition would seem to increase the alternatives available to Connecticut and LHS, with a greater chance that the equipment will continue to be supported and enhanced.
CO: Michigan's Ballots are Pubilc Documents---why not Aspen's?
http://www.glassballotbox.org/journal/2010/5/18/michigans-ballots-are-pubilc-documents-why-not-aspens.html If Michigan citizens can look at their ballots? Minnesotans' theirs, Floridians theirs, why not Aspen?
If Longmont, Colorado citizens can be involved in post elections using real ballots why are Aspen's ballots secret?
DE: Delaware City ends election rule
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100519/NEWS02/5190337/Delaware-City-ends-election-rule Delinquent taxpayers OK to vote, but some now want new election
FL: Clay elections office oversees first mail balloting (Tues, June 2)
http://www.claytodayonline.com/content/2287_1.php
KY: Incumbent voting machines get the boot
http://www.incontextmag.com/article/Incumbent-voting-machines-get-the-boot
..obsolete machines are being replaced by an interesting mix of technology and paper.
KY: Heavy turnout causes some polling locations to run out of ballots
Jefferson County. http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=12511512
...
Some voters were forced to use the touch screen voting machines meant for the disabled.
...
the county clerk office said they are taking extra steps to make lack of ballots will not be an issue for the November elections.
KY: Kentucky attorney general's office gets fewer election-fraud complaints
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/05/19/1271857/kentucky-attorney-generals-office.html
There were far fewer calls to a state election-fraud hotline Tuesday than during the last election with county offices on the ballot...
MI: May 13, 2010 MIKE COX, ATTORNEY GENERAL Opinion
http://www.glassballotbox.org/storage/MichiganCase.pdf (pdf doc of opinion)
Access to ballots voted at an election under the Freedom of Information Act
Voted ballots, which are not traceable to the individual voter, are public records
MI: Election Activist Mike LaBonte Comments on Michigan's Public Access to Ballots
http://aspenelectionreview.blogspot.com/2010/05/election-activisit-mike-labonte.html
...Laws regarding freedom of access to voted ballots are often fuzzy at best, and seem downright restrictive at worst.
MI: Michigan's E-polling aims to shorten voter wait
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20100519/News01/5190356/1130
More than 450 cities and townships, including 30 in Berrien, Cass and St. Joseph counties, will use new electronic pollbook software...
NC: Independent Candidate for North Carolina Legislature Loses Lawsuit Over Retention for Independent Candidates
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/05/20/independent-candidate-for-north-carolina-legislature-loses-lawsuit-over-retention-for-independent-candidates/
NY: Hadley-Luzerne pledges to use more voting machines in future (video available)
http://poststar.com/news/local/article_e4415ffe-63c3-11df-be21-001cc4c03286.html
Some voters had to wait 3 hours to vote
AKE LUZERNE - The Hadley-Luzerne school district will use three voting machines and open the polls earlier in the day from now on, after Tuesday’ night’s fiasco...
OR: Frisky Oregonians top 41 percent turnout
http://blogs.sos.wa.gov/FromOurCorner/index.php/2010/05/frisky-oregonians-top-41-percent-turnout/
PA: Report ordered on Fayette ballot mix-up*
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailycourier/s_682079.html
...to determine the proper number of votes cast for candidates in the special election in the 12th Congressional District and to determine if some votes were duplicated with paper ballots.
PA: Recount possible in race for lieutenant governor
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base
/news/127431960711520.xml&coll=1 http://bit.ly/bdbN4y
The race remains too close to call and could trigger an automatic statewide recount
SC: Legislators race clock to agree on voting changes
Photo ID, early voting sore spots
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2913450657991572365&postID=6892717172784475819 In order to salvage the bill
SC: Bill requiring voter ID and early voting faces tough critics
http://charleston.thedigitel.com/politics/bill-requiring-voter-id-and-early-voting-faces-tou-21259-0519 about 178,000 registered voters have no state photo ID card. ...the next step will be to assure all state residents have proper identification.
TN: Attorney General says proof of citizenship bill would violate law
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100520/NEWS0201/
5200347/1009/NEWS http://bit.ly/9AyKjk
NASHVILLE - Legislation that requires new voters to show proof of citizenship when they register would violate a federal law meant to get more people to vote, the state attorney general said in an opinion released Wednesday.
UT: No contested races? Call off the election?
http://www.sltrib.com/D=g/ci_15120070
Utah legislators considered a change Wednesday that would allow cities to forgo balloting for candidates who face no opposition a month before the general election.
WV: Lincoln official says dead cast absentee votes
http://www.dailymail.com/News/201005190953
Internet Voting Watch
Revolving door in PA swings toward Internet Voting
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3204
Some revolutions are good, some questionable. Pennsylvania’s election revolution resulted in many expensive paperless, unauditable, hackable voting machines – not much different than providing overseas and military voters with expensive, paperless, unauditable, insecure internet voting.
Citizens United
Rep. Susan Davis to Offer Amendment to Strengthen DISCLOSE Act
http://blog.sunlightfoundation.com/2010/05/20/rep-susan-davis-to-offer-amendment-to-strengthen-disclose-act/ ...The Davis amendment, which will be offered at today’s markup of the bill in the Committee on House Administration, would require any mandatory disclosure reports to be filed electronically with the FEC so that they can be immediately searched and sorted on the FEC’s website.
National
ES&S/Premier Merger News: Dominion Acquires Former Diebold Product Line
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/05/20/559 Dominion Voting Systems, a Canadian voting machine firm that recently entered the American voting system market with the sale of equipment to most of the counties in New York State, announced on Wednesday that it has purchased the product line of Premier Election Solutions (formerly Diebold Election Systems) from Election Systems and Software (ES&S).
“Address Unknown” Podcast Episode #1 - transcripts included
http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/news/20100520/podcast1/
Prison-Based Gerrymandering: a podcast about keeping the Census Bureau’s prison count from harming our democracy. [Justin Levitt of Brennan Ct for Just interviewed]
Sunlight Foundation's amazing transparency tools
http://sunlightfoundation.com/resources/
"You'll be amazed what is possible"
Internet Vote Watch
EDITORIAL: States slow-playing move to accept Internet voting
http://it.tmcnet.com/news/2010/05/10/4779129.htm
Using the Web for voting sounds good and convenient but security experts warn it could be a disaster just waiting for a place to happen. Voting websites could be hacked. E-mail ballots could be intercepted and their secrecy compromised.
NYT on E-mail Voting - John Sebes blogs about it at TrustTheVote
http://www.trustthevote.org/nyt-on-e-mail-voting ...I recommend reading it for a number of reasons, but especially because of the large number of rather nuanced issues
International
India EVMs: Redeem your prestige, Mr. Navin Chawla: An open Letter to the CEC
http://www.indianevm.com/blogs/?p=132
Philippines: Rep. Locsin blows top during House hearing
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/191421/teddyboy-loses-cool-during-house-poll-fraud-hearing
"Do you realize what fools you have made of legislators who pushed for this law? Your assurance was that if fraud is committed, we will be able to trace it...Now you’re telling me this?". (Philippines rep Locsin)
The argument ensued after former Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, who lost his mayoralty bid in Manila, reported cases of wrong times and dates printed on ERs produced by automated counting machines in some of the city’s precincts last May 10.
"Manila is still in a state of shock... This only shows that election returns were manufactured somewhere else and just read by the machine on election day,"...
Philippines: Probe ordered on poll fraud; party-list proclamation delayed
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=11331
THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) has deputized the Philippine National Police (PNP) in probing reported poll irregularities, while admitting that a parallel congressional probe is delaying the proclamation of winning party-list groups.
UK: The polling stations where election 2010 voters couldn't vote
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/may/20/polling-station-electoral-commission Electoral Commission data out today pinpoints the polling stations where voters couldn't cast their ballots or had problems on election night. Find out where they were
US scientists 'hack' India electronic voting machines
http://www.voteraction.org/news-article/2010/us-scientists-hack-india-electronic-voting-machines
After connecting a home-made device to a machine, University of Michigan researchers were able to change results by sending text messages from a mobile.
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.
All this and more in today's voting news below...
AL: Alabama: still disfranchising the arrested and convicted
http://www.votelaw.com/blog/archives/006383.html
The Montgomery Advertiser reports: With just one day left to register for the June 1 primary, the issue of prisoner and felon voting is once again in the spotlight, and at least one community organizer is concerned that a lack of knowledge and confusion over the issue could disenfranchise thousands of people who are eligible to vote this year.
AR: Suit alleges machine changed votes* (ES&S iVotronic w/VVPAT)
http://www.lovelycitizen.com/story/1636013.html
BERRYVILLE -- In a lawsuit filed Friday, F. Owen Kendrick, a candidate for Carroll County clerk, alleges that early votes cast for him on an electronic voting machine in the Berryville courthouse were registered as votes for his opponent in the Democratic primary, incumbent County Clerk Jamie Correia. Early voting takes place in the county clerk's office
AR: Arkansas Green Party Trial Set (week of June 28-July 2)
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/05/19/arkansas-green-party-trial-set/
The issue is the state’s requirement that parties must poll 3% of the vote for President, in presidential years, or be removed from the ballot.
CA: California Voting: 58 Counties, 58 Procedures (radio interview)
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/may/19/california-voting-58-counties-58-procedures/
MAUREEN CAVANAUGH at KPBS interviews Kim Alexander, president, California Voter Foundation and Deborah Seiler, San Diego County Registrar of Voters
CA: New mail-in ballots may be sent out after blunder*
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/New-mail-in-ballots-may-be-sent-out-after-blunder-94363109.html
A blunder has left thousands of San Francisco voters holding the wrong mail-in ballot for the June 8 election, in which pivotal primaries for statewide offices are at stake, along with the outcomes of local and state propositions.
CA: PROP. 14, California's Top Two Ballot Measure, Leades 60-27 in Public Opinion Polling: Expect a lawsuit after it passes http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016018.html
CA: Irked supervisors will be asked to fund special elections
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/05/19/1147063/irked-supervisors-will-be-asked.html
CT: Anti-Trust: Dominion acquires Diebold assets from ES&S
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3201
This acquisition would seem to increase the alternatives available to Connecticut and LHS, with a greater chance that the equipment will continue to be supported and enhanced.
CO: Michigan's Ballots are Pubilc Documents---why not Aspen's?
http://www.glassballotbox.org/journal/2010/5/18/michigans-ballots-are-pubilc-documents-why-not-aspens.html If Michigan citizens can look at their ballots? Minnesotans' theirs, Floridians theirs, why not Aspen?
If Longmont, Colorado citizens can be involved in post elections using real ballots why are Aspen's ballots secret?
DE: Delaware City ends election rule
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100519/NEWS02/5190337/Delaware-City-ends-election-rule Delinquent taxpayers OK to vote, but some now want new election
FL: Clay elections office oversees first mail balloting (Tues, June 2)
http://www.claytodayonline.com/content/2287_1.php
KY: Incumbent voting machines get the boot
http://www.incontextmag.com/article/Incumbent-voting-machines-get-the-boot
..obsolete machines are being replaced by an interesting mix of technology and paper.
KY: Heavy turnout causes some polling locations to run out of ballots
Jefferson County. http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=12511512
...
Some voters were forced to use the touch screen voting machines meant for the disabled.
...
the county clerk office said they are taking extra steps to make lack of ballots will not be an issue for the November elections.
KY: Kentucky attorney general's office gets fewer election-fraud complaints
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/05/19/1271857/kentucky-attorney-generals-office.html
There were far fewer calls to a state election-fraud hotline Tuesday than during the last election with county offices on the ballot...
MI: May 13, 2010 MIKE COX, ATTORNEY GENERAL Opinion
http://www.glassballotbox.org/storage/MichiganCase.pdf (pdf doc of opinion)
Access to ballots voted at an election under the Freedom of Information Act
Voted ballots, which are not traceable to the individual voter, are public records
MI: Election Activist Mike LaBonte Comments on Michigan's Public Access to Ballots
http://aspenelectionreview.blogspot.com/2010/05/election-activisit-mike-labonte.html
...Laws regarding freedom of access to voted ballots are often fuzzy at best, and seem downright restrictive at worst.
MI: Michigan's E-polling aims to shorten voter wait
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20100519/News01/5190356/1130
More than 450 cities and townships, including 30 in Berrien, Cass and St. Joseph counties, will use new electronic pollbook software...
NC: Independent Candidate for North Carolina Legislature Loses Lawsuit Over Retention for Independent Candidates
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/05/20/independent-candidate-for-north-carolina-legislature-loses-lawsuit-over-retention-for-independent-candidates/
NY: Hadley-Luzerne pledges to use more voting machines in future (video available)
http://poststar.com/news/local/article_e4415ffe-63c3-11df-be21-001cc4c03286.html
Some voters had to wait 3 hours to vote
AKE LUZERNE - The Hadley-Luzerne school district will use three voting machines and open the polls earlier in the day from now on, after Tuesday’ night’s fiasco...
OR: Frisky Oregonians top 41 percent turnout
http://blogs.sos.wa.gov/FromOurCorner/index.php/2010/05/frisky-oregonians-top-41-percent-turnout/
PA: Report ordered on Fayette ballot mix-up*
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailycourier/s_682079.html
...to determine the proper number of votes cast for candidates in the special election in the 12th Congressional District and to determine if some votes were duplicated with paper ballots.
PA: Recount possible in race for lieutenant governor
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base
/news/127431960711520.xml&coll=1 http://bit.ly/bdbN4y
The race remains too close to call and could trigger an automatic statewide recount
SC: Legislators race clock to agree on voting changes
Photo ID, early voting sore spots
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2913450657991572365&postID=6892717172784475819 In order to salvage the bill
SC: Bill requiring voter ID and early voting faces tough critics
http://charleston.thedigitel.com/politics/bill-requiring-voter-id-and-early-voting-faces-tou-21259-0519 about 178,000 registered voters have no state photo ID card. ...the next step will be to assure all state residents have proper identification.
TN: Attorney General says proof of citizenship bill would violate law
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100520/NEWS0201/
5200347/1009/NEWS http://bit.ly/9AyKjk
NASHVILLE - Legislation that requires new voters to show proof of citizenship when they register would violate a federal law meant to get more people to vote, the state attorney general said in an opinion released Wednesday.
UT: No contested races? Call off the election?
http://www.sltrib.com/D=g/ci_15120070
Utah legislators considered a change Wednesday that would allow cities to forgo balloting for candidates who face no opposition a month before the general election.
WV: Lincoln official says dead cast absentee votes
http://www.dailymail.com/News/201005190953
Internet Voting Watch
Revolving door in PA swings toward Internet Voting
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3204
Some revolutions are good, some questionable. Pennsylvania’s election revolution resulted in many expensive paperless, unauditable, hackable voting machines – not much different than providing overseas and military voters with expensive, paperless, unauditable, insecure internet voting.
Citizens United
Rep. Susan Davis to Offer Amendment to Strengthen DISCLOSE Act
http://blog.sunlightfoundation.com/2010/05/20/rep-susan-davis-to-offer-amendment-to-strengthen-disclose-act/ ...The Davis amendment, which will be offered at today’s markup of the bill in the Committee on House Administration, would require any mandatory disclosure reports to be filed electronically with the FEC so that they can be immediately searched and sorted on the FEC’s website.
National
ES&S/Premier Merger News: Dominion Acquires Former Diebold Product Line
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/05/20/559 Dominion Voting Systems, a Canadian voting machine firm that recently entered the American voting system market with the sale of equipment to most of the counties in New York State, announced on Wednesday that it has purchased the product line of Premier Election Solutions (formerly Diebold Election Systems) from Election Systems and Software (ES&S).
“Address Unknown” Podcast Episode #1 - transcripts included
http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/news/20100520/podcast1/
Prison-Based Gerrymandering: a podcast about keeping the Census Bureau’s prison count from harming our democracy. [Justin Levitt of Brennan Ct for Just interviewed]
Sunlight Foundation's amazing transparency tools
http://sunlightfoundation.com/resources/
"You'll be amazed what is possible"
Internet Vote Watch
EDITORIAL: States slow-playing move to accept Internet voting
http://it.tmcnet.com/news/2010/05/10/4779129.htm
Using the Web for voting sounds good and convenient but security experts warn it could be a disaster just waiting for a place to happen. Voting websites could be hacked. E-mail ballots could be intercepted and their secrecy compromised.
NYT on E-mail Voting - John Sebes blogs about it at TrustTheVote
http://www.trustthevote.org/nyt-on-e-mail-voting ...I recommend reading it for a number of reasons, but especially because of the large number of rather nuanced issues
International
India EVMs: Redeem your prestige, Mr. Navin Chawla: An open Letter to the CEC
http://www.indianevm.com/blogs/?p=132
Philippines: Rep. Locsin blows top during House hearing
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/191421/teddyboy-loses-cool-during-house-poll-fraud-hearing
"Do you realize what fools you have made of legislators who pushed for this law? Your assurance was that if fraud is committed, we will be able to trace it...Now you’re telling me this?". (Philippines rep Locsin)
The argument ensued after former Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, who lost his mayoralty bid in Manila, reported cases of wrong times and dates printed on ERs produced by automated counting machines in some of the city’s precincts last May 10.
"Manila is still in a state of shock... This only shows that election returns were manufactured somewhere else and just read by the machine on election day,"...
Philippines: Probe ordered on poll fraud; party-list proclamation delayed
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=11331
THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) has deputized the Philippine National Police (PNP) in probing reported poll irregularities, while admitting that a parallel congressional probe is delaying the proclamation of winning party-list groups.
UK: The polling stations where election 2010 voters couldn't vote
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/may/20/polling-station-electoral-commission Electoral Commission data out today pinpoints the polling stations where voters couldn't cast their ballots or had problems on election night. Find out where they were
US scientists 'hack' India electronic voting machines
http://www.voteraction.org/news-article/2010/us-scientists-hack-india-electronic-voting-machines
After connecting a home-made device to a machine, University of Michigan researchers were able to change results by sending text messages from a mobile.
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.
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