WP: Report Warns of Potential Voting Problems in 10 States

[DeepModem Mom]

Report Warns of Potential Voting Problems in 10 States
By Amy Goldstein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 25, 2006; Page A03

Two weeks before the midterm elections, at least 10 states, including Maryland, remain ripe for voting problems, according to a study released yesterday by a nonpartisan clearinghouse that tracks electoral reforms across the United States.

The report by Electionline.org says those states, and possibly others, could encounter trouble on Election Day because they have a combustible mix of fledgling voting-machine technology, confusion over voting procedures or recent litigation over election rules -- and close races.

The report cautions that the Nov. 7 elections, which will determine which political party controls the House and Senate, promise "to bring more of what voters have come to expect since the 2000 elections -- a divided body politic, an election system in flux and the possibility -- if not certainty -- of problems at polls nationwide."

In a state-by-state canvass, the 75-page report singles out places, such as Indiana and Arizona, where courts have upheld stringent new laws requiring voters to show poll workers specific forms of identification. It cites states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania, which have switched to electronic voting machines whose accuracy has been challenged. And it points to states such as Colorado and Washington, which have departed from the tradition of polling sites in neighborhood precincts.

The report of the clearinghouse, sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts, is the latest of several warnings in recent weeks and months by organizations and scholars who say that electoral problems persist in spite of six years of efforts by the federal government and states to correct voting flaws. The flaws gripped the public's attention after the close 2000 presidential election, which led to recounts in Florida and the intervention of the Supreme Court....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/24/AR2006102401168.html

[Zodiak]

1. Ohio is the quadruple threat

Threat #1: Ken Blackwell in charge of state elections even though he is a candidate.

Threat #2: Electronic voting machines with no paper trail in many districts. Plus the machines are not allocated properly.

Threat #3: Voter purges sponsored by the GOP which could have affected hundreds of thousands of voters.

Threat #4: Ohio has new ID requirements that are specifically designed to cut out the poor, immigrants, and students.


The good thing is that the major races in Ohio, Dems enjoy a ten point advantage. However, the quadruple threat mentioned above could make things a bit dicey. Ohio's election this year had better be watched with an eagle's eye because I firmly believe that the Ohio GOP are desperate and evil enough to try stealing it.

[The Count]

2. That should about do it. Prevent the upset.

W announced they'll win again today in his speecheroo.

[leftchick]

3. the link is not working for me

it goes to a blank page. I want to see if NC is there. It should be.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Sometimes the WP is slow to load, and presents a blank page...

until the page appears. I just checked the link, and it worked. There were no other states named in the article, however, and I even went to the website referenced to find them and found only the WP article there. I may have overlooked the info, though. If you want to take a look, it's Electionline.org.

[leftchick]

6. thank you

I will check it out.

[Jcrowley]

4. Voter chaos predicted at US polls

Voter chaos predicted at US polls
By Holly Yeager in Washington
Published: October 24 2006 05:01 | Last updated: October 24 2006 05:01

A combination of new voting technologies, changed rules for voters and a tight battle for control of Congress threatens to result in widespread troubles during the US midterm elections, according to a report to be released on Tuesday.

The study, by electionline.org, a non-partisan election clearinghouse, examines an array of changes to US voting practices and their potential impact on polling day, November 7.

“This was supposed to be the year – and the election – when the voting process nationwide was more secure, more technologically advanced and more trusted by the citizens and candidates participating,” the report says. “Yet as the midterm elections approach, machine failures, database delays and foul-ups, inconsistent procedures, new rules and new equipment have some predicting chaos at the polls at worst – and widespread polling place snafus at best.”

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/a98a912c-62e7-11db-8faa-0000779e2340.html

[Wilms]

7. K&R n/t

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. "...an election system in flux."

:wtf:

[Pastiche423]

9. Chaos is exactly what the repukes want

As Rush has told his listeners, there will be so many lawsuits going on after November 7, it will be many months before the winners of the races are announced.

Is this why little lord pissypants is so optimistic?