Pentagon Seeks Power Over Elections in Arizona

[Wilms]

Pentagon Seeks Power Over Elections in Arizona

By Michael Shelby, Arizona Citizens for Election Reform

January 27, 2006

The Pentagon has made a written request of the Arizona Secretary of State, Jan Brewer (photo at right), to allow her sole determination in postponing elections. In the event of a natural disaster, a state of emergency, a civil disorder, or any other catastrophic event, the SoS can unilaterally postpone an election. These overly broad circumstances have no definitions in Arizona statutory law.

Given these frightfully ambiguous categories, Ms. Brewer or any Secretray of State, after consultation with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, would have wide latitude to put off an election for up to 14 days. How would a natural disaster or state of emergency be defined? Would an earthquake or a hurricane suffice—how ‘bout a water main break? What would constitute a civil disorder— rioting in the streets, people carrying signs, a Cinco de Mayo parade? Maybe a Quaker meeting (they spy on Quakers don’t they?)?

The letter from the Pentagon, dated January 3, 2006, basically asks that in the event of early deployment of military and National Guard troops that early ballots, including the ability to vote electronically, be provided. Bad enough that the Department of Defense appears to be trying to sneak in internet voting, but HB 2148 seeks provisions that go beyond the Pentagons request.

HB 2148 seems to exploit the Pentagon's request by placing provisions in it that exceed what was asked for by the Department of Defense. In it's current form, HB 2148 seeks provisions that might deliberately complicate early voting–which includes vote-by-mail (VBM)–by requiring the official in charge of elections to provide a specific marking device or a supply of stickers suitable for use with tabulating devices. Since when have we ever used peel off stickers that could be removed and reattached in an election? It also provides for the rejection of ballots that don’t meet the standard “of not being marked according to instructions” by giving over determination of intent of the voter to “The Board.” HB 2148 also seeks to make several various alterations in Arizona voting procedures that might negatively impact the interpretation and counting of provisional ballots, the decision to count ballots that are “stuck together”, and what constitutes acceptable forms of identification. The bill adds language that narrowly defines an expatriate voter, directs elections officials reconcile the number of provisional ballots with the number of ballots cast on only the poll list, and appears to repeal sections of the Arizona Statutes that are designed to catch attempts at ballot stuffing. None of which is asked for by the letter from the Pentagon!

And, who directed the Pentagon to ask for this power in the first place?

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http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=846&Itemid=113