Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Friday, 3/14/2008

[Mnemosyne]

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Just a quickie today, going to hear BB King tonight!

Have a great weekend everyone! :hi:

[Mnemosyne]

1. CA: Auburn Event: 'Movie: Uncounted--The New Math Of American Elections'

Event: 'Movie: Uncounted--The New Math Of American Elections'

General

Date: Saturday, March 15, 2008 At 10:00:00 AM
Duration: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
Contact Info:
Carroll 530-713-2276

Email:
URL:



UNCOUNTED—

The New Math of American Elections



The documentary film UNCOUNTED exposes how Americans were cheated during the 2004 and 2006 elections – and how “enraged” voters have turned their anger into citizen activism – to safeguard the vote. Eyewitness accounts from whistleblowers are backed up by election experts in revealing how electronic voting machine security breaches, vote count manipulation, and illegal behavior by a major voting machine manufacturer all threaten the very core of our democracy – the vote. Democrats, Republicans, business leaders, elected officials, and rank and file voters are all part of a growing movement in America to correct an election system gone bad.

Written, produced, and directed by multiple Emmy award-winner David Earnhardt, UNCOUNTED drew a sellout crowd to a theatrical premiere in Nashville and showed in Sacramento in January.

Saturday Mar 15, 10 AM. Old State Theater, 985 Lincoln Way, Auburn.

Presented by Veterans for Peace, Chapter #122. Contact Carroll at 530-713-2276

Suggested donation, $5. FREE for H.S. students. No one turned away.

http://www.auburnbuzz.com/component/option,com_jcalpro/Itemid,30/extmode,view/extid,719/

[Mnemosyne]

2. TX: In Williamson County, high turnout caused problems for election workers

WILLIAMSON COUNTY ELECTIONS
In Williamson County, high turnout caused problems for election workers
Officials: Not enough ballots, late voting results and long lines caused delays

By Melissa Mixon
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, March 13, 2008

Last week's Texas primary drew a huge number of Democrats to the polls, and heavily Republican Williamson County was no exception.

But with the crowd came confusion, long lines, late returns and some precincts running out of ballots.

Given the circumstances, county, election and party officials say the county fared fine, though a few residents have said otherwise.

"We ended up having to wait two hours," Round Rock resident Cindy Molina said about her experience caucusing at Caldwell Heights Elementary School. "A lot of people left because they were so frustrated."

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/03/13/0313voting.html

[Mnemosyne]

3. Do Dogs Vote in St. Louis? Senators Spar over the Need for Voters to Show Photo ID

Do Dogs Vote in St. Louis? Senators Spar over the Need for Voters to Show Photo ID

By Rebecca Wakefield, Project Vote
March 14, 2008
This article was posted at Project Vote's Voting Matters Blog.

At the third hearing on voter suppression in as many weeks, members of Congress again sparred over the prevalence of fraudulent voting. This time, it was members of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration at hearing on In Person Voter Fraud: Myth and Trigger for Disenfranchisement?, called at the insistence of Senator Chuck Schumer.

The starkly partisan contrast between those who believe voter fraud is the worst affliction on the country’s electoral system and those who believe the greater threat is voter disenfranchisement could not have been clearer. The Democrats on the committee called several witnesses to debunk the myth, while Republicans brought in friendly testimony from true believers.

The Department of Justice, arguably the arbiter of the actual extent of any fraud, stayed out of the fray altogether by refusing to send a witness to testify.

Committee chairwoman Sen. Diane Feinstein of California opened the hearing with a pertinent question aimed at the heart of the seemingly endless debate. Are people showing up at the polls to impersonate registered voters? This persistent idea is part of the rational for laws requiring photo IDs at the polls.

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2782&Itemid=26

[Mnemosyne]

4. Vermont mulls allowing registration right up to Election Day

Vermont mulls allowing registration right up to Election Day

March 14, 2008

MONTPELIER, Vt.—Same-day voter registration for elections could be coming to Vermont if lawmakers pass a bill that supporters say would increase voter turnout.
more stories like this

Currently, registrations end six days prior to elections, but supporters told a legislative committee Thursday that eliminating that deadline could boost voter turnout by nearly 5 percent, and 10 percent for young voters.

"Vermont is very proud of its high voter turnout," said Paul Burns, executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. "But we can do better."

Vermont ranks 17th in the country in its voter turnout, which is above the national average

http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2008/03/14/vermont_mulls_allowing_registration_right_up_to_election_day/

[Mnemosyne]

5. TX: County receives election complaints

County receives election complaints

By Mitzie Stelte


Published March 13, 2008
Comal County officials said Wednesday that some Bulverde residents complained that electronic voting machines lack a proper paper trail, but election officials say the claims are unfounded.

According to Comal and Bandera election officials, both counties’ primary voting methods are Direct-Recording Electronic voting systems.

DRE’s have a touchscreen system that produces a tabulation of the voting data stored in a removable memory component. It also can provide printed copies of the data.

Comal County Elections Coordinator Linnell Hinojosa disputes claims the machines don’t have a proper paper trail.

http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=e11160113564811b&-session=HeraldZeitung:40DA3C4E07a4c0102CgJU22D24AA

[Mnemosyne]

6. Our view: People need confidence in election results

Published: March 14, 2008 06:26 am

Our view: People need confidence in election results

Ballot counting glitches in two Southern New Hampshire communities ought to raise red flags for election officials across the region. Citizens will lose confidence in the electoral process if mistakes cloud every election day.

In Salem Tuesday night, Moderator Chuck Morse reported that the $53.5 million school budget had failed by a vote of 2,212 to 2,093. It turns out those numbers were incorrect. The budget had actually passed by a vote of 2,665 to 2,212. A problem with a computer used to tally votes resulted in some votes from one polling place not being counted. There, at the North Salem School, 572 votes in favor of the school budget were not counted initially.

In Windham, it was Wednesday morning before the results of any of Tuesday's votes were known. A malfunctioning voting machine forced officials to count all ballots by hand.

It's fortunate that there are paper ballots to back up the electronic counting and processing of election returns. That gives officials a way to cross-check and confirm results. And the fact that they so often prove necessary is a strong argument against any conversion to all-electronic voting methods

http://www.eagletribune.com/puopinion/local_story_074062658.html?keyword=secondarystory

[Mnemosyne]

7. CO: Lawmakers consider spending nearly $11M on paper ballots

Lawmakers consider spending nearly $11M on paper ballots

Associated Press
Originally published 12:17 p.m., March 14, 2008
Updated 12:17 p.m., March 14, 2008

DENVER — State lawmakers are now considering spending nearly $11 million to switch to a paper ballot election this year, responding to one of the county clerks’ main objections to the plan.

The figure is about double the amount Gov. Bill Ritter had originally proposed spending on the switch from using mostly electronic voting machines to mostly paper ballots. Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said today that the increase followed a meeting with county clerks.

However most county clerks still oppose the plan even with the extra money.

Ritter and legislative leaders want voters to be able to cast paper ballots in person after most of the state’s electronic voting equipment was decertified over accuracy and security concerns. Secretary of State Mike Coffman later recertified all of them with some conditions.

http://dailycamera.com/news/2008/mar/14/lawmakers-consider-spending-nearly-11m-paper-ballo/

[Mnemosyne]

8. Iran: Leader calls elections a great national test

March 13, 2008

Leader calls elections a great national test

Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN – Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Wednesday said the March 14 legislative election is “a great national test” to show the “power and dignity of the Iranian nation and Islamic system”.

Addressing a large number of people from various parts of the country, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “By voting for the most efficient and devout nominees who believe in social justice, defend Iran’s national interests and have a clear stance towards the enemies, the determined Iranian nation will elect a powerful Majlis, loyal to Islamic principles.”

The Supreme Leader criticized “the enemies of Islam and the Islamic Republic” for trying to discourage Iranians form voting.

Since they have realized that Iran is a leading power in the Islamic world, they appose whatever contributes to Iran’s progress, he opined.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=164989

[Mnemosyne]

9. U.S. says Iran election results are "cooked"

U.S. says Iran election results are "cooked"

Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:05pm GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States, at loggerheads with Tehran over its nuclear program and Iraq, cast doubt on the fairness of Iran's parliamentary elections on Friday and said any outcome of the poll would be "cooked."

"In essence the results are cooked. They are cooked in the sense that the Iranian people were not able to vote for a full range of people," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack of the poll.

Iranians voted on Friday in an election likely to keep parliament in the control of conservatives after unelected state bodies barred many reformist foes of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from the race.

"They are given the choice of choosing between one supporter of the regime or another supporter of the regime. They were not given the opportunity ... to vote for somebody who might have had different ideas," McCormack told reporters of the poll.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN1441459720080314