Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News, Open Thread Thursday 04/03/08

[Melissa G]

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News, Thursday 04/03/08


I just testified in Texas in Opposition to having Hart Voting Machines in our State.
You can, too! Although the hearing has closed, they are still accepting testimony.

Contact info is in post number 5. THANK YOU for testifying!!! :hi:



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Thank You!

[Melissa G]

1. States n/t

[Melissa G]

5. Contact info Re: Texas Recertification of Hart Voting machines

DU discussion thread is posted here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x499981

Hi All,
I just returned from testifying (again) in opposition to the State of Texas re certifying Hart Voting Machines. Most of our testimony came from reading from the lawsuit described in this article...
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/03/whistleblower-v.html

The lawsuit was fortuitously unsealed last week and we read as much of it into the record as we could with the 5 minutes we each were given. The Hearing began at 9 am and concluded at 10:30. We gave them a copy of the lawsuit and we read from a partial list of reported problems with Hart which I have seen floating around the net but can't lay my fingers on at the moment.

They are still accepting WRITTEN testimony.
The Staff is very civil and courteous, please be courteous to them.
Please send them your Politely Worded Information and Commentary to:

Juanita Woods
HAVA Information Security Manager
Elections Division
Office of the Secretary of State
P.O. Box 12060
Austin Texas 787111-2060

[email protected]
Thank You!!!
Melissa

[Melissa G]

7. CO- Storage cost jumps for voting machines

Storage cost jumps for voting machines

By LE ROY STANDISH
The Daily Sentinel

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

There was stunned silence Tuesday afternoon when Amy Storm, Mesa County chief deputy clerk and recorder, told the County Commission she would need to spend an extra $5,759 a month — an increase of 295 percent — to store the county’s 130 new ES&S voting machines, which arrive April 21.

“We are out of space with the 240 units that we’ve got,” Storm said.

The Elections Division of the Mesa County Clerk’s Office spends $1,952 a month, including utilities, to rent 2,082 square feet in a warehouse in the 500 block of 25 Road.

Storm said the Elections Division now needs 6,169 square feet total, which would cost $7,711 a month, including utilities, for a warehouse in the 500 block of West Crete Circle.

“This is a three- to four-fold increase,” Commissioner Steve Acquafresca said after a long silence that followed Storm’s presentation.
http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/04/02/040308_1B_Vote_warehouse.html

[Melissa G]

8. WI- More Glitches in Election Ballot Counting

More Glitches in Election Ballot Counting
By Jay Sorgi

Story Created: Apr 3, 2008

Story Updated: Apr 3, 2008

Milwaukee County Election Commission Administrator Lisa Weiner calls it, "just too complicated."

It's a combination of problems with equipment including the way new touch-screen voting machines count votes.

Those machines don't produce results at the same time as regular ballot machines.

Add those two voting methods to absentee ballots, and, as Racine County Clerk Joan Rennert told the Journal Sentinel, "you would not believe the amount of work."

She and other municipalities are waiting for federal and state approval of a hybrid machine to take care of all ballot counting that doesn't have to do with absentee voting.
http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/17256824.html

[Melissa G]

9. LA- Voting-sites change passes committee

Voting-sites change passes committee
Mike Hasten
[email protected]

BATON ROUGE - Someday in the near future, you might get to cast a vote for candidates for office while visiting your local museum.
The House and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday approved legislation that authorizes more satellite voting sites around the state.


But Secretary of State Jay Dardenne says it could be some time before very many locations are available.

"We've got to crawl before we can walk," he said.
Satellite early voting centers Baton Rouge and Sulphur were popular in recent elections, he said, and he expects five or six sites could be used in this fall's elections.

But don't expect to be able to vote at shopping malls, like voters do in some states, Dardenne said.

"It's only in public facilities, like a museum, library or government office," he said, because it has to be a secure location where the machines can be left overnight.

http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080403/NEWS01/804030318/1002

[Melissa G]

10. TX- Lawmaker pushes for end to 'ghost voting'

Lawmaker pushes for end to 'ghost voting'

Fingerprint technology proposed for each House member's desk


12:00 AM CDT on Thursday, April 3, 2008
By KAREN BROOKS / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]

AUSTIN – Dallas Rep. Tony Goolsby is pushing for an end to so-called "ghost voting" by Texas House members, asking for their input on a proposal to install fingerprint technology into their desk voting machines.

The change would end the practice of lawmakers voting each other in absentia, a long tradition roundly criticized by open-government advocates.

Mr. Goolsby, a Republican who heads the House Administration Committee that would oversee such a project, said in a letter to House members that the situation needs to be resolved "effectively and permanently." He plans to start holding hearings on implementing what he called a "very significant change" in House procedures.

"It would be necessary for members to attend to floor proceedings, in person, beginning with the initial roll call continuing through every record vote," Mr. Goolsby said in a letter he sent to all House members on Wednesday. "Members need to understand that the implementation of this change would end any voting other than by the individual member's own personal presence and physical action."

Installing the machines at all 150 desks, as well as a couple in each corner of the chamber and a few in the members' lounge, could cost roughly $400,000, but Mr. Goolsby said that the committee is still pricing the project.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-ghostvoting_03tex.ART.State.Edition1.4654d1f.html

[Melissa G]

11. PA- County, UniLect asking judge to settle question

County, UniLect asking judge to settle question

By Joe Pinchot
Herald Staff Writer

MERCER COUNTY —
Mercer County and UniLect Corp. have asked a federal judge to decide whether UniLect breached its contract with the county when its voting machines were decertified by state authorities.


County officials bought UniLect’s Patriot voting system in January 2001, and claimed UniLect officials promised that its equipment would conform to state specifications. If the machines did not conform, UniLect was supposed to correct them so they would, the county said.

The machines were decertified by the state on April 27, 2005, which disallowed their use for elections.

UniLect officials have blamed county officials with making coding errors and failing to test the machines, and said the state consultant who decertified the machines did so based on subjective requirements.

UniLect, of Danville, Calif., also said its one-year warranty had expired and that language in UniLect’s proposal that “merely hypothesizes about the useful life of the product” is not a warranty.

http://www.sharonherald.com/local/local_story_093225625.html

[Melissa G]

12. PA-Election systems could face problems, official says

Election systems could face problems, official says
By Brad Bumsted
STATE CAPITOL REPORTER
Thursday, April 3, 2008


HARRISBURG -- The chairwoman of the House State Government Committee said she is concerned that Pennsylvania's local election systems could face serious problems on April 22 in the face of "staggering" new registrations and a possible record turnout.
"I do not have 100 percent confidence," Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Philadelphia, said Thursday. Her chief concern is whether up to 170,000 new voters, most of them Democrats, will be allowed to vote if they show up without ID or at the wrong polling place.

She's worried about availability of provisional ballots, voting machines working, and whether results will be counted properly in Republican-controlled counties with Democratic-majority cities.

Asked if she gained any confidence as a result of a hearing before her committee yesterday, Josephs said "some."


The Democratic presidential primary between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton marks the first time Pennsylvania's primary has played a critical role in the presidential race since 1976. Pennsylvania also has contests for Congress, the state General Assembly and state row offices.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_560482.html

[tbyg52]

21. IN: Rokita wants voting machine vendor to pay up

Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita is seeking to collect $360,000 in penalties from an Indianapolis company that provided faulty voting machines to 47 counties, including Jasper, Lake and LaPorte.

Microvote General Corp. sold electronic equipment that it knew could not handle split-precinct and straight-ticket voting in the May 2006 primary. an administrative law judge ruled last July. A Marion County judge recently dismissed Microvote's request to review the case, and Rokita's office wants the company to pay up.

"The secretary of state's office will not tolerate voting system vendors that violate Indiana's election laws," Matt Tusing, Rokita's chief of staff, said Thursday.

More (plus comments):
http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2008/04/03/updates/breaking_news/doc47f54796e61d9610194790.txt

[Melissa G]

2. National n/t

[Melissa G]

6. Princeton's Felten explains Sequoia screw-ups: machines disagreed with themselves.

Thanks to Stevepol for the post and the DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x499955

Original message
Princeton's Felten explains Sequoia screw-ups: machines disagreed with themselves.
This is a fascinating video of Felten being interviewed. Felten has impeccable credentials as a computer expert and he and his crew at Princeton were just about to proceed with an investigation into why the Sequoia machines disagreed with themselves (not just one machine BTW) when Sequoia threatened lawsuits based on the agreements that the county clerks had signed agreeing not to divulge proprietary information.

It was interesting to me that, as Felten explains it, one machine was giving results of about a 2% discrepancy, i.e., this discrepancy might be (is?) built into the Sequoia computers. It agrees with my belief that these computers (all of them) are built to tilt about 2% or so. Additional tilt can be added later on if needed to steal a particular election.

Just my opinion for what it's worth.

The video can be viewed here:

http://www.whytuesday.org/

[Melissa G]

14. The FBI Ignored Threats to Black Voters

The FBI Ignored Threats to Black Voters

By Art Levine, Huffington Post. Posted April 1, 2008.

African-American voters received illegal mailers threatening them with criminal punishment for voting -- and the FBI failed to investigate.

Since the resignations of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and others involved in the U.S. Attorneys and Civil Rights Division scandals, you might expect that the Justice Department would come clean and show a new commitment to voting rights.

Think again. At recent hearings before a House Judiciary subcommittee, new revelations emerged about how the Justice Department failed to investigate illegal mailers sent to African-Americans in Dallas threatening criminal punishment if they registered to vote through a community reform group called ACORN.

The House Judiciary Committee is launching a preliminary inquiry into the questionable way that the FBI office in Dallas -- after consulting with the Justice Department -- decided not to investigate the intimidating flier targeting Democratic-leaning blacks in a 2006 legislative race, purportedly because no federal laws were violated.

"That's nonsense," says Gerry Hebert, director of the reform group Campaign Legal Center and a former 21-year veteran of the Civil Rights Division. "That intimidation is a violation of the Voting Rights Act," he notes, which authorizes both civil and criminal penalties for any threats that aim to deter voting.

http://www.alternet.org/democracy/81019/

[Melissa G]

15. House Administration Committee Approves Holt Emergency Voting Bill

National Issues

House Administration Committee Approves Holt Emergency Voting Bill
By U.S. Representative Rush Holt Press Release
April 02, 2008
Legislation Would Reimburse State and Local Jurisdictions That Opt in for Voter-Verified Paper Ballots and/or Audits

(Washington, D.C.) – The House of Representatives Committee on House Administration today approved the Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008, legislation introduced by Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) to allow states to opt-in to receive reimbursements from the federal government if they convert to a paper ballot voting system, offer emergency paper ballots, and/or conduct hand-counted audits or by hand, count the results of their elections.

“I introduced this bill earlier this year to ensure that we protect the accuracy, integrity and security of the 2008 general elections,” Holt said. “I am pleased the Committee on House Administration recognized the need to act to help states prevent disputes and uncertainties involving the November election. We will achieve real progress if we can encourage more states to give every voter a verified paper ballot. And it will be a real step forward if we can encourage more states to conduct audits.”

The bill approved by the Committee would authorize funding to reimburse states with paperless jurisdictions that convert to paper-based voting systems in 2008, as well those that don’t fully convert to a paper-based system but provide emergency paper ballots that would be counted as regular ballots in the event of machine failure. The reimbursements would cover the cost of equipment conversion (from paperless touch screen machines to optical scanners and ballot marking devices or, as authorized by a Committee amendment, by attaching printers to the touch screens) and the cost of developing procedures for conducting hand-counted audits or hand counting the results of elections.

Additionally, the bill would authorize funding for states that conduct audits that meet basic minimum requirements, including the use of a random selection, the requirement that audits be conducted with independence, at least a 2 percent audit sample, and public observation.
http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2803&Itemid=26

[Melissa G]

16. Press Release-House Panel Passes Rep. Susan Davis’s No-Excuse Absentee Ballot Legislation

National Issues

House Panel Passes Rep. Susan Davis’s No-Excuse Absentee Ballot Legislation
By Representative Susan Davis Press Release
April 02, 2008
The Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act would allow all eligible voters an option to vote by mail

The bill by Rep. Susan Davis to lift restrictions for voting by mail in some states was approved by the House Administration Committee. The Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act (H.R. 281) was reported to the full House on a voice vote.

“This straightforward bill would simply give any eligible voter the option of voting by absentee ballot,” said Davis, a member of the committee. “No longer would an antiquated patchwork of state laws prevent voters from voting because they have work, family or other commitments. We will level the playing field by allowing voters in the states that do not have No Excuse Absentee Voting to catch up to the twenty-nine that do.”

Currently, there are twenty-two states that restrict an eligible voter’s ability to vote by mail, also know as absentee. These states restrict vote by mail privileges to certain categories of people, including the elderly, individuals with disabilities or an illness, or those in the military. Twenty-eight states give eligible voters the option of voting by mail for any reason. Oregon conducts its elections entirely by mail.

In many states, excuses such as having to work, taking care of a child, or serving on a jury are not considered valid reasons to be able to vote absentee.

Davis accepted two amendments to her bill. One amendment extended the effective date of the bill until 2010 to give states time to conform to the new law. However, Davis expressed her hope that states would attempt to implement the spirit of her bill for the upcoming election.

The other amendment required the implementation of a signature verification system, a security measure which is already used by many states that allow no-excuse absentee voting.

Davis is also sponsoring bills to require free postage for mailing absentee ballots and the tracking of absentee ballots from mail box to election office.

[Melissa G]

3. International n/t

[Melissa G]

13. Three-phase poll in Karnataka

Three-phase poll in Karnataka
J. Venkatesan
To be held on May 10, 16 and 22; counting slated for May 25


New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday announced a three-phase poll to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. It will be held on May 10 in 89 constituencies, on May 16 for 66 seats and on May 22 for the other 69. Votes will be counted on May 25.

snip
Announcing the schedule after a Full Commission meeting here, Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami, flanked by Election Commissioners Navin Chawla and S.Y. Quraishi, said that as per the Supreme Court judgment the election would have to be held within six months of the date of dissolution. Accordingly, the process would be completed before May 28. However, President’s Rule would have to be extended beyond May 20 for a few days, until the new government was formed.

All constituencies were delimited anew in accordance with the Delimitation Commission order. Thirty-six seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 15 for the Scheduled Tribes. As per the poll rolls, there are 4,00,77,666 electors — 2,03,99,338 men and 1,96,78,328 women.

Mr. Gopalaswami said the coverage of the Elector’s Photo Identity Cards was around 62 per cent and the Commission had issued instructions for continuing the campaign for increasing it. At all polling stations, numbering 39,758, electronic voting machines would be used.

He said: “Based on the assessment of the ground situation, Central Police Forces and State Armed Police drawn from other States will be deployed during the election. The CPF and SAP will be used for safeguarding the polling stations and for providing security to electors and polling personnel. Besides, wherever needed, the CPF will be deployed in advance for area domination.”

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/03/stories/2008040357860100.htm

[tbyg52]

22. Expert Who Exposed Electoral Fraud Assaulted in Russua

A political expert who reported on violations in recent Russian elections and even took the electoral commission to court has been assaulted and beaten in the city of Dolgoprudny, some 20 kilometers north of Moscow. Grigory Belonuchkin, who works for the Panorama Analytical Center, believes that the attack is connected with his outspoken criticism of violations during the December 2007 Parliamentary elections in Russia.

According to Andrei Buzin, one of Belonuchkin’s colleagues, the analyst was lured from his apartment by unknown men who called up and asked to speak with him on an important matter. When he came to the street, he was thrown on the ground and kicked on his torso and his head. He is in stable condition, and is recovering from his injuries.

More:
http://www.theotherrussia.org/2008/04/04/expert-who-exposed-electoral-fraud-assaulted-in-russia/

[Melissa G]

4. Editorial n/t

[Melissa G]

17. "Emergency" Bill Tries to Make Electronic Voting More Accurate, But

"Emergency" Bill Tries to Make Electronic Voting More Accurate, But
Will It?
by Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet. Posted April 3, 2008.

Looking ahead to the fall election, a House bill lets states decide
if they want to replace paperless voting systems -- or just add
printers.

Efforts to improve the machinery that will count the 2008
presidential vote fell prey to a classic Washington compromise on
Wednesday, when a House committee approved a bill giving money to
both opponents and supporters of controversial paperless electronic
voting systems.

The "Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008," or H.R.
5036, now goes to the House floor, where its goal is helping cities
and counties create a "verifiable" paper trail and audits for
individual votes cast for president and Congress.

But just how that paper trail is achieved is broadly defined in the
bill. Opponents of paperless electronic voting can seek federal funds
to buy paper ballot-based systems, where voters mark ballots by hand
and computer scanners tally the result. Several states, notably
California, Ohio and Florida, are making this transition. Meanwhile,
proponents of all-electronic voting can keep their machines but seek
funds to add printers that theoretically will allow voters to see if
their choices have been properly recorded.

Under the bill, the hand-marked paper ballots and new computer
printouts would be used to verify the accuracy of vote counts.
Jurisdictions taking federal money to buy new machinery would be
required to hand count 2 percent of all ballots as part of an audit
to ensure the vote count is accurate.

http://www.alternet.org/democracy/81163/

[tbyg52]

23. Internet Voting is Too Risky for Public Elections

The Verified Voting Foundation issued a warning today that the Internet is not safe for casting ballots in important public elections. Many computer scientists and others are concerned because Internet voting was used in the Democratic Party's Presidential primary for overseas voters in February, and because several state and national legislators recently have expressed an interest in Internet voting as an option for military service personnel overseas.

“Internet voting is vulnerable to all the risks of paperless computerized voting machines; it allows no meaningful recounts or audits,” said Barbara Simons, a computer scientist and expert on Internet voting. “If ballots are cast on the Internet, attacks on the election can be made by anyone with an Internet connection anywhere in the world, including individual hackers, political parties, international criminal organizations, hostile foreign governments, or even terrorists.”

More:
http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2806&Itemid=26

[Melissa G]

18. That's probably it for me today!

Please vote this up and post stories and action items if you can!
Thank you!

[Kurovski]

19. K&R#5

And we thank you, Melissa G!

[Melissa G]

20. Thank you, kindly!

:loveya: