Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News, Thursday 1/5/06

[Wilms]

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News

All members welcome and encouraged to participate.



Please post Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News on this thread.

If you can:

1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web.

2. Post stories using the new Spring 2006 Edition of "Election Fraud and Reform News Directory" listed here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407240

3. Re-post stories and announcements you find on DU, providing a link to the original thread with thanks to the Original Poster, too.

4. Start a discussion thread by re-posting a story you see on this thread.

Please "Recommend" for the Greatest Page (it's the link just below).

[Wilms]

1. Volunteers needed To Help with Daily Election Thread

As promised I said I would check in with Folks who Help Be the Media! when the Moderators changed. Here we are again...

Currently, Autorank has been doing M-Wed. Wilms has been keeping up with Thurs. Melissa G here covering Friday. Foger Rox pulling Sat. MelissaB working Sunday. Vickiss was previously pulling some great work on Fridays and Sundays also.

Which regulars want to continue? Which wonderful new folks want to help out???
It's easy. We give lessons! We back you up if you need off.
It's fun and a great public service. Sign up below!!! :kick:

Please vote this up to greatest so others may help!

Discussion
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=407772&mesg_id=407772

Update: Welcome AuntiBush, stillcool47, and livvy.

[Wilms]

2. WI: Electronic voting machines must be open-sourced

Electronic voting machines must be open-sourced

WTN News • Published 01/04/06

Madison, Wis. — Among the 15 bills governor Jim Doyle signed into law on Wednesday will require the software of touch-screen voting machines used in elections have its source code opened up to public viewing.

Municipalities that use electronic voting machines are responsible for providing to the public, on request, the code used.

Any voting machines to be used in the state already had to pass State Elections Board tests. Electronic voting machines, in particular, already were required to maintain their results tallies even if the power goes out, and to produce paper ballots that could be used in case of a recount. The new law also requires the paper ballots to be presented to voters for verification before being stored.

But of this bill's provisions, perhaps the more influential in a wider sense is the requirement that municipalities provide source code, and the more general condition that "the coding for the software that is used to operate the system on election day and to tally the votes cast is publicly accessible and may be used to independently verify the accuracy and reliability of the operating and tallying procedures to be employed at any election."

snip

http://wistechnology.com/article.php?id=2585

Discussion
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407726

LBN
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2021069&mesg_id=2021069

[Wilms]

12. Wisconsin: Governor Signs Voter Verified Paper Record Bill Into Law

Wisconsin: Governor Signs Voter Verified Paper Record Bill Into Law

By Warren Stewart,
Director of Legislative Issues and Policy, VoteTrustUSA

January 04, 2006

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has signed Assembly Bill 627 into law, making Wisconsin the 27th state to require a voter verified paper record of every vote. The law will also require that the software of touch-screen voting machines used in elections to be open-source. Municipalities that use electronic voting machines are responsible for providing to the public, on request, the code used.

Any voting machines to be used in the state already had to pass State Elections Board tests. Electronic voting machines, in particular, already were required to maintain their results tallies even if the power goes out, and to produce paper ballots that could be used in case of a recount. The new law also requires the paper ballots to be presented to voters for verification before being stored.

While more than half the state in the country have at least aminimal requirement for a voter verified paper record, the Wisconsin bill is significant because of its requirement that municipalities provide source code, and the more general condition that "the coding for the software that is used to operate the system on election day and to tally the votes cast is publicly accessible and may be used to independently verify the accuracy and reliability of the operating and tallying procedures to be employed at any election."

The bill orginally called for "open source" software, a provision that was weakend by ammendments in the Assembly before it was sent to the Senate. The requirement does require software disclosure to qualified parties. The full text of the new law can be downloaded here.

snip

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=668&Itemid=113

[Wilms]

3. CT: State Scraps Bid Process For New Voting Machines

State Scraps Bid Process For New Voting Machines

1:24 PM EST, January 4, 2006

The Hartford Courant

Connecticut voters will have to use the state's old lever voting machines for one more election.

Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz said today that she is delaying by one year plans to buy new computerized voting machines.

The state learned recently that the company it had tentatively chosen to supply the new machines had not obtained the necessary federal certification.

The federal Help America Vote Act requires states to use voting machines that are handicapped accessible and product a paper audit trail.

snip

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ap-voting-machines-0104,0,3213743.story?coll=hc-headlines-local

Discussions

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407694

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407762

[Wilms]

4. WAMU Radio Election Reform 2006 (Thursday 1:06 PM EST)

13:06 Election Reform 2006 (Thursday 1:06 PM EST)

Recent technological and administrative developments are transforming how the ballot booth will look in November's elections. But while new voting machines promise increased access- particularly for voters with disabilities- many have raised red flags.

Join Kojo for a look at the promises and controversies of new voting technologies.

Guests

Doug Chapin, Director, Electionline.org

Michael McDonald, Visiting Fellow, Brookings Institution; Assistant Professor, George Mason University

Paul S. DeGregorio, Chairman (R), U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC); former Director of Elections, St. Louis County, Missouri

Jim Dickson, Vice President, Governmental Affairs, American Association of People with Disabilities

Linda Schade, Executive Director, TrueVote MD


Some questions may be taken from phone callers and by email. Anyone is welcome to call or email to possibly have questions and comments shared live.

Join the show: 1-800-433-8850 or email ([e-mail] )

Homepage and Audio Links:
http://www.wamu.org/programs/kn/06/01/05.php

Discussions

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407786

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2349863

[Wilms]

5. NASED Posts New List of Qualified Voting Systems

NASED Posts New List of Qualified Voting Systems

By VTUSA

January 04, 2006

A new list of certified voting systems has finally been published on the NASED website. The new list, which can be downloaded here, is dated December 15, 2005.

Other than combining the Diebold GEMS 1-18-24 TSx and OS together there are no changes from the last list that was dated November 18, 2005. According to the new list, there is still no 2002 qualification for the Danaher-guardian Shouptronic 1242.

Also of note is that there is still NO Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail printer certified for the Hart Intercivic and NO Sequoia votings systems at all are qualified to the 2002 standards.

There are several troubling inconsistencies and potential violations of federal standards revealed in the new list. In particular, this co-mingling of systems and qualification numbers violates Section 9.6.3 (e) of Volume I the 2002 FEC Guidelines to which voting systems are certified.

snip

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=671&Itemid=26

The list (.pdf)
http://www.votetrustusa.org/pdfs/NASED_Folder/NASED%20Qualified%20Voting%20Systems%20122205.pdf

Discussion
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407725

[Wilms]

6. MA: Cheshire rejects voting mandate for machines (keeps paper ballots)

Cheshire rejects voting mandate for machines

By Shaw Israel Izikson, North Adams Transcript

Wednesday, January 4, 2006

CHESHIRE — According to the Selectmen, if it ain't broke for over 213 years, don't fix it.

During a meeting Tuesday, the Selectmen signed a letter to Secretary of State William F. Galvin, saying that they would not comply with the federal Help America Vote Act, which would require the town to buy an electronic voting machine for elections.

snip

In the letter, the Selectmen said that the town would continue to use paper ballots for elections, has been the practice for all 213 years of Cheshire's existence.

The letter, prepared by Town Administrator Mark Webber, said in part that "The Town of Cheshire, along with 20 percent of the rest of the Commonwealth's communities, still uses and is perfectly satisfied with the paper ballot system of voting.

"This system has served us well for the past 213 years, and we see no compelling reason to change," the letters states.

snip

http://www.thetranscript.com/headlines/ci_3371215

[Wilms]

7. CA: Deadline passes for compliance with voting act as primary nears

Deadline passes for compliance with voting act as primary nears

By Kevin Yamamura

SACRAMENTO BEE

snip

California has certified only one accessible voting machine for the June primary -- the AutoMARK made by Omaha, Neb.-based Election Systems & Software. At least a dozen California counties are expected to use the system, including Sacramento, said ES&S spokesman Ken Fields.

snip

A second accessible machine, made by Oakland-based Sequoia Voting Systems, has been certified for use in California's general elections but not its primaries because of a problem in reporting crossover selections by independent voters.

Sequoia has created software to correct the problem, but it is awaiting approval from federal officials before it tries to obtain California certification. Spokeswoman Michelle Shafer said she expects the state's 15 counties with Sequoia equipment to be able to use it by the June election.

snip

Last week, Kern County Registrar of Voters Ann Barnett sent a blistering letter to McPherson. The Dec. 27 letter, which McCormack provided to the Bee, called McPherson's office "an obstruction to our ability to adequately implement new election systems and to prepare for a complex primary election."

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/crime_courts/13545980.htm

[Wilms]

8. PA: County balks at replacing voting machines

County balks at replacing voting machines

David Pierce
Pocono Record Writer

January 04, 2006

STROUDSBURG — The Monroe County commissioners remain hopeful of meeting a state and federal mandate to replace voting machines, despite a continuing refusal to kick in local money for the project.

snip

Monroe County has used the same pull-lever machines for several years. The commissioners announced more than a year ago that they won't allocate any county money for buying the new machines. Monroe is the only county in the state to take such a stand.

snip

Asure said many residents have e-mailed the commissioners in opposition to use of new computer voting machines, particularly machines that don't provide a paper receipt acknowledging that each voter's ballot was recorded.

snip

McCool urged residents to pressure the Pennsylvania Department of State to delay implementation of the new voting system. Asure said a majority of Pennsylvania's counties, despite committing local funding, still don't have a contract in place for new voting machines.

snip

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060104/NEWS/601040332/-1/NEWS01

[Wilms]

9. President George W. Bush today recess appointed the following individuals

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary

January 4, 2006

Personnel Announcement

President George W. Bush today recess appointed the following individuals:

snip

Robert D. Lenhard, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission.

Steven T. Walther, of Nevada, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission.

Hans Von Spakovsky, of Georgia, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission.

snip

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060104-3.html


Discussion

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407739

[Wilms]

10. Did Phoenix's New Times buy a subpoena? Lawmaker wants probe

Did Phoenix's New Times buy a subpoena? Lawmaker wants probe

By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 01.04.2006

PHOENIX — A Democratic lawmaker is going to force a Senate investigation into whether a Republican colleague has made legislative subpoenas for sale.

Sen. Bill Brotherton of Phoenix is questioning a deal where Sen. Jack Harper of Surprise issued a subpoena so an expert hired by a Phoenix news weekly could examine Maricopa County voting machines. Brotherton said that raises ethical questions of whether Harper, chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Reform and Accountability, used his legislative subpoena power to help New Times get a story — one it could not get without the subpoena.

snip

Harper wants to find out why a recount of a Republican legislative primary last year turned up an additional 486 votes. That changed the outcome, giving the seat to John McComish instead of Anton Orlich.

In both instances the ballots were tallied by machines using optical scanning technology, though a different machine was used for the recount. Harper asked Jones to investigate. But Jones would not have had access to the equipment without Harper's legislative subpoena.
Brotherton said he has no problem with Harper seeking outside funding to hire Jones. But the cash did not go to Harper but instead from New Times directly to Jones. And Jones told Capitol Media Services he considers the newspaper — and not Harper — to be his employer.

snip

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/109902.php

[Wilms]

11. New Mexico: State Halts Purchase of Sequoia Edge

New Mexico: State Halts Purchase of Sequoia Edge

By Warren Stewart, Director of Legislative Issues and Policy, VoteTrustUSA
January 04, 2006

According to an article in the Albuquerque Journal, Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron has delayed the purchase of 800 Sequoia Edge touchscreen machines that some New Mexico counties had chosen to meet federal accessibility requirments. The machines are subject to a pending motion for temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction .

Lawyers for the Attorney General's Office advised Vigil-Giron to delay purchase until after a court hearing later this month in Albuquerque, Ernest Marquez, the secretary of state's elections director, said Tuesday.

Eight New Mexico voters who sued the state in January 2005 filed a motion in December asking state District Judge Eugenio Mathis to block New Mexico's purchase of more than 800 Sequoia Edge machines. The plaintiffs have argued that touchscreen machines such as the Edge are error prone.

A court hearing is scheduled for January 18th. For more information about the lawsuit visit the VoterAction website.

http://www.voteraction.org

snip

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=669&Itemid=113

[Wilms]

13. NC: NCACC can't get their story straight

Wednesday, January 4. 2006

NCACC can't get their story straight

According to the latest update (January 3rd) from the NC Association of County Commissioners, they are all in favor of S233, The Public Confidence in Voting Act.:

snip

And now, the punchline:

"There is a lot of misinformation being disseminated to our counties regarding the elections equipment issue."

Now who's feeding them all this "misinformation"? Perhaps instead of listening to the George Gilbert Brigade they should pick up the phone and call the SBoE. That way they'll actually know what is going on.

http://blackboxvoting.com/s9/index.php?/archives/67-NCACC-cant-get-their-story-straight.html

[Wilms]

14. Measuring How Little We Know About Judge Alito's Views of Election Law

Election Law

January 05, 2006

Posted by Rick Hasen

Measuring How Little We Know About Judge Alito's Views of Election Law

Yesterday the Alliance for Justice issued a very large report (195 pdf pages) on Judge Alito's record in anticipation of the confirmation hearings. I was struck in browsing the report on how little we know about Judge Alito and election law. Page 57 of the report (page 60 pdf) briefly mentions the controversy over Judge Alito's 1985 remarks on the Warren Court's one person, one vote cases. Pages 86-87 discuss his vote in the only published Voting Rights Act case he participated in. In addition, Richard Winger has written about the single ballot access decision written by Judge Alito (see also this letter from Winger to the Senate Judiciary Committee).

That's it. As I have explained, Justice O'Connor has been the swing vote in a large number of election law cases, and the future of campaign finance law and the Voting Rights Act could be in the hands of Judge Alito should he be confirmed. I continue to hope that these issues will get the attention of Judiciary Committee members as the hearings begin next week.

snip/links

http://electionlawblog.org/archives/004698.html

[Wilms]

15. Bush Recess Appoints New Federal Election Commissioners

Bush Recess Appoints New Federal Election Commissioners...
America Recieves Another Smack in the Face by the Democracy-Hating Bush Administration

by Brad

1/5/2006

The U.S. Senate convenes two weeks from now. George W. Bush could not wait and had to "recess appoint" the three latest additions to the Federal Elections Commission. You know how he is about those things. Hates to wait. And hates that whole annoying "Congressional oversight", "check and balances", blah, blah, blah stuff.

snip

We had more previously on these characters when they were first nominated last month, including details on Bush crony von Spakovsky as well as Lenhard, who happens to be the husband of Vivica Novak (she, not just coincidentally, of TIME Mag/RoveGate fame). Novak will likely be testifying in some fashion concerning crimes surrounding the Bush Administration's alleged outting of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame. Now, it seems, Novak will have to decide whether or not to give damaging testimony against her husband's boss.

Aside from being a key player in the 2000 Florida Election Boondoggle, a member of the extremist Federalist Society and a former Republican Party Chairman in Georgia, von Spakovsky was Bush's political appointee at the DoJ who recently made the papers as well. He was revealed to be behind the overriding of opinions given by career DoJ attorneys in the Voting Rights division concerning the Georgia Photo ID requirement laws and the Texas redistricting pet project of indicted former House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay. 4 out of 5 attorneys said the Georgia law would disenfranchise minority voters. While 8 out of 8 unaminously found the new Texas congressional map to be in violation of the law for similar reasons. Both of those decisions were overriden with the help of von Spakovsky and resulted in an effective gutting of the very heart of the 40 year-old Voting Rights Act of 1965 as we reported in early December. Who better to sit on the Federal Elections Commission?!

The Georgia law has since been found unconstitutional by two Federal courts and the Texas law is headed to the Supreme Court where still more Bush appointees will likely be sitting in judgement.

snip

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002237.htm

[Wilms]

16. New Voting Systems List Leaves Many Questions Unanswered

New Voting Systems List Leaves Many Questions Unanswered

By VTUSA

January 05, 2006

A new list of certified voting systems, dated December 15, 2005, has finally been published on the National Association of State Election Directors' (NASED) website. The lust leaves many questions unanswered and poses some new and reoubling ones. Other than combining the Diebold GEMS 1-18-24 TSx and OS together there are no changes from the last list that was dated November 18, 2005. According to the new list, there is still no 2002 qualification for the Danaher-Guardian Shouptronic 1242.

Also of note is the fact that there is still no Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail printer certified for the Hart Intercivic eSlate. Equally significantly, none of the Sequoia votings systems are qualified to the 2002 standards, calling into question their viability as alternatives for compliance with the federal mandates of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

Additionally, there are several troubling inconsistencies and potential violations of federal standards revealed in the new list. In particular, the co-mingling of systems and qualification numbers violates Section 9.6.3 (e) of Volume I the 2002 FEC Guidelines to which voting systems are certified.

snip

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=671&Itemid=26

Discussion
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407725

[understandinglife]

20. New Wisconsin Election Bill Not as Positive as Originally Reported ...

FULL STORY: http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002239.htm


Peace.

[Wilms]

21. New Wisconsin Election Bill Not as Positive as Originally Reported

1/5/2006

New Wisconsin Election Bill Not as Positive as Originally Reported By Activists and Others
Contrary to reports, bill does NOT allow for examination of source code!
Original version -- which did -- was changed during amendment process to remove important clause!

Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org and VoteTrustUSA.Org

Additional Reporting by Brad Friedman

The voting activist and election reform advocacy community was excited yesterday upon release of news about the signing of a new bill in Wisconsin, AB267, that originally included wording that would allow munipalities to "provide to any person, upon request, at the expense of the municipality, the coding for the software that the municipality uses to operate the system and to tally the votes cast". Indeed, The BRAD BLOG received many email reports last night about the "good news" concerning this bill.

The bill, as understood and reported by many, would have been the first time that voting activists would have been afforded the opportunity to actually "look under the hood" of voting machines by examining the source code used in the software in order to see what was really being done on the equipment supplied by Voting Machine Companies. So far, those companies have managed keep such source code secret and proprietary and away from the 'prying eyes' of the pesky public who has been forced -- by the corporate privatization of America's public elections -- to rely on such secret
software to accurately record and count their votes.

The apparent "good news," however, was incorrect, as The BRAD BLOG has learned. The language from the original bill was changed during the amendment process to strip it of the provisions that would have allowed the public inspection of the secret code!

The good news still left to report is that the bill, signed yesterday by WI Gov. Jim Doyle, will at least require a voter verified paper "record" for every vote cast. In theory, the measure would allow for a manual count or recount of votes in cases where the state determines such a count would be necessary.

snip

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002239.htm

Discussion

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407937

[Wilms]

17. Jim Pfaff fears activists

Thursday, January 5. 2006

Jim Pfaff fears activists

According to a reliable source, Jim Pfaff has been getting some "less than polite" email about his assinine comments to The Rhino Times. He is now telling people he is afraid of paper ballot activists who, according to him, are so incredibly powerful.

Dude, you're afraid of computer geeks?

Mr. Pfaff, here are a few questions I would like for you to answer publicly.

snip

http://blackboxvoting.com/s9/index.php?/archives/73-Jim-Pfaff-fears-activists.html

[Wilms]

18. In 2006, [Election] Fraud is the Keystone Issue

January 5, 2006

In 2006, Voting Fraud is the Keystone Issue

by Ernest Partridge

On the one hand, the Bush Administration, the Republican party and the Republican Congress, with the continuing connivance of the corporate media and the persistent indifference of the Democratic party, may successfully resist public demands for electoral reform, and consequently the existing system of unverifiable voting and secret software will remain in place. If so, then the Republicans will surely retain control of the Congress, regardless of the will of the American people.

On the other hand, if, at last, it becomes irrefutably clear to a large portion of the general public that the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections were stolen, along with key congressional races in 2002, and if indictments follow and a fair election ensues, then public outrage will result in the Democratic control of at least one, and more likely, both houses of Congress. Still worse will then be in store for those who stole our elections and our democracy, as the congressional Democrats gain the power of subpoena and the threats of perjury and contempt of Congress. The likely outcome will be the disintegration of the Republican conspiracy, and the relegation of that party to minority status for the next generation.

The ballot is the heart of democracy. If one party “owns” the ballot box, it owns the government, for that party is no longer answerable to the will of the people; it rules without the “consent of the governed.” Thus it is no wonder that the Bush regime and the GOP want to keep this issue off the public agenda. We can’t allow them to succeed. It’s as simple as that.

The Busheviks, their Congressional toadies, and their fat-cat sponsors are fully aware of the stakes. Not only do they want to remain in power and keep their ill-gotten booty, many of them want desperately to stay out of the federal slammer. Accordingly, there may virtually nothing that they might not resort to in order to avoid this outcome. Things could get very nasty.

snip

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_ernest_p_060105_in_2006_2c_voting_frau.htm

[Wilms]

19. Pennsylvania County Selects AccuPoll Voting System

January 05, 2006

Pennsylvania County Selects AccuPoll Voting System; Lebanon County to Benefit from Latest in Voting System Technology

TUSTIN, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2006--AccuPoll Inc. (OTCBB:ACUP), a developer of Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting systems, today announced that Lebanon County has selected the AccuPoll Voting System to meet their needs for a HAVA-compliant voting system. AccuPoll and its reseller partner Unisys Corp. will deliver the voting system to the county of approximately 65,000 registered voters. Unisys will also provide training and election support services for the AccuPoll Voting System to the county.

"We're pleased that Lebanon County has chosen to implement the AccuPoll Voting System," said William E. Nixon, president and CEO of AccuPoll. "AccuPoll's Voting System is one of the most advanced available and the voters of Lebanon County will benefit greatly."

AccuPoll designed their electronic voting system to feature a voter verified paper audit trail (VVPAT), which allows voters to verify - via an immediately printed paper audit trail - that their vote was accurately recorded at the time it is cast. As a result, AccuPoll's VVPAT system fully empowers voters to independently ensure that their vote is correct at the time it is cast, allowing for an accurate recount and audit capability should the need arise.

snip

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060105005912&newsLang=en