TX Photo ID opponents point to rural burden; UK's e-voting experiment recalled

There is an extremely high volume of coverage both of the Illinois Supreme Court's order regarding the Chicago mayoral election and of the photo ID debate in the Texas Senate. We have included a small sampling of articles on each of these issue.

Photo ID legislation appears to be a fait accompli in Texas, though opponents raised the argument that the proposed bill would burden remote areas. In the United Kingdom, consideration of voting system reforms prompts a partisan skeptic to revisit the country's e-voting pilots of the early 21st century.

All this and more in today's Voting News below.

GA: Press Releases - Newsroom - The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law | National Voting Rights Groups Put Georgia Secretary of State Kemp on Notice of Voting Rights Violations

Citing clear evidence that low-income Georgia residents are being denied a legally-mandated opportunity to register to vote, attorneys from Project Vote, Demos, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL), the ACLU Voting Rights Project, and the law firm of Dechert LLP sent an official notice letter today to Secretary of State Brian Kemp, on behalf of the Georgia State Conference of the NAACP, demanding that the Secretary immediately act to bring Georgia into compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Read More

IL: Clout St: Chicago election official: Might want to hold off on early voting

If the Supreme Court rules in Emanuel’s case or lower courts rule in any of the others, early voting would be halted at the affected locations so touch-screen voting machines could be swapped out, most likely overnight, he added. Read More

IL: Court halts ballots without Emanuel's name - AP News Wire, Associated Press News - Salon.com

The Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered election officials not to print any mayoral ballots without Rahm Emanuel's name while the justices consider whether to hear an appeal from the former White House chief of staff. Read More

MO: Voter ID Bill Under Scrutiny in Missouri Senate - Yahoo! News

If Republicans have their way in the Missouri Senate, the state will have a tough new voter ID law. Senate leaders are calling for a photo identification requirement for voters at polling places by a vote of the legislature and leaving it up to voters in Missouri. The Kansas City Star reports a hearing of the Senate elections committee drew opposition to the law from voting rights groups. No one spoke in favor of the measure. Read More

NE: Voices, scenes from the polls - Omaha.com

A sampling of voters' voices and scenes from polling sites from today's recall election of Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle: Read More

NY: Mayor Marvin's Column: Voting Machines and Village Elections - Bronxville-Eastchester, NY Patch

Even assuming the machines are released to villages, we have no idea of the rental fee. In addition, we are required to purchase three scanable ballots for every anticipated voter, since the new election law (HAVA) allows two mistakes per voter. At one dollar per ballot, the cost is not inconsequential.

If the machine rental costs are anywhere near as exorbitant as those charged to our colleagues in Orange County, I would recommend we opt to use the lever machines and let the State challenge our results. (We do joke at Village Hall that the thousands of very reliable lever machines that have been declared obsolete may end up as a coral reef somewhere!) Read More

NY: Statewide Elections Officials Gather in Rockland to Critique New Voting Machines - New City, NY Patch

Elections officials from throughout New York are scheduled to gather in Rockland County on Wednesday to critique the performance of new optical scanner voting machines that were introduced to the election system in 2010. Read More

NC: Exposing the Left on Voter ID - Civitas Review Online

Voter ID legislation is sure to be one of the most important issues lawmakers address in the upcoming session. A December 2010 Civitas Institute Poll found 83 percent of respondents favored a law that requires voters to show government-issued photo identification before voting. Read More

RI: Burrillville legislators propose stronger election laws | The State Column

In an effort to prevent voter intimidation and other violations of elections laws, Sen. Paul W. Fogarty and Rep. Cale P. Keable are proposing legislation to require the Board of Elections to provide a uniformed police officer at all polling places. Read More

SC: SC Senate Republican Caucus » Blog Archive » Legislative week to focus on Voter ID, gambling and automated traffic tickets

Requiring a photo ID to vote, gambling and home poker games, and automated traffic tickets are on the General Assembly’s agenda this week. Read More

TX: Texas GOP pushing hard for voter ID bill | khou.com | KHOU.com Home Page

Texas Republicans are making a hard push to require voters to show photo identification before casting their ballots. Read More

TX: Indiana prof: 'Definitely a chance' that DOJ would reject Texas voter photo ID law | The American Independent

An Indiana election law expert said Texas lawmakers do have reasons to be concerned that proposed voter photo identification legislation — authored by state Sen. Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay) and based on Indiana law — may fail to meet standards under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Read More

TX: Despite Democratic delays voter ID inches toward passage | kvue.com | KVUE News | Austin, TX | Breaking News

Democratic delays have slowed, but not stopped, a Republican plan which would require a voter ID card in order to cast a ballot. It now appears poised to pass the Senate and go on to become Texas law. Read More

TX: Remote areas of West Texas penalized by voter ID, Uresti says - Alpine Daily Planet

Senate Democrats have fired two additional volleys against the GOP-supported voter ID bill being debated:

Remote areas will be penalized, and Texans who get their drivers’ licenses suspended may not be able to vote. Read More

TX: Davis recalls her experiences as a single mom in Voter ID debate - PoliTex

Long before she was a Harvard-educated attorney and a member of the state Senate, Wendy Davis was a divorced single mom who was holding down two jobs and raising a young daughter while attending Tarrant County Community College. Read More

National

“Toy Story 3″ for best picture? | Red Letter Days | a mySA.com blog

The relatively new instant-runoff voting system might reward a movie that is liked by almost everyone, even if it’s not No. 1 on a majority of ballots. Read More

Critics Love 'Social Network.' Will The Academy Defriend It? - NYTimes.com

Last year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences adopted instant-runoff voting for its selection of best picture, a decision which is sometimes credited for its choice of “The Hurt Locker” over “Avatar” and other nominees. Read More

Internet Voting Watch

CA: Redesigning LA's Neighborhood Council Elections

We hope to gain increased control over our own elections through the Election Task Force. One possible outcome (the "cafeteria") is to allow each neighborhood council a choice among several alternatives, including voting by mail, standard polling place balloting, internet voting, or your own combination of two or more of these. Read More

Canada: Online Party of Canada: Appeal to Non-Voters - Press Release - Digital Journal

A recent survey published by Elections Canada entitled, "Explaining the Turnout Decline in Canadian Federal Elections" analyzed the reasons given by non-voters in the 2000 Federal election for not going to the polls. Those reasons included a lack of interest in the election, negative attitudes toward politics, and personal/administrative factors. Young non-voters were more likely to cite a lack of interest and personal/administrative reasons for not voting. Read More

Canada: Examining AMS voter turnout - Queen's Journal

This year’s Kingston municipal elections in October saw 36 per cent of voters cast their ballot at polling stations using a paper-ballot system. After transitioning into online voting last year, the AMS saw three-point improvement on 2009’s paper ballot votes.

“I’m not sure if there’s a clear answer on [whether online voting affects voter turnout],” Matthews said. “All other things being equal, however, if it makes voting easier, then it should increase turnout, especially in (relatively) low turnout elections.” Read More

India: You may soon vote at the click of a mouse - Hindustan Times

If the state election commission’s proposal works out, you would vote online or even from your mobile phone for the 2012 civic polls. The commission has appointed an expert committee of five to six members to create software programme, which will assist electors to vote online. Read More

Emigrants should have a vote in upcoming general election | New York State of Mind | IrishCentral

If you are not present in Ireland on polling day, then your vote is lost.

In Britain, citizens who registered in the last 15 years can vote abroad in elections for Parliament and European Parliament, but not local elections.

France has tested Internet voting in order to stimulate voter participation. A 2003 law means French voters living overseas are afforded the right to vote electronically, or by mail or at a local embassy or consulate. In Holland citizens abroad can vote by mail or online. Read More

International

UK: E-voting: why it was abandoned in the UK

Back in the early years of this century, the UK was at the forefront of testing out e-voting for public elections. An extensive series of pilots were held and then … e-voting fell out of favour, because the pilots were not a success for a wide range of reasons. The issue still keeps on popping up, so having recently come across again what I wrote back in 2003 about those pilots, those lessons are worth restating. Here is what I wrote back in the summer of 2003. Luckily the last paragraph turned out to be wrong. Read More

India: Engineer team lands for pre-poll EVM check - The Times of India

A team of engineers from BEL, Bangalore is here for the first level checking of electronic voting machines ahead of the assembly elections in May. Read More

Philippines: Comelec officials suspension upheld - Yahoo! Philippines News

The Court of Appeals has upheld the suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman of five Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials involved in the purchase of overpriced ballot secrecy folders worth P690 million. Read More

Voting News archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/Also at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNewsSubscribe to Voting News at this link: http://tinyurl.com/votingnews

Please send article suggestions to votingnews@verifiedvoting.org.

=============================================The Voting News is a free service made possible by the 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-vnDisclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.

TX Senate to take up photo ID Tuesday; SC audit raises questions; Pakistan eyes EVMs

A busy couple of days for voting news. In Texas, the State Senate will debate photo ID legislation tomorrow, and is expected to pass the bill. An citizen audit of South Carolina election results raises questions about ballot reconciliation. A bill to allow all Indiana counties to utilize vote centers is expected to pass, and in international developments Pakistan eyes electronic voting machines.

All this and more in today's Voting News below.

CA: Ballot Access News » Blog Archive » Sample Ballot Released for First California “Top-Two” Election

The purpose of listing “party preference” on the ballot in the top-two systems of Washington and California is to help the candidate communicate a message, and to help the voter know something about the candidate. The U.S. Supreme Court, and the California Supreme Court, have ruled in the past that it is unconstitutional to discriminate for or against candidates, relative to labels on the ballot. Read More

CA: Oakland mayoral runners-up rehash race and look to the future : Local: In Oakland

At a public forum put on by Oakland's John George Democratic Club, City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan outlined her assessment of the city's first go at ranked choice voting, while political commentator and professor Joe Tuman announced his plans to pressure the city to reform all employee pensions and police staffing. Read More

CA: Tuteur: Voting only by mail would save $35,000

If Napa County conducted special elections using mail-in ballots only, it could save an estimated $35,000 per election, John Tuteur, the county’s registrar of voters, said. Read More

CO: Secret count preceded Saguache election ‘retabulation’ - Colorado Springs Conservative | Examiner.com

Examination of election videotapes reveal that the Saguache County Clerk’s office and two judges conducted a secret vote count Nov. 4 from 2 p.m. to about 7:12 p.m. prior to the Nov. 5 "retabulation."

The video recording copies were obtained through a Colorado Open Records Act request Nov. 16. The county clerk’s office is required by law to keep continuous recordings of all election areas and activities, beginning two months before the election, up to and including any recounts, for two years. Read More

DC: Democracy's high price

ELECTION OFFICIALS in the District are worried they can't afford the costs of the city's upcoming special election for an at-large D.C. Council seat. Among the ideas to save money is limiting the places where people can vote. But changing the rules so close to the election comes with its own cost to the integrity of the process. It's important that Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) and the council ensure that there is sufficient money for election officials to do their jobs. Read More

IL: Chicago ballots ordered printed with no Emanuel – CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs

The Chicago Elections Board on Monday placed an order for the printing of two million ballots for next month's mayoral election without the name of former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel after an Illinois appeals court ruled his name could not be included because he failed to meet the residency requirement. Read More

IL: Rahm Emanuels' residency in Chicago: The courts should butt out. - By Richard L. Hasen - Slate Magazine

In a judicial shocker, an Illinois appellate court, by a 2-1 vote, has kicked former Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel off the ballot in the race to become Chicago's next mayor. What's worse for Emanuel, as the dissenting judge points out, is that the majority booted him with less than one month before the election, just as absentee ballots are to be mailed to voters. Read More

IN: Vote centers on fast track in General Assembly - wsbt.com

The old model of voting in traditional, neighborhood precincts could be on its way out in Indiana.

The General Assembly is moving quickly this year on legislation that would allow election officials in all of the state's 92 counties to opt instead for vote centers, which are centralized polling places open to all registered voters countywide. Read More

IN: Vote centers get mixed response in Delaware County | thestarpress.com | The Star Press

A legislative initiative to allow Indiana counties to replace neighborhood polling places with fewer centralized locations where they can cast ballots is getting the cold shoulder in Delaware County, where top election officials disagree on how to implement such a plan. Read More

IN: Give the go-ahead to vote centers | The Indianapolis Star | IndyStar.com

They're popular, they save tax dollars and they make it easier to participate in the democratic process. Read More

KS: Voting hurdles / LJWorld.com

Given the low voter turnout in most local and state elections, it would be a shame to pass laws that discouraged participation by qualified, legal Kansas voters. If Kansas has a problem with voter fraud, it should be addressed, but until that problem can be defined, it doesn’t make sense to pass laws that will set new voting barriers and increase costs for county and state election officials. Read More

ME: Runoff Voting Topic of Meeting

he League of Women Voters is sponsoring a public informational meeting on instant runoff voting on Saturday, Feb. 5, at 2 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 121 Bucksport Road in Ellsworth. Read More

MO: Lawyer vows challenge if Missouri revives voter ID rule - KansasCity.com

A lawyer who successfully challenged Missouri’s photo identification law for voters in 2006 plans a new legal argument if the requirement is revived. Read More

MO: Engler: Voter ID and early voting will be combined

A chairman of a key Senate committee said he intends to combine legislation that would require voters to show photo identification with a proposal to allow early voting in Missouri. But it was clear in testimony today that partisan divisions remain deep on both issues. Read More

MS: Write-ins often become wasted votes - Local - SunHerald.com

According to state law, write-in candidates are permitted only as the legitimate substitute of a candidate who has died, resigned, withdrawn or been removed from the race. Read More

NE: Senator introduces legislation for online voter registration | News 5 | News, Weather, Sports for Hastings | Kearney | Grand Island | Nebraska | Coverage You Can Count On | Local News

Registering to vote online could soon be a possibility in Nebraska. It's legislation being pushed through by one state lawmaker who says it would simply make it easier for Nebraskans to vote.

Some lawmakers say it will save the state money; others say it will only cost the state more. Read More

NY: Mineola Voters to Use Lever Machines in March Elections - Mineola, NY Patch

Proprietary software used to operate the optical scan machines in the recent November election was limited to the county and state-wide races. Purchasing the software for each individual municipality was deemed too cost-prohibitive by many of the villages. Read More

NY: Election Transparency Coalition: Joanne Lukacher and Howard Stanislevic Interviewed on Activist Radio

The conversation covered: Columbia County's 100% hand count; the request for a hand count of the NY Senate District 7 contest denied by the state's highest court; the ongoing Nassau County lawsuit against electronic vote counting; and more. Read More

OH: Husted wants reduction in provisional ballots | The Columbus Dispatch

While the federal courts debate whether Ohio should count provisional ballots cast in the wrong precincts, the state's top election official says Ohio needs a renewed focus on ensuring that people are voting in the correct precincts. Read More

PA: Bucks County Commissioners approve $3.2M redevelopment grant for Delaware Valley College - Perkasie News Herald - Montgomery News

The commissioners also tabled an $18,800 annual contract with Electec, Inc. to provide voting machine support for the 2011 Primary and General Elections. That item will be addressed at a future meeting, likely with a newly appointed commissioner also weighing consideration. Read More

SC: Dems, GOP sharply divided on voter ID - Local - TheSunNews.com

If you let your hair go gray or lost a lot of weight, if you're a college student or a senior citizen, or if your job requires long shifts, Susan Breslin says you might have trouble voting in future elections, under a legislative proposal that is up for debate. Read More

SC: Verify Your Vote: Preminary Results from Colleton and Charleston County Not Encouraging

The election officials in Charleston and Colleton Counties are dedicated public servants and we trust their work. However, as in commerce, and other matters as well, verification is necessary. The late President Reagan, during his negotiations with President Gorbachev of the former Soviet Union, liked to quote a Russian proverb, “Trust, but verify”. So it is here. Read More

SC:The BRAD BLOG : Citizen Oversight Reveals 1000s of Errors, Extra Votes, 'Lost' Votes in SC's 2010 Election

Frank Heindel, a SC commodities trader, who is mentioned in the article above, has almost single-handedly been taking on the system in his state by demanding transparency, oversight, and accountability via public records requests and meticulous hand-audits of the voting system logs in his state ever since last year's disastrous primary election. He is an inspiration, frankly, and another one of this nation's great models for what citizen-led Election Integrity work looks like. Read More

TN: Election meeting 'circus' shows challenges ahead | dnj.com | The Daily News Journal

If the most recent Rutherford County Election Commission meeting is evidence, the group's gatherings are bordering on a local version of "The Jerry Springer Show." Read More

TN: EDITORIAL: Jones unfit for election panel | dnj.com | The Daily News Journal

Rutherford County Election Commission Chairwoman Doris Jones should step down following a revelation that she had a poll worker fired for criticizing her and other GOP commissioners. Read More

TX: Texas Senate Will Begin Voter ID Debate Tuesday — Voter ID | The Texas Tribune

Most of the drama was saved for another day in the Texas Senate after the first installment of the planned debate over the contentious voter ID bill was postponed. Read More

TX: Missing the Point on Election Fraud - Newsdesk: Austin News, Politics, Opinion Blog - AustinChronicle.com

The Texas Civil Rights Project today criticized Gov. Perry and the Legislature for making Voter ID an "emergency" priority. TCRP director Jim Harrington brings up the usual points about disenfranchisement of minorities, but also brings up an even better one: Voter fraud is a really ineffective way to tip an election. Insider fraud is the real danger. Read More

TX: KRWG: El Paso Area Senator Comments On Texas Voter ID Bill (2011-01-24)

Statement from Senator Jos Rodr guez Regarding Senate Bill 14 (Voter ID):

"With an estimated 100,000 teachers expected to lose their jobs, a proposed $17 billion to be cut from vital health and human services programs and community colleges across our state likely having to shutter their doors due to the $27 billion budget shortfall, now is not the time to focus on a non-existent problem. It is time that we roll up our sleeves to work to address the real issues that face the future of our state. Read More

TX: Bill would require photo ID to vote in Texas

Texas voters would be required to show photo identification before casting ballots under a Republican-backed bill that has been put on a fast track to passage in the state Senate. Read More

TX: Voter ID bill is more stringent than 2009 version | First Reading

As for the legislation itself, several Senate sources who have looked at it say it’s a more stringent requirement than the one on the table in 2009. In 2009, they were talking about requiring photo ID or two forms of non-photo ID; the 2011 bill does not have that non-photo ID option. It does, however, have an exemption from the photo ID requirement for those who are at least 70 years old at the start of 2012 and who have their voter-registration card when they go to vote. Read More

UT: Voting rights got trashed | The Salt Lake Tribune

The real issue in the Utah House District 57 boundary line discussion is this: What about the voting rights of the 660 people in north Cedar Hills who showed up to vote last election? Read More

WI: End to election day registration may be costly - JSOnline

"Repealing it would be shortsighted and would be a tremendous disservice to the voters," says Kennedy, director of the Government Accountability Board, who also called it a "financially foolhardy step to take." Read More

WI: The relationship between the photo ID bill and the registration of aliens - Milwaukee Immigration Policy | Examiner.com

Perhaps the most lasting outcome of immigration regulation in the United States is the implementation and enforcement of increasingly complex forms of immigrant documentation. Once upon a time, American employers recruited immigrants, caring little about documentation. Gradually the fear of foreign-born criminals resulted in Congressional pushes for the registration of non-citizens. Read More

WI: Wisconsin's pretend crisis - JSOnline

The amount of voter fraud does not warrant limiting access to the ballot box for those without photo ID. This would be the elderly, people with disabilities and, disproportionately, low-income voters of color. And I'm not seeing a funded outreach in this bill on a scale that could make a mitigating difference. Read More

International

India: Petition seeks CCTVs in polling booths - The Times of India

The Madras high court on Saturday issued notices to the chief election commissioner and state chief electoral officer seeking a reply by Monday on a petition demanding electronic surveillance in all polling booths to prevent bogus voting, impersonation and tampering of electronic voting machines. Read More

Politicians' Doubting Of EVM Is A Challenge: Former CEC Gopalaswami - Hyderabad News on fullhyd.com

Calling politicians' apprehensions about the accuracy of EVMs (electronic voting machines) as one of his major challenges on hand, former Chief Election Commissioner of India N Gopalaswami on Friday said that a concentrated effort must be made to clear these doubts. Read More

India: Pakistan: The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | Nation | Pakistan eyes EVMs

Some political parties in India might feel electronic voting machines (EVM) can be tampered with, but Pakistan has evinced a strong interest in the machines.

A Pakistan election commission team, which is scheduled to attend the January 25 event, has requested a demonstration and permission for a trip to a factory that makes EVMs. Rout said the Election Commission had decided to grant the request. Read More

Pakistan: Pak EC interested in Indian EVMs - The Economic Times

The Election Commission of Pakistan has evinced interest in Indian electronic voting machines and has requested for a demonstration of the EVMs, the Election Commission said today. Read More

Internet Voting Watch

Changing the rules of the game: the NLRB is making union organizing easier - Lexology

There are indications that the Board is also considering shortening the time between the date of a petition for an election and the election itself. Currently, internal Board rules provide that the period should not exceed 45 days, but it is possible that the Board will reduce that to 14 days. The Board is also looking at implementing electronic voting in elections. Read More

Canada: hqprincegeorge.com | Your community resource

Currently there are more than 30 other municipalities in Canada already allowing online voting. Prince George Councillor Garth Frizzell thinks it is a great way to boost voter turn out as many people are comfortable with technology these days. Read More

Voting News archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/Also at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNewsSubscribe to Voting News at this link: http://tinyurl.com/votingnews

Please send article suggestions to votingnews@verifiedvoting.org

=============================================The Voting News is a free service made possible by the 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-vnDisclaimer: Articles and commentary included in "Voting News" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers'ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.

TX photo ID legislation declared emergency measure; Colorado SoS announces plans to pursue private legal practice

In Texas, the Governor has declared that photo ID legislation is an emergency measure, and the Texas Senate has made an exception to a two-thirds-majority requirement for a photo ID bill. Colorado's Secretary of State has announced that he will engage in a private law practice during his term. Photo ID legislation is being sharply debated in Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. And the EAC calls attention to a discussion of vendors and election officials last month. The panel looked at voting system life cycles, state and local budget cuts; and other critcal voting system issues.

All this and more in today's Voting News below. Enjoy your weekend!

CA: Ledger-Dispatch.com | Gaines introduces measure to cut election costs

"My bill will help cut the costs counties incur to conduct special elections by eliminating the mandate to open polling places and hire staff for these elections," Gaines said. Read More

CO:Colorado's top elections official taking side job, says $68,500 salary too low for his family - KDVR

Colorado's newly elected secretary of state says the job doesn't pay enough and he'll take a side job with his old law firm. Scott Gessler insists the side job won't conflict with his official job overseeing state elections. Read More

CO: Secretary of State plans to moonlight with old firm - The Denver Post

Less than two weeks on the job, Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler says the $68,500 a year salary doesn't pay enough.

That's why Gessler, a Republican, says he is going to be moonlighting as a lawyer for his old law firm - a firm known for representing clients on elections and campaign law issues, the very areas Gessler is now charged with policing as secretary of state. Read More

CO: Secretary of State Gessler’s plan to moonlight as private attorney sounds ethics alarms | Colorado Independent

Attorney General John Suthers, who is tasked to work with Gessler to help him avoid Hackstaff-related conflicts of interest, said attorney-client privileges prevent him from speaking on the topic.

This legally proscribed silence is a big problem and points to the bigger problem going forward, according to Luis Toro, director of government watchdog group Colorado Ethics Watch and a man who has argued cases against Gessler in the past. The public is being forced to simply accept that the secretary of state will be acting in good faith without any way to really ask questions or get answers to confirm that’s the case, he said. Read More

IA: Bill would require photo ID to vote in Iowa

The change is necessary to protect the integrity of elections, according to House File 8 floor manager Rep. Renee Schulte, R-Cedar Rapids. Current law allows election officials to ask for a photo ID. HF 8, Schulte said, will remove that subjectivity from state law. Read More

IA: 2011 Legislature: Leaders want jobs focus, but social issues likely to pop up | The Des Moines Register | DesMoinesRegister.com

Under this Republican proposal, photo identification would always be required to vote. Now, election officials can require photo ID only when they’re suspicious of a voter’s identity or current address or if the person is an inactive voter. Read More

IN lawmakers put vote center bill on fast track - WAVE 3 News - Louisville, Kentucky

Indiana lawmakers are moving quickly to advance an election bill that would allow any Indiana county to create centralized vote centers instead of traditional neighborhood polling precincts. Read More

KS: Sorting out the facts and myths of Kobach’s voter ID proposal - KansasCity.com

Kris Kobach used the phony issue of “voter fraud” to get elected Kansas secretary of state. He continues to milk it.

But his critics are making Kobach look almost reasonable in their heated opposition to his proposed voter ID law. Read More

KS: Kobach overreaching | Eagle Editorials | Wichita Eagle

State lawmakers shouldn’t go along with Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s overreaching proposal to fight the negligible problem of voter fraud. But if they do, they must ensure their efforts don’t end up disenfranchising eligible Kansas voters. Read More

LA: 2theadvocate.com | Latest News | Election officials propose law changes — Baton Rouge, LA

State election officials will once again seek legislative approval of legislation to make it easier for voters to understand tax and other propositions on election ballots. Read More

MD: Democrats recommend change at Montgomery Co. electoral board - Roanoke.com

Calling it time for a “fresh face,” the Montgomery County Democratic Committee today will recommend a change in the county’s electoral board, which is vested with the authority to run elections and employ the registrar of elections. Read More

MT: Opponents denounce bill for 30-day voter registration deadline in Montana

A number of opponents denounced a bill Thursday to close voter registration 30 days before an election as interfering with Montanans' right to vote - and no one showed up to support the measure.

House Bill 180, by Rep. Champ Edmunds, R-Missoula, would return Montana's voter registration deadlines to pre-2005 dates. The 2005 Legislature changed the deadline to allow people to register to vote right up until polls close on Election Day. Read More

NC: Left Misleading Voters: Setting the Record Straight on Voter ID | The Lincoln Tribune

The new majority in the North Carolina Legislature is going to have a fight on their hands if they keep their promise to pass legislation requiring a government-issued photo ID to cast a ballot. The liberal/progressive groups who oppose a voter ID requirement are organized and ready to do what they can to defeat this measure. Read More

OH: Federal Court To Rule On Disputed Judicial Election - Cincinnati News Story - WLWT Cincinnati

A federal appeals court will make the next decision in a still-disputed juvenile court judge election. Read More

RI: One Stop Shopping: Rhode Island Initiative Registers Voters at Work « State of Elections

Rhode Island Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis launched “Voters in the Workplace” in the summer of 2008. This initiative encourages and enables companies to host voter registration drives during normal business hours between August and October every year. Read More

SC: Voting vitriol: Machines' election performance criticized at forum | The Post and Courier, Charleston SC - News, Sports, Entertainment

Frank Heindel, a Charleston businessman who has launched his own investigation of the machines, noted there were thousands of error messages on Charleston County machines in the 2010 elections. Also, he noted that a different error led to 1,389 extra votes in statewide races in Colleton Count. Read More

TN: Herald Citizen - Election commission gets favorable ruling in lawsuit

Claims for monetary damages in a federal lawsuit filed against three Republican members of the Putnam County Election Commission have been dismissed, and this week commissioners called that decision a major victory. Read More

TX: Texas Insider » Voter I.D., Balanced Budget Amendment Added to Emergency Items for Legislative Session

“Fiscal discipline, balanced budgets and the integrity of the ballot box are critical to the people of Texas,” Gov. Perry said. “Under this emergency declaration, Texas lawmakers will be able to address these priority issues more quickly.” Read More

TX: Voter ID bills get emergency status from Texas Gov. Perry - Politics AP - MiamiHerald.com

The state Senate is expected to take up controversial voter ID legislation next week after Gov. Rick Perry designated it an emergency issue that he wants lawmakers to pass within the first 60 days of the legislative session. Read More

TX: Senate minority keeps its clout – except for voter ID - San Antonio Express-News

A minority bloc of state senators will keep its voting power under rules approved Wednesday — except when it comes to voting on the controversial voter ID legislation this session. Read More

VA: Election officials accused of incompetence - CollegiateTimes.com

The 2010 election was to be the first year Montgomery County would use entirely electronic poll books. These simply allow workers to check whether people who show up to vote are actually registered for that precinct.

However, in the seven precincts where the electronic poll books failed, workers allowed voters to cast electronic ballots without checking whether they were actually registered for that precinct. Read More

WV: Tomblin Sets Oct. 4 as Election Date for Governor - WBOY-TV - WBOY.com

Acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has set Oct. 4 as the date West Virginia voters will choose their next governor. Read More

WI: The push to end election-day registration in Wisconsin: How strong is the case? - JSOnline

By having election-day registration, Wisconsin has in effect side-stepped a different source of chaos that can affect other states: those provisional ballots, which can run in the tens of thousands and can leave a close election unresolved on election night. Kennedy says provisional ballots "will skyrocket” in Wisconsin if election-day registration ends. Read More

WI: Guest column: Fast-tracking voter ID legislation not the answer | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette

Citizens do not have a constitutional right to cash checks, buy alcohol or drive a car, but we do have a constitutional right to vote.

The people who do not currently have an ID are the very people for whom it is most difficult and costly to obtain it. Read More

WI: Guest column: ID at polls could solve election abuses | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette

Voter ID is a practical and effective solution to this problem. The vast majority of Wisconsin residents will not have to take any additional steps to vote, since most people already have a state-issued ID. People routinely use their ID to cash checks, buy alcohol, drive a car and spend the night at the rescue mission. For those without an ID, the new law may provide that they may obtain one free of charge. This should effectively eliminate any claims of disenfranchisement. Read More

WI: Eric Zoberman: Wisconsin Throws Up Hurdles to Voting -- Where's the Democracy?

Bottom line: This bill will add a giant and unnecessary hurdle to the voting process and the people of Wisconsin need to call on their elected representatives to reject it. Read More

WI: Is the proof in your picture? | New Richmond News | New Richmond, Wisconsin

Proposed legislation to require citizens to show photo identification each time they vote is either a good idea or a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist, say local poll workers. Read More

National

EAC: Government and Industry Representatives Reflect on 2010 Election

Voting system maintenance will become a more important issue as deployed systems near the end of their lifecycles. What is a reasonable expectation of a voting system’s life cycle? Can this be tested? Read More

New Year brings lots of election administration legislation: electionlineWeekly01.20.11

In addition to numerous voter ID bills around the country, Bowser said she has been seeing a number of bills on primary elections — open vs. closed, primary dates, eliminating presidential primaries — and bills on military and overseas voting, electronic and universal voter registration and proof of citizenship. Read More

Internet Voting Watch

Estonia - Foreign Minister Paet Met With Secretary of State of the USA Hillary Clinton

Secretary of State Clinton said she is grateful that Estonia is a dependable, creative and close ally of the United States. “In the 20 years since Estonia’s independence, the country has become a successful model for others, with its internet voting, cyber innovations, commitment to good governance, the rule of law, and fiscal responsibility,” said Secretary of State Clinton. Read More

SAG's Online-Only Voting Could Disenfranchise Thousands | TheWrap.com

The 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards could end up looking a lot like Florida in 2000.

There might not be any hanging chads, but changes the guild has introduced as a part of its green initiative could cost a significant number of members their votes this year. Read More

Voter ID is a practical and effective solution to this problem. The vast majority of Wisconsin residents will not have to take any additional steps to vote, since most people already have a state-issued ID. People routinely use their ID to cash checks, buy alcohol, drive a car and spend the night at the rescue mission. For those without an ID, the new law may provide that they may obtain one free of charge. This should effectively eliminate any claims of disenfranchisement.

Voting News archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/Also at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNewsSubscribe to Voting News at this link: http://tinyurl.com/votingnews

Please send article suggestions to votingnews@verifiedvoting.org.

=============================================The Voting News is a free service made possible by the 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-vnDisclaimer: 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.

Legislators told that confusion about voting machines still reigns - The Daily News Online: News

AZ: Arizona court urged to decide redistricting issue - KSWT

A former Arizona Supreme Court justice is urging current justices to decide whether three nominees for the state redistricting commission are eligible for appointment. Former Justice Stanley Feldman represents supporters nominee Paul Bender, an Arizona State University law professor. Republican legislative leaders say Bender is ineligible because he's a tribal judge. Much of a Supreme Court hearing Tuesday on the challenge to Bender and two other nominees centered on whether the court should let the dispute go to court later based on challenges made to actual appointments. Read More

CA: OpEd - RCV lessons for the SF mayor's race | San Francisco Bay Guardian

Elections using ranked choice voting (RCV) in both San Francisco and Oakland contain important lessons for the upcoming SF mayoral election. Rather than rely on traditional endorsements and funding advantages, winning candidates need to get out in the community, meet people, and build coalitions. Jean Quan became the first Asian American woman elected mayor of a major city by coming from behind to beat the favorite, former state Senate president and powerbroker Don Perata. Perata outspent her five to one, but Quan countered by attending far more community meetings, forums, and house parties. She would knock on the door of a voter with an opponent's yard sign and say, "I know I'm not your first choice, but please make me your second or third choice." Read More

CO: Secret count preceded Saguache County election ‘retabulation’ - Colorado Springs Conservative | Examiner.com

Examination of election videotapes reveal that the Saguache County Clerk’s office and two judges conducted a secret vote count Nov. 4 from 2 p.m. to about 7:12 p.m. prior to the Nov. 5 "retabulation." The video recording copies were obtained through a Colorado Open Records Act request Nov. 16. The county clerk’s office is required by law to keep continuous recordings of all election areas and activities, beginning two months before the election, up to and including any recounts, for two years. Video recordings show that some type of report was run on the M650 voting machine the afternoon of Nov. 3. Then on Nov. 4 clerk’s office staffer Christian Samora, Elections Clerk Renee Hazard and County Clerk Melinda Myers sat in on a teleconference call from 10:31 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. After lunch Hazard operated a black laptop and seemed to be working with ballots, then helped a customer reconcile a rejected vote. Read More

DE: Delaware Looks to Restore Felons' Voting Rights - WBOC-TV 16

There is a new push in Delaware to restore voting rights to convicted felons who have finished serving their time behind bars. In Delaware felons must wait five years after being released from prison to vote again, but some lawmakers said that's simply not fair. Legislation has been filed in the General Assembly to allow felons to vote without having to wait five years. Read More

IA: Bill would require showing a photo ID to vote - Radio Iowa

A bill that would require all voters in Iowa to show a photo I.D. before casting a ballot has gone through an initial review at the statehouse. Republican Matt Schultz, Iowa’s new secretary of state, made a photo I.D. requirement for voting the cornerstone of his campaign. The move has opponents, like the League of Women Voters. Amy Campbell, a spokewoman for the group, says many Iowans do not have a photo I.D. “Twenty-five percent of African Americans do not have identification; 10 percent of people with disabilities and 15 percent of low-income individuals do not have I.D.s,” Campbell says. Read More

IA: NAACP: Branstad’s voting order is a discriminatory “poll tax” on black Iowans | Des Moines Register Staff Blogs

Gov. Terry Branstad’s decision to rescind a process allowing ex-convicts to quickly have their voting rights restored discriminates against black Iowans, a group of black Iowa community leaders said Wednesday. They compared Branstad’s insistence that ex-offenders must first pay all fines, fees and restitution ordered by the courts to a “poll tax” reminiscent of Jim Crow-era laws that discouraged blacks from voting. Read More

MN: Secretary of State Ritchie visits Mankato to talk elections » Local News » The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, a Democrat who oversees elections, visited Mankato Wednesday to talk to local election officials about the recent recount and changes he’ll support this legislative session. He said he’ll advocate a bill to authorize early voting, as well as a change to the threshold at which automatic recounts are triggered. Now, if the vote totals are within a half-percent, a recount is triggered that costs, on average, 15 cents a ballot, according to a Pew study. That’s $300,000 to recount 2 million ballots, though the per-ballot cost may be much lower in some counties. Ritchie said he supports reducing that gap to one-tenth of 1 percent, but one-eighth or one-fourth are also acceptable. He only supports lowering that gap in small races, and wants to require a candidate request the recount. He also wants to compensate counties for their costs in the recent gubernatorial recount. That recount wasn’t as burdensome as the 2008 senate contest, which Ritchie thought at the time would be an isolated incident. Read More

MN: All sides support new St. Paul voting standards - TwinCities.com

Both zealous cheerleaders and bitter enemies of a new system of voting in St. Paul said Wednesday they're satisfied with the way the city will implement it. In November, voters in the capital city will elect seven City Council members under a voter-approved method known as ranked-choice voting, or instant runoff voting (IRV). Under IRV, voters rank candidates in order of preference. Merely getting a plurality of voters' first-choice votes isn't good enough to win. The goal of IRV is that, by dropping out the least popular candidates and redistributing their votes to their supporters' second-choice candidates, the winner assembles a majority. IRV replaces the primary for the city council, but school board elections will be conducted as in years past: A primary will be held, if needed, to winnow the field to eight candidates competing for four seats. Minneapolis used IRV two years ago; this fall will be St. Paul's first time. Read More

NY: Legislators told that confusion about voting machines still reigns - The Daily News Online: News

Confusion has not ended over the electronic voting machines used in the fall 2010 elections, Genesee County legislators were told Wednesday. Election commissioners Richard Siebert and Dawn Cassidy said several questions remained unanswered about the digital equipment that replaced the old lever-style machines that were in use for most of the past century. The electronic scanners were used in the September 2010 primaries and November 2010's general election. Read More

OH: Democrats' bill clarifies counting of provisional ballots | The Columbus Dispatch

Anytime a person casts a provisional ballot in the correct voting location it should be counted, regardless of whether it is cast in the proper precinct, House Democrats argued today. In the wake of a legal fight in Hamilton County over the counting of certain provisional ballots, Democrats proposed a bill they hope would provide more clarity, set a single statewide standard and ensure that no one loses their vote because of a poll worker's error. "We find it's absurd that poll-worker error would cost somebody their opportunity to have their vote counted," said Rep. Alicia Reece, D-Cincinnati. Efforts to clarify the issue fell short last session when the House and Senate did not reach agreement in time on a broader election bill. Provisional ballots are cast by voters who move and do not update their registration or whose names don't appear in the poll book. The ballots are held for 10 days while the voter's eligibility is determined. Read More

OK: State awards contract for new voting system - Sequoyah County Times

The State Election Board announced earlier this month that Hart InterCivic Inc. of Austin, Texas, has been awarded a contract to implement Oklahoma’s new statewide voting system. Paul Ziriax, State Election Board secretary, said, “Hart InterCivic received the highest overall scores in the evaluation process and also provided the lowest cost. Hart’s bid presents the best value for the taxpayers, and we are very excited about working with Hart on this very important project.” The new voting system will be installed throughout all 77 counties in time for the 2012 elections, and Oklahoma will continue to use paper ballots and scanners with the new system, similar to the current statewide system that Oklahoma has used for nearly two decades, Ziriax said. Read More

TX: Texas Legislature News - The Dallas Morning News

The Republican majority in the Texas Senate on Wednesday pushed through a plan that would clear the way for approval of a hotly contested voter ID bill this year, dismissing objections by Democrats that it unfairly targets certain groups of voters. The proposal carves out a special exemption in Senate rules for the voter ID legislation, making it impossible for Democrats to block the measure under a requirement that two-thirds of the members concur before a bill can be brought up for debate. All 11 Democrats present voted against the rules and all 18 Republicans present supported them. One Democrat and one Republican were absent Wednesday. Read More

WV: Legislature Weighs in on Gubernatorial Election | Huntington News

Members of the West Virginia legislature have introduced legislation that would determine the date and format(s) of the special election for governor. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that a special election must occur before Nov. 15. Left open in the opinion : The legislature has the power to tweak the procedures.House Minority Leader Tim Armstead R-Kanawha along with 11 Republican co-sponsors would set a special primary for May 14, 2011 and the special general election for August 6. Read More

WV: Morgantown prepares for vote-by-mail system - The Daily Athenaeum - News

A pilot vote-by-mail program for the city of Morgantown will debut this spring for elections. The system will take the place of traditional polls, but voters will use ballots similar to absentee ballots and drop them in their respective wards throughout the city. Citizens will receive their ballots at home from April 8 to April 12. They have 18 days to mail it back. Election day is April 26. City Council member Ron Bane expressed some concerns over potential problems with the vote-by-mail program. Bane said he is worried it will be difficult to determine the validity of ballots, and there is a possibility that ballots may be delivered to individuals not meant to receive them. Jake Glance, a spokesperson for the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office, said the system for verifying the identity of a voter casting the ballot is no different than what is used in polling stations. Read More

International

Belarus: Election official condemns European Parliament`s demand for new elections as counterproductive | Belarus News

The European Parliament’s demand for a re-run of Belarus’ December 14-19 presidential election is a counterproductive step, Mikalay Lazavik, secretary of the central election commission, told BelaPAN, commenting on the EP’s Thursday resolution on the government’s post-election crackdown on opponents. The resolution reveals the European Parliament’s “complete ignorance about the situation in Belarus,” Mr. Lazavik said. “The Belarusian election was held in strict accordance with Belarusian laws and international standards.” The official accused the West of orchestrating "disturbances" in Minsk`s Independence Square on the election night. Read More

India: 25 arrested for attack on election officials

The Kalol police arrested 25 people on Wednesday for leading a mob attack on election officials before counting of the Bakrol Gram Panchayat elections a day earlier. Among those arrested include Narpadsinh Chauhan, the father of a candidate, Dilipsinh, the police said. They added that Narpadsinh was demanding inquiry over the allegations that the strongroom where the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were stored, had its lock broken despite having a seal. Read More

Nigeria: One week of hitches, disappointments, complaints - Vanguard

It is exactly seven days since the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC began the much expected compilation of fresh voters’ list in 120,000 polling units across the country. However, 168 hours after, the exercise is still dogged by hitches, complaints and disappointments. Seven days to the end of the two-week exercise, most of the registration centres are yet to register 100 voters. Each of the centres is expected to register between 500 to 1000 voters to make up the expected 70 million voters that will vote at the 2011 general elections. As of yesterday, INEC registration officers are yet to begin the exercise in many locations, especially new towns and communities that developed after the last voters’ listing in 2006. The voters’ registration exercise has been greeted by an avalanche of hitches and complaints from all over the country. The complaints range from faulty machines, inability to capture biometric data of registrants, and unavailability of registration officers in many areas. Read More


Voting News archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
Also at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNews
Subscribe to Voting News at this link: http://tinyurl.com/votingnews =============================================
The Voting News is a free service made possible by the 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.

Photo ID bills advancing; India court grants bail to Hari Prasad; Canadian Internet voting debate continues

In the Carolinas, Texas, Wisconsin, photo ID legislation is on the move. In New York State, a robust debate continues over the conduct of recounts and routine audits. Another Canadian jurisdictions is eyeing online voting in 20011, and in India, computer technologist Hari Prasad has been released on bail.

All this and more in today's Voting News below.

CA: Gaines moves on Senate bill to cut special-election costs - Rocklin

State Sen. Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, has introduced a bill that could cut the cost of special elections in smaller California counties.

CA: SB109 aims to cut Special Election costs - Roseville California News including Rocklin & Placer County

Senator Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, today announced that he has introduced a bill that will help cut the cost of special elections in smaller California counties.

Senate Bill 109 will give counties with populations under 400,000 the option to hold solely vote-by-mail elections in situations where a special election is called. Read More

CA: Gautam Dutta: California's Humpty-Dumpty Law

A few weeks back, the California Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal about a core part of Proposition 14 (aka, the "Top Two" Primary). As a result, a state appeals court in San Francisco will soon hear legal arguments on two troubling flaws of what we affectionately call the Humpty-Dumpty Law: Senate Bill 6, which fleshes out crucial details of Prop 14. Read More

CT: Merrill not sure about ballot reform - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill told municipal leaders this morning that she isn't sure calls for local communities to provide 100 percent ballots, one for every registered voter, is the appropriate answer to the problem in Bridgeport where election officials ran out of ballots at the last election. Read More

DC: Cheh battling to open all precincts for special election | Freeman Klopott | DC | Washington Examiner

Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh wants to keep all 143 of the District's voting precincts open for the special election to elect an at-large council member scheduled for April, and she's asked the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics to dig deep on cost-saving opportunities. Read More

FL: Change in law could reduce absentee voting in Tampa elections - St. Petersburg Times

Absentee ballots for the city's March 1 elections are starting to go into the mail, but a change to state law means many Tampa voters expecting a ballot will not get one — unless they act soon. Read More

IN: Vote center option passes Senate, heads to House | pal-item.com | Palladium-Item

Legislation that would allow all Indiana counties the option of using vote centers was approved by the Indiana Senate on Tuesday on a 49-0 vote. Read More

IN: Make voting early easier | The Journal Gazette | Fort Wayne, IN

Voting early is becoming more popular with Allen County voters. It’s unfortunate voters will have to wait until the fall election to enjoy the convenience of more early voting sites. But few can argue with the Election Board’s reasons for rejecting a plan to increase the number of early voting sites during the spring election. Read More

KS: Kobach seeks voter IDs, power to prosecute - KansasCity.com

Getting an early start on his No. 1 campaign pledge, Secretary of State Kris Kobach unveiled a bill Tuesday requiring all voters to show photo identification at the polls and proof of U.S. citizenship to register for the first time. Read More

KS: Kobach proposes election fraud reforms

Future voters may be required to show proof of U.S. citizenship when registering and produce photo identification at the polls to help stem election fraud, the state’s top election official announced Tuesday.

Secretary of State Kris Kobach also said the Kansas Secure and Fair Elections Act that he is submitting to the state legislature would make election fraud a felony rather than a misdemeanor as it is currently. Read More

KY: Fiscal Court approves buying scanner-type voting machines » Local News » The Wayne County Outlook

Wayne County Fiscal Court approved the purchase of 21 new scanner- type voting machines, during a meeting held on Thursday, January 13. Read More

MN: Political Notebook: Benson's first bill would require voter ID at the polls - Postbulletin.com: Rochester, MN

Rep. Mike Benson’s first bill introduced last week would require a voter to present photo ID to cast a ballot. Read More

MN: New voter requirement already stirring up controversy | Minneapolis and St. Paul | kare11.com

Allegations of voter fraud have surfaced again and again. A new bill going through the Minnesota House of Representatives hopes to change that. The bill will require all voters to show a photo-ID. It sounds simple but the bill is already meeting a lot of resistance. Read More

MS: Write-ins often turn into wasted votes

According to state law, write-in candidates are permitted only as the legitimate substitute of a candidate who has died, resigned, withdrawn or been removed from the race. Read More

MT: Chronicle editorial: Lower costs, higher voter turnout may outweigh loss of tradition - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Opinion

Going to the polling place on Election Day to cast a ballot is a great American tradition. For those who make it a habit, it's a chance to run into friends and neighbors and share a moment of democratic fervor. It's a teachable moment for showing our children the importance of a citizen's duty. Read More

NY: Albany must go back to basics if it hopes to repair the mess it has made of electronic voting

Basic No. 1: New York must define what constitutes a valid vote. Will your vote count only if you fill in the bubble next to a candidate's name? Or should it count if you leave the bubble blank but pick a candidate by, say, circling the name?

Basic No. 2: New York must establish when election officials or judges should order a count of the paper ballots - as opposed to relying on machine tallies. Should there be an automatic count if an election is very close? If so, how close? Read More

NY: Ashford Board decides to keep voting machines | News | Metrowny.com

During a regular meeting of the Ashford Town Board on Wednesday, Jan.12, Supervisor Chris Gerwitz stated that the County Board of Elections has offered the town the option of keeping their voting machines or letting the county pick them up. There was agreement by all board members to keep the machines and eventually sell them for scrap. Read More

NY: Washington County villages eye new voting machines for use in March elections

Three villages in Washington County are hoping to move the electoral process into the electronic age when voters head to the polls in March. Read More

NY: Election Integrity: Fact & Friction: Apparent NY SD 7 Winner Says Other Elections Should Have Been Questioned

The media focused their attention on Martins' race because it was the last contest in the state that could have determined which party controls the Senate -- but it certainly wasn't the only one. Read More

NY: Reply to Howard Stanislevic’s Latest Article | Scoop News

New York has become the Florida of the Northeast when it comes to elections, or perhaps worse since we don't even attempt to count thousands of undervotes reported by the ballot scanners. Our new machines don't even warn voters of the effect of casting overvotes, which Florida has corrected after their unfortunate 2008 experience. Read More

NC: Requiring ID to vote could leave some behind at polls :: WRAL.com

Republican lawmakers say requiring identification at the polls is a common-sense way to prevent voter fraud, but critics argue the move would open the door to discrimination. Read More

OH: 1330 WFIN News with Tom Sheldon and Scott Jennings - Findlay Ohio

Hancock County voting machines that were destroyed in the 2007 flood will finally be replaced this year. The Hancock County Commissioners voted Tuesday to buy 95 new machines to have in place for the May primary. The county had been leasing 95 machines from Mercer County to make up for the damaged units. Read More

OK: Oklahoma will benefit from new voting machines | NewsOK.com

By replacing the aging voting devices, computers and software now, we can help ensure that Oklahoma doesn't suffer an election system failure as a result of worn-out hardware or antiquated software. Read More

SC: Voter ID, early voting should remain linked

Legislators have enough to do this year with budget issues alone. On this issue, put the compromise back on the table. Require voter identification but also allow for a period of early voting. This is one matter over which Republicans and Democrats should not wage war. The voting process should be as secure and accessible as possible. Read More

TX: Texas Legislature News - News for Dallas, Texas - The Dallas Morning News

The Republican majority in the Texas Senate on Wednesday pushed through a plan that would clear the way for approval of a hotly contested voter ID bill this year, dismissing objections by Democrats that it unfairly targets certain groups of voters. Read More

TX: Euless state rep. confident voter ID bill pass this session | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

State Rep. Todd Smith, chairman of the House Elections Committee in the 2009 session, told me this week he expects a voter ID bill to finally pass this year. Read More

UT: House committees says Frank doesn't live in Utah County district | Deseret News

House leaders voted unanimously Tuesday to declare Craig Frank doesn't live in the Utah County district he has represented since 2003. Read More

WA: State has definite need to move primary date in August - Editorials - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington

But to ensure compliance with the law, legislators must move the primary forward two weeks, with a corresponding two weeks change in the period to file for public office. If Reed’s proposal is approved the 2011 primary election will move from Aug. 16 to Aug. 2.

That’s not a substantive change to fend off lawsuits from the federal government. That’s why lawmakers should approve Reed’s legislation. Read More

Incorporated in his bill — and as a separate bill (HB 1000) — is a more controversial provision that would allow military and overseas voters to cast ballots by fax or e-mail rather than by slower surface mail.

WI: Merrill and Lincoln County to hand count February ballot - WSAU News/Talk 550AM 99.9FM

Merrill and Lincoln County have received permission to use hand counted ballots in the upcoming February primary elections from the Government Accountability Board. Read More

WI: Getting it right - JSOnline

Here's the reality: GOP control of the Legislature and the governorship assures that Wisconsin will join the nine states that already have or will have by this year some measure of photo ID at the polls.

This legislation addresses a problem that does not exist. But since a bill is likely to pass, the Legislature should eliminate any possibility of voter suppression. And lawmakers should use the debate as an opportunity to begin a broader discussion about how to streamline the voting process and make casting a ballot easier. Read More

WI: Voter ID plan is unneeded, expensive, harmful -- GazetteXtra

The League of Women Voters calls on lawmakers to reject a new bill requiring citizens to show a state-issued photo ID every time they vote. This unneeded legislation would harm Wisconsin’s tradition of clean, fair elections. Read More

WI: Editorial: Don't end same-day voter registration | sheboyganpress.com | Sheboygan Press

Another bill being circulated now for support — one that apparently is on a fast track — calls for the state to end its long practice of allowing people to register at the polls on Election Day. Read More

WI: Plain Talk: Voter ID a solution in search of a problem

As a delegation representing the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, Disability Rights Wisconsin and the American Civil Liberties Union told us recently, there is virtually no election fraud in Wisconsin. Out of 2,997,007 votes cast in the 2004 presidential election, for example, authorities substantiated just 18 cases of fraudulent votes and not one of those 18 cases would have been prevented by requiring picture IDs. Read More

WI: Voter ID is preventive medicine

Those who suggest this will shut minorities and lower-income residents out of the process are underestimating the citizenry. Studies conflict on the effects of voter ID, with one group of researchers learning a policy in Indiana actually gave a tiny boost to turnout. As long as they're given the access, we have faith that citizens will obtain the IDs needed to vote. Read More

Internet Voting Watch

Canada: Why voting should never be done online - BC Election 2013

I have been watching the various campaign pledges performed by the BC Liberal candidates for party leader (and subsequently Premier), and there have been some policy announcements (by nearly all candidates) that make me concerned for the welfare of the province.

However, the pledge to encourage online voting is the worst of them all. Read More

Canada: Coquitlam looks at online voting

The City of Coquitlam may soon join Vancouver and Surrey in trying to establish an online voting system, though it's unlikely any changes will be made before municipal elections later this year. Read More

Canada: BCLocalNews.com - Let them vote online: Reimer

It would be easier to have voters choose their politicians with the click of a mouse from the comfort of their homes rather than by filling in a paper ballot at a polling station, says a Coquitlam city councillor. Read More

Estonia: Online Voting Touted as More Secure than Paper Ballots | Politics | News | ERR

E-voting system developer Tarvi Martens said that the threats in the case of e-voting are clear-cut, while paper ballots, he said, afford more opportunities for malfeasance. Read More

International

India: Researcher gets bail in EVM case - The Times of India

The sessions court rejected the police application opposing the bail of Hyderabad researcher Hari Prasad on Tuesday. Read More

Philippines: Comelec execs’ suspension upheld - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

The Court of Appeals has upheld the suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman of five Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials involved in the purchase of grossly overprized ballot secrecy folders worth P690 million. Read More

Voting News archives here at http://votingnews.blogspot.com/Also at Twitter http://twitter.com/VotingNewsSubscribe to Voting News at this link: http://tinyurl.com/votingnews

Please send article suggestions to votingnews@verifiedvoting.org.

=============================================The Voting News is a free service made possible by the 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-vnDisclaimer: 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.