We've got another hack story today. Video shows NEDAP hack done in 60 seconds. In Aspen more calls to make May's ballots available for independent audit. Voting activist Harvie Branscomb is part of the audit team. Economic downturn mean less early voting locations in an Indiana County and consolidation of voting locations in a New York Village. In Ballard, Washington a ballot box is overflowing. The Justice Department rejected non-partisan municipal elections for Kinston NC as it "would hurt black voters' ability to “elect candidates of choice." In Nevada, Ex-ACORN Vegas director to testify against group. San Francisco voters upset to find their private information posted at polling places. Voting machines: hackable, crackable, hijackable
CA. City considers making voter information confidential
08/18/09 Privacy and accountability are apparently clashing in San Francisco elections. Complaints have been rolling in to the Department of Elections about personal information such as phone numbers and e-mail addresses being posted publicly outside polling spots...What’s the solution? The Department of Elections wants to change its policy so voters can provide their information for “administrative use only.”
http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/under-the-dome/City-considers-making-voter-information-confidential-53618982.html
CO. Make the ballots public
If I may quote the actor Slim Pickens from the Mel Brooks movie “Blazing Saddles,” “What in the wide wide world of sports is going on around here?”
...Marks and Branscomb should be granted their request, knowing the facts stated above and that the city issued a press release on May 28 stating that there were errors in tabulations of the mayoral race exposed by TrueBallot (the company that ran the election).
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20090819/LETTER/908189974/1020
CO. Minnesota group takes aim at Aspen’s election
August 19 A Minnesota group which says instant runoff voting is unconstitutional said it plans to file a federal lawsuit challenging Aspen’s May election and the voting system it used. “This is the essence of the main argument against IRV — your vote can be changed in its value and effect by the votes cast by others,”
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/136163
CT. Hartford: Wasting $ As Usual
..For a city the size of Hartford there should be no problem having three registrars and the costs should be minimal.
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=2254
IN. Library voting may end in '10
Budget cut seen as best election fit
August 19, 2009
Early voting in libraries in Vanderburgh County will be eliminated in 2010 if a budget cut proposed Tuesday takes effect, the county's chief elections officer said.
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/aug/19/library-voting-may-end-in-10-budget-cut-seen-as/
NC. Justice Department rejects non-partisan voting
Federal officials concerned changes would hurt black voters' ability to “elect candidates of choice.” August 18...In a letter sent to City Attorney Jim Cauley late Monday, acting Assistant Attorney General Loretta King stated “the elimination of party affiliation on the ballot will likely reduce the ability of blacks to elect candidates of choice.”
http://www.enctoday.com/articles/department-57925-kfpress-justice-waiting.html
NJ. Should politicians be required to take lie detector tests?
The new electronic voting machine
August 18th.
http://whyy.org/blogs/itsourcity/2009/08/18/should-politicians-be-required-to-take-lie-detector-tests/
NV. Ex-ACORN Vegas director to testify against group August 19
Chief Deputy Nevada Attorney General Conrad Hafen said Wednesday that Christopher Edwards' plea deal strengthens a felony case against the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now and Amy Busefink, a former regional voter registration director for ACORN.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5isR8VrIHeni2GcKFAiy0OA1WG5kAD9A64B0O0
NY. Villagers Protest Polling Place Consolidation
But elections commissioners defend cost-saving decision
http://www.pcnr.com/news/2009/0819/front_page/003.html
OH. Darnell Nash will be sentenced for voter registration fraud
August 19. ...Nash, 24, of Garfield Heights, registered to vote via ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) nine times using false names and addresses in Shaker Heights and Cleveland
http://www.examiner.com/x-11711-Cuyahoga-County-Crime-Examiner~y2009m8d19-Darnell-Nash-will-be-sentenced-for-voter-registration-fraud
WA. Ballard ballot box overflows
August 18th The ballot drop box at the Ballard Neighborhood Service Center has been emptied, but earlier today people had to literally stuff ballots into the box.
...“For a ballot drop box, I guess it needs to be bigger. It doesn’t seem secure to have them sticking out.”
http://www.myballard.com/2009/08/18/stuffing-the-ballot-box-literally/
WA. Report from Election Central
08/18/2009 ...Ballot boxes are being emptied throughout the day. According to elections officials, only about 40 voters have come to the county’s three handicap-accessible centers to vote in person.
...Although a drop-off box in Ballard was reportedly stuffed full last night, KC Elections says the problem has been fixed and that no other problems have been reported. If you encounter any issues, contact the voter hotline at 206-205-VOTE (8683).
http://publicola.net/?p=12069
WA. Junk mail voting defeats me
I'm a political junkie. I never miss voting in an election. But I did on Tuesday.
For the first time, there were no polling places to go to in Seattle...Instead, I let the danged mail-in ballot languish in a pile with the Eddie Bauer catalog, the credit card offers and the grocery ads...
http://blog.seattlepi.com/davidhorsey/archives/176882.asp
WA. What happens to your ballot?
August 18, 2009 · When your ballot arrives at King County Elections, your signature is verified and your ballot is processed and counted. You can track your ballot online at three different stages.
http://kingcountynews.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/what-happens-to-your-ballot/
US. Voting machines: hackable, crackable, hijackable
...If you don't believe that everything is hackable, crackable or hijackable, vote counters included, consider just a scant handful of recent reports:
http://www.examiner.com/x-1449-Dallas-Libertarian-Examiner~y2009m8d19-Voting-machines-hackable-crackable-hijackable
US. Two American Independent Party Notables Ask to be Re-admitted to Obama Qualifications Lawsuit
August 19th On August 19, Markham Robinson and Wiley Drake asked a U.S. District Court in Orange County, California, to re-enter the lawsuit Barnett v Obama, SACV09-82. This is one of the lawsuits over the constitutional qualifications to be President
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/19/two-american-independent-party-notables-ask-to-be-re-admitted-to-obama-qualifications-lawsuit/
US. New publication compiles first-time voter stories
My First Vote, a new publication from the Brennan Center for Justice, is a compilation of stories from people across the country who voted for the first time in November 2008 after having lost, and then regained, their right to vote following a criminal conviction.
http://nonprofitvote.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-publication-compiles-first-time.html
Afghanistan. Bogus ballots and Britney: fraud threatens Afghan poll
Aug 19. Voter registration cards are for sale by the handful on the streets of Afghan cities and villages. Somebody even registered U.S. pop star Britney Spears to vote in Thursday's presidential election -- copies of her card were widely emailed and, for a while, pinned up in a Kabul hotel bar.
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Afghanistan-Pakistan/idUSTRE57I1SZ20090819
Afghanistan. Ballots And Bullets For Afghanistan
Ann Jones: The Fear Among Many Locals Is That The Fix Is In
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/19/opinion/main5253055.shtml
Netherlands. changing the ROMs of a Nedap e-voting computer in 60 seconds (Video)
http://genmakhirdavat.com/used-machine/changing-the-roms-of-a-nedap-e-voting-computer-in-60-seconds
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
8/18 Plaudits for Audits, MN's IRV test, NY's candidate whack-a-mole, Biometrics in Voter ID
The economy continues to impact election administration. Shrinking voter rolls for Annapolis Maryland. Plaudits for (Post-Election) Audits (video) :} The push for voter id in Mississippi continues. In Minnesota, instant runoff voting tested. In New York, one out of every five would-be candidates for local office gets knocked off the ballot. Meanwhile, the PA Supreme Court upheld the practice of charging candidates for the costs of removing them from the ballot. 2 accused of double voting in Arizona. King County has joined most Washington state in all-mail voting, Bolivia will use biometric voter ID. Japan's Twitter-Free Election Campaign.
AZ. 2 in court accused of double voting
If they did, it was error, lawyer says
08.14.2009 The attorney for a Green Valley couple accused of voting twice in the 2008general election says if his clients did so, it was an innocent mistake rather than a malicious act...The Marshalls are accused of voting in the general election in both Kansas — where they lived until relocating to Green Valley last year — and Arizona, court records show
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/304900
GA. First Brief Filed in Georgia Ballot Access Case
August 18th, 2009 On August 17, Faye Coffield filed her first brief in the 11th circuit, in Coffield v Handel, 09-13277, the case challenging the 5% (of the number of registered voters) petition requirement for minor party and independent candidates for U.S. House. As the brief makes abundantly clear, no one has completed this petition since 1964,
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/18/first-brief-filed-in-georgia-ballot-access-case/
IL. Without GOP Support, Quinn Signs Voter Registration Extension
August 18, 2009 ...HB 267 (now Public Act 96-0441), sponsored by Rep. Will Davis and Sen. James Meeks, extends that grace period one additional week, leaving only seven days between the final deadline and the opening of the polls.
http://progressillinois.com/2009/8/17/without-gop-quinn-registration
IN. Election costs and police pay wipe out most of county's new money as budget hearings hit crunch time
http://www.chestertontribune.com/PorterCounty/81891%20election_costs_and_police_pay_wi.htm
IN. Knox mayor says he'll testify before grand jury
Aug 17, 2009 at 4:54 KNOX — Mayor Rick Chambers has been issued a subpoena to appear before a grand jury Wednesday to testify into alleged voter fraud and perjury, he said Monday in a news release.
http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/53494297.html
KY. Bullitt Fiscal Court to discuss voting machines
August 17, 2009 Bullitt County Fiscal Court will hear an update on buying new voting machines at Tuesday's meeting...Mooney's office is working to redraw precinct boundaries and add new ones, which could require 24 to 30 new machines,
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090817/ZONE10/908170346/1008/NEWS01
MD. Annapolis voter rolls downsized
Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1 now
08/17/09 Registered voters in Annapolis are doing two things: turning bluer and disappearing
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2009/08/17-30/Annapolis-voter-rolls-downsized.html
MN. Residents try hand at new voting system
Instant-runoff voting is easier to cast than count, judging by our informal test run that sampled people ranging from our office to a senior citizen residence.
http://www.startribune.com/local/53359392.html?page=1&c=y
MS. Rosamond seeks judicial review of Canton Ward 1 election
August 17, 2009 ... Though Brown has been carrying out alderman duties since his swearing-in in July, Rosamond wants the election results thrown out because of alleged fraud and illegal voting in the May 19 runoff between he and Brown.
http://www.mcherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090817/NEWS/90817004
MS. Lt. Gov. pushes voter ID reform at Starkville meeting
August 18, 2009 ...Bryant’s plea Monday was part of a statewide Republican campaign to gather signatures and allow citizens to weigh in on whether or not voters should have to present valid photo ID.
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=2540
NC. Council mulls early voting sites
August 13, 2009 Greenville's City Council is requesting an early voting site be placed at the city's municipal building on Fifth Street following a lengthy debate Thursday night.
http://www.reflector.com/news/council-mulls-early-voting-sites-774465.html
NV. In deal, ex-ACORN official promises to testify against others
Aug. 18, 2009 ...Christopher Edwards, 33, the former Las Vegas field director for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, pleaded guilty to two gross misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit the crime of compensation for registration of voters.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/aug/18/deal-ex-acorn-official-cops-voter-quota-scheme/
NY. CASTING A VOTE FOR FAIRER BALLOT ACCESS
When one out of every five would-be candidates for local office gets knocked off the ballot, some say the process needs to change.
http://www.citylimits.org/content/articles/viewarticle.cfm?article_id=3788&content_type=1&media_type=3
NY. New York Omits Candidate From Absentee Ballots Even Though Court Put Him On Ballot August 17th, 2009
According to this story in the New York Daily News, the New York City Board of Elections has printed absentee ballots in City Councilman Alan Gerson’s race that do not include Gerson’s name.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/17/new-york-omits-candidate-from-absentee-ballots-even-though-court-put-him-on-ballot/
OH. Local election official interviewed by FBI
The FBI has interviewed a local election official about campaign reports. Mahoning County http://www.wfmj.com/Global/story.asp?S=10945254
PA. Monroe judge candidate's nominating voter signatures challenged
Supporters of judicial candidate Jennifer Harlacher, left, are challenging the validity of voter signatures on independent candidate Wieslaw Niemoczynski's.
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090818/NEWS/908180316
PA. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Again Upholds Costs for Candidates Whose Petitions Are Rejected August 18th, 2009
On August 18, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court again upheld the unique Pennsylvania practice of charging candidates for the costs of removing them from the ballot.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/18/pennsylvania-supreme-court-again-upholds-costs-for-candidates-whose-petitions-are-rejected/
TN. Administrator of Elections Confronts County Commission Monday Night
...Stedl will argue that the Election Commission’s proposed budget line item for retaining its own legal counsel is justified & is in accordance with Tennessee State law.
http://www.ucdailynews.com/news/local/53422297.html
TN. Day 9 of Operation: Please Offer Proof (P.O.P)
August 18, 2009 It’s been nine days since this proofer asked Secretary of State Tre Hargett and State Election Coordinator Mark Goins to present proof to the voters of Tennessee that even one vote cast during any election using the 100% unverifiable electronic voting machines we use now in 93 out of 95 counties in Tennessee has ever been recorded accurately, as per the voters’ intent.
http://www.liberadio.com/2009/08/18/day-9-of-operation-please-offer-proof-pop/
WA. Cast your ballot: Election Day arrives
But don't go to the polls; It's an all-mail election
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/409352_election18.html
US. Election Reform At Netroots Nation 2009
August 18th, 2009 Repairing our Democracy: Voter Registration Modernization and other Solutions Highly knowledgeable experts on the panel seemed to develop the consensus that the system is broken. CA SOS Bowen: “If we’re disenfranchising people who are serving us it’s time for the states to voluntarily figure out one cohesive consistent way that it works.”
http://www.whytuesday.org/2009/08/18/election-reform-at-netroots-nation-2009/
US. INSIDE WASHINGTON: Election regulators strained
WASHINGTON — Born in the political rubble of the Watergate scandal, the nation's 34-year experiment with limiting the influence of big money in federal elections is being tested as never before...Now, the ideological fight is over whether government can even try to prevent corporations and unions from spending millions on politics.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iIqvcpbHZs1HoqbjGcPwSd6hOEZwD9A555UG1
US. Plaudits for (Post-Election) Audits by Mark Lindeman (YouTube video)
Fun and educational.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skgCMNF2qlE
Afghanistan On eve of elections, fraud concerns loom (and video)
18 August 2009 A day before polls are set to open across Afghanistan, there are widespread fears that the precarious security situation will provide a smokescreen for election fraud, which could benefit the incumbent
http://www.france24.com/en/20090818-fraud-concerns-on-eve-elections-afghanistan-campaigns
Bolivia. CNE Brings Transparency to Voting with Cross Match Livescan Solution
L SCAN Guardian System Deployment Now Underway Throughout Bolivia
Cross Match Technologies, Inc., a global provider of biometric identity solutions, was selected by Bolivia’s national electoral commission to help modernize its voter registration process...a biometric-based voter registration program
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090817005136&newsLang=en
India. Brisk polling till noon
Tue, 18 Aug 2009 ..Polling was suspended for about half hour in Srivaikuntam due to some malfunctioning in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) but resumed after it was set right, police said.
http://www.samaylive.com/news/brisk-polling-till-noon/647889.html
Japan. Japan's Twitter-Free Election Campaign
Aug. 18, 2009 ...as their names were blared out on the first day of political open season, their campaigns on Twitter and Facebook were silent. One thing that Japanese politicians aren't armed with is the Internet
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1917137,00.html
AZ. 2 in court accused of double voting
If they did, it was error, lawyer says
08.14.2009 The attorney for a Green Valley couple accused of voting twice in the 2008general election says if his clients did so, it was an innocent mistake rather than a malicious act...The Marshalls are accused of voting in the general election in both Kansas — where they lived until relocating to Green Valley last year — and Arizona, court records show
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/304900
GA. First Brief Filed in Georgia Ballot Access Case
August 18th, 2009 On August 17, Faye Coffield filed her first brief in the 11th circuit, in Coffield v Handel, 09-13277, the case challenging the 5% (of the number of registered voters) petition requirement for minor party and independent candidates for U.S. House. As the brief makes abundantly clear, no one has completed this petition since 1964,
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/18/first-brief-filed-in-georgia-ballot-access-case/
IL. Without GOP Support, Quinn Signs Voter Registration Extension
August 18, 2009 ...HB 267 (now Public Act 96-0441), sponsored by Rep. Will Davis and Sen. James Meeks, extends that grace period one additional week, leaving only seven days between the final deadline and the opening of the polls.
http://progressillinois.com/2009/8/17/without-gop-quinn-registration
IN. Election costs and police pay wipe out most of county's new money as budget hearings hit crunch time
http://www.chestertontribune.com/PorterCounty/81891%20election_costs_and_police_pay_wi.htm
IN. Knox mayor says he'll testify before grand jury
Aug 17, 2009 at 4:54 KNOX — Mayor Rick Chambers has been issued a subpoena to appear before a grand jury Wednesday to testify into alleged voter fraud and perjury, he said Monday in a news release.
http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/53494297.html
KY. Bullitt Fiscal Court to discuss voting machines
August 17, 2009 Bullitt County Fiscal Court will hear an update on buying new voting machines at Tuesday's meeting...Mooney's office is working to redraw precinct boundaries and add new ones, which could require 24 to 30 new machines,
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090817/ZONE10/908170346/1008/NEWS01
MD. Annapolis voter rolls downsized
Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1 now
08/17/09 Registered voters in Annapolis are doing two things: turning bluer and disappearing
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2009/08/17-30/Annapolis-voter-rolls-downsized.html
MN. Residents try hand at new voting system
Instant-runoff voting is easier to cast than count, judging by our informal test run that sampled people ranging from our office to a senior citizen residence.
http://www.startribune.com/local/53359392.html?page=1&c=y
MS. Rosamond seeks judicial review of Canton Ward 1 election
August 17, 2009 ... Though Brown has been carrying out alderman duties since his swearing-in in July, Rosamond wants the election results thrown out because of alleged fraud and illegal voting in the May 19 runoff between he and Brown.
http://www.mcherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090817/NEWS/90817004
MS. Lt. Gov. pushes voter ID reform at Starkville meeting
August 18, 2009 ...Bryant’s plea Monday was part of a statewide Republican campaign to gather signatures and allow citizens to weigh in on whether or not voters should have to present valid photo ID.
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=2540
NC. Council mulls early voting sites
August 13, 2009 Greenville's City Council is requesting an early voting site be placed at the city's municipal building on Fifth Street following a lengthy debate Thursday night.
http://www.reflector.com/news/council-mulls-early-voting-sites-774465.html
NV. In deal, ex-ACORN official promises to testify against others
Aug. 18, 2009 ...Christopher Edwards, 33, the former Las Vegas field director for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, pleaded guilty to two gross misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit the crime of compensation for registration of voters.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/aug/18/deal-ex-acorn-official-cops-voter-quota-scheme/
NY. CASTING A VOTE FOR FAIRER BALLOT ACCESS
When one out of every five would-be candidates for local office gets knocked off the ballot, some say the process needs to change.
http://www.citylimits.org/content/articles/viewarticle.cfm?article_id=3788&content_type=1&media_type=3
NY. New York Omits Candidate From Absentee Ballots Even Though Court Put Him On Ballot August 17th, 2009
According to this story in the New York Daily News, the New York City Board of Elections has printed absentee ballots in City Councilman Alan Gerson’s race that do not include Gerson’s name.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/17/new-york-omits-candidate-from-absentee-ballots-even-though-court-put-him-on-ballot/
OH. Local election official interviewed by FBI
The FBI has interviewed a local election official about campaign reports. Mahoning County http://www.wfmj.com/Global/story.asp?S=10945254
PA. Monroe judge candidate's nominating voter signatures challenged
Supporters of judicial candidate Jennifer Harlacher, left, are challenging the validity of voter signatures on independent candidate Wieslaw Niemoczynski's.
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090818/NEWS/908180316
PA. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Again Upholds Costs for Candidates Whose Petitions Are Rejected August 18th, 2009
On August 18, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court again upheld the unique Pennsylvania practice of charging candidates for the costs of removing them from the ballot.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/18/pennsylvania-supreme-court-again-upholds-costs-for-candidates-whose-petitions-are-rejected/
TN. Administrator of Elections Confronts County Commission Monday Night
...Stedl will argue that the Election Commission’s proposed budget line item for retaining its own legal counsel is justified & is in accordance with Tennessee State law.
http://www.ucdailynews.com/news/local/53422297.html
TN. Day 9 of Operation: Please Offer Proof (P.O.P)
August 18, 2009 It’s been nine days since this proofer asked Secretary of State Tre Hargett and State Election Coordinator Mark Goins to present proof to the voters of Tennessee that even one vote cast during any election using the 100% unverifiable electronic voting machines we use now in 93 out of 95 counties in Tennessee has ever been recorded accurately, as per the voters’ intent.
http://www.liberadio.com/2009/08/18/day-9-of-operation-please-offer-proof-pop/
WA. Cast your ballot: Election Day arrives
But don't go to the polls; It's an all-mail election
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/409352_election18.html
US. Election Reform At Netroots Nation 2009
August 18th, 2009 Repairing our Democracy: Voter Registration Modernization and other Solutions Highly knowledgeable experts on the panel seemed to develop the consensus that the system is broken. CA SOS Bowen: “If we’re disenfranchising people who are serving us it’s time for the states to voluntarily figure out one cohesive consistent way that it works.”
http://www.whytuesday.org/2009/08/18/election-reform-at-netroots-nation-2009/
US. INSIDE WASHINGTON: Election regulators strained
WASHINGTON — Born in the political rubble of the Watergate scandal, the nation's 34-year experiment with limiting the influence of big money in federal elections is being tested as never before...Now, the ideological fight is over whether government can even try to prevent corporations and unions from spending millions on politics.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iIqvcpbHZs1HoqbjGcPwSd6hOEZwD9A555UG1
US. Plaudits for (Post-Election) Audits by Mark Lindeman (YouTube video)
Fun and educational.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skgCMNF2qlE
Afghanistan On eve of elections, fraud concerns loom (and video)
18 August 2009 A day before polls are set to open across Afghanistan, there are widespread fears that the precarious security situation will provide a smokescreen for election fraud, which could benefit the incumbent
http://www.france24.com/en/20090818-fraud-concerns-on-eve-elections-afghanistan-campaigns
Bolivia. CNE Brings Transparency to Voting with Cross Match Livescan Solution
L SCAN Guardian System Deployment Now Underway Throughout Bolivia
Cross Match Technologies, Inc., a global provider of biometric identity solutions, was selected by Bolivia’s national electoral commission to help modernize its voter registration process...a biometric-based voter registration program
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090817005136&newsLang=en
India. Brisk polling till noon
Tue, 18 Aug 2009 ..Polling was suspended for about half hour in Srivaikuntam due to some malfunctioning in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) but resumed after it was set right, police said.
http://www.samaylive.com/news/brisk-polling-till-noon/647889.html
Japan. Japan's Twitter-Free Election Campaign
Aug. 18, 2009 ...as their names were blared out on the first day of political open season, their campaigns on Twitter and Facebook were silent. One thing that Japanese politicians aren't armed with is the Internet
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1917137,00.html
Monday, August 17, 2009
8/17. Hack intercepts NEDAP voting machine signal, New research database on US voting systems, NM Judge convicted of vote fraud
A new voting machine hack, intercepts NEDAP voting machine signal. Online Poll: Should Aspen's ballots be disclosed for an independent audit? There's a new Research Database on the U.S. Voting System and Voting Technology by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. NC Verified celebrates 4 yr anniversary of paper ballot law. A NM judge convicted of vote fraud. With all the new hacks, what are we doing about it and Brad Friedman asks - where's the mainstream media?
CO. Do you think Aspen City Council should disclose the ballots from last May’s election? (Poll)
http://www.aspendailynews.com/poll/do-you-think-aspen-c
NC Verified Voting Meetup Aug 26 Celebrates 4 Year Anniversary of paper ballot law
http://ncvoters.blogspot.com/2009/08/nc-verified-voting-meetup-aug-26.html
NC.North Carolina Elections - Protecting The Vote
New voting hack uses machines decommissioned by a North Carolina county
http://ncvoters.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-voting-hack-uses-machines.html
NM. Former Sunland Park judge convicted of voter fraud
8/17/09 a jury convicted Favela of falsely declaring himself a resident of Sunland Park in 2008 so he could run for judge, falsifying a document that declared him a qualified voter, and voting twice in the 2004 general election — once in El Paso, Texas and once in Doña Ana County.
http://newmexicoindependent.com/34148/former-sunland-park-judge-convicted-is-another-voter-fraud-case-coming
TN. Computer Scientist Says Yes to Paper Ballots » LIBERADIO(!)
...We could have the kind of secure election the professor suggests with paper, paper ballots as ballot of record, and random audits because that's what the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act mandates...
http://www.liberadio.com/2009/08/17/computer-scientist-says-yes-to-paper-ballots/
WA. County’s top elections official discusses the vote-by-mail process
All but one county in the state vote by mail, so the idea of going to the polls on “election day” has been replaced with a three-week period in which ballots are mailed out, received, marked, signed and returned
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/aug/17/vicky-dalton/
US. New Research Database on the U.S. Voting System and Voting Technology provided by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The Research Database on the U.S. Voting System and Voting Technology provides access to empirical and analytical research about voting and elections to inform evidence-based reforms.
http://votingtech.aaas.org/default.aspx
US.Census Bureau begins printing 2010 questionnaires
...For the first time, more than 13 million questionnaires will be bilingual in English and Spanish..
http://nonprofitvote.blogspot.com/2009/08/census-bureau-begins-printing-2010.html
US. "Is Your 401(k) Used to Influence Congress?"
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/014276.html
US. The BRAD BLOG : New Hack of Sequoia Voting Machine Changes Votes ...
Hacks of our electronic voting systems used to be big news. Now though, it's been done so many times, and is apparently so simple to do, that the news hardly registers in the corporate mainstream media (if it ever did in the first place). Yet, almost nothing has been done about virtually any of it to date.
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7362
AFGHANISTAN. Threat of violence looms over Afghan vote
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gH6zTk0ZvJGljIu7bpEh3P2uECEwD9A4S6AO0
Germany. Voter Machine Van Eck Radiation Intercept Demonstrated
By Marc Handelman on August 17th, 2009
News is spreading of a successful voter machine signal intercept hack. German Chaos Computer Club’s member Andreas Bogk, utilizing a Van Eck radiation detection technique has apparently intercepted European Nedap voting machines data, and has thereby entered into the hallowed halls of so-called TEMPEST intercept attacks
http://infosecurity.us/?p=10613
INDIA. Vote Poll panel allows petitioners to show EVM’s tamperbility
August 17th, 2009
..Two engineers of Net India are also petitioners in this case.
...Prasad said he has asked for 20 EVMs that he will pick randomly from different booths to demonstrate that these can be tampered with. http://blog.taragana.com/n/poll-panel-allows-petitioners-to-show-evms-tamperbility-141837/
CO. Do you think Aspen City Council should disclose the ballots from last May’s election? (Poll)
http://www.aspendailynews.com/poll/do-you-think-aspen-c
NC Verified Voting Meetup Aug 26 Celebrates 4 Year Anniversary of paper ballot law
http://ncvoters.blogspot.com/2009/08/nc-verified-voting-meetup-aug-26.html
NC.North Carolina Elections - Protecting The Vote
New voting hack uses machines decommissioned by a North Carolina county
http://ncvoters.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-voting-hack-uses-machines.html
NM. Former Sunland Park judge convicted of voter fraud
8/17/09 a jury convicted Favela of falsely declaring himself a resident of Sunland Park in 2008 so he could run for judge, falsifying a document that declared him a qualified voter, and voting twice in the 2004 general election — once in El Paso, Texas and once in Doña Ana County.
http://newmexicoindependent.com/34148/former-sunland-park-judge-convicted-is-another-voter-fraud-case-coming
TN. Computer Scientist Says Yes to Paper Ballots » LIBERADIO(!)
...We could have the kind of secure election the professor suggests with paper, paper ballots as ballot of record, and random audits because that's what the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act mandates...
http://www.liberadio.com/2009/08/17/computer-scientist-says-yes-to-paper-ballots/
WA. County’s top elections official discusses the vote-by-mail process
All but one county in the state vote by mail, so the idea of going to the polls on “election day” has been replaced with a three-week period in which ballots are mailed out, received, marked, signed and returned
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/aug/17/vicky-dalton/
US. New Research Database on the U.S. Voting System and Voting Technology provided by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The Research Database on the U.S. Voting System and Voting Technology provides access to empirical and analytical research about voting and elections to inform evidence-based reforms.
http://votingtech.aaas.org/default.aspx
US.Census Bureau begins printing 2010 questionnaires
...For the first time, more than 13 million questionnaires will be bilingual in English and Spanish..
http://nonprofitvote.blogspot.com/2009/08/census-bureau-begins-printing-2010.html
US. "Is Your 401(k) Used to Influence Congress?"
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/014276.html
US. The BRAD BLOG : New Hack of Sequoia Voting Machine Changes Votes ...
Hacks of our electronic voting systems used to be big news. Now though, it's been done so many times, and is apparently so simple to do, that the news hardly registers in the corporate mainstream media (if it ever did in the first place). Yet, almost nothing has been done about virtually any of it to date.
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7362
AFGHANISTAN. Threat of violence looms over Afghan vote
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gH6zTk0ZvJGljIu7bpEh3P2uECEwD9A4S6AO0
Germany. Voter Machine Van Eck Radiation Intercept Demonstrated
By Marc Handelman on August 17th, 2009
News is spreading of a successful voter machine signal intercept hack. German Chaos Computer Club’s member Andreas Bogk, utilizing a Van Eck radiation detection technique has apparently intercepted European Nedap voting machines data, and has thereby entered into the hallowed halls of so-called TEMPEST intercept attacks
http://infosecurity.us/?p=10613
INDIA. Vote Poll panel allows petitioners to show EVM’s tamperbility
August 17th, 2009
..Two engineers of Net India are also petitioners in this case.
...Prasad said he has asked for 20 EVMs that he will pick randomly from different booths to demonstrate that these can be tampered with. http://blog.taragana.com/n/poll-panel-allows-petitioners-to-show-evms-tamperbility-141837/
8/17 Why the "new hack" matters-video, CA SOS Bowen at OpenSource-video, Double voting in an online election
More articles on the "new hack". 2 excellent videos: Video of Computer scientist Hovav Shacham explaining what the new hack is and why it matters. Video of California SOS Bowen at OpenSource World event. CA's SOS used cloud computing to handle peak election night loads on the SOS website. Alabama lawmakers defend voting the machines of others. A group pushes for Vote By Mail in Idaho. Online election for a union in Wichita needs do-over after some people voted twice. Budget cuts continue to impact elections, this time in NC. A Texas county gets e-poll books. In Netherlands, the CCC demonstrates TEMPEST measurement of voting machines. Iran tries more activists in post-election turmoil. *News is light considering it came from 150 alerts for voting issues. *Try to take a minute watching one of the videos to learn why the "new hack" matters.
AL. Legislature really can be efficient
August 16, 2009 House rules allow members to vote the machines of fellow members who are not present when recorded votes are taken, as long as no one objects ahead of time. ...Legislators defend voting the machines of others as simply a harmless practice that is a courtesy for the missing legislator. And if lawmakers only voted when their colleagues were away from their desks for a few minutes and asked them to so, there probably would be no harm in it... The best way to ensure integrity in the legislative voting process would be to require that no one vote ever on any machine but his or her own.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090816/OPINION01/908150314
AZ. Good to see county address privacy concern
August 13, 2009 There is an expectation of privacy when voting, so when people found their signatures were visible on the outside of Yuma County mail-in ballots in recent elections, there was reason for concern...Something has now been done about that issue. Most of the early mail ballots sent out for the Sept. 1 Yuma primary election have an extended flap on the ballot envelope that hides the signature of the voter returning the ballot.
http://www.yumasun.com/opinion/mail-52129-ballots-concern.html
CA.Open-source voting: Secure over obscure? (has video of SOS Debra Bowen)
At the OpenSource World event in San Francisco, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen says open-source software can help improve security in voting systems. Even with built-in security measures, though, potential human error among thousands of volunteers will put them at risk.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=22684
CA. OpenSource World 2009 ...She (SOS Bowen) also told a great story of how her office decided to try using cloud computing to handle the peak election night loads on the Secretary of State’s website. The result was that instead of spending $800,000 on computer upgrades, they paid a $7 bill to Amazon for EC2 usage.
http://blog.freemodelfoundry.com/2009/08/14/opensource-world-2009/
CO. Release the ballots
Aug 15. Aspen's election process is in doubt. Denying access to the May election ballots is a barrier to truth, not a protection of voters' rights. The integrity of Aspen's voting system requires that they be released now.
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20090815/LETTER/908159995/1020
ID Idaho group will proceed with petition to put vote by mail initiative on 2012 ballot 08/14/09 A group is proceeding with a initiative petition to put a vote by mail initiative on the ballot for the 2012 election. The group, Idaho Vote By Mail, Inc...the initiative is a non-partisan effort aimed at allowing residents the option of an automatic absentee ballot without having to request it every year
http://www.idahostatesman.com/idahopolitics/story/866210.html
KS. Software glitch mars teachers union vote
Wichita teachers will have to vote again next week to ratify their contract for the coming school year. The union discovered this week that people could vote twice through the computer program used to tally votes. The vote was delayed Wednesday after a union member called union leaders and told them he was able to enter more than one vote using the single access code given to him, said Larry Landwehr, president of United Teachers of Wichita.
http://www.kansas.com/news/breaking/story/930276.html
NC. Number Of Early Voting Sites Cut To One
August 14, 2009 CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Many Mecklenburg County residents will only have one place to vote early next month -- the Hal Marshall Annex in uptown Charlotte.
Mecklenburg County election officials said the change is due to budget cuts. They said money's tight, and that they don't have a lot of wiggle room. They can't drop elections, absentee voting, legal ads or voting precincts, so they're trimming early
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/20401568/detail.html
NC. Bid to reseat official falls flat
Local elections board fails to get member reinstated
August 16, 2009 "He was not responsive to the directions of the state board," Leake said, declining to get into specifics.
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/aug/16/bid-to-reseat-official-falls-flat/
NC. Et tu? Shakespeare joins Wake election exodus
Sat, Aug. 15, 2009 Shakespeare, who had filed to run for an at-large seat on Raleigh City Council, became the eighth local candidate in Wake County to withdraw this week.
...Because Shakespeare made his decision drop out of the race so late, he will still be on the Oct. 6 ballot. Also on the October ballot but not eligible will be Jerome Goldberg...
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1648113.html
SC. ACLU Sues South Carolina Over Fusion Again, This Time Using Voting Rights Act August 14th, 2009 The new, more restrictive, interpretation is that the candidate must file a declaration of candidacy for each party.
The lawsuit says that South Carolina should have asked for U.S. Justice Department approval for this change, but failed to do so.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/14/aclu-sues-south-carolina-over-fusion-again-this-time-using-voting-rights-act/
TX. Commissioners approve purchase of electronic poll books
Wise County. August 16, 2009
The line to vote could be shorter in future elections after county commissioners approved the purchase of electronic poll books.
For a cost of $75,000, elections administrator Lannie Nobles said it will "allow us to do away with the tedious paper check-in system."
http://www.wcmessenger.com/news/content/EkVpFVpyFyLkDjozAt.php
TX. Does Collin County understand what a Vote Center is? (updated twice)
08/10/09
http://www.baumbach.org/b2evolution/blogs/index.php?blog=2&p=1182&page=1&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1&disp=single#c2116
TX. Dems opposed to ‘super precinct’ election day plan
August 14, 2009 The Galveston County Democratic Party chairman is warning county commissioners not to push ahead with a recommendation to join a pilot program that calls for combining more than half its voting precincts on election day into a cluster of super precincts...If the county is accepted into the super precinct pilot program, the number of polling places would drop by one-third, from 61 to 40.
http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=e5226244b209ef7c
WA. Turnout So Far=Low
08/15/2009, As we head into the final weekend before King County’s first-ever all vote-by-mail election on Tuesday, only about 14 percent of the more than 1 million registered voters have mailed in ballots so far, according to the elections office.
Turnout for the election was expected to be around 35 percent.
http://publicola.net/?p=11848
US. Can DREs Provide Long-Lasting Security? The Case of Return-Oriented Programming and the AVC Advantage By Stephen Checkoway, Ariel J. Feldman, Brian Kantor, J. Alex Halderman, Edward W. Felten, and Hovav Shacham. Introductory Video
https://cseweb.ucsd.edu/groups/security/avc/
US. Hovav Shacham Describes an Electronic Voting Vulnerability (Video)
http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/news/news_video/play.sfe?id=40
US. Hacking Voting Machines For Election Security (NPR and with video)
Fri, 14 Aug 2009 Computer scientist Hovav Shacham has figured out a way to hack into older, seemingly more secure voting machines. Shacham talks about the "hack-ability" of electronic voting systems, election security and the best way to run an election with the current machines.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111889494&ft=2&f=510221
US. E-Voting Takes Another Hit (and why the new hack matters)
Aug 13, 2009 “This research shows that voting machines must be secure even against attacks that were not yet invented when the machines were designed and sold. Preventing not-yet-discovered attacks requires an extraordinary level of security engineering, or the use of safeguards such as voter-verified paper ballots,” said Edward Felten
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2009/08/evoting_takes_a.html;jsessionid=1BG3LODXQEST3QE1GHPSKH4ATMY32JVN
US. Electronic Voting Systems in the Spotlight Once Again
August 14th, 2009 Voting machine vendors routinely fix the vulnerabilities discovered in their products and then seem to wait for the next one to be found.
... Premier Voting Systems has decided that it will release the source code for its product to the public...
http://blog.emagined.com/2009/08/14/electronic-voting-systems-in-the-spotlight-once-again/
IRAN. Iran tries more activists in post-election turmoil
Aug 16. TEHRAN, Iran — Iran put on trial Sunday 25 more activists and opposition supporters, including a Jewish teenager, for their alleged involvement in the post-election turmoil.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ixeFBxfLzaSjs8Mb8cuFmtPOT6-wD9A3RFR00
NETHERLANDS. Hacking at Random: CCC demonstrates TEMPEST measurement of voting machines. At the summer hacker festival "Hacking at Random" Andreas Bogk of the Chaos Computer Club has demonstrated a way of measuring electromagnetic radiation from a Nedap voting machine... In his presentation on TEMPEST measurements Andreas Bogk reiterates the CCC's view on voting machines
http://www.h-online.com/security/Hacking-at-Random-CCC-demonstrates-TEMPEST-measurement-of-voting-machines--/news/114013
ZANZIBAR Voter registration flawed, says donors
The European Union and the United States yesterday expressed concern over what they described as flawed voter registration in Zanzibar in preparation for next year's General Election, and called for the shortcomings to be immediately rectified.
http://thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=14393
AL. Legislature really can be efficient
August 16, 2009 House rules allow members to vote the machines of fellow members who are not present when recorded votes are taken, as long as no one objects ahead of time. ...Legislators defend voting the machines of others as simply a harmless practice that is a courtesy for the missing legislator. And if lawmakers only voted when their colleagues were away from their desks for a few minutes and asked them to so, there probably would be no harm in it... The best way to ensure integrity in the legislative voting process would be to require that no one vote ever on any machine but his or her own.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090816/OPINION01/908150314
AZ. Good to see county address privacy concern
August 13, 2009 There is an expectation of privacy when voting, so when people found their signatures were visible on the outside of Yuma County mail-in ballots in recent elections, there was reason for concern...Something has now been done about that issue. Most of the early mail ballots sent out for the Sept. 1 Yuma primary election have an extended flap on the ballot envelope that hides the signature of the voter returning the ballot.
http://www.yumasun.com/opinion/mail-52129-ballots-concern.html
CA.Open-source voting: Secure over obscure? (has video of SOS Debra Bowen)
At the OpenSource World event in San Francisco, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen says open-source software can help improve security in voting systems. Even with built-in security measures, though, potential human error among thousands of volunteers will put them at risk.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=22684
CA. OpenSource World 2009 ...She (SOS Bowen) also told a great story of how her office decided to try using cloud computing to handle the peak election night loads on the Secretary of State’s website. The result was that instead of spending $800,000 on computer upgrades, they paid a $7 bill to Amazon for EC2 usage.
http://blog.freemodelfoundry.com/2009/08/14/opensource-world-2009/
CO. Release the ballots
Aug 15. Aspen's election process is in doubt. Denying access to the May election ballots is a barrier to truth, not a protection of voters' rights. The integrity of Aspen's voting system requires that they be released now.
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20090815/LETTER/908159995/1020
ID Idaho group will proceed with petition to put vote by mail initiative on 2012 ballot 08/14/09 A group is proceeding with a initiative petition to put a vote by mail initiative on the ballot for the 2012 election. The group, Idaho Vote By Mail, Inc...the initiative is a non-partisan effort aimed at allowing residents the option of an automatic absentee ballot without having to request it every year
http://www.idahostatesman.com/idahopolitics/story/866210.html
KS. Software glitch mars teachers union vote
Wichita teachers will have to vote again next week to ratify their contract for the coming school year. The union discovered this week that people could vote twice through the computer program used to tally votes. The vote was delayed Wednesday after a union member called union leaders and told them he was able to enter more than one vote using the single access code given to him, said Larry Landwehr, president of United Teachers of Wichita.
http://www.kansas.com/news/breaking/story/930276.html
NC. Number Of Early Voting Sites Cut To One
August 14, 2009 CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Many Mecklenburg County residents will only have one place to vote early next month -- the Hal Marshall Annex in uptown Charlotte.
Mecklenburg County election officials said the change is due to budget cuts. They said money's tight, and that they don't have a lot of wiggle room. They can't drop elections, absentee voting, legal ads or voting precincts, so they're trimming early
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/20401568/detail.html
NC. Bid to reseat official falls flat
Local elections board fails to get member reinstated
August 16, 2009 "He was not responsive to the directions of the state board," Leake said, declining to get into specifics.
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/aug/16/bid-to-reseat-official-falls-flat/
NC. Et tu? Shakespeare joins Wake election exodus
Sat, Aug. 15, 2009 Shakespeare, who had filed to run for an at-large seat on Raleigh City Council, became the eighth local candidate in Wake County to withdraw this week.
...Because Shakespeare made his decision drop out of the race so late, he will still be on the Oct. 6 ballot. Also on the October ballot but not eligible will be Jerome Goldberg...
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1648113.html
SC. ACLU Sues South Carolina Over Fusion Again, This Time Using Voting Rights Act August 14th, 2009 The new, more restrictive, interpretation is that the candidate must file a declaration of candidacy for each party.
The lawsuit says that South Carolina should have asked for U.S. Justice Department approval for this change, but failed to do so.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/14/aclu-sues-south-carolina-over-fusion-again-this-time-using-voting-rights-act/
TX. Commissioners approve purchase of electronic poll books
Wise County. August 16, 2009
The line to vote could be shorter in future elections after county commissioners approved the purchase of electronic poll books.
For a cost of $75,000, elections administrator Lannie Nobles said it will "allow us to do away with the tedious paper check-in system."
http://www.wcmessenger.com/news/content/EkVpFVpyFyLkDjozAt.php
TX. Does Collin County understand what a Vote Center is? (updated twice)
08/10/09
http://www.baumbach.org/b2evolution/blogs/index.php?blog=2&p=1182&page=1&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1&disp=single#c2116
TX. Dems opposed to ‘super precinct’ election day plan
August 14, 2009 The Galveston County Democratic Party chairman is warning county commissioners not to push ahead with a recommendation to join a pilot program that calls for combining more than half its voting precincts on election day into a cluster of super precincts...If the county is accepted into the super precinct pilot program, the number of polling places would drop by one-third, from 61 to 40.
http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=e5226244b209ef7c
WA. Turnout So Far=Low
08/15/2009, As we head into the final weekend before King County’s first-ever all vote-by-mail election on Tuesday, only about 14 percent of the more than 1 million registered voters have mailed in ballots so far, according to the elections office.
Turnout for the election was expected to be around 35 percent.
http://publicola.net/?p=11848
US. Can DREs Provide Long-Lasting Security? The Case of Return-Oriented Programming and the AVC Advantage By Stephen Checkoway, Ariel J. Feldman, Brian Kantor, J. Alex Halderman, Edward W. Felten, and Hovav Shacham. Introductory Video
https://cseweb.ucsd.edu/groups/security/avc/
US. Hovav Shacham Describes an Electronic Voting Vulnerability (Video)
http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/news/news_video/play.sfe?id=40
US. Hacking Voting Machines For Election Security (NPR and with video)
Fri, 14 Aug 2009 Computer scientist Hovav Shacham has figured out a way to hack into older, seemingly more secure voting machines. Shacham talks about the "hack-ability" of electronic voting systems, election security and the best way to run an election with the current machines.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111889494&ft=2&f=510221
US. E-Voting Takes Another Hit (and why the new hack matters)
Aug 13, 2009 “This research shows that voting machines must be secure even against attacks that were not yet invented when the machines were designed and sold. Preventing not-yet-discovered attacks requires an extraordinary level of security engineering, or the use of safeguards such as voter-verified paper ballots,” said Edward Felten
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2009/08/evoting_takes_a.html;jsessionid=1BG3LODXQEST3QE1GHPSKH4ATMY32JVN
US. Electronic Voting Systems in the Spotlight Once Again
August 14th, 2009 Voting machine vendors routinely fix the vulnerabilities discovered in their products and then seem to wait for the next one to be found.
... Premier Voting Systems has decided that it will release the source code for its product to the public...
http://blog.emagined.com/2009/08/14/electronic-voting-systems-in-the-spotlight-once-again/
IRAN. Iran tries more activists in post-election turmoil
Aug 16. TEHRAN, Iran — Iran put on trial Sunday 25 more activists and opposition supporters, including a Jewish teenager, for their alleged involvement in the post-election turmoil.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ixeFBxfLzaSjs8Mb8cuFmtPOT6-wD9A3RFR00
NETHERLANDS. Hacking at Random: CCC demonstrates TEMPEST measurement of voting machines. At the summer hacker festival "Hacking at Random" Andreas Bogk of the Chaos Computer Club has demonstrated a way of measuring electromagnetic radiation from a Nedap voting machine... In his presentation on TEMPEST measurements Andreas Bogk reiterates the CCC's view on voting machines
http://www.h-online.com/security/Hacking-at-Random-CCC-demonstrates-TEMPEST-measurement-of-voting-machines--/news/114013
ZANZIBAR Voter registration flawed, says donors
The European Union and the United States yesterday expressed concern over what they described as flawed voter registration in Zanzibar in preparation for next year's General Election, and called for the shortcomings to be immediately rectified.
http://thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=14393
Thursday, August 13, 2009
8/13. More on voting machine hack, Canada moves forward with internet voting plans, India high court orders proof EVMs can be tampered with
The new Sequoia hack triggers humor amidst alarm and renews calls for paper ballots. Argument for open source repeated in wake of the recent Diebold software patch. Florida election laws may address google ads. Illinois voters will be able to register up to 7 days before election if gov signs bill. TX two step primary to be challenged in Fed Court. A VA county moves election date to save money. Canada moves on with internet voting in spite of fresh warnings from computer scientists. In India, the Madras High Court today directs the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President G. K. Mani to demonstrate how EVMS can be hacked.
CA. California Still Willing to Give e-Voting a Try
Secretary of State discusses the flaws in the system but remains committed to electronic voting. Dell talks up cloud computing.
...Paper ballots right now, she said, mean "never having to say 'I trust you' to thousands of lines of code no matter how cute they may be," she added.
http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3834386
FL. Florida Election Laws May Adapt to New Media Demands
Aug 13th, 2009 A case that penalized St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Scott Wagman for using Google ads in his campaign could lead to a new law making the practice acceptable in political races across the Sunshine State....The problem arose when a complaint was filed against Wagman who used Google click ads that do not say who paid for them, which is against election law. The Wagman campaign contended that it was impossible to provide the disclaimer because the ads contain a character limit.
http://www.jaxobserver.com/2009/08/13/florida-election-laws-may-adapt-to-new-media-demands/
IL. Waiting for Governor's signature. HB 267, which allows grace period voter registration as late as 7 days prior to an election (now, grace period registration ends 14 days prior), was sent to the governor on June 17. The governor has until Sunday, August 16 to take action.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=267&GAID=10&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=40393&SessionID=76&GA=96
MA. City consolidates polling places to save money
SALEM — Many voters will cast their ballots at new locations this fall, as the city cuts back on the number of polling stations to save money.
...it saves you in police costs and handicap machines programming."
The state provided the city an estimate of $1,000 per handicapped voting machine for the cost of programming each one, LaPointe said.
http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_225000631.html?keyword=secondarystory
NC. Only two candidates participating in Chapel Hill's voter-owned elections
...It's a simple, albeit controversial idea: The public should fund campaigns for viable candidates so everyone, not just those who can afford to bankroll their campaigns, has a fair shot at winning office.
http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=399354
NCSBoE presentation on Voter Owned Elections
http://www.app.sboe.state.nc.us/NCSBE/docs/TOCHVOEP/player.html
NE. Mail-in elections a growing trend
...In what is a growing trend across Nebraska, more and more villages, cities and counties are holding “mail-only” elections when considering local issues such as sales tax proposals, school bond issues and keno measures
http://www.omaha.com/article/20090813/NEWS01/708139914
NY. Upcoming elections bring new equipment, rules
Instead of drawing a curtain, flipping levers and pulling a handle to register votes, voters will be given a paper ballot and a pen, and guided to a screened area where they will fill in boxes next to their candidates’ names...But there are other changes besides the obvious ones in store for voters, including identification for first-time voters – through a driver’s license or the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number – when they arrive at the polls.
http://www.the-leader.com/homepage/x1373183486/Upcoming-elections-bring-new-equipment-rules
SC. Federal Court Upholds South Carolina’s Method of Restricting Fusion
On August 12, U.S. District Court Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, a Clinton appointee, upheld South Carolina election laws that permit fusion, but which also say that if someone gets the nomination of one party first, and later tries to get the nomination of a second party and fails, then the first nomination is voided.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/12/federal-court-upholds-south-carolinas-method-of-restricting-fusion/
TN. Election commission names York administrator again
Aug 13. Smart then asked Smith about the missing voting machine, duplicate serial number on two machines and the security at the Community Complex.
"I don't know, I would ask the machine tech and I'd have to investigate that myself ..." ..Phillips then told the commissioners the missing machine was one that was taken in for repair and the duplicate number may have come from the machine manufacturer. Smart said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) might have to be called in.
http://www.crossville-chronicle.com/local/local_story_225173427.html
TX LULAC Challenges Texas Two-Step
By David Martin Davies, Texas Public Radio (2009-08-13)
Vera is set to argue in federal court that the Texas Two-Step is a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kera/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1542193/North.Texas/LULAC.Challenges.Texas.Two-Step
VA Chatham considering moving town elections to November
August 12, 2009 Additional costs passed down by the state may prompt Chatham to move its town elections from May to November.
http://www.wpcva.com/articles/2009/08/12/chatham/news/news50.txt
US. Hang your head, Sequoia e-voting machine; you've been hacked again
Aug 13th 2009 Oh, Princeton University, won't you leave the poor electronic voting machines alone? Haven't they suffered enough without you forming teams with researchers from the University of California, San Diego and the University of Michigan to spread their private moments even further asunder?...
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/13/hang-your-head-sequoia-e-voting-machine-youve-been-hacked-aga/
US. Why Governments must make voting systems open source
Friday, 14 August 2009 Premier Election Solutions, formerly known as Diebold, patched a security weakness in its electronic vote tabulation software this week. Nice, but how many flaws are required before governments mandate open source solutions?
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/26968/1141/
US. Electronic Voting Technology Workshop/Workshop on Trustworthy Elections – USENIX/ACCURATE Electronic Voting Technology Workshop (EVT) and IAVoSS Workshop on Trustworthy Elections (WOTE), August 10-11, 2009: A two-day workshop about voting technology held earlier this week brought together researchers from a variety of disciplines including computer scientists, political scientists, legal experts, election administrators and voting system vendors. A number of papers were presented on topics such as usability, forensics, security and audits.
http://www.usenix.org/events/evtwote09/tech/
Canada. Abandon e-voting dreams, hackers warn
Elections Canada still plans online voting despite safety warnings from U.S. computer scientists August 13, 2009
As Elections Canada moves forward with its proposal to try online voting in Canada within the next four years, a fresh warning was raised this week urging governments to stick to old-fashioned paper
http://www.canada.com/technology/Abandon+voting+dreams+hackers+warn/1889002/story.html
Canada. Study urges paper trail as Canada mulls e-voting
August 12, 2009 OTTAWA —Elections Canada has already begun hiring resources, developing a timeline and researching e-voting experiences over the Internet. "It's at the early stages," she said, adding the agency is on track to try online voting in a 2013 byelection...
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Study+urges+paper+trail+Canada+mulls+voting/1886113/story.html
India. EVM: Madras HC directs PMK to prove before poll panel on Aug 27
12 August (Asiantribune.com): The Madras High Court today directed the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President G. K. Mani to demonstrate before the Chief Election Commission (CEC), how the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) can be tampered with.
http://asiantribune.com/08/12/evm-madras-hc-directs-pmk-to-prove-before-poll-panel-on-aug-27/
CA. California Still Willing to Give e-Voting a Try
Secretary of State discusses the flaws in the system but remains committed to electronic voting. Dell talks up cloud computing.
...Paper ballots right now, she said, mean "never having to say 'I trust you' to thousands of lines of code no matter how cute they may be," she added.
http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3834386
FL. Florida Election Laws May Adapt to New Media Demands
Aug 13th, 2009 A case that penalized St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Scott Wagman for using Google ads in his campaign could lead to a new law making the practice acceptable in political races across the Sunshine State....The problem arose when a complaint was filed against Wagman who used Google click ads that do not say who paid for them, which is against election law. The Wagman campaign contended that it was impossible to provide the disclaimer because the ads contain a character limit.
http://www.jaxobserver.com/2009/08/13/florida-election-laws-may-adapt-to-new-media-demands/
IL. Waiting for Governor's signature. HB 267, which allows grace period voter registration as late as 7 days prior to an election (now, grace period registration ends 14 days prior), was sent to the governor on June 17. The governor has until Sunday, August 16 to take action.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=267&GAID=10&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=40393&SessionID=76&GA=96
MA. City consolidates polling places to save money
SALEM — Many voters will cast their ballots at new locations this fall, as the city cuts back on the number of polling stations to save money.
...it saves you in police costs and handicap machines programming."
The state provided the city an estimate of $1,000 per handicapped voting machine for the cost of programming each one, LaPointe said.
http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_225000631.html?keyword=secondarystory
NC. Only two candidates participating in Chapel Hill's voter-owned elections
...It's a simple, albeit controversial idea: The public should fund campaigns for viable candidates so everyone, not just those who can afford to bankroll their campaigns, has a fair shot at winning office.
http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=399354
NCSBoE presentation on Voter Owned Elections
http://www.app.sboe.state.nc.us/NCSBE/docs/TOCHVOEP/player.html
NE. Mail-in elections a growing trend
...In what is a growing trend across Nebraska, more and more villages, cities and counties are holding “mail-only” elections when considering local issues such as sales tax proposals, school bond issues and keno measures
http://www.omaha.com/article/20090813/NEWS01/708139914
NY. Upcoming elections bring new equipment, rules
Instead of drawing a curtain, flipping levers and pulling a handle to register votes, voters will be given a paper ballot and a pen, and guided to a screened area where they will fill in boxes next to their candidates’ names...But there are other changes besides the obvious ones in store for voters, including identification for first-time voters – through a driver’s license or the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number – when they arrive at the polls.
http://www.the-leader.com/homepage/x1373183486/Upcoming-elections-bring-new-equipment-rules
SC. Federal Court Upholds South Carolina’s Method of Restricting Fusion
On August 12, U.S. District Court Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, a Clinton appointee, upheld South Carolina election laws that permit fusion, but which also say that if someone gets the nomination of one party first, and later tries to get the nomination of a second party and fails, then the first nomination is voided.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/12/federal-court-upholds-south-carolinas-method-of-restricting-fusion/
TN. Election commission names York administrator again
Aug 13. Smart then asked Smith about the missing voting machine, duplicate serial number on two machines and the security at the Community Complex.
"I don't know, I would ask the machine tech and I'd have to investigate that myself ..." ..Phillips then told the commissioners the missing machine was one that was taken in for repair and the duplicate number may have come from the machine manufacturer. Smart said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) might have to be called in.
http://www.crossville-chronicle.com/local/local_story_225173427.html
TX LULAC Challenges Texas Two-Step
By David Martin Davies, Texas Public Radio (2009-08-13)
Vera is set to argue in federal court that the Texas Two-Step is a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kera/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1542193/North.Texas/LULAC.Challenges.Texas.Two-Step
VA Chatham considering moving town elections to November
August 12, 2009 Additional costs passed down by the state may prompt Chatham to move its town elections from May to November.
http://www.wpcva.com/articles/2009/08/12/chatham/news/news50.txt
US. Hang your head, Sequoia e-voting machine; you've been hacked again
Aug 13th 2009 Oh, Princeton University, won't you leave the poor electronic voting machines alone? Haven't they suffered enough without you forming teams with researchers from the University of California, San Diego and the University of Michigan to spread their private moments even further asunder?...
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/13/hang-your-head-sequoia-e-voting-machine-youve-been-hacked-aga/
US. Why Governments must make voting systems open source
Friday, 14 August 2009 Premier Election Solutions, formerly known as Diebold, patched a security weakness in its electronic vote tabulation software this week. Nice, but how many flaws are required before governments mandate open source solutions?
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/26968/1141/
US. Electronic Voting Technology Workshop/Workshop on Trustworthy Elections – USENIX/ACCURATE Electronic Voting Technology Workshop (EVT) and IAVoSS Workshop on Trustworthy Elections (WOTE), August 10-11, 2009: A two-day workshop about voting technology held earlier this week brought together researchers from a variety of disciplines including computer scientists, political scientists, legal experts, election administrators and voting system vendors. A number of papers were presented on topics such as usability, forensics, security and audits.
http://www.usenix.org/events/evtwote09/tech/
Canada. Abandon e-voting dreams, hackers warn
Elections Canada still plans online voting despite safety warnings from U.S. computer scientists August 13, 2009
As Elections Canada moves forward with its proposal to try online voting in Canada within the next four years, a fresh warning was raised this week urging governments to stick to old-fashioned paper
http://www.canada.com/technology/Abandon+voting+dreams+hackers+warn/1889002/story.html
Canada. Study urges paper trail as Canada mulls e-voting
August 12, 2009 OTTAWA —Elections Canada has already begun hiring resources, developing a timeline and researching e-voting experiences over the Internet. "It's at the early stages," she said, adding the agency is on track to try online voting in a 2013 byelection...
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Study+urges+paper+trail+Canada+mulls+voting/1886113/story.html
India. EVM: Madras HC directs PMK to prove before poll panel on Aug 27
12 August (Asiantribune.com): The Madras High Court today directed the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President G. K. Mani to demonstrate before the Chief Election Commission (CEC), how the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) can be tampered with.
http://asiantribune.com/08/12/evm-madras-hc-directs-pmk-to-prove-before-poll-panel-on-aug-27/
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
8/12 Diebold quietly patches flaw, TX election database down, Tenn County asks Atty Gen on voting machines, New hack costs under $100K
Diebold Quietly Patches Security Flaw in Vote Counting Software. Ballot dispute: The Aspen Colorado City Council refuses to release ballots for an independent review while the Aspen Times supports it. Texas elections databases and other parts of the SOS computer system have been down since last week. The GA SoS asks again for the U.S. Justice Department to approve a law that requires strict matching for voter registration. In Tenn, a county seeks state Atty General's opinion on voting machine law. The NEW voting machine hack cost less than $100K. Kenya may vote without paper in 2012. Officials there believe that "It eliminates rigging claims, manual tallying and delay of results,"
CO. City sticks to position not to release ballots
August 12, 2009
...Aspen for the first time used an instant runoff voting system in the May election, which required complex software to count the ballots. Branscomb said he is interested in a full analysis of the election that could be shared with other communities who might be interested in some of Aspen’s tactics.
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/136054
CO. What's the secret behind ballots?
The city should err on the side of openness and disclosure. An honest review of the IRV process is in everyone's best interest, regardless of political affiliation, and refusing to release the ballots makes it look like the city is either stonewalling a political opponent or trying to hide something.
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20090812/DAILYCOMMENT/908119977/1019/NONE&parentprofile=1061
GA. State of Georgia Submits Voter Verification Process to U.S. Department of Justice for Reconsideration (wants "no match no vote" requirement)
Atlanta (August 12, 2009) – Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel today announced that the State of Georgia has asked the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to reconsider its May 2009 objection of preclearance for two critical voter verification processes utilized in the November 2008 General Election.
http://www.theweekly.com/news/2009/August/12/Voter_Verification.html
NC. Elections Board OKs Kurtz’s mayoral candidacy
Hendersonville. During the quasi-judicial hearing this morning, Kurtz presented evidence and witnesses to prove that his primary residence is 202 N. Main Street
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20090812/NEWS/908129985?Title=Elections-Board-OKs-Kurtz-s-mayoral-candidacy-
TN. Sullivan County Election Officials Misinterpret New Election Law
August 12, 2009 ...as a state, we can use any paper ballot counting machines we want to use. It’s our choice…kind of a states’ rights thing. Booher can use the machines he purchased in 2006 and Tre Hargett can allow the other county Election Administrators to purchase machines like the ones that have been working without incident in Hamilton, Pickett and, apparently, Sullivan counties.
http://www.liberadio.com/2009/08/12/sullivan-county-election-officials-misinterpret-new-election-law/
TN.Sullivan Officials Won’t Push For Voter Act Delay
August 12, 2009 ...Dessauer further suggested the commission contact state Attorney General Robert Cooper to get a formal opinion because it is technically his job to answer such questions and give legal advice to local governments.
http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/sullivan_officials_wont_push_for_voter_act_delay/30423/
TN. Sullivan to seek attorney general's opinion on voting machine deadline
August 11th, 2009 BLOUNTVILLE — Sullivan County election officials want a state attorney general’s opinion on whether or not local election commissions across the state can be held liable if they fail to meet a deadline next year for optical scan voting
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9015956
TX. Computer problems tie up secretary of state's business records
Public has been unable to obtain online documents from office since Thursday.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 Dillard said that the secretary of state's elections databases were also affected but came back online Tuesday. During the outage, county elections officials were unable to update the statewide voter registration rolls, he said. "We are confident that voter registration data was not compromised," Dillard said.
http://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/2009/08/12/0812sos.html
TX. As seen on Texas SOS website August 12, 2009
Notice: Progress is being made to restore SOS services that have been disrupted by a hardware problem preventing access to many of our databases...
https://direct.sos.state.tx.us/home/home-sitedown.asp
Screen shot
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i129/ncvoter/TX_SOS_DOS_Aug_12_09- 1.jpg
WI. Wisconsin is one step closer to studying Internet voting
Aug 11. Wisconsin is one step closer to studying Internet voting, and other ways to make it easier for people to cast ballots. ...The Government Accountability Board endorsed a five-year plan Monday...
http://www.hudsonstarobserver.com/event/article/id/35360/
US. Diebold Quietly Patches Security Flaw in Vote Counting Software
Wired News. August 12, 2009 Premier Election Solutions, formerly Diebold, has patched a serious security weakness in its election tabulation software used in the majority of states, according to a lab that tested the new version and a federal commission that certified it.
The flaw in the tabulation software was discovered by Wired.com earlier this year, and involved the program’s auditing logs. The logs failed to record significant events occurring on a computer running the software, including the act of someone deleting votes during or after an election. The logs also failed to record who performed an action on the system, and listed some events with the wrong date and timestamps.
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/08/diebold-audit-logs/#comments
US. EVT/WOTE ‘09 UPDATE
..some of the papers presented at the workshop
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=2795
US. Aug 12 EVT/WOTE 2009, Day 2
Day 2 of EVT/WOTE 2009 was on the highly mathematical side. The cryptographic papers and auditing papers were presented on Day 2.
http://josephhall.org/nqb2/index.php/2009/08/12/evtwotesd
US. Paper beats computer: scientists hack voting machine
August 12th, 2009 ...“return-oriented programming” exploit was successfully able to steal votes from a Sequoia AVC Advantage electronic voting machine...So how should governments react to this turn of events? Schacham recommends that the voting process should be as computer-free as possible.
http://technabob.com/blog/2009/08/12/scientists-hack-voting-machine/
US. Voting machine hack costs less than $100,000
August 12, 2009 Why spend millions of dollars campaigning when you can hack an election for less than 100 grand?
http://www.itworld.com/government/74447/voting-machine-hack-costs-less-100000
Kenya. You may vote without ballot papers in 2012, if IIEC agrees
Kenya may adopt an electronic voting system by 2012 should stakeholders and the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) agree...
"It eliminates rigging claims, manual tallying and delay of results," Mutula said.
http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1144021426&cid=4
CO. City sticks to position not to release ballots
August 12, 2009
...Aspen for the first time used an instant runoff voting system in the May election, which required complex software to count the ballots. Branscomb said he is interested in a full analysis of the election that could be shared with other communities who might be interested in some of Aspen’s tactics.
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/136054
CO. What's the secret behind ballots?
The city should err on the side of openness and disclosure. An honest review of the IRV process is in everyone's best interest, regardless of political affiliation, and refusing to release the ballots makes it look like the city is either stonewalling a political opponent or trying to hide something.
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20090812/DAILYCOMMENT/908119977/1019/NONE&parentprofile=1061
GA. State of Georgia Submits Voter Verification Process to U.S. Department of Justice for Reconsideration (wants "no match no vote" requirement)
Atlanta (August 12, 2009) – Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel today announced that the State of Georgia has asked the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to reconsider its May 2009 objection of preclearance for two critical voter verification processes utilized in the November 2008 General Election.
http://www.theweekly.com/news/2009/August/12/Voter_Verification.html
NC. Elections Board OKs Kurtz’s mayoral candidacy
Hendersonville. During the quasi-judicial hearing this morning, Kurtz presented evidence and witnesses to prove that his primary residence is 202 N. Main Street
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20090812/NEWS/908129985?Title=Elections-Board-OKs-Kurtz-s-mayoral-candidacy-
TN. Sullivan County Election Officials Misinterpret New Election Law
August 12, 2009 ...as a state, we can use any paper ballot counting machines we want to use. It’s our choice…kind of a states’ rights thing. Booher can use the machines he purchased in 2006 and Tre Hargett can allow the other county Election Administrators to purchase machines like the ones that have been working without incident in Hamilton, Pickett and, apparently, Sullivan counties.
http://www.liberadio.com/2009/08/12/sullivan-county-election-officials-misinterpret-new-election-law/
TN.Sullivan Officials Won’t Push For Voter Act Delay
August 12, 2009 ...Dessauer further suggested the commission contact state Attorney General Robert Cooper to get a formal opinion because it is technically his job to answer such questions and give legal advice to local governments.
http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/sullivan_officials_wont_push_for_voter_act_delay/30423/
TN. Sullivan to seek attorney general's opinion on voting machine deadline
August 11th, 2009 BLOUNTVILLE — Sullivan County election officials want a state attorney general’s opinion on whether or not local election commissions across the state can be held liable if they fail to meet a deadline next year for optical scan voting
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9015956
TX. Computer problems tie up secretary of state's business records
Public has been unable to obtain online documents from office since Thursday.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 Dillard said that the secretary of state's elections databases were also affected but came back online Tuesday. During the outage, county elections officials were unable to update the statewide voter registration rolls, he said. "We are confident that voter registration data was not compromised," Dillard said.
http://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/2009/08/12/0812sos.html
TX. As seen on Texas SOS website August 12, 2009
Notice: Progress is being made to restore SOS services that have been disrupted by a hardware problem preventing access to many of our databases...
https://direct.sos.state.tx.us/home/home-sitedown.asp
Screen shot
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i129/ncvoter/TX_SOS_DOS_Aug_12_09- 1.jpg
WI. Wisconsin is one step closer to studying Internet voting
Aug 11. Wisconsin is one step closer to studying Internet voting, and other ways to make it easier for people to cast ballots. ...The Government Accountability Board endorsed a five-year plan Monday...
http://www.hudsonstarobserver.com/event/article/id/35360/
US. Diebold Quietly Patches Security Flaw in Vote Counting Software
Wired News. August 12, 2009 Premier Election Solutions, formerly Diebold, has patched a serious security weakness in its election tabulation software used in the majority of states, according to a lab that tested the new version and a federal commission that certified it.
The flaw in the tabulation software was discovered by Wired.com earlier this year, and involved the program’s auditing logs. The logs failed to record significant events occurring on a computer running the software, including the act of someone deleting votes during or after an election. The logs also failed to record who performed an action on the system, and listed some events with the wrong date and timestamps.
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/08/diebold-audit-logs/#comments
US. EVT/WOTE ‘09 UPDATE
..some of the papers presented at the workshop
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=2795
US. Aug 12 EVT/WOTE 2009, Day 2
Day 2 of EVT/WOTE 2009 was on the highly mathematical side. The cryptographic papers and auditing papers were presented on Day 2.
http://josephhall.org/nqb2/index.php/2009/08/12/evtwotesd
US. Paper beats computer: scientists hack voting machine
August 12th, 2009 ...“return-oriented programming” exploit was successfully able to steal votes from a Sequoia AVC Advantage electronic voting machine...So how should governments react to this turn of events? Schacham recommends that the voting process should be as computer-free as possible.
http://technabob.com/blog/2009/08/12/scientists-hack-voting-machine/
US. Voting machine hack costs less than $100,000
August 12, 2009 Why spend millions of dollars campaigning when you can hack an election for less than 100 grand?
http://www.itworld.com/government/74447/voting-machine-hack-costs-less-100000
Kenya. You may vote without ballot papers in 2012, if IIEC agrees
Kenya may adopt an electronic voting system by 2012 should stakeholders and the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) agree...
"It eliminates rigging claims, manual tallying and delay of results," Mutula said.
http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1144021426&cid=4
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
8/11 Voting News. MN media sues for ballots, PA recount changes outcome, New Hack is practical, NM voter guide warning
The US Supreme Court forces issue on overturning ban on corporate campaign donations. Tennessee voting machine mess continues. Warning: New Mexico voters received a voter guide that is ridden with errors. Minnesota TV Stations are suing Ramsey County over access to 2008 absentee ballots. A recount changes outcome of an election in Pennsylvania. See what a Fusion style ballot looks like. The New Hack was used against the Sequoia AVC Advantage machine, which is used almost universally in New Jersey and in parts of Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Colorado and Virginia... Voters should prove their citizenship according to Hans A. von Spakovsky, former member of the FEC. Iran election unrest death toll at 69.
CA. Plea deal likely in Nativo Lopez voter-fraud case, attorney says
Nativo Lopez, an immigrant-rights activist and former Santa Ana schools trustee, faces 4 felony charges...Lopez faces four felony charges of voter fraud, including allegations he used the address of an office building in Boyle Heights to register to vote in Los Angeles County last year, even though he was still living in Santa Ana.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/lopez-prosecutors-county-2525199-angeles-munoz
CA. California Councilmember Retains Seat Even Though He Wasn’t Registered to Vote August 11th, 2009
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/11/california-councilmember-retains-seat-even-though-he-wasnt-registered-to-vote/
HI. Nader Ballot Access Case in Hawaii Begins to Move Forward
August 11th, 2009 On August 6, the 9th circuit issued an order setting a briefing schedule for Nader v Cronin, 08-16444. The issue in the case is whether a state may require six times as many signatures for a single independent presidential candidate as it requires for an entire ballot-qualified party.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/11/nader-ballot-access-case-in-hawaii-begins-to-move-forward/
MA. A Loss for Voting Rights
August 11th, 2009 Last week, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, in Boston, became the latest federal court to uphold a ban on voting by convicted felons.
http://www.newsnet14.com/2009/08/a-loss-for-voting-rights/
MN. Minnesota TV Stations Sue County Over Access to 2008 Absentee Ballots
August 10th, 2009 On August 10, five television stations in Minnesota filed a lawsuit in state court, against Ramsey County election officials. Those officials refuse to let the TV stations examine last year’s general election absentee ballots.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/10/minnesota-tv-stations-sue-county-over-access-to-2008-absentee-ballots/
NC. New Voting Location In Raleigh
http://raleigh.mync.com/site/raleigh/news/story/39861/new-voting-location-in-raleigh
NM. Glitches found in N.M. election guide
Confusing information prompts Secretary of State's Office to make changes.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Glitches-found-in-N-M--election-guide
NM. Former judge’s voter-fraud trial starts today in Doña Ana County
8/10/09 Horacio Favela, 49 and a Democrat, is accused of falsely declaring himself a resident of Sunland Park so he could vote and run for judge there while he was living in El Paso.
http://newmexicoindependent.com/33636/former-judge%E2%80%99s-voter-fraud-trial-starts-today
NJ. New Jersey Division of Elections Selects Allied Security Innovations Products to Secure Voting Machines
http://sev.prnewswire.com/homeland-security/20090811/NE5891011082009-1.html
OH. 1,500 residents to be notified of new polling places
About 1,500 Clark County residents have been affected by recent voter precinct changes, and notifications are being mailed.
http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/1500-residents-to-be-notified-of-new-polling-places-241109.html?showComments=true
OR. In closing hours, Lege passes minor-party election reform (Fusion Voting)
SB 326 ...also allows candidates who are cross-nominated by multiple parties to be listed on the ballot with up to three names of political parties.
http://www.blueoregon.com/2009/06/in-closing-hours-lege-passes-minorparty-election-reform.html?cid=6a00d8341c2c3f53ef0120a4dd5774970b
PA. Recount bounces Geary from AG race
08/11/2009 A recount of primary election votes apparently changed the outcome of the Albert Gallatin School Board race... Lint said votes not able to be scanned at a polling place were scanned in as part of the recount. She said some absentee votes could be included in the recount of the Albert Gallatin School Board race as well as the newly scanned votes.
Geary speculated that the scanned votes, when scanned at the election bureau, could have been counted twice. He also would like an explanation as to why a voting machine at the Fayette County Area Vocational-Technical School needed replaced.
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20357619&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=480247&rfi=6
TN. New voting legislation puts county in ‘Catch-22’
August 11, 2009 A piece of legislation passed by the state last year may make next year’s elections difficult or even impossible to carry out.
http://www.vbbeacon.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2009/08/11/4a81d4f038f2c
TN. Collin County officials may not understand concept of vote centers
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2009/aug/10/collin-county-officials-may-not-understand-concept/
TN Prevent Election Fiascoes in Tennessee – Enact Paper Ballot Law Now
August 11, 2009 A perfect storm is brewing for Tennessee voters for the 2010 election.Tennessee is set up for an election debacle, thanks to the states’ reliance on paperless electronic voting. Currently 93 out of 95 counties in Tennessee use these machines. Unless the Secretary of State Hargett takes swift and certain prompt action, thousands of votes will be at risk in the 2010 election.
http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/08/11/prevent-election-fiascoes-in-tennessee-enact-paper-ballot-law-now/
TN. Election commission, York seek dismissal of suit in response to complaint
http://www.crossville-chronicle.com/local/local_story_222161115.html
VA. Task force offers new election guidelines
The proposal says college students need not plan on remaining in the state to vote in it...A state board of elections task force has proposed regulations that will make it easier for college students to register to vote where they go to school, but the panel disagreed on another aspect of defining a voter's residence...The state board of elections will act on the task force proposal next month, likely too late to implement the changes in time for this year's general election.
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/214954
VA. JMU Students Could Face Tighter Voter Registration Requirements
Harrisonburg, Va.Aug 11... The Harrisonburg Electoral Board is hoping to change that this year by adopting a measure that would require students to specify which dorm or apartment they live in when they register to vote.
If the students offer an address that is not a residence, the registration would be rejected, and the board would ask the student to provide a residential address.
http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/52925147.html
WI. GAB approves election plan, balks at early voting
8/11/2009 The Government Accountability Board unanimously approved a five-year election administration plan Monday aiming to maintain the state's compliance with the federal Help America Vote Act through 2014. But voter ID won't be part of it.
The board elected to exclude a voter ID requirement from the election plan..A pilot early voting program was originally planned for next year after local officials faced record numbers of in-person absentee voters last year, but some clerks want to delay such a program “until after 2010 or even 2012.” http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=166868
US.First Day of EVT/WOTE 2009
Aug 11...wonderful first day at EVT/WOTE 2009, yesterday. More than 80 of the best thinkers in voting technology are here mixing it up in Montreal. We have computer scientists, usability experts, legal experts, advocates and voting system vendors all in attendance. (Joe Hall) has "been taking pictures and have posted them at Flickr. Audio from the talks should be available at some point via USENIX."
http://josephhall.org/nqb2/index.php/2009/08/11/evtwotefd
US. George Washington comments on the first-ever Census
Did you know that the 2010 Census will only be the 5th time in American history that the U.S. Census is conducted primarily by mail-in forms, instead of by officials going door to door?
http://nonprofitvote.blogspot.com/2009/08/george-washington-comments-on-first.html
US. A Century-Old Principle: Keep Corporate Money Out of Elections
NY Times.August 10...In 1907, Congress passed the Tillman Act, the first federal law barring corporate campaign contributions. States adopted similar laws.
...It is inconceivable that Congress would now try to lift the ban. Americans are far too angry at Wall Street and the obvious failure of government regulations. But the Supreme Court has decided to force the question: It took a case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, in which the ban on corporate contributions was not a central issue; told the parties to prepare legal briefs on the ban’s constitutionality; and rushed to put oral arguments on the calendar in September before the new term even starts.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/opinion/11tue4.html
US. Testimonials about accessible voting machines in the 2008 election.
AAPD and the US Government Accountability Office are looking for testimonials about voting in the 2008 Elections. The power of real stories from real people is undeniable and will be very important in upcoming conversations about changes in voting technology.
http://www.lighthouse-sf.org/blog/testimonials-about-accessible-voting-machines-in-the-2008-election/
US. IT: Voting Machine Attacks Proven To Be Practical on Tuesday August 11 (New Hack)
Slashdot. "this time a bunch of computer scientists...completely own the AVC Advantage using no access to source code or design documents (PDF), and deliver a complete working attack in a plug-in cartridge that could be used by anyone with a few private minutes with the machine.
http://it.slashdot.org/story/09/08/11/1642231/Voting-Machine-Attacks-Proven-To-Be-Practical?from=rss
US. Sequoia e-voting machine commandeered by clever attack
Return-oriented programming strikes again
..scientists have used it against the Sequoia AVC Advantage machine, which is used almost universally in New Jersey and in parts of Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Colorado and Virginia, according to the Verified Voting Foundation.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/12/sequoia_evoting_machine_felled/
US. Postmasters favor vote-by-mail
From the National League of Postmasters of the United States:
http://www.keci.com/Postmasters-favor-vote-by-mail/4985000
US. Democracy in Danger: What States Can Do to Safeguard America's Election System by Hans A. von Spakovsky Heritage Lecture #1129 (stronger voter id and require voters to prove citizenship)
http://www.heritage.org/Research/GovernmentReform/hl1129.cfm
US. Senate Bill for Revised FEC Would Require One Non-Major Party Commissioner August 11th, 2009 On August 7, U.S. Senators Russell Feingold and John McCain introduced S.1648. It would replace the Federal Election Commission with a Federal Election Administration. The new body would have three members. All three would need to have different party affiliations than any of the others
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/11/senate-bill-for-revised-fec-would-require-one-non-major-party-commissioner/
Afghanistan. Afghanistan hires 10,000 tribesmen for security at polling stations in presidential election. August 11th ...The hired guns highlight attempts by authorities to bolster security in Afghanistan’s insurgency-hit provinces but also underscore a renewed focus on raising tribal militias to deal with the growing Taliban threat just as Sunni Arab militias were engaged to help reduce violence in Iraq.
http://blog.taragana.com/n/afghanistan-hires-10000-tribesmen-for-security-at-polling-stations-in-presidential-election-136486/
Iran. Iran opposition puts election unrest toll at 69
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's opposition said Tuesday at least 69 people have died in two months of postelection unrest based on accounts from the victims' families, more than double the official toll released by parliament.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ixeFBxfLzaSjs8Mb8cuFmtPOT6-wD9A0N2280
CA. Plea deal likely in Nativo Lopez voter-fraud case, attorney says
Nativo Lopez, an immigrant-rights activist and former Santa Ana schools trustee, faces 4 felony charges...Lopez faces four felony charges of voter fraud, including allegations he used the address of an office building in Boyle Heights to register to vote in Los Angeles County last year, even though he was still living in Santa Ana.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/lopez-prosecutors-county-2525199-angeles-munoz
CA. California Councilmember Retains Seat Even Though He Wasn’t Registered to Vote August 11th, 2009
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/11/california-councilmember-retains-seat-even-though-he-wasnt-registered-to-vote/
HI. Nader Ballot Access Case in Hawaii Begins to Move Forward
August 11th, 2009 On August 6, the 9th circuit issued an order setting a briefing schedule for Nader v Cronin, 08-16444. The issue in the case is whether a state may require six times as many signatures for a single independent presidential candidate as it requires for an entire ballot-qualified party.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/11/nader-ballot-access-case-in-hawaii-begins-to-move-forward/
MA. A Loss for Voting Rights
August 11th, 2009 Last week, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, in Boston, became the latest federal court to uphold a ban on voting by convicted felons.
http://www.newsnet14.com/2009/08/a-loss-for-voting-rights/
MN. Minnesota TV Stations Sue County Over Access to 2008 Absentee Ballots
August 10th, 2009 On August 10, five television stations in Minnesota filed a lawsuit in state court, against Ramsey County election officials. Those officials refuse to let the TV stations examine last year’s general election absentee ballots.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/10/minnesota-tv-stations-sue-county-over-access-to-2008-absentee-ballots/
NC. New Voting Location In Raleigh
http://raleigh.mync.com/site/raleigh/news/story/39861/new-voting-location-in-raleigh
NM. Glitches found in N.M. election guide
Confusing information prompts Secretary of State's Office to make changes.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Glitches-found-in-N-M--election-guide
NM. Former judge’s voter-fraud trial starts today in Doña Ana County
8/10/09 Horacio Favela, 49 and a Democrat, is accused of falsely declaring himself a resident of Sunland Park so he could vote and run for judge there while he was living in El Paso.
http://newmexicoindependent.com/33636/former-judge%E2%80%99s-voter-fraud-trial-starts-today
NJ. New Jersey Division of Elections Selects Allied Security Innovations Products to Secure Voting Machines
http://sev.prnewswire.com/homeland-security/20090811/NE5891011082009-1.html
OH. 1,500 residents to be notified of new polling places
About 1,500 Clark County residents have been affected by recent voter precinct changes, and notifications are being mailed.
http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/1500-residents-to-be-notified-of-new-polling-places-241109.html?showComments=true
OR. In closing hours, Lege passes minor-party election reform (Fusion Voting)
SB 326 ...also allows candidates who are cross-nominated by multiple parties to be listed on the ballot with up to three names of political parties.
http://www.blueoregon.com/2009/06/in-closing-hours-lege-passes-minorparty-election-reform.html?cid=6a00d8341c2c3f53ef0120a4dd5774970b
PA. Recount bounces Geary from AG race
08/11/2009 A recount of primary election votes apparently changed the outcome of the Albert Gallatin School Board race... Lint said votes not able to be scanned at a polling place were scanned in as part of the recount. She said some absentee votes could be included in the recount of the Albert Gallatin School Board race as well as the newly scanned votes.
Geary speculated that the scanned votes, when scanned at the election bureau, could have been counted twice. He also would like an explanation as to why a voting machine at the Fayette County Area Vocational-Technical School needed replaced.
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20357619&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=480247&rfi=6
TN. New voting legislation puts county in ‘Catch-22’
August 11, 2009 A piece of legislation passed by the state last year may make next year’s elections difficult or even impossible to carry out.
http://www.vbbeacon.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2009/08/11/4a81d4f038f2c
TN. Collin County officials may not understand concept of vote centers
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2009/aug/10/collin-county-officials-may-not-understand-concept/
TN Prevent Election Fiascoes in Tennessee – Enact Paper Ballot Law Now
August 11, 2009 A perfect storm is brewing for Tennessee voters for the 2010 election.Tennessee is set up for an election debacle, thanks to the states’ reliance on paperless electronic voting. Currently 93 out of 95 counties in Tennessee use these machines. Unless the Secretary of State Hargett takes swift and certain prompt action, thousands of votes will be at risk in the 2010 election.
http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/08/11/prevent-election-fiascoes-in-tennessee-enact-paper-ballot-law-now/
TN. Election commission, York seek dismissal of suit in response to complaint
http://www.crossville-chronicle.com/local/local_story_222161115.html
VA. Task force offers new election guidelines
The proposal says college students need not plan on remaining in the state to vote in it...A state board of elections task force has proposed regulations that will make it easier for college students to register to vote where they go to school, but the panel disagreed on another aspect of defining a voter's residence...The state board of elections will act on the task force proposal next month, likely too late to implement the changes in time for this year's general election.
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/214954
VA. JMU Students Could Face Tighter Voter Registration Requirements
Harrisonburg, Va.Aug 11... The Harrisonburg Electoral Board is hoping to change that this year by adopting a measure that would require students to specify which dorm or apartment they live in when they register to vote.
If the students offer an address that is not a residence, the registration would be rejected, and the board would ask the student to provide a residential address.
http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/52925147.html
WI. GAB approves election plan, balks at early voting
8/11/2009 The Government Accountability Board unanimously approved a five-year election administration plan Monday aiming to maintain the state's compliance with the federal Help America Vote Act through 2014. But voter ID won't be part of it.
The board elected to exclude a voter ID requirement from the election plan..A pilot early voting program was originally planned for next year after local officials faced record numbers of in-person absentee voters last year, but some clerks want to delay such a program “until after 2010 or even 2012.” http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=166868
US.First Day of EVT/WOTE 2009
Aug 11...wonderful first day at EVT/WOTE 2009, yesterday. More than 80 of the best thinkers in voting technology are here mixing it up in Montreal. We have computer scientists, usability experts, legal experts, advocates and voting system vendors all in attendance. (Joe Hall) has "been taking pictures and have posted them at Flickr. Audio from the talks should be available at some point via USENIX."
http://josephhall.org/nqb2/index.php/2009/08/11/evtwotefd
US. George Washington comments on the first-ever Census
Did you know that the 2010 Census will only be the 5th time in American history that the U.S. Census is conducted primarily by mail-in forms, instead of by officials going door to door?
http://nonprofitvote.blogspot.com/2009/08/george-washington-comments-on-first.html
US. A Century-Old Principle: Keep Corporate Money Out of Elections
NY Times.August 10...In 1907, Congress passed the Tillman Act, the first federal law barring corporate campaign contributions. States adopted similar laws.
...It is inconceivable that Congress would now try to lift the ban. Americans are far too angry at Wall Street and the obvious failure of government regulations. But the Supreme Court has decided to force the question: It took a case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, in which the ban on corporate contributions was not a central issue; told the parties to prepare legal briefs on the ban’s constitutionality; and rushed to put oral arguments on the calendar in September before the new term even starts.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/opinion/11tue4.html
US. Testimonials about accessible voting machines in the 2008 election.
AAPD and the US Government Accountability Office are looking for testimonials about voting in the 2008 Elections. The power of real stories from real people is undeniable and will be very important in upcoming conversations about changes in voting technology.
http://www.lighthouse-sf.org/blog/testimonials-about-accessible-voting-machines-in-the-2008-election/
US. IT: Voting Machine Attacks Proven To Be Practical on Tuesday August 11 (New Hack)
Slashdot. "this time a bunch of computer scientists...completely own the AVC Advantage using no access to source code or design documents (PDF), and deliver a complete working attack in a plug-in cartridge that could be used by anyone with a few private minutes with the machine.
http://it.slashdot.org/story/09/08/11/1642231/Voting-Machine-Attacks-Proven-To-Be-Practical?from=rss
US. Sequoia e-voting machine commandeered by clever attack
Return-oriented programming strikes again
..scientists have used it against the Sequoia AVC Advantage machine, which is used almost universally in New Jersey and in parts of Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Colorado and Virginia, according to the Verified Voting Foundation.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/12/sequoia_evoting_machine_felled/
US. Postmasters favor vote-by-mail
From the National League of Postmasters of the United States:
http://www.keci.com/Postmasters-favor-vote-by-mail/4985000
US. Democracy in Danger: What States Can Do to Safeguard America's Election System by Hans A. von Spakovsky Heritage Lecture #1129 (stronger voter id and require voters to prove citizenship)
http://www.heritage.org/Research/GovernmentReform/hl1129.cfm
US. Senate Bill for Revised FEC Would Require One Non-Major Party Commissioner August 11th, 2009 On August 7, U.S. Senators Russell Feingold and John McCain introduced S.1648. It would replace the Federal Election Commission with a Federal Election Administration. The new body would have three members. All three would need to have different party affiliations than any of the others
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/08/11/senate-bill-for-revised-fec-would-require-one-non-major-party-commissioner/
Afghanistan. Afghanistan hires 10,000 tribesmen for security at polling stations in presidential election. August 11th ...The hired guns highlight attempts by authorities to bolster security in Afghanistan’s insurgency-hit provinces but also underscore a renewed focus on raising tribal militias to deal with the growing Taliban threat just as Sunni Arab militias were engaged to help reduce violence in Iraq.
http://blog.taragana.com/n/afghanistan-hires-10000-tribesmen-for-security-at-polling-stations-in-presidential-election-136486/
Iran. Iran opposition puts election unrest toll at 69
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's opposition said Tuesday at least 69 people have died in two months of postelection unrest based on accounts from the victims' families, more than double the official toll released by parliament.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ixeFBxfLzaSjs8Mb8cuFmtPOT6-wD9A0N2280
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