Federal Judge Rules in Favor of NC GOP in Touch-Screen Vote Flipping Complaint. NCGOP atty Tom Farr: “What I heard in the argument today was, the problem with the touchscreen voting machines are the fault of the voters, not the State Board and we have to preserve the integrity of the State Board and its reputation. And that's more important than making sure that voters had their ballots counted accurately, and that's what I thought was outrageous,” ..Will N.Mexico voter reg database crash on election day?.....Video "Vote on Paper" 'its not a conspiracy theory, its just plain science.'...Voting Probs? Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE...
All this and more in today's voting news below...
Note from the editor: Does the Voting News help you? You can help keep the Voting News going by making a tax deductible donation either online or by check. If by check note "for voting news". See this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate-vn
You can also help by emailing news articles we might otherwise miss. Voting news is compiled by checking google alerts, blogs, list serves, and search engines. Your emails help, especially during general election season. Thanks!
AK: Suit filed in federal court over election write-in list
A federal lawsuit has been filed on behalf of four Alaska voters over the state's providing a list of write-in candidates to voters.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/10/30/1403087/federal-suit-filed-over-write.html
The lawsuit alleges that in providing lists, the state has changed its rules for holding elections and did so without receiving the required approval of the U.S. Department of Justice.
MD: State ordered to extend overseas ballot deadline
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/2010/10/state_ordered_to_extend_overse.html
Judge Roger Titus issued an order Friday extending the deadline from Nov. 12 to Nov. 22.
NC: Judge rules in favor of GOP over touchscreen voting (must see video interview )
http://triangle.news14.com/content/632096/state-gop-sues-election-board-over-voting-machines/ RALEIGH—Saturday afternoon a federal judge ruled in favor of the state Republican party over the lawsuit filed in complaint of touchscreen voting machines.
NC: Secret donor money floods 4 N.C. races
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/10/30/769911/conservative-money-floods-4-nc.html
NM: Glitch disrupts early voting* (statewide voter reg database overloaded)
http://www.alamogordonews.com/alamogordo-news/ci_16452761
SANTA FE - County elections officials complained Wednesday of problems with New Mexico's voter registration computer system, saying it has disrupted early voting at some locations across the state and continues to delay the preparation of voter turnout reports.
County clerks worry that they'll have trouble preparing voter sign-in rosters for Tuesday's general election if the secretary of state's office doesn't resolve the computer problems.
"The slowdowns have been creating a problem every day," said Curry County Clerk Coni Jo Lyman. "It's been absolutely a nightmare."
NY: Election workers brace for glitches with optical-scan voting machines
http://www.lohud.com/article/20101031/NEWS02/10310414/Election-workers-brace-for-glitches-with-optical-scan-voting-machines After a shaky trial run in the primaries, the state's new optical-scan voting machines will get a full workout in Tuesday's general elections (comprehensive article w/previous coverage & how to vote)
NY: Quirk in N.Y.'s new voting system may hurt third parties
http://www.lohud.com/article/20101031/NEWS05/10310400/-1/NEWSFRONT/Quirk-in-N.Y.-s-new-voting-system-may-hurt-third-parties
PA: Committee of 70 pushes city to extend absentee ballot deadline because of voting problems http://citypaper.net/blogs/clog/2010/10/30/committee-of-70-pushes-city-to-extend-ballot-deadline-because-of-voting-problems/ Philiadelphia... several local voters have gotten their absentee ballots mailed back to them, instead of sent to the Board of Elections.
...
The problem is, the deadline for absentee ballots has already passed: It was 5 p.m. on Friday, and so the Committee is worried that these people's votes won't be counted because of what is believed to be an innocent postal service error.
TX: PARALLEL ELECTION VENUE 11/2: City Hall Plaza! + Final Training Opp
http://tinyurl.com/2wklncn OUR FINAL TRAINING for volunteers with the "Citizens Parallel Election" and the "Citizens Pilot Hand Count" will take place THIS COMING SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30th, from 1 p.m. til 3 p.m. at Lyons Gardens Senior Housing and Community Center, 2720 Lyons Rd., Austin, TX 78702.
WA: Son can’t find dad’s name on the ballot* (online ballot prob fixed by Friday)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/oct/30/son-cant-find-dads-name-on-the-ballot/
OKANOGAN — Stephen Rawson, an Okanogan County resident who was deployed with the U.S. Navy and away from his duty station, was hoping to vote for his dad in the Nov. 2 election.
But when he went online and downloaded his ballot on Thursday, his father’s name, Henry “Hank” Rawson, was nowhere to be found. Neither was his father’s opponent, Rick Weber. Both are running for Okanogan County District Court Judge, Position 2.
Officials say the glitch in the new online replacement ballot system was likely isolated to this single incident and this single county.
...
Murphy said the problem was that the Okanogan County District Court judge races weren’t entered in her system for all precincts in Okanogan County.
Internet Voting Watch
DC: Hacked Voting System Stored Accessible Password, Encryption Key
http://hideipology.com/hacked-voting-system-stored-accessible-password-encryption-key/
The hack, unnoticed by election officials until researchers notified them, forced election officials to take the system offline and adopt a contingency plan for the November elections
...
The hack left lots of traces that an intrusion detection system should have caught.
National
OurVoteLive.org is a website that logs and organizes election-related problems and inquiries across the USA http://www.ourvotelive.org/ Have a voting problem or inquiry? Call 866-OUR-VOTE today. So far, this site has processed 384 reports for the 2010 General Election since October 26.
Election Protection Coalition
http://www.866ourvote.org/ Get help, report problems online, by phone or via twitter.
Justice Department to Monitor Polls in 18 States on Election Day
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/October/10-crt-1235.html
In the days leading up to and throughout Election Day, Civil Rights Division staff members will be available at a special toll-free number to receive complaints related to ballot access (1-800-253-3931) (TTY line 1-877-267-8971)...individuals may also report complaints, problems or concerns related to voting via the Internet.
BRAD BLOG Animated Video: "Vote on Paper" 'its not a conspiracy theory, its just plain science.' http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8163
LA & SC: E-Voting Concerns Overblown, Officials Say
http://findtechnews.net/e-voting-concerns-overblown-officials-say/
Next step after 'Citizens United': corporate candidates(Murray Hill Inc for congress)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/44388.html
Why shouldn’t corporations be allowed to run for office?
That’s the idea behind our candidate, Murray Hill Inc., the first corporation to run for Congress.
...
First, there’s transparency. With a corporation, what you see is what you’ll get. There is no ambiguity over how a corporate member of Congress will vote: It will always be in support of their shareholders’ interests.
Watchdog Groups Call For Appointment Of A Special Prosecutor To Investigate The Use Of Secret Money To Influence Elections http://protectourelections.org/index.php?q=node/59
Editorial: Court opened up floodgates with its campaign ad decision
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/10/31/3144372/court-opened-up-floodgates-with.html
this year, there has been an alarming development: attacks funded by corporations that hide behind the skirt of federal tax codes that govern nonprofit advocacy groups.
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Also on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/VotingNews and
at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNews
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.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
HAVA scary Halloween. In DC internet voting test, hackers were the GOOD guys
In D.C.'s Web voting test, the hackers were the good guys...HAVA Scary Halloween: Ten years older and deeper in debt, yet far from credible elections.."Ballot boxing: The problem with electronic voting machines" interview w/natl experts..THE UNDEAD UNDEAD VOTER CLAIM...Overdone "undervote" warning in 67 Illinois cnties using Diebold scanners..N. Carolina voting machines hearing today. Court docs are fascinating..iVotronic expert offers insights on “Vote-Flipping”...Google tools to help you vote...Voting probs? See 866-OUR-VOTE..
All this and more in today's voting news below...
Readers - want to help with the news? Email news (with link) to votingnews (at) earthlink.net Thanks!
AK: Alaska Supreme Court Issues Revised Order, Now Says Regulation Against Showing List of Write-in Candidates to Voters is Unlawful
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/10/30/alaska-supreme-court-issues-revised-opinion-now-says-regulation-against-showing-list-of-write-in-candidates-to-voters-is-unlawful/ On October 29, the Alaska Supreme Court issued a revised order in State of Alaska v Alaska Democratic Party and Alaska Republican Party, S-14054.
AZ: Threat of voter suppression rears ugly head in Arizona
http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/102810_voter_suppression_op
What sets us apart is the fact that they've been instigated by the very man who is charged with maintaining law and order at… you guessed it…the polls. Sheriff Joe Arpaio recently sent out an email entitled "6 Days to STOP Illegals from Stealing the Election!" ..
CA: Absentee ballot misprint discovered*
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101030/A_NEWS/10300323
STOCKTON - A couple living in the Morada area found a misprint in an absentee ballot, a mistake elections officials say is a rare occurrence among the tens of thousands of mail-in ballots sent out in San Joaquin County in the lead-up to Election Day.
CO: Larimer County Clerk works to fix election glitch* (wrong ballot)
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20101029/UPDATES01/101029013/1002/
NEWS01/Larimer+County+Clerk+works+to+fix+election+glitch http://tinyurl.com/2c82shx
the 52 registered voters in the complex at 321 E. Troutman Parkway should be able to vote for the House District 52 race, but got ballots that listed House District 53,
CT: HAVA Scary Halloween: Ten years older and deeper in debt, yet far from credible elections http://www.ctvoterscount.org/hava-scary-halloween-ten-years-older-and-deeper-in-debt-yet-far-from-credible-elections/ Two years ago we posted a Halloween preview: eTRICK or reTREAT? Nightmare of Elections Future. Lets look at where we are this year, and then we will calibrate (not celebrate) how far we have come.
DC: In D.C.'s Web voting test, the hackers were the good guys (xposted in Internet Voting Watch) http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-opinions/2010/10/in_dcs_web_voting_test_the_hac.html Even companies such as Google, with vast resources and expertise, have been unable to protect themselves from remote penetration attacks from China. There is no reason to believe that states and localities can do better.
IL: COUNTY CLERK: UNDERVOTED BALLOTS WILL KICK OUT*
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=469&NewsID=989164&CategoryID=7026&on=1
Bacon County...Sixty seven counties in the state use the Accuvote OS system. Since the state law mandates ballots kick out if a voter does not vote for a Constitutional State officer presents Bean with a bigger problem.
With the Accuvote system with GEMS the ballot will kick back if the voter fails to vote for any issue or candidate field.
...
During the Absentee and Early voting period in the office a majority of the ballots kicked back.
...
If they are happy with what they have voted for, all they do is ask the election judge to override the system
MN: Volunteer to Observe Minnesota's Post-Election Audit!
http://ceimn.org/2010-mn-audit In partnership with the League of Women Voters Minnesota we are organizing our third, state-wide non-partisan observation of the post-election audit. The audit is conducted in every county. Most audits last 2 - 5 hours. We will provide training for volunteer observers. The 2010 audit dates are between November 4 - 19.
NC: State GOP to appear in court Saturday over voting machines (court docs & video)
http://triangle.news14.com/content/632096/state-gop-sues-election-board-over-voting-machines/
( At bottom of article there are links to fascinating legal documents including complaint, affadavits by a digital forensic examiner licensed by the state in counterintelligence and affadavits of voters, as well as other documnents.)
Take the poll on lower right hand side, "How confident are you in the accuracy of electronic voting machines?"
NC: Accord may be near on voting machines
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/10/30/769876/accord-may-be-near-on-voting-machines.html
The state Republican Party and North Carolina elections officials may have worked out an agreement that will provide voters who use touch-screen voting machines with written advice to double-check their votes.
But no one is talking about it until a rare weekend court hearing today before a U.S. District Court judge.
NC: iVotronic Expert Offers Insights on North Carolina “Vote-Flipping”
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/10/29/1226 In an open communication, Douglas Jones, a world-renown voting technology expert who has done extensive study of the ES&S iVotronic, offers his insights on reports of straight-party voting problems on iVotronics in multiple North Carolina counties that allegedly benefit one party. Jones notes the human factors that can lead to apparent “vote-flipping,”...
NC: New allegation of voting machine malfunction in Meck*
http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13414420
MATTHEWS, NC (WBTV) - For the second time in three days, Republicans in Matthews say there's been trouble at the early voting location at the town's library.
The GOP says several people at that location have tried to vote straight Republican, only to find when they reviewed their vote that the machine said they were voting straight Democrat.
...
One complaint in Matthews came on Wednesday and the other on Friday. In both cases the Mecklenburg Board of Elections says they checked the voting machine that was being complained about and it appeared to be working fine.
The board of elections says in both cases the machines were recalibrated just to be safe.
NY: Bloomberg Hanging On Chads
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/10/bloomberg-hanging-on-chads.html
... here's what Bloomberg said yesterday: "I think one of the great disgraces and one of the things that's hurting democracy is this new voting system. To not have a computer system, to go back to chads and paper, is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard."
OH: How & why we have filed racketeering charges against Karl Rove's election operations. http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2010/3981
Ohio election attorney Cliff Arnebeck has filed a two-count complaint against The Partnership for Ohio's Future, an affiliate of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.
UT: Utah voting machines left unattended in lobby -- even after authorities were notified* http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/10/utah-voting-machines.html Windley, who co-founded iMall with a partner in the late '90s and sold it to Excite for $450 million, isn't so sure the lack of memory cards make unattended voting machines incapable of being tampered. "I disagree with Hogensen," he told The Times via e-mail. "There are many ways the machines could be compromised without the memory cards. Updating the firmware, for example or installing a card skimmer [that writes rather than reads]."
Internet Voting Watch
DC: In D.C.'s Web voting test, the hackers were the good guys (xposted) http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-opinions/2010/10/in_dcs_web_voting_test_the_hac.html Even companies such as Google, with vast resources and expertise, have been unable to protect themselves from remote penetration attacks from China. There is no reason to believe that states and localities can do better.
National
Handy tools to help Americans vote
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/handy-tools-to-help-americans-vote.html
Overseas Vote Foundation OVF's Susan speaks out -- again -- on the MOVE Act on local TX radio show. Overseas listeners should DOWNLOAD to listen. http://ht.ly/31wIa
PRB Show - Ballot boxing: The problem with electronic voting machines (video)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/video/ballot-boxing-the-problem-with-electronic-voting-machines/4746/ Ten years and billions of tax dollars later, the way America votes is still something of a mess. It’s vulnerable to human error, hardware and software crashes – and, yes, bad-guy hackers. We asked Need to Know correspondent Rick Karr to investigate.
(Interviews Ed Felton, Andrew Appel, Larry Norden report, mention of Verified Voting database, and praise to Minnesota.)
2010 Election Watch: Security of Your Electronic Voting Machine
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/how-to/computer-security/security-of-your-electronic-voting-machine?src=rss#fbIndex 1 This November voters will confront a dizzying array of systems that employ scanners, touchscreens, even audio recordings. Here's your guide to today's voting booth.
THE UNDEAD UNDEAD VOTER CLAIM
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/017683.html#more
Such "false positives" -- improper assumptions that two people with the same listed information are actually the same person -- are far more statistically common than most people think, even when the matching exercise isn't sloppy. But conclusions from a "match" aren't the only issue. Sometimes the "dead voter" isn't dead. Sometimes she didn't vote. Follow-through on wild claims, it appears, is an even more effective way to whittle down the zombie voter hordes than a shotgun.
Brennan Center - Investigator’s Guide to “Voter Fraud”
http://brennan.3cdn.net/825822846f649d6d5c_0cm6bxcba.pdf
We urge reporters, analysts, advocates, and scholars interested in the election process to ask the following questions when confronting a claim that voter fraud has occurred.
NY Times: Drowning in Campaign Cash
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/opinion/31sun1.html?_r=1 Voters say — again and again — that they want to break the hold of special interests and end pay-to-play politics...Four billion dollars and one particularly ugly campaign later, there can be no more excuses.
International
India: Election Commission flunks on EVMs
http://rajeev2007.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/election-commission-flunks-on-evms/
Rajeev Srinivasan wonders whether EVMs as they are today are a fundamental threat to India’s democracy
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Also on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/VotingNews and
at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNews
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...
Readers - want to help with the news? Email news (with link) to votingnews (at) earthlink.net Thanks!
AK: Alaska Supreme Court Issues Revised Order, Now Says Regulation Against Showing List of Write-in Candidates to Voters is Unlawful
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/10/30/alaska-supreme-court-issues-revised-opinion-now-says-regulation-against-showing-list-of-write-in-candidates-to-voters-is-unlawful/ On October 29, the Alaska Supreme Court issued a revised order in State of Alaska v Alaska Democratic Party and Alaska Republican Party, S-14054.
AZ: Threat of voter suppression rears ugly head in Arizona
http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/102810_voter_suppression_op
What sets us apart is the fact that they've been instigated by the very man who is charged with maintaining law and order at… you guessed it…the polls. Sheriff Joe Arpaio recently sent out an email entitled "6 Days to STOP Illegals from Stealing the Election!" ..
CA: Absentee ballot misprint discovered*
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101030/A_NEWS/10300323
STOCKTON - A couple living in the Morada area found a misprint in an absentee ballot, a mistake elections officials say is a rare occurrence among the tens of thousands of mail-in ballots sent out in San Joaquin County in the lead-up to Election Day.
CO: Larimer County Clerk works to fix election glitch* (wrong ballot)
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20101029/UPDATES01/101029013/1002/
NEWS01/Larimer+County+Clerk+works+to+fix+election+glitch http://tinyurl.com/2c82shx
the 52 registered voters in the complex at 321 E. Troutman Parkway should be able to vote for the House District 52 race, but got ballots that listed House District 53,
CT: HAVA Scary Halloween: Ten years older and deeper in debt, yet far from credible elections http://www.ctvoterscount.org/hava-scary-halloween-ten-years-older-and-deeper-in-debt-yet-far-from-credible-elections/ Two years ago we posted a Halloween preview: eTRICK or reTREAT? Nightmare of Elections Future. Lets look at where we are this year, and then we will calibrate (not celebrate) how far we have come.
DC: In D.C.'s Web voting test, the hackers were the good guys (xposted in Internet Voting Watch) http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-opinions/2010/10/in_dcs_web_voting_test_the_hac.html Even companies such as Google, with vast resources and expertise, have been unable to protect themselves from remote penetration attacks from China. There is no reason to believe that states and localities can do better.
IL: COUNTY CLERK: UNDERVOTED BALLOTS WILL KICK OUT*
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=469&NewsID=989164&CategoryID=7026&on=1
Bacon County...Sixty seven counties in the state use the Accuvote OS system. Since the state law mandates ballots kick out if a voter does not vote for a Constitutional State officer presents Bean with a bigger problem.
With the Accuvote system with GEMS the ballot will kick back if the voter fails to vote for any issue or candidate field.
...
During the Absentee and Early voting period in the office a majority of the ballots kicked back.
...
If they are happy with what they have voted for, all they do is ask the election judge to override the system
MN: Volunteer to Observe Minnesota's Post-Election Audit!
http://ceimn.org/2010-mn-audit In partnership with the League of Women Voters Minnesota we are organizing our third, state-wide non-partisan observation of the post-election audit. The audit is conducted in every county. Most audits last 2 - 5 hours. We will provide training for volunteer observers. The 2010 audit dates are between November 4 - 19.
NC: State GOP to appear in court Saturday over voting machines (court docs & video)
http://triangle.news14.com/content/632096/state-gop-sues-election-board-over-voting-machines/
( At bottom of article there are links to fascinating legal documents including complaint, affadavits by a digital forensic examiner licensed by the state in counterintelligence and affadavits of voters, as well as other documnents.)
Take the poll on lower right hand side, "How confident are you in the accuracy of electronic voting machines?"
NC: Accord may be near on voting machines
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/10/30/769876/accord-may-be-near-on-voting-machines.html
The state Republican Party and North Carolina elections officials may have worked out an agreement that will provide voters who use touch-screen voting machines with written advice to double-check their votes.
But no one is talking about it until a rare weekend court hearing today before a U.S. District Court judge.
NC: iVotronic Expert Offers Insights on North Carolina “Vote-Flipping”
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/10/29/1226 In an open communication, Douglas Jones, a world-renown voting technology expert who has done extensive study of the ES&S iVotronic, offers his insights on reports of straight-party voting problems on iVotronics in multiple North Carolina counties that allegedly benefit one party. Jones notes the human factors that can lead to apparent “vote-flipping,”...
NC: New allegation of voting machine malfunction in Meck*
http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13414420
MATTHEWS, NC (WBTV) - For the second time in three days, Republicans in Matthews say there's been trouble at the early voting location at the town's library.
The GOP says several people at that location have tried to vote straight Republican, only to find when they reviewed their vote that the machine said they were voting straight Democrat.
...
One complaint in Matthews came on Wednesday and the other on Friday. In both cases the Mecklenburg Board of Elections says they checked the voting machine that was being complained about and it appeared to be working fine.
The board of elections says in both cases the machines were recalibrated just to be safe.
NY: Bloomberg Hanging On Chads
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/10/bloomberg-hanging-on-chads.html
... here's what Bloomberg said yesterday: "I think one of the great disgraces and one of the things that's hurting democracy is this new voting system. To not have a computer system, to go back to chads and paper, is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard."
OH: How & why we have filed racketeering charges against Karl Rove's election operations. http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2010/3981
Ohio election attorney Cliff Arnebeck has filed a two-count complaint against The Partnership for Ohio's Future, an affiliate of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.
UT: Utah voting machines left unattended in lobby -- even after authorities were notified* http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/10/utah-voting-machines.html Windley, who co-founded iMall with a partner in the late '90s and sold it to Excite for $450 million, isn't so sure the lack of memory cards make unattended voting machines incapable of being tampered. "I disagree with Hogensen," he told The Times via e-mail. "There are many ways the machines could be compromised without the memory cards. Updating the firmware, for example or installing a card skimmer [that writes rather than reads]."
Internet Voting Watch
DC: In D.C.'s Web voting test, the hackers were the good guys (xposted) http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-opinions/2010/10/in_dcs_web_voting_test_the_hac.html Even companies such as Google, with vast resources and expertise, have been unable to protect themselves from remote penetration attacks from China. There is no reason to believe that states and localities can do better.
National
Handy tools to help Americans vote
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/handy-tools-to-help-americans-vote.html
Overseas Vote Foundation OVF's Susan speaks out -- again -- on the MOVE Act on local TX radio show. Overseas listeners should DOWNLOAD to listen. http://ht.ly/31wIa
PRB Show - Ballot boxing: The problem with electronic voting machines (video)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/video/ballot-boxing-the-problem-with-electronic-voting-machines/4746/ Ten years and billions of tax dollars later, the way America votes is still something of a mess. It’s vulnerable to human error, hardware and software crashes – and, yes, bad-guy hackers. We asked Need to Know correspondent Rick Karr to investigate.
(Interviews Ed Felton, Andrew Appel, Larry Norden report, mention of Verified Voting database, and praise to Minnesota.)
2010 Election Watch: Security of Your Electronic Voting Machine
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/how-to/computer-security/security-of-your-electronic-voting-machine?src=rss#fbIndex 1 This November voters will confront a dizzying array of systems that employ scanners, touchscreens, even audio recordings. Here's your guide to today's voting booth.
THE UNDEAD UNDEAD VOTER CLAIM
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/017683.html#more
Such "false positives" -- improper assumptions that two people with the same listed information are actually the same person -- are far more statistically common than most people think, even when the matching exercise isn't sloppy. But conclusions from a "match" aren't the only issue. Sometimes the "dead voter" isn't dead. Sometimes she didn't vote. Follow-through on wild claims, it appears, is an even more effective way to whittle down the zombie voter hordes than a shotgun.
Brennan Center - Investigator’s Guide to “Voter Fraud”
http://brennan.3cdn.net/825822846f649d6d5c_0cm6bxcba.pdf
We urge reporters, analysts, advocates, and scholars interested in the election process to ask the following questions when confronting a claim that voter fraud has occurred.
NY Times: Drowning in Campaign Cash
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/opinion/31sun1.html?_r=1 Voters say — again and again — that they want to break the hold of special interests and end pay-to-play politics...Four billion dollars and one particularly ugly campaign later, there can be no more excuses.
International
India: Election Commission flunks on EVMs
http://rajeev2007.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/election-commission-flunks-on-evms/
Rajeev Srinivasan wonders whether EVMs as they are today are a fundamental threat to India’s democracy
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Also on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/VotingNews and
at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNews
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, October 29, 2010
NC GOP sues over touch-screen problems. Beware bogus online ballots in CT, NH
USA Today: A Decade After Florida Fiasco,Voting Remains a Hodgepodge...Paperless e-voting a concern this election..Nearly 1 in 4 voters in Tuesday's elections will use e-voting systems with no paper records..Voters in Connecticut & New Hampshire beware of bogus online ballots...N.Carolina's GOP Party filed suit in fed court over touch-screen vote flipping...Internet voting 'an electronic disaster' in Stratford, Canada..If you have problems voting, call or tweet 866-OUR-VOTE...
All this and more in today's voting news below...
CA: Ten Great Online Resources for California Voters
http://kimalex.blogspot.com/2010/10/ten-great-online-resources-for.html
CA: Fresno County ballots use wrong language for Prop. 23
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2010/10/prop-23-campaign-some-absentee.html
Hundreds of thousands of ballots printed in Fresno County use an incorrect ballot label to describe a statewide proposition to suspend the state's greenhouse gas emissions law, election officials confirmed today.
CA: Investigators probe possible voter fraud; victim contacted again*
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2010/10/absentee-voting-even-when-he-doesnt-want-to.html BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- A voter who says she was talked out of her mail-in ballot says she was contacted again. Meanwhile, investigators are probing the case of possible voter fraud.
The victim said teenagers came to her home on Tuesday, saying their "boss" sent them to pick up ballots.
CA: City May Experiment with an all Vote-By-Mail Election to Increase Voter Turnout
http://laist.com/2010/10/29/city_may_experiment_with_an_all_vot.php
CT: Warning: NO Internet Voting In CT – A Scam or just misleading calls to voters?
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/warning-no-internet-voting-in-ct-scam-or-just-misleading-calls-to-voters/ “People have been stopping into the office to express concern over telephone calls that they’ve received in which they are directd [sic] to a web site where they believe they’re being told they can vote online,” Weber told Patch.
GA: Debate over Georgia’s paperless e-voting process continues
http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia_elections_news/2010/10/29/debate-over-georgias-paperless-e-voting-process-continues/?cxntfid=blogs_georgia_elections_news
IL: Top Official Says DOJ Prepared To Sue States Over MOVE Act Even After Election Day, Takes Aim At IL GOP
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/10/28/top-official-says-doj-prepared-sue-states-over-move-act-even-after-election-day-takes-aim
IL: Some overseas, military absentee voters get extension to return ballots
http://gcn.com/articles/2010/11/01/overseas-voting.aspx
KS: Kobach, Biggs spar over voter registration records
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/oct/28/kobach-biggs-spar-over-voter-registration-records/
Kansas election officials cast doubt Thursday on Republican Kris Kobach’s claim to have evidence of possible voter fraud,
MD: Federal District Court in Maryland rules that rights of military voters to have their votes counted trumps Nov 12 ballot receipt deadline
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/017675.html
MN: Anti-Voter Fraud Group Sues Over 'I.D. Me' Button Ban
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/anti-voter_fraud_group_sues_over_button_ban.php
NC: NC GOP sues election board over voting machines
http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/NC-GOP-sues-election-board-over-voting-machines-106308978.html Republican Party officials say they have heard problems in a number of counties. They are demanding that election officials provide notice to all voters about problems, preserve all data and track all complaints.
NC GOP Files Suit Over 'Widespread' Touch-screen Failures, Votes Flipping to Dems
GOP attorney: ES&S iVotronic 'systems should have been banned'
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8158 Officials: Just 'isolated' probs, 'no different than every election'...[UPDATE 10/29/10, 12:22pm PT: The North Carolina Republican Party has now filed suit against the State Board of Elections "alleging that touch-screen machines are thwarting efforts by voters to cast Republican ballots," according to AP's brief coverage now here...]
NC: Craven County GOP Wants Answers
http://www.witn.com/stateregional/headlines/Craven_County_GOP_
Wants_Answers_106192848.html http://tinyurl.com/37v9m6n The Craven County Republican Party continues to express concern over touch-screen voting machines and the action taken against two poll workers who spoke to WITN.
NC: Board of Elections decides how to count instant runoff votes
http://triangle.news14.com/content/top_stories/632050/board-of-elections-decides-how-to-count-instant-runoff-votes
NC: Spreadsheet will tally instant runoff votes
http://www.news-record.com/content/2010/10/28/article/spreadsheet_will_tally_instant_runoff_votes
NY: Flawed New York ballot could baffle voters, expert says
http://www.strausnews.com/articles/2010/10/29/warwick_advertiser/news/25.txt
The instructions tell voters to fill in the oval above the name of the candidate they want to vote for.
“Unfortunately, if they want to vote for a candidate, they should be filling in the oval just below the candidate’s name, not above it,” said Lawrence Norden, senior counsel at the center.
NH: Voters warned about bogus online ballots
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/newsstatenewengland/893400-227/voters-warned-about-bogus-online-ballots.html it is impossible to vote online in New Hampshire, and officials are investigating the complaints as a potential effort to suppress votes, by tricking people into thinking they have already voted,
NY: Tweet your election day complaints
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/28/tweet-your-election-day-c_n_775670.html
Get on twitter or call 311
NM: Law Enforcement Authorities Investigate Potential Voter Registration Fraud In Dona Ana County http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/25556179/detail.html
NV: Audit resolves voting irregularity questions
http://www.lvrj.com/news/audit-resolves-questions-of-irregularities-105990348.html
County registrar calls allegations of voter fraud 'unjustified'
OH: WOULD YOU LIKE FRIES WITH THAT BALLOT?
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/017671.html
McDonald's workers complain about GOP handbills with their paychecks
PA: Bucks election board to hear GOP allegations of absentee-voter fraud by Democrats
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20101028_Bucks_ election_ board_to_hear_GOP_allegations_of_absentee-voter_ fraud_by_Democrats.html http://tinyurl.com/36656sf Board of Elections Director Deena Dean said her office was inundated last week with more than 100 calls from voters saying they were confused about a Democratic mailing they had received. The mailing, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee, told recipients that their "participation in the forthcoming election may be placed in jeopardy" if they did not return an enclosed application for an absentee ballot.
TX: Fake flier causes confusion among local voters*
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7749845
The fliers start out by saying "Republicans are trying to trick us" and goes on to urge voters not to vote a straight Democratic ticket. It also says a single vote for Bill White is a vote for the entire Democratic ticket.
TX: Tensions rise between voters and poll watchers in mid-term election (video)
http://www.khou.com/news/Tensions-rise-between-voters-and-poll-watchers-in-mid-term-election-106150849.html The 59 formal complaints prompted the district attorney’s office to issue a bulletin urging polling stations to use tape to mark off just how close a poll watcher can get when a voter has asked for assistance.
TN: 25 Prisoners Escorted To Election Office To Vote After Slipup
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_187279.asp
Sheriff Jim Hammond said normally the election office sends a deputy to the jail and workhouse to vote those who are eligible to vote and who want to cast ballots.
VA: Beer for votes?
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1010/Beer_for_votes.html?showall
A Virginia Democratic organization appears to have violated federal election law by offering free beer to voters
VA: Va. State Board of Elections: Computer problems won't affect voters
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/10
/virginia_state_board_of_electi.html http://tinyurl.com/34gzkqe
The Virginia State Board of Elections is trying to assure voters that recent computer issues that have caused computers to run slowly for local registrars will not affect Tuesday's vote.
WA: WA SENATE RACE: BE READY FOR A SLOW COUNT
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=3407
Internet Voting Watch
Canada: Stratford. E-voting an electronic disaster*
http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2823345
..when I tried to vote, after dinner, between 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., before having to run to my son's hockey practice, I was met with a broken system.By broken I mean not usable by the public. The numerous times I tried I was met with timeouts waiting for the next response, broken image links and errors. I would estimate that I was met with some sort of error at least a dozen times.
National
Voting Problem? Call or tweet
http://www.866ourvote.org/
Beware: Elections Ahead! -- Who Is Counting Your Vote?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYbu_14sdyY
Great You Tube Video - round up of experts from A-Z, from white hat hacker Chuck Herrin to Professor Halderman of DC internet vote hack. Share with your friends.
5 Reasons to Be Wary of Voting Materials That Come in the Mail
http://www.longdistancevoter.org/5-reasons-to-be-wary-of-mailers
Time and again, mailers produced by political parties and partisan groups have been arriving to election officials with errors that will prevent you from casting your vote in this fall’s election - or they’re not showing up at all.
USA Today: A Decade After Florida Fiasco, Voting Remains a Hodgepodge
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/10/29/1219 So where does the art of vote-counting stand a decade after the mother of all foul-ups, the Florida recount that left the nation without a president-elect for five weeks after the 2000 election?
Paperless e-voting a concern this election, say watchdogs
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9193838/Paperless_e_
voting_a_concern_ this_ election_say_watchdogs http://tinyurl.com/2bwmeso Nearly one in four voters in Tuesday's elections will use e-voting systems with no paper records
Overseas voters rock the vote with online tools
Systems give absentee voters access to ballots, while stopping short of online voting
http://gcn.com/articles/2010/11/01/overseas-voting.aspx Overseas voters rock the vote with online tools: “In the last year, we have seen more progress in overseas and military voting than in the last five decades,” said Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat,President & CEO,Overseas Vote Foundation...
Overseas voting measures aim for the local level
Efforts are under way to extend MOVE Act requirements to state and local elections
http://gcn.com/articles/2010/11/01/overseas-voting-sidebar.aspx
Election Defense Alliance's Jonathan Simon with the Timely Lowdown on Our Elections
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Jonathan-Simon-of-Election-by-Joan-Brunwasser-101027-150.html
Part Two: Election Defense Alliance's Jonathan Simon with the Timely Lowdown on Our Elections http://www.opednews.com/articles/Part-Two-Election-Defense-by-Joan-Brunwasser-101028-687.html
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Also on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/VotingNews and
at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNews
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...
CA: Ten Great Online Resources for California Voters
http://kimalex.blogspot.com/2010/10/ten-great-online-resources-for.html
CA: Fresno County ballots use wrong language for Prop. 23
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2010/10/prop-23-campaign-some-absentee.html
Hundreds of thousands of ballots printed in Fresno County use an incorrect ballot label to describe a statewide proposition to suspend the state's greenhouse gas emissions law, election officials confirmed today.
CA: Investigators probe possible voter fraud; victim contacted again*
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2010/10/absentee-voting-even-when-he-doesnt-want-to.html BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- A voter who says she was talked out of her mail-in ballot says she was contacted again. Meanwhile, investigators are probing the case of possible voter fraud.
The victim said teenagers came to her home on Tuesday, saying their "boss" sent them to pick up ballots.
CA: City May Experiment with an all Vote-By-Mail Election to Increase Voter Turnout
http://laist.com/2010/10/29/city_may_experiment_with_an_all_vot.php
CT: Warning: NO Internet Voting In CT – A Scam or just misleading calls to voters?
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/warning-no-internet-voting-in-ct-scam-or-just-misleading-calls-to-voters/ “People have been stopping into the office to express concern over telephone calls that they’ve received in which they are directd [sic] to a web site where they believe they’re being told they can vote online,” Weber told Patch.
GA: Debate over Georgia’s paperless e-voting process continues
http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia_elections_news/2010/10/29/debate-over-georgias-paperless-e-voting-process-continues/?cxntfid=blogs_georgia_elections_news
IL: Top Official Says DOJ Prepared To Sue States Over MOVE Act Even After Election Day, Takes Aim At IL GOP
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/10/28/top-official-says-doj-prepared-sue-states-over-move-act-even-after-election-day-takes-aim
IL: Some overseas, military absentee voters get extension to return ballots
http://gcn.com/articles/2010/11/01/overseas-voting.aspx
KS: Kobach, Biggs spar over voter registration records
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/oct/28/kobach-biggs-spar-over-voter-registration-records/
Kansas election officials cast doubt Thursday on Republican Kris Kobach’s claim to have evidence of possible voter fraud,
MD: Federal District Court in Maryland rules that rights of military voters to have their votes counted trumps Nov 12 ballot receipt deadline
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/017675.html
MN: Anti-Voter Fraud Group Sues Over 'I.D. Me' Button Ban
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/anti-voter_fraud_group_sues_over_button_ban.php
NC: NC GOP sues election board over voting machines
http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/NC-GOP-sues-election-board-over-voting-machines-106308978.html Republican Party officials say they have heard problems in a number of counties. They are demanding that election officials provide notice to all voters about problems, preserve all data and track all complaints.
NC GOP Files Suit Over 'Widespread' Touch-screen Failures, Votes Flipping to Dems
GOP attorney: ES&S iVotronic 'systems should have been banned'
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8158 Officials: Just 'isolated' probs, 'no different than every election'...[UPDATE 10/29/10, 12:22pm PT: The North Carolina Republican Party has now filed suit against the State Board of Elections "alleging that touch-screen machines are thwarting efforts by voters to cast Republican ballots," according to AP's brief coverage now here...]
NC: Craven County GOP Wants Answers
http://www.witn.com/stateregional/headlines/Craven_County_GOP_
Wants_Answers_106192848.html http://tinyurl.com/37v9m6n The Craven County Republican Party continues to express concern over touch-screen voting machines and the action taken against two poll workers who spoke to WITN.
NC: Board of Elections decides how to count instant runoff votes
http://triangle.news14.com/content/top_stories/632050/board-of-elections-decides-how-to-count-instant-runoff-votes
NC: Spreadsheet will tally instant runoff votes
http://www.news-record.com/content/2010/10/28/article/spreadsheet_will_tally_instant_runoff_votes
NY: Flawed New York ballot could baffle voters, expert says
http://www.strausnews.com/articles/2010/10/29/warwick_advertiser/news/25.txt
The instructions tell voters to fill in the oval above the name of the candidate they want to vote for.
“Unfortunately, if they want to vote for a candidate, they should be filling in the oval just below the candidate’s name, not above it,” said Lawrence Norden, senior counsel at the center.
NH: Voters warned about bogus online ballots
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/newsstatenewengland/893400-227/voters-warned-about-bogus-online-ballots.html it is impossible to vote online in New Hampshire, and officials are investigating the complaints as a potential effort to suppress votes, by tricking people into thinking they have already voted,
NY: Tweet your election day complaints
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/28/tweet-your-election-day-c_n_775670.html
Get on twitter or call 311
NM: Law Enforcement Authorities Investigate Potential Voter Registration Fraud In Dona Ana County http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/25556179/detail.html
NV: Audit resolves voting irregularity questions
http://www.lvrj.com/news/audit-resolves-questions-of-irregularities-105990348.html
County registrar calls allegations of voter fraud 'unjustified'
OH: WOULD YOU LIKE FRIES WITH THAT BALLOT?
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/017671.html
McDonald's workers complain about GOP handbills with their paychecks
PA: Bucks election board to hear GOP allegations of absentee-voter fraud by Democrats
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20101028_Bucks_ election_ board_to_hear_GOP_allegations_of_absentee-voter_ fraud_by_Democrats.html http://tinyurl.com/36656sf Board of Elections Director Deena Dean said her office was inundated last week with more than 100 calls from voters saying they were confused about a Democratic mailing they had received. The mailing, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee, told recipients that their "participation in the forthcoming election may be placed in jeopardy" if they did not return an enclosed application for an absentee ballot.
TX: Fake flier causes confusion among local voters*
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7749845
The fliers start out by saying "Republicans are trying to trick us" and goes on to urge voters not to vote a straight Democratic ticket. It also says a single vote for Bill White is a vote for the entire Democratic ticket.
TX: Tensions rise between voters and poll watchers in mid-term election (video)
http://www.khou.com/news/Tensions-rise-between-voters-and-poll-watchers-in-mid-term-election-106150849.html The 59 formal complaints prompted the district attorney’s office to issue a bulletin urging polling stations to use tape to mark off just how close a poll watcher can get when a voter has asked for assistance.
TN: 25 Prisoners Escorted To Election Office To Vote After Slipup
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_187279.asp
Sheriff Jim Hammond said normally the election office sends a deputy to the jail and workhouse to vote those who are eligible to vote and who want to cast ballots.
VA: Beer for votes?
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1010/Beer_for_votes.html?showall
A Virginia Democratic organization appears to have violated federal election law by offering free beer to voters
VA: Va. State Board of Elections: Computer problems won't affect voters
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/10
/virginia_state_board_of_electi.html http://tinyurl.com/34gzkqe
The Virginia State Board of Elections is trying to assure voters that recent computer issues that have caused computers to run slowly for local registrars will not affect Tuesday's vote.
WA: WA SENATE RACE: BE READY FOR A SLOW COUNT
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=3407
Internet Voting Watch
Canada: Stratford. E-voting an electronic disaster*
http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2823345
..when I tried to vote, after dinner, between 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., before having to run to my son's hockey practice, I was met with a broken system.By broken I mean not usable by the public. The numerous times I tried I was met with timeouts waiting for the next response, broken image links and errors. I would estimate that I was met with some sort of error at least a dozen times.
National
Voting Problem? Call or tweet
http://www.866ourvote.org/
Beware: Elections Ahead! -- Who Is Counting Your Vote?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYbu_14sdyY
Great You Tube Video - round up of experts from A-Z, from white hat hacker Chuck Herrin to Professor Halderman of DC internet vote hack. Share with your friends.
5 Reasons to Be Wary of Voting Materials That Come in the Mail
http://www.longdistancevoter.org/5-reasons-to-be-wary-of-mailers
Time and again, mailers produced by political parties and partisan groups have been arriving to election officials with errors that will prevent you from casting your vote in this fall’s election - or they’re not showing up at all.
USA Today: A Decade After Florida Fiasco, Voting Remains a Hodgepodge
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/10/29/1219 So where does the art of vote-counting stand a decade after the mother of all foul-ups, the Florida recount that left the nation without a president-elect for five weeks after the 2000 election?
Paperless e-voting a concern this election, say watchdogs
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9193838/Paperless_e_
voting_a_concern_ this_ election_say_watchdogs http://tinyurl.com/2bwmeso Nearly one in four voters in Tuesday's elections will use e-voting systems with no paper records
Overseas voters rock the vote with online tools
Systems give absentee voters access to ballots, while stopping short of online voting
http://gcn.com/articles/2010/11/01/overseas-voting.aspx Overseas voters rock the vote with online tools: “In the last year, we have seen more progress in overseas and military voting than in the last five decades,” said Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat,President & CEO,Overseas Vote Foundation...
Overseas voting measures aim for the local level
Efforts are under way to extend MOVE Act requirements to state and local elections
http://gcn.com/articles/2010/11/01/overseas-voting-sidebar.aspx
Election Defense Alliance's Jonathan Simon with the Timely Lowdown on Our Elections
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Jonathan-Simon-of-Election-by-Joan-Brunwasser-101027-150.html
Part Two: Election Defense Alliance's Jonathan Simon with the Timely Lowdown on Our Elections http://www.opednews.com/articles/Part-Two-Election-Defense-by-Joan-Brunwasser-101028-687.html
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Also on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/VotingNews and
at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNews
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, October 28, 2010
E-Voting 'a hopelessly dangerous concept'. NC GOP threatens suit over vote flipping
New database on state recount & audit laws...Verified Voting new map of voting tech in US...IL Dems botch absentee early voting push..NC GOP threatens suit over touch-screen voting machines..NY voter cross fingers...SC voting machines not reliable says Computer Science Prof Dr. Duncan Buell ...NM & VA voter reg. databases bogged down...9 voting machines unattended overnight in NW Lehi,UT polls... Faith Based Voting -In many of Tuesday's closest races, states will use those same old, suspect voting machines...
All this and more in today's voting news below...
AK: Alaska high court: Voters may see write-in list
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hURJWIiDP9prW4WyDT0bOpiGKELg?docId=b09ddf3b88da4ea5a4a621b8e94db93b
CO: Boulder County: 'Human error' caused ballot language mix-up*
http://www.dailycamera.com/news/ci_16445244
Issue 2B, Boulder's proposed utility tax measure, was correctly titled on the electronic ballot but contained the language for Boulder County's open space tax measure, known as County Issue 1B.
"It appears someone cut and pasted the wrong ballot content under the title," Boulder County Clerk Hillary Hall told the Camera this afternoon.
...
Three hundred and twelve voters used the faulty electronic ballots before the error was discovered Tuesday, which prompted election officials to halt all voting on the county's 12 electronic voting machines.
IL: Illinois Democrats botch absentee early voting push*
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/10/illinois-democrats-botch-absentee-early-voting-push.html
Illinois Democratic Party workers started mailing applications for absentee ballots to registered voters late last week, leaving precious few days for them to be mailed back to election authorities in time to get a ballot. And many of the applications contained the wrong birthdates for the registered voters they were mailed to, leaving some of those who got them wondering if it was a scam.
NC: GOP threatens suit over touch-screen voting machines
http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/8528102/
Fetzer said he wants warnings posted at the polls to alert voters of the potential problem. He also wants poll workers to retain daily printouts of vote totals to compare later with the tabulations provided by the touch-screen machines and to retain records of all complaints about the machines.
NC: N.C. GOP leader: Touchscreen voting machines have flaw that aids Dems*
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/10/28/766257/nc-republican-party-chair-touchscreen.html
The chairman of the N.C. Republican Party alleged Thursday that a programming flaw with touchscreen voting machines used for early voting in 36 counties is causing votes intended for GOP candidates to be counted for Democrats.
Tom Fetzer, the Republican chairman, said that if the State Board of Elections does not enact a list of demands intended to remedy the problem by the end of today, the party's lawyers will be in federal court Friday morning seeking a statewide injunction.
NC: Election Workers Fired After Speaking To WITN*
http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/Craven_Co_Election_Workers_Fired_
After_Speaking_To_WITN_106132669.html http://tinyurl.com/32h7cn5
Two Craven County election workers say they were fired today, hours after speaking with WITN News about problems with touch screen voting machines.
Matthew Thomas and Maria Vincent claim they reported straight party voting problems at their early-voting site, but those problems were never addressed.
NC: Voters Question State Official About Possible Machine 'Glitch'*
http://www.wcti12.com/news/25545198/detail.html
Craven GOP Chair Chuck Tyson told the crowd that a voter phoned him to describe a machine flip-flopping his votes at a Vanceboro voting location during Wednesday's lunch hour.
The voter wasn't voting a straight-party ticket, Tyson said.
As the meeting ended, Tyson advocated a return to paper ballots.
NC: State technician demonstrates voting machine* 9ES&S iVotronic)
http://www.newbernsj.com/news/voting-91774-state-machine.html
Some remain skeptical about machine's reliability
...
“I have all the confidence in the world with the Board of Elections,” Tyson said. “I do not have confidence in this machine.”
Tyson has received calls from numerous voters who report that their intended straight-party Republican ticket votes register all Democratic votes, he said. He also has received reports of the vote flipping for only random races while other votes on the ballot are as the voter intended.
NC: Judicial ballot count changed by NC election board
http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/28165900-www.wlos.com.shtml
Elections officials have changed how votes will be counted for a seat on the North Carolina Court of Appeals being picked through an unusual voting method.
NM: Herrera's office feels heat as glitch delays voting
Computer problems disrupt early polling at sites statewide* http://www.santafenewmexican.com/localnews/Herrera-s-office-feels-heat-as-glitch-delays-voting County elections officials complained
Wednesday of problems with New Mexico's voter-registration computer system, saying it has disrupted early voting at some locations across the state and continues to delay the preparation of voter-turnout reports.
NM: Computer glitch disrupts early voting* (voter registration database)
http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S1811041.shtml?cat=500
Elections officials in Dona Ana, San Juan and Santa Fe counties say early voting was delayed at some locations Tuesday evening because poll workers weren't able to access the statewide voter registration system.
The county officials blamed the secretary of state's office for the expiration of a security certificate, which is needed for a secure online connection with the voter registration system.
NY: At the Polls, With Fingers Crossed
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/opinion/28thurs4.html?_r=1 The list of failures by New York City’s inept Board of Elections just keeps growing. The primary election was chaotic, with long waits and workers who had not been trained to use the new optical scanner voting machines.
PA: Ballot Controversy Stirs Up Problems* (absentee by mail applications)
http://www.wfmz.com/bucksnews/25542505/detail.html Local Republicans say the county's Board of Elections has been flooded with hundreds of false applications for absentee ballots.
...
The letters telling voters to apply for an absentee ballot were sent by a group called PA Victory 2010. And according to a petition filed by Republicans with the board of election, when the applications were returned, only two people were allowed to pick up the applications from a post office box; A volunteer working for Congressman Patrick Murphy and a Murphy campaign manager.
...
"If they had sent the mailing right to the court house we wouldn't have half this problem," said Poprik.
PA: Ballot war raging in Bucks
Absentee ballot drive, tossed ballots fuel charges in congressional race.
http://articles.mcall.com/2010-10-27/news/mc-bucks-congress-absentee-ballots-20101027_1_absentee-ballot-ballot-requests-ballot-war
SC: Voting Machines Not So Reliable
http://www2.wspa.com/news/2010/oct/27/voting-machines-not-so-reliable-ar-1019003/
South Carolina has been using the Ivotronic touch screen system for the past 6 years but Dr. Duncan Buell, a computer science professor at the University of South Carolina said the software has many flaws.
SC: Skeptics say voting machines, may not be reliable
http://www2.counton2.com/news/2010/oct/28/skeptics-say-voting-machines-may-not-be-reliable-ar-1022441/
“The bottom line is we just don’t know. Every time one of the machines is opened up by computer systems specialists they have been unhappy with what they have seen,” said Dr. Duncan Buell, a Computer Science Professor at the University of South Carolina.
TN: Editorial: Election integrity
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/oct/28/editorial-election-integrity/
Election errors necessarily call into question the current system of election management in Tennessee, where the party that holds the majority of seats in the state House and Senate also winds up with majority control of county election commissions.
TX: We've come a long way in protecting votes of Texas military personnel abroad
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/weve_come_a_long_way_in_protecting_
votes_of_texas_military_personnel_abroad_105907353.html
http://tinyurl.com/36w78ev
UT: E-Voting Systems Left Unattended at UT Poll Site
County clerk misleads public about dangers of tampering...
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8155 Nine voting machines were left unsecured in an office building overnight in northwest Lehi.
VA: Richmond registrar warns voters of possible ID scam* (tricks)
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/oct/27/kirkgat27-ar-591355/
Warning of possible fraud, Richmond's registrar Kirk Showalter said yesterday that someone has been going door-to-door in Richmond soliciting sensitive information in the guise of registering people to vote.
VA: Slow computer system may cause problems on election day
Local registrars say the state system is running very slow.
http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-story-election-issues-102710,0,1659189.story
WI: 12K+ Removed From State's Voter Registration List
http://wtaq.com/news/articles/2010/oct/28/12k-removed-states-voter-registration-list/
That’s after their personal information was not identical on the various government databases – and they did not respond to two requests by mail to straighten things out.
Internet Voting Watch
Canada: 'Streamlined' voting system backfires in some areas* (video available)
http://swo.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20101027/voting-system-fails-stratford-101027/20101027/?hub=SWOHome One voter says "I got along fine with it but I had to try my computer twice, and I have friends in my building that they couldn't get it to work at all."
...
Shaw says "We understand it was a company-wide situation and there was a number of municipalities that had to do the same thing Stratford did, and that was extend the voting."
The server glitch left some unable to vote, like one resident who says "My wife had just voted online, I went to vote, couldn't get in, so I never got to vote."
Canada: Technological meltdown *
http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/opinion/letters/article/894964--technological-meltdown
HUNTSVILLE ...The system’s failings should be of concern to those who will be sitting around the council table next term. It seems two other municipalities using Intelivote — Carling and Achipelago, both north of Parry Sound — also had to extend their voting hours due to system malfunction. Under such circumstances it is difficult to tell who the clear winners are.
E-voting: How secure is it?
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/10/28/1215 More than half of all US states will allow some kind of internet voting this year. But security experts say it's a mistake
...
“The original idea was that internet voting was a fine idea, and the only question was how best to deliver this capability to the citizens of California,” recalled Jefferson...But as we studied the issue more carefully, we realized that it was a hopelessly dangerous concept.”
National
The Current State Of Voting Machines -Podcast
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130866300
With Election Day less than a week away, NPR's Michele Norris talks to Lawrence Norden of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University
The Faith-Based Vote. In many of Tuesday's closest races, states will use those same old, suspect voting machines. http://www.slate.com/id/2272627/pagenum/all/
As we barrel toward Election Day, Direct Recording Electronic voting systems—usually touch-screen, always entirely unverifiable—are still being used by 20 percent to 30 percent of U.S. voters.
Threats to the Vote in the 2010 Election
http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/voting_challenges_2010_2
Computerized Elections: Appropriate use of Technology?
http://www.trustthevote.org/computerized-elections-appropriate-use-of-technology
What we’re up to in the TTV project is developing updated and open technology for these same functions of computerized elections today, in order to help election officials increase trust, without changing the way that they want to conduct elections.
Dan Rather's New E-Voting Report "Das Vote" is Up on HDNET (Free Video)!
Might not be there for too long: http://www.hd.net/danrather.html
Transcripts: http://www.hd.net/transcript.html?air_master_id=A6682&pd=danrather
NEW SEARCHABLE DATABASE ON STATE RECOUNT AND AUDIT LAWS
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=3400 Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota have developed a very useful tool on state laws on election audits and recounts that can be found on their web site at: http://ceimn.org/ceimn-state-recount-laws-searchable-database.
America's Voting Systems in 2010
http://www.verifiedvotingfoundation.org/ Verified Voting has released a new version of the Verifier, a map of voting technology used throughout the United States and territories, along with a statistical summary of voting technology that States will use this November.
6 biggest voter 'screw-ups' of 2010
http://theweek.com/article/index/208654/6-biggest-voter-screw-ups-of-2010
Amid reports of biased voting machines and $500 "bounties" on illegal voters, there's no shortage of election controversies this year
International
Hacker almost derailed Mandela election in South Africa
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/10/27/sa_election_hack/
Right-wing key-puncher tried to hang on to apartheid, says new book
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Also on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/VotingNews and at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNews
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...
AK: Alaska high court: Voters may see write-in list
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hURJWIiDP9prW4WyDT0bOpiGKELg?docId=b09ddf3b88da4ea5a4a621b8e94db93b
CO: Boulder County: 'Human error' caused ballot language mix-up*
http://www.dailycamera.com/news/ci_16445244
Issue 2B, Boulder's proposed utility tax measure, was correctly titled on the electronic ballot but contained the language for Boulder County's open space tax measure, known as County Issue 1B.
"It appears someone cut and pasted the wrong ballot content under the title," Boulder County Clerk Hillary Hall told the Camera this afternoon.
...
Three hundred and twelve voters used the faulty electronic ballots before the error was discovered Tuesday, which prompted election officials to halt all voting on the county's 12 electronic voting machines.
IL: Illinois Democrats botch absentee early voting push*
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/10/illinois-democrats-botch-absentee-early-voting-push.html
Illinois Democratic Party workers started mailing applications for absentee ballots to registered voters late last week, leaving precious few days for them to be mailed back to election authorities in time to get a ballot. And many of the applications contained the wrong birthdates for the registered voters they were mailed to, leaving some of those who got them wondering if it was a scam.
NC: GOP threatens suit over touch-screen voting machines
http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/8528102/
Fetzer said he wants warnings posted at the polls to alert voters of the potential problem. He also wants poll workers to retain daily printouts of vote totals to compare later with the tabulations provided by the touch-screen machines and to retain records of all complaints about the machines.
NC: N.C. GOP leader: Touchscreen voting machines have flaw that aids Dems*
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/10/28/766257/nc-republican-party-chair-touchscreen.html
The chairman of the N.C. Republican Party alleged Thursday that a programming flaw with touchscreen voting machines used for early voting in 36 counties is causing votes intended for GOP candidates to be counted for Democrats.
Tom Fetzer, the Republican chairman, said that if the State Board of Elections does not enact a list of demands intended to remedy the problem by the end of today, the party's lawyers will be in federal court Friday morning seeking a statewide injunction.
NC: Election Workers Fired After Speaking To WITN*
http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/Craven_Co_Election_Workers_Fired_
After_Speaking_To_WITN_106132669.html http://tinyurl.com/32h7cn5
Two Craven County election workers say they were fired today, hours after speaking with WITN News about problems with touch screen voting machines.
Matthew Thomas and Maria Vincent claim they reported straight party voting problems at their early-voting site, but those problems were never addressed.
NC: Voters Question State Official About Possible Machine 'Glitch'*
http://www.wcti12.com/news/25545198/detail.html
Craven GOP Chair Chuck Tyson told the crowd that a voter phoned him to describe a machine flip-flopping his votes at a Vanceboro voting location during Wednesday's lunch hour.
The voter wasn't voting a straight-party ticket, Tyson said.
As the meeting ended, Tyson advocated a return to paper ballots.
NC: State technician demonstrates voting machine* 9ES&S iVotronic)
http://www.newbernsj.com/news/voting-91774-state-machine.html
Some remain skeptical about machine's reliability
...
“I have all the confidence in the world with the Board of Elections,” Tyson said. “I do not have confidence in this machine.”
Tyson has received calls from numerous voters who report that their intended straight-party Republican ticket votes register all Democratic votes, he said. He also has received reports of the vote flipping for only random races while other votes on the ballot are as the voter intended.
NC: Judicial ballot count changed by NC election board
http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/28165900-www.wlos.com.shtml
Elections officials have changed how votes will be counted for a seat on the North Carolina Court of Appeals being picked through an unusual voting method.
NM: Herrera's office feels heat as glitch delays voting
Computer problems disrupt early polling at sites statewide* http://www.santafenewmexican.com/localnews/Herrera-s-office-feels-heat-as-glitch-delays-voting County elections officials complained
Wednesday of problems with New Mexico's voter-registration computer system, saying it has disrupted early voting at some locations across the state and continues to delay the preparation of voter-turnout reports.
NM: Computer glitch disrupts early voting* (voter registration database)
http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S1811041.shtml?cat=500
Elections officials in Dona Ana, San Juan and Santa Fe counties say early voting was delayed at some locations Tuesday evening because poll workers weren't able to access the statewide voter registration system.
The county officials blamed the secretary of state's office for the expiration of a security certificate, which is needed for a secure online connection with the voter registration system.
NY: At the Polls, With Fingers Crossed
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/opinion/28thurs4.html?_r=1 The list of failures by New York City’s inept Board of Elections just keeps growing. The primary election was chaotic, with long waits and workers who had not been trained to use the new optical scanner voting machines.
PA: Ballot Controversy Stirs Up Problems* (absentee by mail applications)
http://www.wfmz.com/bucksnews/25542505/detail.html Local Republicans say the county's Board of Elections has been flooded with hundreds of false applications for absentee ballots.
...
The letters telling voters to apply for an absentee ballot were sent by a group called PA Victory 2010. And according to a petition filed by Republicans with the board of election, when the applications were returned, only two people were allowed to pick up the applications from a post office box; A volunteer working for Congressman Patrick Murphy and a Murphy campaign manager.
...
"If they had sent the mailing right to the court house we wouldn't have half this problem," said Poprik.
PA: Ballot war raging in Bucks
Absentee ballot drive, tossed ballots fuel charges in congressional race.
http://articles.mcall.com/2010-10-27/news/mc-bucks-congress-absentee-ballots-20101027_1_absentee-ballot-ballot-requests-ballot-war
SC: Voting Machines Not So Reliable
http://www2.wspa.com/news/2010/oct/27/voting-machines-not-so-reliable-ar-1019003/
South Carolina has been using the Ivotronic touch screen system for the past 6 years but Dr. Duncan Buell, a computer science professor at the University of South Carolina said the software has many flaws.
SC: Skeptics say voting machines, may not be reliable
http://www2.counton2.com/news/2010/oct/28/skeptics-say-voting-machines-may-not-be-reliable-ar-1022441/
“The bottom line is we just don’t know. Every time one of the machines is opened up by computer systems specialists they have been unhappy with what they have seen,” said Dr. Duncan Buell, a Computer Science Professor at the University of South Carolina.
TN: Editorial: Election integrity
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/oct/28/editorial-election-integrity/
Election errors necessarily call into question the current system of election management in Tennessee, where the party that holds the majority of seats in the state House and Senate also winds up with majority control of county election commissions.
TX: We've come a long way in protecting votes of Texas military personnel abroad
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/weve_come_a_long_way_in_protecting_
votes_of_texas_military_personnel_abroad_105907353.html
http://tinyurl.com/36w78ev
UT: E-Voting Systems Left Unattended at UT Poll Site
County clerk misleads public about dangers of tampering...
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8155 Nine voting machines were left unsecured in an office building overnight in northwest Lehi.
VA: Richmond registrar warns voters of possible ID scam* (tricks)
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/oct/27/kirkgat27-ar-591355/
Warning of possible fraud, Richmond's registrar Kirk Showalter said yesterday that someone has been going door-to-door in Richmond soliciting sensitive information in the guise of registering people to vote.
VA: Slow computer system may cause problems on election day
Local registrars say the state system is running very slow.
http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-story-election-issues-102710,0,1659189.story
WI: 12K+ Removed From State's Voter Registration List
http://wtaq.com/news/articles/2010/oct/28/12k-removed-states-voter-registration-list/
That’s after their personal information was not identical on the various government databases – and they did not respond to two requests by mail to straighten things out.
Internet Voting Watch
Canada: 'Streamlined' voting system backfires in some areas* (video available)
http://swo.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20101027/voting-system-fails-stratford-101027/20101027/?hub=SWOHome One voter says "I got along fine with it but I had to try my computer twice, and I have friends in my building that they couldn't get it to work at all."
...
Shaw says "We understand it was a company-wide situation and there was a number of municipalities that had to do the same thing Stratford did, and that was extend the voting."
The server glitch left some unable to vote, like one resident who says "My wife had just voted online, I went to vote, couldn't get in, so I never got to vote."
Canada: Technological meltdown *
http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/opinion/letters/article/894964--technological-meltdown
HUNTSVILLE ...The system’s failings should be of concern to those who will be sitting around the council table next term. It seems two other municipalities using Intelivote — Carling and Achipelago, both north of Parry Sound — also had to extend their voting hours due to system malfunction. Under such circumstances it is difficult to tell who the clear winners are.
E-voting: How secure is it?
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/10/28/1215 More than half of all US states will allow some kind of internet voting this year. But security experts say it's a mistake
...
“The original idea was that internet voting was a fine idea, and the only question was how best to deliver this capability to the citizens of California,” recalled Jefferson...But as we studied the issue more carefully, we realized that it was a hopelessly dangerous concept.”
National
The Current State Of Voting Machines -Podcast
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130866300
With Election Day less than a week away, NPR's Michele Norris talks to Lawrence Norden of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University
The Faith-Based Vote. In many of Tuesday's closest races, states will use those same old, suspect voting machines. http://www.slate.com/id/2272627/pagenum/all/
As we barrel toward Election Day, Direct Recording Electronic voting systems—usually touch-screen, always entirely unverifiable—are still being used by 20 percent to 30 percent of U.S. voters.
Threats to the Vote in the 2010 Election
http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/voting_challenges_2010_2
Computerized Elections: Appropriate use of Technology?
http://www.trustthevote.org/computerized-elections-appropriate-use-of-technology
What we’re up to in the TTV project is developing updated and open technology for these same functions of computerized elections today, in order to help election officials increase trust, without changing the way that they want to conduct elections.
Dan Rather's New E-Voting Report "Das Vote" is Up on HDNET (Free Video)!
Might not be there for too long: http://www.hd.net/danrather.html
Transcripts: http://www.hd.net/transcript.html?air_master_id=A6682&pd=danrather
NEW SEARCHABLE DATABASE ON STATE RECOUNT AND AUDIT LAWS
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=3400 Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota have developed a very useful tool on state laws on election audits and recounts that can be found on their web site at: http://ceimn.org/ceimn-state-recount-laws-searchable-database.
America's Voting Systems in 2010
http://www.verifiedvotingfoundation.org/ Verified Voting has released a new version of the Verifier, a map of voting technology used throughout the United States and territories, along with a statistical summary of voting technology that States will use this November.
6 biggest voter 'screw-ups' of 2010
http://theweek.com/article/index/208654/6-biggest-voter-screw-ups-of-2010
Amid reports of biased voting machines and $500 "bounties" on illegal voters, there's no shortage of election controversies this year
International
Hacker almost derailed Mandela election in South Africa
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/10/27/sa_election_hack/
Right-wing key-puncher tried to hang on to apartheid, says new book
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Also on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/VotingNews and at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNews
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, October 27, 2010
E-Voting, E-Nightmare. 3rd NC County has vote flipping. Canada internet vote fiasco
See it on iTunes: Dan Rather's "Digital Democracy in Doubt"...TX vote flip video is on internet again..3rd NC county reports vote flipping...VerifiedVoting on Vote Flipping & Touch Screen Calibration...NH voters beware internet voting scam...S Carolina voting system needs overhaul..Report vote probs by cell phone 866-OUR-VOTE..Still Time for Overseas Voters to get ballot...Serious system failures in Canadian muni internet voting...Ahmedabad India Congress leaders sue to stop internet voting...
All this and more in today's voting news.
AK: Write-in lists ruled a violation of election law
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/blogs/political-animal/7294-write-in-lists-ruled-a-violation-of-election-law In a ruling sure to disappoint supporters of U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a temporary restraining order was issued against poll workers providing voters with the names of write-in candidates.
AR: Ballot Problems For Some Voters In St. Francis County, AR*
http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-saint-francis-county-races-story,0,5413549.story
Races For District 51 House Seat & Forrest City Council Position Impacted
Alex Coleman
In Saint Francis County, Arkansas, early voting is underway, but some voters ran into a problem trying to cast their ballots for a city council position in Forrest City, AR.
...
Patton said, "I don't know every detail, but I do know there was a problem with a position of the candidates on the ballots that one of the candidates had drawn and was supposed to be in a different position and the ballot wasn't printed that way."
The Saint Francis County Election Commission found problems with some of its ballots.
The race for Arkansas State House of Representatives between Democrat Marshall Wright and Republican Anna Grizzle was also affected.
...
The ballot problem will mean the election commission chairman, Frederick Freeman, will likely total out voting machines and maybe restart the early voting process.
AZ: Restrictive Voter Registration Law Struck Down In Arizona
http://networkedblogs.com/9GsmI
By a 2-1 vote (the majority included retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor), the court struck down Arizona’s documentary proof of citizenship requirement for all new voter registrants because it is superseded by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993
CA: Voter fraud warning: Don't give ballot to door-to-door solicitor* (dirty trick)
http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/105890433.html
If someone comes to your door asking for a mail-in ballot, don't give it to them. That's the warning from Kern County Elections officials.
CO: Boulder voters given wrong ballot language on tax question* (ballot info wrong)
http://www.dailycamera.com/news/ci_16440973
Electronic voting machines that should have shown early voters in Boulder the text of the proposed utility tax ballot measure instead showed the text for the county open space measure. Those voters' yes and no votes were then recorded for the utility tax.
Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Hillary Hall said election workers discovered the problem around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday when a voter noticed the discrepancy.
Electronic voting was immediately discontinued for the day, and a new ballot program was uploaded to new voting
CO: Election glitch sends ballots with wrong state house district to Fort Collins senior complex* (ballot missing contest)
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20101027/UPDATES01/101027020/Election+glitch+sends+b allots+with+wrong+state+house+district+to+Fort+Collins+senior+complex
http://tinyurl.com/268pueg Mary Willhite wanted to vote for her friend Bob Morain in House District 52. But when she got her ballot in the mail, it listed the House District 53 race.
CO: Mayor Ireland to vote to repeal Instant Runoff Voting
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/143323
CT: Federal Court Tells Connecticut that Voters at Polls May Wear WWE Wrestling-Related Clothing to Polls
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/10/27/federal-court-tells-connecticut-that-voters-at-polls-may-wear-wwe-wrestling-related-clothing-to-polls/
FL: City Commissioner arrested in absentee ballot fraud*
http://www.news-journalonline.com/breakingnews/2010/10/daytona-beach-city-commissioner-arrested-in-absentee-ballot-fraud.html
DAYTONA BEACH -- A Daytona Beach City commissioner and his campaign manager were arrested today on multiple charges of felony absentee ballot fraud
...
Henry and Robinson requested 92 ballots through the elections office website, four of which were found under a computer keyboard at Henry's home on Sept. 23, Davidson said.
GA: Error Sends Out Triple Absentee Ballots*
Elections Director: Staff's Mistake Is 'Inexcusable'
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16437951
The Central Contra Costa Sanitary District race was left off 2,863 ballots in Alamo, Danville, Pleasant Hill and Danville, according to Steve Weir, Contra Costa's elections chief.
His office spent Tuesday mailing correct ballots to those households, he said, and expect them to arrive in mailboxes today.
HI: Overseas Troops Can Vote For Free
http://www.kitv.com/r/25511596/detail.html
Troops May Print Ballots Online, Return Without Paying Postage
IA: Do Black Hawk officials really count absentee ballots?
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/article_db925654-e115-11df-aff8-001cc4c03286.html
IL: Vote By Mail Glitch in Illinois Could Affect Thousands of Voters*
http://indiepropub.com/vote-by-mail-glitch-in-illinois-could-affect-thousands-of-voters/311649/ Voters are complaining that when they received vote by mail requests, that the return address isn’t sent directly to their local election official, but instead to a PO Box. One Chicagoan, Rosia Carter said “By the time I filed it out and sent it in, my vote would not get counted.” Carter noticed that the return address was to the Illinois Democratic Coordinated Campaign and complained to the local media.
IN: Vote machine public test deadline missed – ballots to be hand counted
http://www.carrollcountycomet.com/news/2010-10-27/Local_News/Vote_machine_public_test_deadline_missed__ballots_.html
The Carroll County Election Board paid consultants Election Systems and Software (ES&S) to train board members Denise Strasser and clerk Nancy Mattox to perform the necessary duties and responsibilities for the Nov. 2 general election.
MA: STAFF EDIT: Registration intimidation
http://www.dailyfreepress.com/opinion/staff-edit-registration-intimidation-1.2383527
MI: Clerks told not to notify voters of invalid absentee ballots
Ballots cast for now-deceased candidate won't be counted
http://michiganmessenger.com/42842/clerks-told-not-to-notify-voters-of-invalid-absentee-ballots
NC: Voting Machine Issues Getting National Attention
http://www.wcti12.com/news/25529051/detail.html
NC: Double Take: Touch screen voting casts doubt with some voters* (Lenoir)
http://www.enctoday.com/news/screen-69164-kfpress-touch-voters.html
Ervin Norville, a registered Democrat, said he was trying to vote for a straight party Republican ticket Tuesday Oct. 19, at the McLewean Street polling place. He said when he reviewed his ballot, several Democratic candidates were selected.
...
ones — a former high school government teacher at South Lenoir — said he used three machines before finally being able to get his ballot correct.
“I voted and I decided to do something I don’t normally do and I reviewed my vote, and four of them were not what I pressed. It was not doing right,” Jones said. “I called the ladies over and they called the county office and went to another machine. Finally, I got it on the right one and I voted.”
Jones said he was not voting a straight party ticket but noticed three races that were voted opposite of what he had pressed. He added the woman next to him also had some trouble voting.
NC: ViewPoints Radio -Joyce McCloy, NC Coalition for Verified Voting and Sean Flaherty, Policy Analyst for Verified Voting (podcast)
http://viewpointsradio.blogspot.com/2010/10/joyce-mccloy-nc-coalition-for-verified.html Discussion of verified voting, touchscreen vote flipping, internet voting, and statewide IRV contest begin at 10:24.
NC: Instant runoff voting highlights NC judges' races
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NC_JUDICIAL_RACES_NCOL-?SITE=NCMOR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
(AP) ...But the "instant" winner actually may not be known for several weeks if no one receives more than 50 percent of the first-place votes
NC: Poll observers upset voters (makes national news)
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/10/27/762442/poll-observers-upset-voters.html
NH: AG warns NH voters of internet voting scam (dirty tricks)
http://www.necn.com/10/27/10/AG-warns-NH-voters-of-internet-voting-sc/landing_nation.html New Hampshire Attorney General Michael Delaney is warning voters not to believe callers urging them to vote using an Internet website
NV: GOP raises "issues and discrepancies" in early voting* (more votes than voters)
http://www.lvrj.com/blogs/politics/GOP_raises_issues_and_discrepancies_in_early_voting.html?ref=783
The Republicans said "extra votes" -- one or two apiece -- appeared on seven voting machines in Clark and Washoe counties.
"These troubling discrepancies suggest that these voting machines may have recorded extra votes erroneously, or that people were allowed to cast votes without signing up (thereby potentially allowing them to cast multiple ballots.)
The 44 page letter to NV SoS, including must see polling place docs
http://media.lvrj.com/documents/Letter+and+Attachmen.pdf
NV: E-Vote Trouble in NV & My Article at Truthout Today: 'Hacking Harry Reid (or Sharron's Angle)' http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8152
After reports of ES&S touch-screen votes flipping away from Republicans, for a change, over the last several days in North Carolina and in Texas, reports are now coming in from Nevada about similar occurrences on that state's Sequoia touch-screens
NV: Hacking Harry Reid (or Sharron's Angle)
http://www.truth-out.org/hacking-harry-reid-or-sharrons-angle64548
Sharron Angle should start filing the lawsuits right now. Then again, so should Harry Reid. However, it might be a bit more difficult politically for the Senate majority leader, given the undeserved support Reid has shown in the past for Nevada's 100 percent unverifiable, error-prone, hackable, illegally-certified, electronic voting systems the state forces all voters to use at the polling place.
NV: Voting Machines Selecting Default Candidates*
http://slashdot.org/story/10/10/26/1428226/Voting-Machines-Selecting-Default-Candidates Some voters in Las Vegas have noticed that Democrat Harry Reid's name is checked by default on their electronic voting machines. By way of explanation, the Clark County Registrar says that when voters choose English instead of Spanish, Reid's Republican opponent, Sharron Angle, has her name checked by default."
NV: Nevada voting machines automatically checking Harry Reid's name; voting machine technicians are SEIU members http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Voting-machines-in-Clark-County-Nevada-automatically-checking-Harry-Reids-name-Voting-machine-technicians-are-members-of-SEIU-105815608.html
NV: County Denies Voting Machine Malfunction Claims
Voters Advised Touch-Screens Are Sensitive
http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/25524494/detail.html
NY: U.S. District Court Won’t Force New York State to Reprint All its Ballots
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/10/26/u-s-district-court-wont-force-new-york-state-to-reprint-all-its-ballots/
SC: South Carolina voting system needs an overhaul
http://www.moultrienews.com/column/-27FRANKEDITORIALMUST-
Contrary to what the State Election Commission has told the public, our iVotronic voting machines are not reliable, our voting system is not secure, the ballots cannot be recounted, and we do not have a transparent election process.
...
Through the Freedom of Information Act, I obtained the Charleston County audit logs of the 391 voting machines used in the June 8, 2010 primary.
This data, over 59,000 lines on an Excel spreadsheet, details many voting machines having error messages and shutdowns throughout the day.
SC: Website with FOIA docs on SC's Primary Election citing machine problems
http://www.scvotinginfo.com/
TX: VIDEO. Voting machine in Dallas, TX, changing votes right in front of your eyes. Taken by my coworker at the Audelia Library. Watch as it selects all the members of another party after he presses on one entry to vote for someone. Happens right after the 10 s
http://www.myvidster.com/video/520818/Voting_machine_in_Dallas_TX_changing_votes_right_in_ front_of_your_eyes_Taken_by_my_coworker_at_the_Audelia_Library_Watch _as_it_selects_all_the_members_of_another_party_after_he_presses_on _one_entry_to_vote_for_someone_Happens_right_after_the_10_s http://tinyurl.com/23cfrty
TX: Judge: Assisted voting may continue in contested Precinct 1 commissioner race
http://www.themonitor.com/articles/voting-43948-continue-edinburg.html
(Hidalgo County)
WA: Franklin County Auditor defending missing ballot problem* (mail ballots)
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=13393287 PASCO, Wash. --Franklin County auditor Zona Lenhart is standing up to the republican law makers who voiced their concerns regarding the 75 ballots reported missing by voters last week in a statewide conference call.
...
We mailed out approximately over 25 thousand ballots, and so far we've reissued, replaced about 211 ballots total. So it's not a huge number, it's about normal for this type of general election," says Lenhart
WV: Kanawha voting machine breaks down during test
http://wvgazette.com/News/201010260999
Internet Voting Watch
CNN Video: Professors find out how easy it is to hack internet voting systems. CNN's Deborah Feyerick reports. (With Professor Alex Halderman, U of Michigan)
http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/politics/2010/10/27/feyerick.vote.hacking.cnn
(Hack on DC's Internet voting system, potential memory card attack against electronic voting machines, and PacMan demo
Analysis: Professor exposes more voting system flaws
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/10/25/voting.system.flaws/index.html
Hacked! E-Voting, E-Nightmare
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/tech-mainmenu-30/computers/5006-hacked-e-voting-e-nightmare
CNN: Hacking the vote
http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/27/hacking-the-vote/
The Risky Business of Internet Voting
http://www.commonblog.com/2010/10/26/risk-analysis-of-internet-voting/
Canada: Online voting system a bust* (LTE)
http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2819432
Canada: Voter's vote wasn't counted*
http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2819444
"Too bad my vote wasn't counted in the process...I gave up in frustration."
Canada: Arnprior voting extended by 24 hours due to technical issues*
http://papervotecanada.blogspot.com/2010/10/arnprior-voting-extended-by-24-hours.html
Many, many stories about this yesterday and today. Not just Arnprior was affected, but it's the only one that took the extraordinary step of extending voting by 24 hours. Other municipalities extended voting by an hour.
This is a serious voting system failure. I think "glitch" is a bit of an understatement. First you hand your voting system over to a private company, and then it doesn't work? That's a surrender followed by a failure, not a glitch
Canada: Technical snags won't be repeated: Intelivote
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2818573
Company's excuses for failures that blocked some people from voting
India: Gujarat High Court seeks details of EVM, e-voters
http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a177459.html They also feared that the privacy of e-vote would be compromised in absence of any safeguard to it. "There is no safeguard to make sure that the person has voted in isolation and as per his own wish," the petitioners contended
(Lawsuit to stop online voting in Gujarat)
National
Moritz College of Law: Top 10 Election Issues
http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/comments/index.php?ID=7615
866-OUR-VOTE is live now. Report problems with voting, get help.
http://www.866ourvote.org/
Digital Democracy in Doubt (with video)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-rather/digital-democracy-in-doub_b_774137.html
In our latest segment examining the use of e-voting machines, "Das Vote," we will show again that there's no guarantee that these machines count votes correctly
Download the show on iTunes http://bit.ly/cUPaUD
Verified Voting: Vote Flipping and Touch Screen Calibration
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/10/27/1205 Vote flipping can be caused by a voter touching the screen in two places, for example resting one hand on the machine while making selections with the other (see pp. 20-22 here), but the most likely cause of “vote-flipping” is miscalibration.
Rice electronic voting expert available through Election Day
http://www.newdesignworld.com/press/story/207442
Rice University computer scientist and electronic voting expert Dan Wallach is available for news media interviews about previous electronic voting problems and current concerns with voting machines, voting software and Internet voting.
Where's My Ballot? There's Still Time for Overseas Voters in 2010
http://www.expatexchange.com/lib.cfm?articleID=3693
Even this late in the election cycle, it's not too late to get your ballot and return it on time if you're a U.S. citizen living overseas
NYT. Feds: 65,000 Overseas Voters Protected Before Vote
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/10/27/us/politics/AP-US-Overseas-Votes.html?_r=2&ref=politics
NYT: Fraudulent voting re-emerges as a partisan issue
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39868329/ns/politics-the_new_york_times
Some groups organizing 'surveillance squads,' offering rewards for proof of fraud
CBS: Poll Watching Efforts Draw Scrutiny
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20020773-503544.html
NY Times: Tea Party mounting voter-registration challenges
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_16441222
Jon Stewart knows how your vote's being counted!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMQMePcKLBc
International
India: Parties had sought advice of EVM 'thief'
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Parties-had-sought-advice-of-EVM-thief/Article1-618350.aspx
Prasad, a software company owner, is out on bail and is in Hyderabad at present. According to the police, Prasad was contacted by minister of state, Madhav Kinhalkar after he lost the 2009 elections.
...
The officer also said that Prasad had sought the help of foreigners for the research where he had found out that after the memory chip of the EVM machine is changed it can be operated even by a mobile phone miles away.
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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.
All this and more in today's voting news.
AK: Write-in lists ruled a violation of election law
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/blogs/political-animal/7294-write-in-lists-ruled-a-violation-of-election-law In a ruling sure to disappoint supporters of U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a temporary restraining order was issued against poll workers providing voters with the names of write-in candidates.
AR: Ballot Problems For Some Voters In St. Francis County, AR*
http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-saint-francis-county-races-story,0,5413549.story
Races For District 51 House Seat & Forrest City Council Position Impacted
Alex Coleman
In Saint Francis County, Arkansas, early voting is underway, but some voters ran into a problem trying to cast their ballots for a city council position in Forrest City, AR.
...
Patton said, "I don't know every detail, but I do know there was a problem with a position of the candidates on the ballots that one of the candidates had drawn and was supposed to be in a different position and the ballot wasn't printed that way."
The Saint Francis County Election Commission found problems with some of its ballots.
The race for Arkansas State House of Representatives between Democrat Marshall Wright and Republican Anna Grizzle was also affected.
...
The ballot problem will mean the election commission chairman, Frederick Freeman, will likely total out voting machines and maybe restart the early voting process.
AZ: Restrictive Voter Registration Law Struck Down In Arizona
http://networkedblogs.com/9GsmI
By a 2-1 vote (the majority included retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor), the court struck down Arizona’s documentary proof of citizenship requirement for all new voter registrants because it is superseded by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993
CA: Voter fraud warning: Don't give ballot to door-to-door solicitor* (dirty trick)
http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/105890433.html
If someone comes to your door asking for a mail-in ballot, don't give it to them. That's the warning from Kern County Elections officials.
CO: Boulder voters given wrong ballot language on tax question* (ballot info wrong)
http://www.dailycamera.com/news/ci_16440973
Electronic voting machines that should have shown early voters in Boulder the text of the proposed utility tax ballot measure instead showed the text for the county open space measure. Those voters' yes and no votes were then recorded for the utility tax.
Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Hillary Hall said election workers discovered the problem around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday when a voter noticed the discrepancy.
Electronic voting was immediately discontinued for the day, and a new ballot program was uploaded to new voting
CO: Election glitch sends ballots with wrong state house district to Fort Collins senior complex* (ballot missing contest)
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20101027/UPDATES01/101027020/Election+glitch+sends+b allots+with+wrong+state+house+district+to+Fort+Collins+senior+complex
http://tinyurl.com/268pueg Mary Willhite wanted to vote for her friend Bob Morain in House District 52. But when she got her ballot in the mail, it listed the House District 53 race.
CO: Mayor Ireland to vote to repeal Instant Runoff Voting
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/143323
CT: Federal Court Tells Connecticut that Voters at Polls May Wear WWE Wrestling-Related Clothing to Polls
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/10/27/federal-court-tells-connecticut-that-voters-at-polls-may-wear-wwe-wrestling-related-clothing-to-polls/
FL: City Commissioner arrested in absentee ballot fraud*
http://www.news-journalonline.com/breakingnews/2010/10/daytona-beach-city-commissioner-arrested-in-absentee-ballot-fraud.html
DAYTONA BEACH -- A Daytona Beach City commissioner and his campaign manager were arrested today on multiple charges of felony absentee ballot fraud
...
Henry and Robinson requested 92 ballots through the elections office website, four of which were found under a computer keyboard at Henry's home on Sept. 23, Davidson said.
GA: Error Sends Out Triple Absentee Ballots*
Elections Director: Staff's Mistake Is 'Inexcusable'
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16437951
The Central Contra Costa Sanitary District race was left off 2,863 ballots in Alamo, Danville, Pleasant Hill and Danville, according to Steve Weir, Contra Costa's elections chief.
His office spent Tuesday mailing correct ballots to those households, he said, and expect them to arrive in mailboxes today.
HI: Overseas Troops Can Vote For Free
http://www.kitv.com/r/25511596/detail.html
Troops May Print Ballots Online, Return Without Paying Postage
IA: Do Black Hawk officials really count absentee ballots?
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/article_db925654-e115-11df-aff8-001cc4c03286.html
IL: Vote By Mail Glitch in Illinois Could Affect Thousands of Voters*
http://indiepropub.com/vote-by-mail-glitch-in-illinois-could-affect-thousands-of-voters/311649/ Voters are complaining that when they received vote by mail requests, that the return address isn’t sent directly to their local election official, but instead to a PO Box. One Chicagoan, Rosia Carter said “By the time I filed it out and sent it in, my vote would not get counted.” Carter noticed that the return address was to the Illinois Democratic Coordinated Campaign and complained to the local media.
IN: Vote machine public test deadline missed – ballots to be hand counted
http://www.carrollcountycomet.com/news/2010-10-27/Local_News/Vote_machine_public_test_deadline_missed__ballots_.html
The Carroll County Election Board paid consultants Election Systems and Software (ES&S) to train board members Denise Strasser and clerk Nancy Mattox to perform the necessary duties and responsibilities for the Nov. 2 general election.
MA: STAFF EDIT: Registration intimidation
http://www.dailyfreepress.com/opinion/staff-edit-registration-intimidation-1.2383527
MI: Clerks told not to notify voters of invalid absentee ballots
Ballots cast for now-deceased candidate won't be counted
http://michiganmessenger.com/42842/clerks-told-not-to-notify-voters-of-invalid-absentee-ballots
NC: Voting Machine Issues Getting National Attention
http://www.wcti12.com/news/25529051/detail.html
NC: Double Take: Touch screen voting casts doubt with some voters* (Lenoir)
http://www.enctoday.com/news/screen-69164-kfpress-touch-voters.html
Ervin Norville, a registered Democrat, said he was trying to vote for a straight party Republican ticket Tuesday Oct. 19, at the McLewean Street polling place. He said when he reviewed his ballot, several Democratic candidates were selected.
...
ones — a former high school government teacher at South Lenoir — said he used three machines before finally being able to get his ballot correct.
“I voted and I decided to do something I don’t normally do and I reviewed my vote, and four of them were not what I pressed. It was not doing right,” Jones said. “I called the ladies over and they called the county office and went to another machine. Finally, I got it on the right one and I voted.”
Jones said he was not voting a straight party ticket but noticed three races that were voted opposite of what he had pressed. He added the woman next to him also had some trouble voting.
NC: ViewPoints Radio -Joyce McCloy, NC Coalition for Verified Voting and Sean Flaherty, Policy Analyst for Verified Voting (podcast)
http://viewpointsradio.blogspot.com/2010/10/joyce-mccloy-nc-coalition-for-verified.html Discussion of verified voting, touchscreen vote flipping, internet voting, and statewide IRV contest begin at 10:24.
NC: Instant runoff voting highlights NC judges' races
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NC_JUDICIAL_RACES_NCOL-?SITE=NCMOR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
(AP) ...But the "instant" winner actually may not be known for several weeks if no one receives more than 50 percent of the first-place votes
NC: Poll observers upset voters (makes national news)
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/10/27/762442/poll-observers-upset-voters.html
NH: AG warns NH voters of internet voting scam (dirty tricks)
http://www.necn.com/10/27/10/AG-warns-NH-voters-of-internet-voting-sc/landing_nation.html New Hampshire Attorney General Michael Delaney is warning voters not to believe callers urging them to vote using an Internet website
NV: GOP raises "issues and discrepancies" in early voting* (more votes than voters)
http://www.lvrj.com/blogs/politics/GOP_raises_issues_and_discrepancies_in_early_voting.html?ref=783
The Republicans said "extra votes" -- one or two apiece -- appeared on seven voting machines in Clark and Washoe counties.
"These troubling discrepancies suggest that these voting machines may have recorded extra votes erroneously, or that people were allowed to cast votes without signing up (thereby potentially allowing them to cast multiple ballots.)
The 44 page letter to NV SoS, including must see polling place docs
http://media.lvrj.com/documents/Letter+and+Attachmen.pdf
NV: E-Vote Trouble in NV & My Article at Truthout Today: 'Hacking Harry Reid (or Sharron's Angle)' http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8152
After reports of ES&S touch-screen votes flipping away from Republicans, for a change, over the last several days in North Carolina and in Texas, reports are now coming in from Nevada about similar occurrences on that state's Sequoia touch-screens
NV: Hacking Harry Reid (or Sharron's Angle)
http://www.truth-out.org/hacking-harry-reid-or-sharrons-angle64548
Sharron Angle should start filing the lawsuits right now. Then again, so should Harry Reid. However, it might be a bit more difficult politically for the Senate majority leader, given the undeserved support Reid has shown in the past for Nevada's 100 percent unverifiable, error-prone, hackable, illegally-certified, electronic voting systems the state forces all voters to use at the polling place.
NV: Voting Machines Selecting Default Candidates*
http://slashdot.org/story/10/10/26/1428226/Voting-Machines-Selecting-Default-Candidates Some voters in Las Vegas have noticed that Democrat Harry Reid's name is checked by default on their electronic voting machines. By way of explanation, the Clark County Registrar says that when voters choose English instead of Spanish, Reid's Republican opponent, Sharron Angle, has her name checked by default."
NV: Nevada voting machines automatically checking Harry Reid's name; voting machine technicians are SEIU members http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Voting-machines-in-Clark-County-Nevada-automatically-checking-Harry-Reids-name-Voting-machine-technicians-are-members-of-SEIU-105815608.html
NV: County Denies Voting Machine Malfunction Claims
Voters Advised Touch-Screens Are Sensitive
http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/25524494/detail.html
NY: U.S. District Court Won’t Force New York State to Reprint All its Ballots
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/10/26/u-s-district-court-wont-force-new-york-state-to-reprint-all-its-ballots/
SC: South Carolina voting system needs an overhaul
http://www.moultrienews.com/column/-27FRANKEDITORIALMUST-
Contrary to what the State Election Commission has told the public, our iVotronic voting machines are not reliable, our voting system is not secure, the ballots cannot be recounted, and we do not have a transparent election process.
...
Through the Freedom of Information Act, I obtained the Charleston County audit logs of the 391 voting machines used in the June 8, 2010 primary.
This data, over 59,000 lines on an Excel spreadsheet, details many voting machines having error messages and shutdowns throughout the day.
SC: Website with FOIA docs on SC's Primary Election citing machine problems
http://www.scvotinginfo.com/
TX: VIDEO. Voting machine in Dallas, TX, changing votes right in front of your eyes. Taken by my coworker at the Audelia Library. Watch as it selects all the members of another party after he presses on one entry to vote for someone. Happens right after the 10 s
http://www.myvidster.com/video/520818/Voting_machine_in_Dallas_TX_changing_votes_right_in_ front_of_your_eyes_Taken_by_my_coworker_at_the_Audelia_Library_Watch _as_it_selects_all_the_members_of_another_party_after_he_presses_on _one_entry_to_vote_for_someone_Happens_right_after_the_10_s http://tinyurl.com/23cfrty
TX: Judge: Assisted voting may continue in contested Precinct 1 commissioner race
http://www.themonitor.com/articles/voting-43948-continue-edinburg.html
(Hidalgo County)
WA: Franklin County Auditor defending missing ballot problem* (mail ballots)
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=13393287 PASCO, Wash. --Franklin County auditor Zona Lenhart is standing up to the republican law makers who voiced their concerns regarding the 75 ballots reported missing by voters last week in a statewide conference call.
...
We mailed out approximately over 25 thousand ballots, and so far we've reissued, replaced about 211 ballots total. So it's not a huge number, it's about normal for this type of general election," says Lenhart
WV: Kanawha voting machine breaks down during test
http://wvgazette.com/News/201010260999
Internet Voting Watch
CNN Video: Professors find out how easy it is to hack internet voting systems. CNN's Deborah Feyerick reports. (With Professor Alex Halderman, U of Michigan)
http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/politics/2010/10/27/feyerick.vote.hacking.cnn
(Hack on DC's Internet voting system, potential memory card attack against electronic voting machines, and PacMan demo
Analysis: Professor exposes more voting system flaws
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/10/25/voting.system.flaws/index.html
Hacked! E-Voting, E-Nightmare
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/tech-mainmenu-30/computers/5006-hacked-e-voting-e-nightmare
CNN: Hacking the vote
http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/27/hacking-the-vote/
The Risky Business of Internet Voting
http://www.commonblog.com/2010/10/26/risk-analysis-of-internet-voting/
Canada: Online voting system a bust* (LTE)
http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2819432
Canada: Voter's vote wasn't counted*
http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2819444
"Too bad my vote wasn't counted in the process...I gave up in frustration."
Canada: Arnprior voting extended by 24 hours due to technical issues*
http://papervotecanada.blogspot.com/2010/10/arnprior-voting-extended-by-24-hours.html
Many, many stories about this yesterday and today. Not just Arnprior was affected, but it's the only one that took the extraordinary step of extending voting by 24 hours. Other municipalities extended voting by an hour.
This is a serious voting system failure. I think "glitch" is a bit of an understatement. First you hand your voting system over to a private company, and then it doesn't work? That's a surrender followed by a failure, not a glitch
Canada: Technical snags won't be repeated: Intelivote
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2818573
Company's excuses for failures that blocked some people from voting
India: Gujarat High Court seeks details of EVM, e-voters
http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a177459.html They also feared that the privacy of e-vote would be compromised in absence of any safeguard to it. "There is no safeguard to make sure that the person has voted in isolation and as per his own wish," the petitioners contended
(Lawsuit to stop online voting in Gujarat)
National
Moritz College of Law: Top 10 Election Issues
http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/comments/index.php?ID=7615
866-OUR-VOTE is live now. Report problems with voting, get help.
http://www.866ourvote.org/
Digital Democracy in Doubt (with video)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-rather/digital-democracy-in-doub_b_774137.html
In our latest segment examining the use of e-voting machines, "Das Vote," we will show again that there's no guarantee that these machines count votes correctly
Download the show on iTunes http://bit.ly/cUPaUD
Verified Voting: Vote Flipping and Touch Screen Calibration
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/10/27/1205 Vote flipping can be caused by a voter touching the screen in two places, for example resting one hand on the machine while making selections with the other (see pp. 20-22 here), but the most likely cause of “vote-flipping” is miscalibration.
Rice electronic voting expert available through Election Day
http://www.newdesignworld.com/press/story/207442
Rice University computer scientist and electronic voting expert Dan Wallach is available for news media interviews about previous electronic voting problems and current concerns with voting machines, voting software and Internet voting.
Where's My Ballot? There's Still Time for Overseas Voters in 2010
http://www.expatexchange.com/lib.cfm?articleID=3693
Even this late in the election cycle, it's not too late to get your ballot and return it on time if you're a U.S. citizen living overseas
NYT. Feds: 65,000 Overseas Voters Protected Before Vote
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/10/27/us/politics/AP-US-Overseas-Votes.html?_r=2&ref=politics
NYT: Fraudulent voting re-emerges as a partisan issue
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39868329/ns/politics-the_new_york_times
Some groups organizing 'surveillance squads,' offering rewards for proof of fraud
CBS: Poll Watching Efforts Draw Scrutiny
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20020773-503544.html
NY Times: Tea Party mounting voter-registration challenges
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_16441222
Jon Stewart knows how your vote's being counted!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMQMePcKLBc
International
India: Parties had sought advice of EVM 'thief'
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Parties-had-sought-advice-of-EVM-thief/Article1-618350.aspx
Prasad, a software company owner, is out on bail and is in Hyderabad at present. According to the police, Prasad was contacted by minister of state, Madhav Kinhalkar after he lost the 2009 elections.
...
The officer also said that Prasad had sought the help of foreigners for the research where he had found out that after the memory chip of the EVM machine is changed it can be operated even by a mobile phone miles away.
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Also on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/VotingNews and
at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNews
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, October 26, 2010
NV touchscreens flip votes. Internet voting security debate grows. Ontario i-vote probs
Security debate grows over Internet voting: "Nobody knows how to conduct an election that is immune to the kinds of attacks we in the security community know how to do..We can't have our election systems exposed to cyberattacks." ~ David Jefferson, computer scientist @ Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab. & VerifiedVoting.org chair...Vote flipping in Clark Co Nevada from GOP to DEM...Ontario Internet voting crashes...Scotland ditches computer voting...
All this and more in today's voting news below...
Note from the editor: Does the Voting News help you? You can help keep the Voting News going by making a tax deductible donation either online or by check. If by check note "for voting news". See this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate-vn
AK: "In Alaska Senate Race, Front-Runner Isnt' on Ballot"
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/017583.html
AK Admits to BRAD BLOG State Has Never Before Supplied Precincts With Write-In Candidate Names http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8151
AZ: Response to voter fraud claims
http://www.kyma.com/slp.php?idN=4242&cat=Local%20News
AZ Secretary of State's Office says accusations are incorrect
CA: Corrected Ballots Mailed to Danville and Alamo Voters* (contest left off ballot)
http://danville.patch.com/articles/corrected-ballots-mailed-to-danville-and-alamo-voters With just one week before Election Day, corrected ballots will show up in the mailboxes of Danville and Alamo homes—the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District was left off the ballots.
CO: Ballot copying under way in Routt County* (coding error on ballots)
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2010/oct/26/ballot-copying-under-way-routt-county/
Four-person teams of sworn-in, paid election judges continued Monday the arduous work of hand-copying scores of ballots — filling in rectangles, one quadruple-checked vote at a time — after a coding error announced last week. The error was caused by a single, inadvertent keystroke and rendered unreadable all 5,773 ballots mailed to Routt County voters before Oct. 19.
CO: Election is for citizens, not government
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20101026/LETTER/101029851/1020&
ParentProfile=1061 http://tinyurl.com/2af5o94
Regardless of such punitive backlash, we should not allow our government to block election transparency and verifiability. Elections belong to us, not the government. The government ought not obtain nor withhold “secrets” about our elections
GA: Military, overseas votes get speedier
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/government/elections/georgia-elections/2010-10-25/military-overseas-votes-get-speedier Members of the military and Georgians living abroad can expect a quicker turnaround on their absentee ballots and greater likelihood their votes will arrive in time to be counted.
IL: New law costing McLean Co., election commission
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/education/article_3f4d5152-e0b3-11df-a47d-001cc4c03286.html The law, effective until March 2, requires election authorities to offer grace period registration and early voting at all public universities
...
While the clerk's share of the cost of the ISU site program was about $4,500, Milton offset much of it by closing two off-site locations in Chenoa and Downs. That brought the net impact down to about $1,900.
MD: Errors mar most Worcester sample ballots*
http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20101026/OPI01/10260346
SNOW HILL -- Voters opening sample ballots mailed to them by Worcester election officials may have done double-takes. The instructional ballots showed inaccurate candidate listings for County Commissioner and Board of Education elections in six out of seven districts.
NC: Minor problems, large turnout of voters in Havelock *(paper jams, data transm, more on vote flip prob w/straight-ticket voting using ES&S iVotronic w/VVPAT)
http://www.enctoday.com/news/election-7675-havelock-havelock-national.html
Bare said that the button for straight tickets is so close together that it is relatively easy to hit one when the intent is to hit another. As a solution, Bare passed out pencils whose eraser heads could be used to more accurately depress the intended button.
On the first day of voting Thursday, the paper jammed in two of the voting machines and that caused a slight delay.
...
According to Burridge, there was a slight hitch in data transmissions at one point that kept Havelock’s voting information from being sent to the main elections office. The information is simply stored until the connection is re-established.
NC: N.C. debuts new ballots for midterm elections
Ballots allow second and third choice
http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2010/10/nc_debuts_new_ballots_
for_midterm_elections http://tinyurl.com/2566umu
NC: Ranking candidates for one appellate race overshadows other top NC judicial races
http://www.wtkr.com/news/sns-ap-nc--judicialraces,0,2362812.story
NV: Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls* (Sequoia AVC Edge w/VVPAT)
http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/25511115/detail.html
Voter Joyce Ferrara said when they went to vote for Republican Sharron Angle, her Democratic opponent, Sen. Harry Reid's name was already checked.
Ferrara said she wasn't alone in her voting experience. She said her husband and several others voting at the same time all had the same thing happen.
"Something's not right," Ferrara said. "One person that's a fluke. Two, that's strange. But several within a five minute period of time -- that's wrong."
Clark County Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax said there is no voter fraud, although the issues do come up because the screens are sensitive.
NY: New York City’s Board of Elections Chief Is Fired
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/nyregion/27board.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
With Election Day just a week away, the head of the city’s embattled Board of Elections was fired on Tuesday following a series of missteps with new voting machines and other procedures.
NY: Minor Parties See Threat in Ballot Quirk
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/nyregion/26ballot.html?src=twrhp
PA: 600 absentee requests tossed (Bucks County)
http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/news_details/article/28/2010/october/26/600-absentee-requests-tossed-1.html Voter Registration Director Deena Dean said the number of ballot applications rejected for mismatching signatures, incorrect birthdates and other problems is substantially higher than in recent elections.
TN: Election Fracas Nearing End (Epoll book failure bipartisan problem)
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=53785
There is still a report from the state election coordinator to come on the Aug. 5 Shelby County elections, but this week’s findings...confirm the controversy and criticism cuts across party lines.
...
“However, there are no obviously discernible demographic or voting history patterns to be found within the limited number of voters potentially affected by the EPB (electronic poll book) error.”
VA: Registrar Warns of Computer Problems One Week Before Elections*
http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-election-computer-problems,0,2897777.story
He says if the problem isn't fixed, it could cause long lines on election day.
Angela PelleranoStaff reporter
...
CBS 6 news has learned voter databases in Central Virginia and across the commonwealth are malfunctioning.
...
"This morning we couldn't enter any [absentee ballot applications] at all. When VERIS finally started working it was incredibly slow. This has become the norm", says Haake.
Internet Voting Watch
Verified Voting: Internet Voting Information
http://www.verifiedvotingfoundation.org/article.php?list=type&type=27
Map of usage in US, Technologist statement, studies, articles, proposals
Donate to help Verified Voting continue the internet voting risks awareness campaign
https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/199/t/5398/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3235
Security debate grows over Internet voting
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/evoting/2010-10-26-internetvote26_ST_N.htm
USA Today
A growing number of states allow military and overseas voters to cast absentee ballots by fax and e-mail, in addition to mail. Voting methods, by state:
...
Arizona and West Virginia will allow military and overseas voters to use the Internet on Nov. 2 with systems the states claim are safe. More than 20 other states let those voters use e-mail, which some election security experts say is just as vulnerable.
Canada: Electronic voting creates problems across eastern Ont.*
http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20101026/OTT_E_Vote_101026/20101026/?hub=OttawaHome
Arnprior will have to wait until Tuesday night to declare its mayor after the electronic voting system used in many places across eastern Ontario crashed Monday night.
The online and telephone voting system was used by 33 municipalities, causing several problems across the region.
Arnprior resident Debbie Laventure was one of hundreds of voters locked out of the "Intelivote" electronic voting system.
"I tried on the telephone to phone in, couldn't get through. I tried the computer; that wasn't working, so went to the library and that didn't work," Laventure told CTV Ottawa on Tuesday.
...
However, Arnprior wasn't the only municipality that had problems with Intelivote's electronic voting system.
In North Grenville, it crashed in the last hour of voting. In McNab/Braeside, voting was extended for another hour to account for the delay.
The company that runs the system says a hardware problem coupled with a huge spike in voter turnout was the cause of frustration on election day.
Technical glitch extends Arnprior vote 1 day
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/10/25/arnprior-voting-delay-105.html?ref=rss
National
The Hill Blog: A Common Sense Solution to Defective Voting
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/10/26/1211
A recent comprehensive report by the Brennan Center for Justice demonstrates that problems with voting machines in one jurisdiction will often crop up in another. To cite but one example, Ohio officials discovered that at least 1,000 votes were undercounted in nine of the state’s 44 counties in a March 2008 state primary. Little did election officials know that the identical problem with the same vendor’s machines had happened next door in Illinois four years earlier.
Efforts To Prevent Voter Fraud Draw Scrutiny
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130822279
Tea Party Vow to Police Vote Fraud Is Called Scare Tactic
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/us/politics/27fraud.html?_r=1
“Private efforts to police the polls create a real risk of vote suppression, regardless of their intent,” said Wendy R. Weiser, director of the Voting Rights and Elections Project at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University. “People need to know that any form of discrimination, intimidation, or challenge to voters without adequate basis is illegal or improper.”
USA Today's Richard Wolf Files 5-Year Old E-Voting Piece (Or One That Sure Reads Like It) http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8149
Evil Men in Black Robes (slide show available)
http://www.slate.com/id/2272086/
Slate's judicial election campaign ad spooktacular!
Be sure to check out the slide show of the creepiest judicial election ads this cycle
International
India: ECI must hasten EVM reform, Congress party must support it
http://www.indianevm.com/blogs/?p=519
Scotland: Electronic voting system scrapped
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iX9Ej7XylHsT9skMtHwEIgQ5giPA?docId=N0111001288118627909A
A controversial system of electronic ballot counting is to be ditched for next year's Holyrood election, it has been confirmed.
Votes will instead be counted by hand following the chaos which followed the 2007 Holyrood election which saw more than 140,000 ballots spoilt.
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Also on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/VotingNews and
at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNews
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...
Note from the editor: Does the Voting News help you? You can help keep the Voting News going by making a tax deductible donation either online or by check. If by check note "for voting news". See this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate-vn
AK: "In Alaska Senate Race, Front-Runner Isnt' on Ballot"
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/017583.html
AK Admits to BRAD BLOG State Has Never Before Supplied Precincts With Write-In Candidate Names http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8151
AZ: Response to voter fraud claims
http://www.kyma.com/slp.php?idN=4242&cat=Local%20News
AZ Secretary of State's Office says accusations are incorrect
CA: Corrected Ballots Mailed to Danville and Alamo Voters* (contest left off ballot)
http://danville.patch.com/articles/corrected-ballots-mailed-to-danville-and-alamo-voters With just one week before Election Day, corrected ballots will show up in the mailboxes of Danville and Alamo homes—the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District was left off the ballots.
CO: Ballot copying under way in Routt County* (coding error on ballots)
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2010/oct/26/ballot-copying-under-way-routt-county/
Four-person teams of sworn-in, paid election judges continued Monday the arduous work of hand-copying scores of ballots — filling in rectangles, one quadruple-checked vote at a time — after a coding error announced last week. The error was caused by a single, inadvertent keystroke and rendered unreadable all 5,773 ballots mailed to Routt County voters before Oct. 19.
CO: Election is for citizens, not government
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20101026/LETTER/101029851/1020&
ParentProfile=1061 http://tinyurl.com/2af5o94
Regardless of such punitive backlash, we should not allow our government to block election transparency and verifiability. Elections belong to us, not the government. The government ought not obtain nor withhold “secrets” about our elections
GA: Military, overseas votes get speedier
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/government/elections/georgia-elections/2010-10-25/military-overseas-votes-get-speedier Members of the military and Georgians living abroad can expect a quicker turnaround on their absentee ballots and greater likelihood their votes will arrive in time to be counted.
IL: New law costing McLean Co., election commission
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/education/article_3f4d5152-e0b3-11df-a47d-001cc4c03286.html The law, effective until March 2, requires election authorities to offer grace period registration and early voting at all public universities
...
While the clerk's share of the cost of the ISU site program was about $4,500, Milton offset much of it by closing two off-site locations in Chenoa and Downs. That brought the net impact down to about $1,900.
MD: Errors mar most Worcester sample ballots*
http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20101026/OPI01/10260346
SNOW HILL -- Voters opening sample ballots mailed to them by Worcester election officials may have done double-takes. The instructional ballots showed inaccurate candidate listings for County Commissioner and Board of Education elections in six out of seven districts.
NC: Minor problems, large turnout of voters in Havelock *(paper jams, data transm, more on vote flip prob w/straight-ticket voting using ES&S iVotronic w/VVPAT)
http://www.enctoday.com/news/election-7675-havelock-havelock-national.html
Bare said that the button for straight tickets is so close together that it is relatively easy to hit one when the intent is to hit another. As a solution, Bare passed out pencils whose eraser heads could be used to more accurately depress the intended button.
On the first day of voting Thursday, the paper jammed in two of the voting machines and that caused a slight delay.
...
According to Burridge, there was a slight hitch in data transmissions at one point that kept Havelock’s voting information from being sent to the main elections office. The information is simply stored until the connection is re-established.
NC: N.C. debuts new ballots for midterm elections
Ballots allow second and third choice
http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2010/10/nc_debuts_new_ballots_
for_midterm_elections http://tinyurl.com/2566umu
NC: Ranking candidates for one appellate race overshadows other top NC judicial races
http://www.wtkr.com/news/sns-ap-nc--judicialraces,0,2362812.story
NV: Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls* (Sequoia AVC Edge w/VVPAT)
http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/25511115/detail.html
Voter Joyce Ferrara said when they went to vote for Republican Sharron Angle, her Democratic opponent, Sen. Harry Reid's name was already checked.
Ferrara said she wasn't alone in her voting experience. She said her husband and several others voting at the same time all had the same thing happen.
"Something's not right," Ferrara said. "One person that's a fluke. Two, that's strange. But several within a five minute period of time -- that's wrong."
Clark County Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax said there is no voter fraud, although the issues do come up because the screens are sensitive.
NY: New York City’s Board of Elections Chief Is Fired
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/nyregion/27board.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
With Election Day just a week away, the head of the city’s embattled Board of Elections was fired on Tuesday following a series of missteps with new voting machines and other procedures.
NY: Minor Parties See Threat in Ballot Quirk
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/nyregion/26ballot.html?src=twrhp
PA: 600 absentee requests tossed (Bucks County)
http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/news_details/article/28/2010/october/26/600-absentee-requests-tossed-1.html Voter Registration Director Deena Dean said the number of ballot applications rejected for mismatching signatures, incorrect birthdates and other problems is substantially higher than in recent elections.
TN: Election Fracas Nearing End (Epoll book failure bipartisan problem)
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=53785
There is still a report from the state election coordinator to come on the Aug. 5 Shelby County elections, but this week’s findings...confirm the controversy and criticism cuts across party lines.
...
“However, there are no obviously discernible demographic or voting history patterns to be found within the limited number of voters potentially affected by the EPB (electronic poll book) error.”
VA: Registrar Warns of Computer Problems One Week Before Elections*
http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-election-computer-problems,0,2897777.story
He says if the problem isn't fixed, it could cause long lines on election day.
Angela PelleranoStaff reporter
...
CBS 6 news has learned voter databases in Central Virginia and across the commonwealth are malfunctioning.
...
"This morning we couldn't enter any [absentee ballot applications] at all. When VERIS finally started working it was incredibly slow. This has become the norm", says Haake.
Internet Voting Watch
Verified Voting: Internet Voting Information
http://www.verifiedvotingfoundation.org/article.php?list=type&type=27
Map of usage in US, Technologist statement, studies, articles, proposals
Donate to help Verified Voting continue the internet voting risks awareness campaign
https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/199/t/5398/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3235
Security debate grows over Internet voting
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/evoting/2010-10-26-internetvote26_ST_N.htm
USA Today
A growing number of states allow military and overseas voters to cast absentee ballots by fax and e-mail, in addition to mail. Voting methods, by state:
...
Arizona and West Virginia will allow military and overseas voters to use the Internet on Nov. 2 with systems the states claim are safe. More than 20 other states let those voters use e-mail, which some election security experts say is just as vulnerable.
Canada: Electronic voting creates problems across eastern Ont.*
http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20101026/OTT_E_Vote_101026/20101026/?hub=OttawaHome
Arnprior will have to wait until Tuesday night to declare its mayor after the electronic voting system used in many places across eastern Ontario crashed Monday night.
The online and telephone voting system was used by 33 municipalities, causing several problems across the region.
Arnprior resident Debbie Laventure was one of hundreds of voters locked out of the "Intelivote" electronic voting system.
"I tried on the telephone to phone in, couldn't get through. I tried the computer; that wasn't working, so went to the library and that didn't work," Laventure told CTV Ottawa on Tuesday.
...
However, Arnprior wasn't the only municipality that had problems with Intelivote's electronic voting system.
In North Grenville, it crashed in the last hour of voting. In McNab/Braeside, voting was extended for another hour to account for the delay.
The company that runs the system says a hardware problem coupled with a huge spike in voter turnout was the cause of frustration on election day.
Technical glitch extends Arnprior vote 1 day
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/10/25/arnprior-voting-delay-105.html?ref=rss
National
The Hill Blog: A Common Sense Solution to Defective Voting
http://blog.verifiedvoting.org/2010/10/26/1211
A recent comprehensive report by the Brennan Center for Justice demonstrates that problems with voting machines in one jurisdiction will often crop up in another. To cite but one example, Ohio officials discovered that at least 1,000 votes were undercounted in nine of the state’s 44 counties in a March 2008 state primary. Little did election officials know that the identical problem with the same vendor’s machines had happened next door in Illinois four years earlier.
Efforts To Prevent Voter Fraud Draw Scrutiny
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130822279
Tea Party Vow to Police Vote Fraud Is Called Scare Tactic
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/us/politics/27fraud.html?_r=1
“Private efforts to police the polls create a real risk of vote suppression, regardless of their intent,” said Wendy R. Weiser, director of the Voting Rights and Elections Project at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University. “People need to know that any form of discrimination, intimidation, or challenge to voters without adequate basis is illegal or improper.”
USA Today's Richard Wolf Files 5-Year Old E-Voting Piece (Or One That Sure Reads Like It) http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8149
Evil Men in Black Robes (slide show available)
http://www.slate.com/id/2272086/
Slate's judicial election campaign ad spooktacular!
Be sure to check out the slide show of the creepiest judicial election ads this cycle
International
India: ECI must hasten EVM reform, Congress party must support it
http://www.indianevm.com/blogs/?p=519
Scotland: Electronic voting system scrapped
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iX9Ej7XylHsT9skMtHwEIgQ5giPA?docId=N0111001288118627909A
A controversial system of electronic ballot counting is to be ditched for next year's Holyrood election, it has been confirmed.
Votes will instead be counted by hand following the chaos which followed the 2007 Holyrood election which saw more than 140,000 ballots spoilt.
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.Archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
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