Open thread Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News, Monday 02/04/08

[Melissa G]

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News, Monday 02/04/08


Esteemed DUer's, please consider taking a moment (or more)
to graciously participate by posting Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News on this thread.



Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley
'Super' may also apply to Tuesday's turnout
Mail-in ballots have already set a county primary record.
See post number 2 for details...

If you can:
1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web.


2. Post stories using the 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).
Thank You!

[Melissa G]

1. States n/t

[Melissa G]

2. CA- 'Super' may also apply to Tuesday's turnout

'Super' may also apply to Tuesday's turnout
Mail-in ballots have already set a county primary record.
MARTIN WISCKOL
Register columnist
THE BUZZ
There's been plenty of moaning over Americans' political apathy, but Super Tuesday may help build the argument that voter participation is in good health. And Orange County is likely, as usual, to be even more active than the rest of the country.

In 1960, 63 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the general election. That had dropped to 50 percent by 1988, and pundits were rolling their eyes in disgust. But there have been surges since, notably the 57-percent turnout nationwide and statewide in the last presidential general election.

In recent years, Orange County has turned out about 3 points better than the national average – 60.5 percent of eligible voters cast ballots here in the 2004 general election, not far off the 1960 national mark.

Primaries typically have lower turnout than general elections, but initial signs indicate that Tuesday's ballot count will be quite a bit higher than usually seen for such an election.

http://www.ocregister.com/column/ballots-mail-election-1972167-kelley-county
In the 2004 primary, a total of 223,621 mail ballots were received through Election Day. As of Friday, 225,153 vote-by-mail ballots had been received by Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley– with four days to go. Part of the increase is because more people are voting by mail, but that hardly accounts for all of it.

[Peace Patriot]

8. Please see California Election Integrity Assessment: tools for analyzing results

Helpful tools, detailed analysis, where to look for problems...

Caveat on media 'hysteria' about "slow" CA returns (SoS Bowen's new reforms are at work!)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4384486

Full assessment posted - and more info in the comments (list of country registrar contacts, etc.)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x496453

The latest on "bad attitude" county registrars (Comment 16)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x496612

[Melissa G]

6. NY- Only 1 type of voting machine will be available for disabled

Only 1 type of voting machine will be available for disabled
11:59 AM EST, February 4, 2008

ALBANY, N.Y. - Disabled voters across New York will use the same type of machine to cast their ballots in the fall presidential elections now that the state has approved just one device for counties to select.

Last month, local election officials were told they could choose between three machines to meet the needs of the disabled.

But state Board of Elections officials couldn't decide whether two of the machines met state and federal standards. A board spokesman says county officials were told last week the choice was reduced to one.

The voting machine change is required by the Help America Vote Act, which was enacted after the contested 2000 presidential election to ensure voting accuracy and access for the disabled.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--votingmachines0204feb04,0,7804715.story

[Melissa G]

7. Disagreements on how to update Iowa voting systems

Disagreements on how to update Iowa voting systems
Posted: Monday, February 04, 2008 at 9:26 a.m.

DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) -- Governor Chet Culver has a major disagreement with Secretary of State Michael Mauro over how to update Iowa's voting machines before November's presidential election.

Mauro wants to spend $9.7 million to give every voter a paper ballot that could be recounted later if necessary.

Culver wants to spend only $2 million to equip touch-screen voting machines, which have electronic ballots, with a printer that shows voters their choices on a continuous roll of paper.

Culver says expecting the state to come up with $9 million is a pipe dream.

Mauro says he would pay for his plan with $3.7 million already earmarked, and by paying the rest on installment over the next three years.

http://www.khqa.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=91994

[Melissa G]

9. MD area- 2.5 million registered for primaries

2.5 million registered for primaries
By Arlo Wagner
February 4, 2008
Election officials say there are more that 2.5 million voters in the region registered to vote in the primaries next week, including the race for U.S. president and two tight Maryland congressional contests.

The Feb. 12 election — known as the Potomac Primary — marks the first time that Maryland, Virginia and the District have held their presidential primary on the same day.

Montgomery County's electronic voting machines, which have created confusion in previous elections, are ready and organized, said elections spokeswoman Marjorie Roher. The county has 238 polls and 553,712 registered voters, second-most in the area.

Democrats and Republicans can vote for candidates in their parties, Miss Roher said, but independents can vote only for school board members.

Like Prince George's and the District, Montgomery County polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080204/METRO/996389136/1004

[Melissa G]

10. MA- City prepares for big primary day

City prepares for big primary day
Christina Rojas
Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: News
With Super Bowl Sunday behind them, Massachusetts voters and election workers are getting ready for Super Tuesday, the biggest day of presidential primary voting in U.S. history.

Lynne Onishuk, a Boston Elections Department employee, oversees the hiring of new poll workers and said the department has hired 1,700 workers in 254 precincts for Tuesday's election.

"We've come a long way from the old machines with the levers," Onishuk said.

Boston voters will use the AccuVote OS, a system made by Premier Election Solutions.

Premier Election Solutions spokesman Chris Riggall said voters will fill in ovals on ballots to mark their choice. The ballots are then fed it into a scanning machine that tallies the votes.

"It's very much like an SAT test or a lottery ticket," he said.

http://media.www.dailyfreepress.com/media/storage/paper87/news/2008/02/04/News/City-Prepares.For.Big.Primary.Day-3185925.shtml

[Melissa G]

11. NY- Vulnerability in Voting Machines

Vulnerability in Voting Machines
by Soterios Johnson

NEW YORK, NY February 04, 2008 —As voters head to the polls tomorrow, many will be facing new electronic voting machines. In New Jersey, this is the first presidential primary where voters in all of the state’s 21 counties will be voting on them. And despite reassurances from election officials, some voters are seriously concerned that the machines are vulnerable and inadequate.

HARRIS: For the primary in 2004, after I selected my candidate I pressed "Cast Vote" and left the polling booth and the poll worker told me that my vote had not been cast.

REPORTER: Stephanie Harris, who lives in Mercer County, was using the same machine that almost all New Jersey voters now use.

HARRIS: And, he sent me back into the both to press the button "Cast Vote" once again. And I came out and once again he told me my vote had not been cast. I did this four times, after which he said, "Well, I think it worked." So to this day, we really don't know whether it worked or not.

REPORTER: Harris and others are suing the state, arguing that all of New Jersey’s voting machines violate the state’s constitution and election laws because there’s no way voters can tell if their votes have been recorded properly. They want the state to scrap the touch-screen machines and replace them with optical-scan machines, where voters mark a paper ballot which is read and recorded by a scanner at the polling site.

http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/93069

[Melissa G]

12. New York: DREs Take It To Court

New York: DREs Take It To Court
By Bo Lipari, New Yorkers for Verified Voting
February 04, 2008
Court Asked to Reverse State Ruling Eliminating DREs - Judge Expected to Rule Today

The DRE vendor LibertyVote argued in New York State Court that the State Board of Elections acted “ arbitrarily and capriciously” when it decided the DRE does not qualify for use as a Ballot Marking Device in 2008. Now the Court must decide whether to overturn the Board's decision that the DREs do not satisfy the requirements of New York State Election Law. The DRE vendor wants the Court to authorize their machine despite the Board ruling that it provides no usable way for voters with disabilities to verify their ballot.

I was surprised to see that LibertyVote had set up one of their DREs in the Courtroom, clearly preparing to demonstrate it for the Judge. Normally the focus of an Article 78 hearing is narrow, determining if the Board's decision was reasonable, not substituting the Court's opinion on DREs for the decision of the Board. As it turned out, the attempt to ‘demo' the DRE may have worked against LibertyVote's lawyers.

The DRE vendor argued that the Board's decision was “subjective, biased, and unfair to LibertyVote”. Going further, the attorneys argued that it was “a violation of LibertyVote's rights” and that the Board's determination was “arbitrary and capricious”. They claimed that the Board's vote on January 24 eliminating DREs was invalid because all four commissioners weren't present at the vote. Finally, LibertyVote's lawyers concluded by asking the Court to disregard the Board's decision and determine that their DRE “meets Federal and State laws”.

Attorney Paul Collins, representing the Board's Democratic commissioners, countered that New York Election Law explicitly allows certification of voting equipment by specifically requiring “a determination by a majority of the commissioners”, so the Board's vote was clearly legal. He also argued forcefully against LibertyVote's contention that the decision was arbitrary. Citing the affidavit of Commissioner Doug Kellner (D), he argued that the LibertyVote DRE does not meet the standards set by New York law. The Kellner affidavit describes the deliberations involved in evaluating the DRE, citing the requirements of HAVA, my evaluation for the Citizens Advisory Committee, and comments from NYSILC and the Brennan Center.

The most interesting moment came when LibertyVote's lawyers asked to demonstrate their DRE for the Judge. Paul Collins jumped up and said that he was willing to agree to a demonstration if a “voter in a wheelchair or with visual disabilities” would test the machine. Using the opportunity to visually demonstrate the machines limitations he repeatedly went over to the DRE asking how a voter in a wheelchair could possibly reach the small piece of paper that LibertyVote was calling a “ballot”. After that LibertyVote's lawyers thought better of their motion to demo the machine, finally asking the Court only to accept one of their grocery store receipt style “ballots” into evidence without an actual demonstration.

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2738&Itemid=113

[EFerrari]

13. IN: State eyes switch to vote centers

State eyes switch to vote centers
If bill becomes law, counties could replace precinct voting sites.
By Deanna Martin
of The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — Election laws have evolved since Indiana's 1851 Constitution spelled out voting rights for white, male residents at least 21 years old. But some things haven't changed.

Voters still head to their neighborhood polling places to cast ballots, even though the precinct system isn't as convenient today as it was in the 1800s, said Secretary of State Todd Rokita.

He supports a bill before the General Assembly that would allow any Indiana county to create vote centers, scattered polling sites where voters could go regardless of their precinct.

“Our lives have changed, and technology has changed, but for some reason we haven't put that attitude toward the way we vote,” Rokita said.

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/SE/20080204/NEWS/802040323

[EFerrari]

15. GA: Georgia Sticks With Electronic Voting, Despite Concerns Elsewhere

Georgia Sticks With Electronic Voting, Despite Concerns Elsewhere

POSTED: 1:26 pm EST February 2, 2008


ATLANTA -- Six years after Georgia elections officials took their brand new touchscreen voting machines on an introductory roadshow, it's safe to say that most voters heading to the polls on Tuesday are familiar with the devices by now.

As the first state to adopt uniform statewide electronic voting, Georgia holds the longest track record with electronic voting machines. And amid mounting concern elsewhere about the reliability of the machines, the state hopes its history can be a model for other governments.

When Secretary of State Karen Handel talks about the equipment, she quickly points to the state's partnership with the Center for Election Systems at Kennesaw State University.

http://www.news4jax.com/news4georgia/15203114/detail.html

[EFerrari]

16. HA: State picks voting machines

State picks voting machines

Advertiser Staff

Hart InterCivic's eSlate machines, used by Hawai'i's disabled voters in the 2004 and 2006, will be available again for the 2008 elections.

The state Office of Elections has awarded a $43.4 million contract with Hart InterCivic to provide eScan and eSlate voting machines.

Voters will have the choice of using the eScan paper ballot or the eSlate electronic machine with a verifiable paper ballot, according to the elections office. The eSlate electronic machines have been used by disabled voters in the 2004 and 2006 elections.

"Hart not only provided the best solution from a voter's point of view, but it also provided the best option as far as administering the election," Rex Quidilla, who led the evaluation committee, said in a written statement.

The contract with Hart, based in Austin, Texas, runs through 2016 with an option to extend to 2018.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080201/NEWS05/802010361/1009/NEWS05

[EFerrari]

17. TX: Glen Maxey TV ads allege voter disenfranchisement

Glen Maxey TV ads allege voter disenfranchisement
Tax-assessor/collector incumbent Nelda Wells Spears denies claim.


By Marty Toohey
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, February 03, 2008

As the March presidential primaries approach, Glen Maxey has taken his run for Travis County tax assessor/collector to the airwaves, accusing incumbent Nelda Wells Spears of endangering the ability of thousands of people to vote.

"Even if you vote in every election, you may have been purged" from the county voter-registration rolls, claims a 30-second spot that began running on cable networks Wednesday night. Maxey's challenging Spears in the Democratic primary.

The accusation is disputed by Spears, who says Maxey is exaggerating problems that weren't caused by her office and that have been fixed. That assessment is backed by other election officials.

"The political hype spewing from my opponent's campaign just indicates a level of ignorance of the voter registration system that is scary," Spears said in a statement Wednesday.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/02/03/0203registration.html

[EFerrari]

19. KS: Research conflicts on success of voter ID laws

Research conflicts on success of voter ID laws

By Chris Green

Harris News Service

TOPEKA - Laws requiring a voter to show photo identification to cast a ballot have been dividing researchers in addition to Republican and Democrat officials.

The Senate Elections and Local Government Committee heard opposing takes Thursday on whether voter ID laws cause fewer people to turn out to the polls.

The testimony comes at the same time that Kansas lawmakers are preparing to debate a photo ID bill again this year. Proposals passed the Senate last session but failed to clear the House.

Speaking with the Senate panel via a tele-conferencing system, Tim Vercellotti of the Eagleton Institute at Rutgers University outlined the results of his study. It showed a 3 percent drop in voter participation in states with ID requirements.

http://www.parsonssun.com/news/articles/voterid020108.shtml

[Melissa G]

3. National n/t

[Melissa G]

14. Six States at "High" Risk for Voting Machine Mishaps on Super Tuesday

Six States at "High" Risk for Voting Machine Mishaps on Super Tuesday
Monday, February 04, 2008 :: infoZine Staff

http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/26800/

Six of the 15 states that hold presidential primaries on Super Tuesday are at "high" risk for having election results affected by electronic voting machine malfunction or tampering, according to a new report by Common Cause and the Verified Voting Foundation. Twenty-four states hold presidential primaries or caucuses on Feb. 5, but only 15 of them will use voting machines to select candidates.


Kansas City, MO - infoZine - In all, a troubling 17 states that will hold their presidential primaries over the next several months, including two that have already held them, are at high risk for voting machine mishaps that could change election results, the report shows. The states were given that ranking for using electronic voting machines that do not produce an independent, voter-verifiable paper record that could be used in the case of a recount or audit.

In addition, the report found 17 states to be at "medium" risk for having election results affected by voting machine failure. This classification was given to states that use voting systems that deploy paper ballots or produce a voter-verifiable paper record of each voter's vote, but do not require audits.

The report found six states to be at "low" risk for a voting meltdown because those states use voting systems that deploy paper ballots or produce voter verifiable paper records, as well as require audits.

"It is senseless that after two presidential elections marked by voting machine failures that some states still use voting systems that do not produce a paper record that can be re-counted if there is a problem," said Bob Edgar, president of Common Cause. "Congress and the states must fix this problem by November. We can't afford another national election in which voters don't have full confidence in our election results."
http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/26800/

[EFerrari]

20. MPR: The evolution of voting rights in the United States (audio)

The evolution of voting rights in the United States
Broadcast: Midday, 02/04/2008, 12:00 p.m.


In a speech he gave at the Minnesota History Center, professor Alexander Keyssar explores the history of voting rights in America, and discusses what its evolution means as voters head to the polls this election season.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/02/04/midday2/?rsssource=1

[EFerrari]

21. Ex-Civil Rights Commission head asks DNC to settle delegate fight

Ex-Civil Rights Commission head asks DNC to settle delegate fight

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON
AP Political Writer


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. The woman who oversaw a federal report documenting voter disenfranchisement during Florida's disputed 2000 presidential election is asking the Democratic Party to settle a fight with Florida and Michigan before the party harms itself.

Mary Frances Berry, who served as U.S. Commission on Civil Rights chairwoman until 2004, is concerned that there will be a "bloody" battle at the August convention over the seating of delegates from the two states that have been punished by the Democratic National Committee.

She and Roger Wilkins, a George Mason University history professor and former Justice Department official involved in the civil rights movement, sent party leader Howard Dean the letter by e-mail Sunday.

"Public floor fights have served the Party badly in the past. They left deep-seated ill will and preceded Democratic Party defeats in 1968, and 1972," the letter said. "Resolution of this issue is a matter of fairness, justice and practicality."

http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20080204/APN/802040763

[Melissa G]

4. Editorial n/t

[EFerrari]

18. "Oops, you're disenfranchised. Our bad."

February 1, 2008

"Fatal pending" Errors in CA Voter Registration Database: "Oops, you're disenfranchised. Our bad."

By DanAshby

On very short notice I was called today by KTVU (Fox TV Bay Area)
for an interview about state voter registration database "fatal pending" errors and implications for the Feb. 6 primary election.

KTVU is pooling their coverage of this topic sister station (and Fox affiliate) KTTV Channel 11 in Los Angeles, and the story airs in both metro areas this evening.

In the Bay Area, KTVU (Ch. 2) will air a brief, initial version of the story at 6:00 pm tonight, followed by a more detailed version on the 10:00 pm edition.
The same is likely on the LA station.

The story arose because the KTVU reporter Roland De Wolk discovered by accident that his own name is on the "fatal pending" list -- even though he knows for a fact he is (or ought to be) registered.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_dan_ashb_080131__22fatal_pending_22_erro.htm

[Melissa G]

5. International n/t

[Mnemosyne]

23. Venezuelan Regional Elections Set for November

Venezuelan Regional Elections Set for November

January 31st 2008, by Kiraz Janicke - Venezuelanalysis.com

Caracas, January 31, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The President of Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, announced on Wednesday that the regional elections for mayors and governors would take place in the third week of November and called on all political parties to participate responsibly.

“It is necessary that politicians act responsibly to their electors and that the media provides balanced and just information,” she declared.

Opposition political groups and private media have often accused the CNE of perpetuating electoral fraud but have never provided any conclusive evidence. However all major electoral contests, such as the recall referendum against Chavez’s presidency in 2004 and the Presidential elections in 2006 have been ratified by international observers, including the Carter Center, the Organization of American States and the European Union as being free and fair.

In 2005 opposition parties abstained from the National Assembly elections altogether, alleging the process was rigged and ceded full control of the parliament to pro-Chavez legislators.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/3115

[Laurab]

22. K & R n/t