Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Friday, 1/18/2008

[Mnemosyne]

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Good afternoon everyone! :hi:

[Mnemosyne]

1. National. n't

[Mnemosyne]

7. Holt bill gives counties option of electronic voting machines

Holt bill gives counties option of electronic voting machines
Home News Tribune Online 01/17/08

By RAJU CHEBIUM
GANNETT NEWS SERVICE
[email protected]

WASHINGTON: A Central Jersey congressman is introducing a scaled-back version of his broadly supported voting bill today in a bid to ensure that this year’s presidential elections are as problem-free as possible nationwide.

Rep. Rush Holt, D-Hopewell Township, gained wide support for the previous version of the bill, which would’ve required all counties to use electronic voting machines capable of producing paper trails of every ballot cast by the November election. The idea was to avoid a repeat of the balloting problems in Florida during the disputed 2000 elections.

But that proposal ran into stiff opposition from critics who argued that the machines were unnecessary in most cases and Congress can’t order whole-scale voting-equipment changes without providing the money for jurisdictions to buy the new equipment.

Holt’s new version, to be introduced this afternoon, wouldn’t require counties to swap out their voting machines. Instead, it would give jurisdictions the option to do so.

http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080117/NEWS03/80117017

[Mnemosyne]

8. Facts About Ballot Printing Costs

Facts About Ballot Printing Costs


By Marge Acosta, New Yorkers for Verified Voting

This piece was originally posted on New Yorkers for Verified Voting. All ballot printing quotes were reconfirmed as of July 2007.

The most frequently expressed concerns cited by New York State election commissioners and legislators about the Paper Ballot Optical Scan (PBOS) System are (1) the cost of ballots, (2) lack of assurance that ballots will be delivered as promised, and (3) worries about getting ballots printed on time when last minute changes are necessary. To answer these concerns, New Yorkers for Verified Voting has updated its research into ballot costs as well as possible alternative arrangements for printing.

Objections to Our Data on the Cost of Paper Ballots

We stated in our 2005 report, “Paper Ballot Costs and Printing,”1 that there are over 250 printing companies in the US that supply scannable ballots. We included an estimate from an Ohio company, Dayton Legal Blank, at 29¢ each for a Schenectady County ballot. We also offered details on some required specifications for printing scannable ballots.

Nevertheless, some continue to quote exorbitant ballot prices, arguing that ballots must be in a horizontal format; that the State mandates the use of certain printing companies; that excessive numbers of printed ballots are required. But nothing in New York State's election law supports these claims. At other times vendors claim that New York’s unique mandate for a full-face ballot necessitates charging higher prices. Some commissioners also see paper ballots as unworkable because some counties need to provide ballots in multiple languages.

Answering the Objections: Estimates from Printing Companies

First, with PBOS systems, poll site voters would have ballot-marking devices to translate English ballots into various languages, so jurisdictions that are not required to have multiple language ballots available at the poll site can meet HAVA language requirements without printing additional ballots. In jurisdictions where multiple language ballots are required, ballots combining three languages (such as the New York City Sample used in this report) can be used to consolidate multiple languages on a single ballot face.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_marge_ac_080116_facts_about_ballot_p.htm

[Mnemosyne]

9. Taming the Vote

Taming the Vote


By Michelle Malsbury, BSBM, MM
January 16, 2008

As you are all aware, this is the BIG election year and one that promises to bring us change. The elections of 2000 and again in 2004 were overshadowed with problems ranging from hanging chads to voting machines not tallying the votes correctly or in some instances at all. Misconduct was rampant and largely went unchallenged. I hope we have learned from those grave mistakes and are able to hold an election that is both free of bias and open to all who are eligible to vote.

Florida has had some obstacles this election season because we moved the primary up to January 29th which was not what had been outlined by the DNC after the previous election debacles of 2000 and 2004. That said, early voting began this week. On Monday morning I rushed over to the Supervisor of Elections office to place my vote for a president that I hope will heal and unite this country from the divisiveness and dementia the Bush Administration expels.

When I arrived at the office of the Supervisor of Elections I was greeted by two women who person the office. They asked me for my voter registration card and driver´s license. I fished them both out of my handbag and gave them to the elder woman at the counter. She looked them over and looked at me. Then she added that since both portrayed me as a resident of Key West, FL instead of Franklin County or Apalachicola, FL. it would behove me to change both to reflect that I now reside in this community. I informed her that I had voted in Franklin County before and nobody had said anything about either ID, instead they had called the Supervisor of Elections in Monroe County, which is where Key West is, and asked if I was eligible to vote. When the reply said yes, they handed me a democratic ballot and I proceeded to vote. However, this was not to be the case this time around. After this woman hemmed and hawed she kept my voter registration card and told me that they would issue me a new one that would allow me to vote more easily in this county. Then she informed me that I better go out and get a new drivers license in the event that I might get a ticket in this county. To which I replied, I honestly try to do nothing which would warrant a ticket and smiled. She was not to be swayed. After taking her scolding like a school child she did provide me with a ballot for the current election and instruction on how to dispose of it once I had cast my votes. I cast my respective votes and followed her instructions to a "t". I even thanked her when I left, but I cannot imagine why she felt the need to scold me and try to deter me from even voting when this is my right afforded under the Constitution of the United States of America.

I would expect that the persons who staff the offices of Supervisor´s of Elections would offer assistance to everyone wishing to vote. However, I believe that if I had not been so self assured this woman would have invited me to leave and not vote at all. Her stance was such that she was officious and overbearing instead of solicitous or helpful. This was my first, and I hope last, experience with such manipulative and possibly repressive election officials. This behavior should not be tolerated. I had heard the horror stories from Florida and Ohio in previous elections, but had never bore witness to it first hand until now which makes me beg this question. Is this another attempt, as it was in 2000 and 2004, from the vast right wing conspiracy to manipulate or denigrate the votes of the people of the United States of America?

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/49259

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10. Bill Advocates Paper Ballots and Audits

Bill Advocates Paper Ballots and Audits

By ANGELA DELLI SANTI – 12 hours ago

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey congressman introduced a bill Thursday in the House that would offer $600 million to voting districts across the nation that convert to paper ballots or put in audit systems in time for the November presidential election.

The bill, dubbed the Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008, seeks to fix what many critics fear is a potential problem with paperless electronic voting machines — a lack of voter-verified paper records.

The bill would provide incentives for states to provide verified, audited balloting for the general election, but would not mandate standards for all states.

Voters in all or parts of 20 states, including New Jersey, now cast ballots electronically without backup paper verification, said New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt, who has sponsored the bill in the House.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hM24D2P_dBmIDGu_u_mPKthDHpGQD8U841PG0

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13. Dems encourage expatriates to vote Feb. 5

Dems encourage expatriates to vote Feb. 5

By Jeffrey Stinson, USA TODAY
LONDON — Add London, Paris, Berlin and Tokyo to the list of polling places where Democrats can vote for president in the mega-primary Feb. 5.

Americans in 34 countries from Britain to Indonesia will start voting the same day that Democrats will back home in 22 states from New York to California.

In what the party calls its first "global primary," any adult U.S. citizen living overseas can vote for a Democratic nominee Feb. 5-12 at polling places, by Internet or by fax if they join Democrats Abroad, the party's overseas arm, by Feb. 5.

At stake are a total of 22 delegates to be won by candidates and sent to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-01-16-politicsabroad_N.htm

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14. Congressmen Push for Paper Ballots

January 17, 2008, 5:16 pm

Congressmen Push for Paper Ballots

By Ariel Alexovich

Both New Hampshire primary elections are going to be recounted, since Dennis J. Kucinich has put up $27,000 to get the Democratic recount started, and Albert Howard (who was on the New Hampshire Republican ballot) has donated $56,000 to re-tally the Republican vote.

But the only reason these elections can even be recounted is because voting precincts in New Hampshire use paper ballots. And now some folks on Capitol Hill want to make it easier for other states to switch to non-electronic voting systems before the November election.

Rush Holt, a Democratic representative of New Jersey, introduced new legislation today that would reimburse all state and local jurisdictions that opted to convert to a paper ballot voting system, offer emergency paper ballots or convert audits by hand counts.

Speaking at a news conference in Washington this afternoon, Mr. Holt said there’s still time to make sure the 2008 presidential election doesn’t see the same voting controversy as happened in Florida in 2006, when some 18,000 electronically recorded ballots were marked “no vote,” and there was no accounting for what happened.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/congressmen-push-for-paper-ballots/

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2. States. n/t

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12. Ariz., federal officials battle over proof-of-citizenship requirement

Ariz., federal officials battle over proof-of-citizenship requirement

Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON — Arizona's requirement that people registering to vote prove they're citizens has ignited a battle with federal election officials over whether to include the requirement on the national voter registration form.

So far, the Election Assistance Commission hasn't changed the form, created by the 1993 National Voter Registration Act to make registering to vote easier.

The commission has said that under the law, states must accept the federal form. If Arizona refuses, commissioners say, they'll seek action from the Justice Department. Meanwhile, Arizona officials said they're looking at legal options to compel the commission to change the form.

"We're hoping that they will do the right thing and properly educate and inform Arizona voters," said Kevin Tyne, Arizona's deputy secretary of state.

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/74250.php

[Mnemosyne]

15. California Experiences Problems with Voting Machines

California Experiences Problems with Voting Machines

The State of California is racing to fix unexpected problems with its voting machines before its Feb. 5 primary. NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels reports from the Golden State on these recent ballot troubles.


JIM LEHRER: And finally tonight, another kind of politics story: security concerns about California's voting machines, leading to that state's February 5th primary. NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels reports.

SPENCER MICHELS, NewsHour Correspondent: County election officials in California, faced with three upcoming elections, are scrambling to keep up with the fast-changing world of voting machines.

They claim that changes to voting system requirements ordered by California's secretary of state, Debra Bowen, may put the integrity of those elections in jeopardy.

Bowen, who as a state legislator was regarded as one of the most tech-savvy politicians in Sacramento, was elected secretary of state a year ago by promising to clean up a chaotic election system. She ordered some machines decertified after she commissioned a top-to-bottom look at the devices by computer scientists from UC Berkeley.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june08/ballot_01-16.html

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16. CA: Voters fuming over forms

Voters fuming over forms
December 'deadline' can be disregarded, an elections official says

By Angela Hill, STAFF WRITER
Article Last Updated: 01/17/2008 02:31:56 AM PST

OAKLAND — Irene Dieter of Alameda might have missed out on her right to vote in California's Feb. 5 presidential primary because of a confusing form she received last week from the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.

Dieter, 49, who said she re-registered as a non-partisan/decline-to-state absentee voter more than a month ago, received a form in the mail from the registrar asking her to indicate which party's ballot she desired. (The choices were Democratic or American Independent. Republican doesn't allow cross-over votes in California.)

The form required only a voter's signature rather than printed name and address or any other identifying information. But what really confused Dieter was the deadline to return the form: Dec. 17, 2007.

"I got it on Jan. 10," she said. "Several of my friends had done the same thing of re-registering, and had received the form — also after the Dec. 17 deadline.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/localnews/ci_7995991

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17. CO: Bill approved to let Coffman retest electronic voting machines

Bill approved to let Coffman retest electronic voting machines

posted by: Jeffrey Wolf , Web Producer
reported by: Adam Schrager , Political Reporter

created: 1/17/2008 4:22:45 PM
Last updated: 1/17/2008 5:50:17 PM

Bill approved to let Coffman retest electronic voting machines. 9NEWS at 4 p.m. 01/17/08
DENVER – State lawmakers unanimously approved a bill Thursday allowing Secretary of State Mike Coffman to retest and possibly recertify the electronic voting machines he disqualified last month.

The measure (House Bill 1155) allows Coffman to test the equipment after they have undergone software upgrades or other changes. However, it specifies that he can't relax the standards and must explain any decision to recertify a machine.

Lawmakers working on how this year's election will be held are considering using paper ballots, but some electronic voting machines must be available for handicapped voters under federal law. In addition, some of the optical scanners needed to count paper ballots were among those machines decertified last month. Coffman has said there are some proposed changes that he would like to test on the machines.

"We'd encourage you to really put this on a fast track if that's at all possible because we need to know very soon with regard to where we are," Larimer County Clerk Scott Doyle told lawmakers on Thursday.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=84693

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18. MA: Voting machines work just fine - but they must go

Voting machines work just fine - but they must go

By Richard Gaines , Staff writer
Gloucester Daily Times

(page 1 of 3)View as a single page
Not long after Gloucester's 12 electronic voting machines once again proved accurate and reliable in the November election, the city was informed the machines and thousands like them were being decommissioned.

The news, announced by the state director of elections and based on a conversation with a representative of the manufacturer, was a bitter pill for the recipients - city and town clerks.

Those contacted by the Times expressed full satisfaction with the performance of the machines, made by the Nebraska-based industry giant Election Systems & Software, and they bristled at what they saw as an unnecessary, even irrational need to spend thousands of dollars on new voting technology.

Based on the announcement from state elections director Michelle Tassinari, who had spoken to a representative of ES&S, this year's elections will mark the swan song of the IIIP Eagle software and hardware made by ES&S.

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_017095442?keyword=secondarystory

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19. Md. to buy optical scan machines to read paper ballots

Maryland Wire

* Fri, 18 Jan 2008 05:40:05 GMT

Md. to buy optical scan machines to read paper ballots

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) The state will abandoned the touch-screen voting machines that have sparked years of protests and replace the system with devices that permit a manual recount.

Maryland purchased the machines in the wake of the 2000 Florida election. They have been criticized as unreliable and susceptible to tampering.

Gov. Martin O'Malley has proposed $6.8 million to buy optical-scan machines, which can read paper ballots filled in by voters with pencil or pen.

But the new machines will not be available until 2010. That's too late for this year's presidential primary or general election.

http://wjz.com/marylandwire/22.0.html?type=local&state=MD&category=n&filename=MD--VotingMachines.xml

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21. MO: Election official quits under pressure

Election official quits under pressure

By TERRY GANEY of the Tribune’s staff
Published Thursday, January 17, 2008

Howard County Clerk Mark Hill signed a letter of resignation this morning as an ouster petition was being prepared that would have attempted to remove him from office.

Prosecutor Mason Gebhardt said Hill agreed to resign effective Feb. 8, citing health reasons. The resignation was signed a day after Secretary of State Robin Carnahan’s office asked Gebhardt to take action against Hill for "several instances of potential state election law violations in Howard County."

"Based on the fact of his resignation, I see nothing productive to be gained by prosecuting him at this time," Gebhardt said in an interview today.

Gebhardt said he was preparing an ouster petition against Hill based on the letter from the secretary of state’s office and based on last month’s state audit that was critical of Hill’s performance. Gebhardt said he was prepared to file the petition against Hill later today but that he believed he should first discuss the situation with him.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2008/Jan/20080117News008.asp

[Mnemosyne]

23. NV: Format creates state of confusion

Jan. 17, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Format creates state of confusion

Both parties toiling to answer questions

By LYNNETTE CURTIS
REVIEW-JOURNAL


A little confused about the ins and outs of Saturday's presidential caucus? Join the club.

Both the Republican and Democratic parties said they have been overwhelmed this week with phone calls from voters who aren't sure where and when they're supposed to caucus.

"The phones have been ringing so much I had to hire a temp agency to come in," said Zachary Moyle, executive director of Nevada's Republican Party. "Our voice mail fills up every two hours."

Even more confusing might be the specifics surrounding nine at-large caucus sites meant to accommodate thousands of Strip shift workers who otherwise wouldn't be able to participate on Saturday morning.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/13861052.html

[Mnemosyne]

24. OH: Secure Machines?

Secure Machines?

WTAP News
Posted: 7:43 PM Jan 17, 2008
Last Updated: 11:59 PM Jan 17, 2008
Reporter: Todd Baucher

A federal lawsuit hopes to block Ohio's Cuyahoga County from putting a paper voting system in place by the state's March 4th primary.

The American Civil Liberties Union argues that the county's planned system doesn't allow voters to correct ballot errors.

The county where Cleveland is located wants switch to optical-scan from electronic touch-screen voting machines, which the Secretary of State's office believes are less secure.

Those touch-screen machines are similar to the electronic machines being used in West Virginia, including Wood County.

http://www.wtap.com/news/headlines/13879067.html

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25. PA: Bill prods states to drop paperless voting machines

Bill prods states to drop paperless voting machines
Friday, January 18, 2008
By Karamagi Rujumba, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A New Jersey Democratic congressman yesterday introduced legislation that would offer $600 million to jurisdictions that convert to paper ballot systems or update voting machines to provide verifiable paper trails before next fall's presidential election.

The bill, called the Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008, would reimburse state and local jurisdictions if they change their systems before the November balloting, said Rep. Rush Holt, sponsor.

Voters in all or parts of 20 states now cast ballots electronically without backup paper verification, Mr. Holt said. "Millions of Americans will be voting on unreliable electronic machines without paper ballots," he said. "There will be questions that cannot be resolved, because there is no way of determining a voter's intention. All you have is an electronic memory. This plan provides an incentive for states or localities that want to do the right thing."

Last year, Mr. Holt introduced legislation, still pending in the House, requiring routine random audits and a voter-verified paper trail for every vote cast.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08018/850251-176.stm

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26. SC: Report: Electronic Voting Machines Vulnerable to Hackers

Report: Electronic Voting Machines Vulnerable to Hackers

Columbia (WLTX)- With just days to go before the South Carolina Republican Primary, doubt lingers over the use of touch-screen voting machines.

Robert Kendall and his friends are carefully watching the political race shaping up in South Carolina. And with it, some some concerns about the security of electronic voting machines.

"I think they're proven they can, hackers can change the vote, steal votes from certain candidates."

Kendall, a first time voter is familiar with the study conducted in Ohio and Colorado. Officials in those states reportedly banned the iVotronic system. The same one being used in South Carolina.

http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=57443

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28. TX: Hundreds of area voters might have registrations canceled

Hundreds of area voters might have registrations canceled
County, state officials blame one another.

By Marty Toohey
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, January 17, 2008

A recent change in voter registration law has left hundreds and possibly thousands of Travis and Williamson county residents temporarily ineligible to cast their ballots here.

Most are voters who had moved to other parts of Texas and recently returned. No one is sure how many people that is. But Travis County officials are scrambling to reach the approximately 8,500 people known to have moved out of the county who could go to the polls in the March presidential primaries and find they cannot vote.

Williamson County officials say they have found most of the affected voters, but a few could still be surprised on Election Day.

"It's a mess," said Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector Nelda Wells Spears, whose office oversees voter registration.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/01/17/0117registration.html

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29. WV: Carper critical of touch-screen voting machines as two states try to ban them

Kanawha County
Wednesday January 16, 2008

Carper critical of touch-screen voting machines as two states try to ban them

by Matthew Thompson
Daily Mail staff

Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper is worried about the use of electronic touch screen voting machines by various counties in the state.

Officials in Colorado and Ohio are working to decertify the iVotronic touch-screen machines over fears that the units are easily corruptible.

Thirty-four counties in West Virginia use the same touch screen machines that are manufactured by Omaha, Neb. based company, Election Systems and Software.

Though Kanawha County does not use the machines, Carper said he's still concerned about the matter.

http://www.dailymail.com/News/Kanawha/200801160147

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32. MA: Before you enter the voting booth, know your rights

Before you enter the voting booth, know your rights

By Senior Lookout , Anne Springer
Gloucester Daily Times

(page 1 of 2)View as a single page
"An election is coming. Universal peace is declared and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry." - T.S. Eliot

This year, Americans are voting in presidential primary elections..Whether or not they share T.S. Eliot's view of candidates and the electorate, most older people have been exercising their right to vote for a long time.

The majority of older adults are properly registered to vote, and understand the voting process in their communities. Still, there are some aspects of the voting process that are new, and there are rights that voters are entitled to that they should understand. And, of course, if a voter has moved, proper notifications must be made.

The most obvious question for registered voters who are new to an area is, "Where do I vote?" Massachusetts residents can find their polling place online at: www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php. Gloucester voters can call the city clerk's office at.978-281-9720..

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/pulife/local_story_016094017

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33. NJ: Write-in rules are script for confusion

Write-in rules are script for confusion

Thursday, January 17, 2008
BY LAWRENCE RAGONESE
Star-Ledger Staff

Want to cast a write-in vote for president in New Jersey's Feb. 5 primary? The rules are simple, as set up by the major parties.

If you vote Democratic, no write-ins. Votes for, say, Al Gore or Chris Dodd or anyone not on the ballot are not allowed. Republican voters, however, may write in any name they wish.

But there's a problem. Something got lost in translation between the parties and the people who draw up New Jersey's ballots.

Most of the state's 21 counties have printed sample ballots, set up voting machines and sent out absentee and overseas ballots that mistakenly allow for write-in votes for both parties.

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-9/120054814699590.xml&coll=1

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34. NY: Federal judge approves NY voting machine plan

Federal judge approves NY voting machine plan

By VALERIE BAUMAN | Associated Press Writer
6:02 PM EST, January 16, 2008

ALBANY, N.Y. - A federal judge has approved New York's latest plan for bringing the state into compliance with federal voting laws.

New York is years behind deadlines to comply with the Help America Vote Act, which was enacted after the contested 2000 presidential elections to ensure better accuracy and access for the disabled.

U.S. District Judge Gary Sharpe ordered the state Board of Elections on Wednesday to follow through with the plans it gave him to meet the requirements of the law.

If the state acts on the agreed timeline, voting machines accessible to the disabled will be available in every polling place around the state by this fall's federal elections. The state would then follow up by replacing all pull-lever machines by the fall 2009 state elections.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--votingmachines0116jan16,0,3409219.story

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35. OK: Ford renews push to prevent election fraud

Ford renews push to prevent election fraud

By Special to the E-E
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 3:10 PM CST


Sen. John Ford is renewing his effort to protect Oklahomans against election fraud.

Ford (R-Bartlesville) has filed Senate Bill 1150 which will require voters to show identification when they cast their ballots. While similar legislation has gone unheard in past sessions, Ford said it was important to keep fighting for this measure.

“The role voters play in determining the future of our cities, counties, state and nation is just too important to leave it open to fraud,” said Ford. “Senate Bill 1150 will protect the integrity of the process by helping ensure that only duly registered voters participate in elections.”

Ford, who represents Craig, Nowata and Washington Counties, said his measure simply requires voters to show identification at the polls. Voters could use a valid voter identification card, driver license, passport, state identification card, a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck, or any other government document showing the voter’s name and address.

“No one thinks twice when asked for identification when writing a check or for commercial air travel,” Ford said. “When you consider the critical roll elections play in determining our very future, it is simply good sense to make sure we do everything possible to protect that future by ensuring citizens who are registered voters are the ones making those decisions.”

http://www.examiner-enterprise.com/articles/2008/01/16/news/news963.txt

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3. Foreign. n/t

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27. Kenya protesters to mount boycott

Kenya protesters to mount boycott

Kenya's opposition says it will boycott companies run by allies of President Mwai Kibaki in protest at the outcome of last month's presidential election.

The Orange Democratic Movement's (ODM) change of tactics came as police shot five dead on a third day of rallies.

One protester died in Mombasa and four were killed in Nairobi. The post-poll violence has left 600 dead.

Five bodies of people from Mr Kibaki's Kikuyu ethnic group were found with arrow and machete wounds, police said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7195307.stm

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4. The Youth Vote. n/t

[Mnemosyne]

11. Those Under 30 See Hurdles to Voting

Those Under 30 See Hurdles to Voting

By KELLY MAHONEY and RACHEL ZAHORSKY – 22 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — They love using their iPods, laptops and cell phones for political information, yet many young adults say they aren't quite sure how to get a ballot in the first place.

On top of that, information overload from all the tech toys gets in the way of finding news sources they can trust. Confusing absentee ballots and a lack of faith in the system also may turn young voters into no-shows at the polls.

Andy Weisman, a 23-year-old research analyst from Arlington, Va., simply looks up information in a newspaper about the candidates. Still, he says, plenty of people his age are turned off voting by "not knowing enough about the candidates and not knowing how to find out about the candidates."

More than 20 million people younger than 30 cast their votes in 2004's presidential election. But, at 49 percent, that's still lower than the overall turnout of 64 percent.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j1Sy4TwDnt_3y1-L6ckfS7ouwxmAD8U7QJN81

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20. MD: 17-year-olds poised to vote in primary

17-year-olds poised to vote in primary

by Katherine Mullen | Staff Writer


The hot topic in class and among Kris Klein’s peers is the 2008 presidential race — the first election in which he and most of his friends in the class of 2008 are eligible to vote.

‘‘That’s the No. 1 topic right now, and it’s great because more and more people are getting involved in our school,” the 17-year-old Frederick High School senior said. ‘‘I’d have to say our engagement is pretty high.”

Kris registered to vote in November, when he moved from Pennsylvania to Frederick to live with his sister. His father is serving in Iraq with the Air Force and his mother is working for the U.S. government in Iraq, he said.

Kris said his experience of living in various states and abroad and having parents in Iraq has had an impact on his political views and has strengthened his conviction that the U.S. should safely withdraw troops from Iraq.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/011708/frednew35304_32356.shtml

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5. OPED/BLOGS/LTTE. n/t

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36. Bradblog: Huge New Diebold Disparities Found in Manchester, Ward 5 During NH Hand Counts

BLOGGED BY Brad Friedman ON 1/17/2008 6:26PM

Huge New Diebold Disparities Found in Manchester, Ward 5 During NH Hand Counts
Scores of Votes Mistallied for Every Democratic Candidate...

As mentioned last night, in this disturbing article, the early results of the hand counts of one Diebold precinct in Dennis Kucinich's election contest in New Hampshire are now being posted, as they come in, at this New Hampshire SoS page.

As mentioned earlier today, NH SoS Bill Gardner told WMUR in NH that "We did nine of the 12 wards in Manchester, and a lot of the votes were exactly the same...Some went up by a vote or two." He didn't, of course, note that a lot of the vote counts (most of them) were off by 5 or more.

All of the other candidates seem to have lost votes as well. No clue who received them instead, and must run out to tonight's Oakland screening of UNCOUNTED: The New Math of American Elections. But thought you'd want to know.

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5573

[Mnemosyne]

38. Discussion posted here by Bradblog:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=494325&mesg_id=494325

[Mnemosyne]

6. Help Wanted! n/t

[Mnemosyne]

22. MD: State short on election judges

Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008

State short on election judges

by Marcus Moore | Staff Writer


Some counties in the state are finding it increasingly difficult to get enough election judges to work the polls for the upcoming elections, even though the primary is less than one month away.

The problem is not central to Maryland, as areas throughout the nation are finding it tougher to staff polling places, election administrators say. And in this extremely Democratic state, administrators are scrambling to find enough Republican voters to work, they say.

‘‘It’s always a struggle,” said Ross Goldstein, the State Board of Elections’ deputy administrator. ‘‘It’s one of the biggest challenges they face. It’s a very long day. You have to be there before the polls open and stay after they close. It’s definitely a challenge to get people to sign up for it.”

Montgomery County – the state’s largest jurisdiction – still needed 726 judges as of Monday, of which 488 slots need to be filled by Republicans, said Marjorie Roher, spokeswoman for its Board of Elections. The county usually tries to have at least 3,200 judges at the polls, she said.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/011708/prinnew160759_32357.shtml

[Mnemosyne]

30. PA: County stresses need, not speed, in vote machines

County stresses need, not speed, in vote machines

BY DAVID SINGLETON
STAFF WRITER
01/16/2008

EASTON — As the paper-ballot vote count after November’s general election stretched from hours into days, Lackawanna County election officials embraced the philosophy that getting it right trumped getting it fast.

Commissioners Mike Washo and Corey O’Brien will take the same approach in selecting the county’s new voting machines.

After a series of presentations by machine vendors Tuesday at the Northampton County Courthouse, the majority commissioners said they will not be rushed into a decision on a voting system to replace the county’s decertified Advanced Voting Solutions electronic touch-screen machines.

“Everyone is struggling with this. You want to make the right decision,” Mr. Washo said. “We’ve got to make sure we are not in such a hurry that we neglect to do our due diligence. The people are not just counting on us to make a decision. They are counting on us to protect their investment.”

http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19201872&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=415898&rfi=6

[Mnemosyne]

31. IL: Voters aren't electing to work the polls

Voters aren't electing to work the polls

By Scott Bandle
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 7:02 AM CST

Ann Laird is looking for some Republicans, about 400 of them to be exact. Call it the search for the rare GOP Poll Worker.

Laird, who is a Republican election coordinator with St. Louis County's Board of Election Commissioners, needs to find Republican volunteers to work at North County polling places during elections.

Missouri law demands an equal representation of Democratic and Republican workers at the poll. But North County is heavily Democratic, and the GOP presence is hard to find."This is a big challenge," Laird said. "A lot of Republicans left North County and moved to St. Charles."

She will probably import them from West County or South County. Head west, however, and the opposite is true.

http://suburbanjournals.stltoday.com/articles/2008/01/16/news/sj2tn20080115-0116flo_polls_1.ii1.txt

[Mnemosyne]

37. Ciao till next week! n/t

:hi:

[Stevepol]

39. Great Work Vickiss. Muchos gracias

[Mnemosyne]

40. Merci beaucoup, Steve!

:hi:

[Kurovski]

41. Kick to the top!

and thanks be to you, dear vickiss! :hi:

[Algorem]

42. Vote count in Ohio on March 4 expected to be slow

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/01/vote_count_in_ohio_on_march_4.html
Posted by Terry Oblander January 18, 2008 21:34PM
Categories: Breaking News, Impact

The nation may go to sleep on election night March 4 without knowing which candidates won the Ohio presidential primary.

Elections officials throughout the state told The Plain Dealer that they expect to be counting votes into the early hours of Wednesday, March 5.

They blame an order by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner that gives all Ohio residents the option of using paper ballots. Almost 60 of Ohio's 88 counties that have used only touch-screen equipment now must stock polling locations with paper ballots for voters who request them. Boards also must combine precinct vote totals from the electronic and paper voting methods that night.

"We've been wracking our brains to come up with some way to speed this up," said Jill Kelly, director of the Lucas County Board of Elections. "There's nothing we can humanly do."...










oh.no,it might be accurate.