OK. What's REALLY happening in California?

[MoonRiver]

I thought the BBV issue was under control there. Now, I'm reading posts about AWOL being neck and neck with *, and CA still at risk for voter fraud by paperless voting machines.

:wtf: is going on??

[Columbia]

1. People being dramatic

W has not a chance.

[MoonRiver]

2. Thanks. I needed that!

:hug:

[AlCzervik]

3. No that wrong

Kerry has like a 12-15% lead, i just saw it this moring in my local paper.

[Eric J in MN]

4. There is a lawsuit by Riverside County against the state saying

There is a lawsuit by Riverside County against the state saying they need to use Diebold black box voting machines, because otherwise blind voters won't be able to vote secretly.

I wrote the California Elections office suggesting that optical-scan ballots be supplemented with Vogue AutoMark machines for the blind, but they replied that the Vogue didn't apply for certification in California.

http://www.vogueelection.com/products_automark.html

[MoonRiver]

5. So it's still up in the air, at least in Riverside County?

[Eric J in MN]

9. If Riverside wins, then other counties will stick with Diebold, too

They should offer other options for the blind, like arranging so a poll-workers who won't know the blind voter's name helps fill out an optical scan ballot.

Or tactile ballots.

Anything but Diebold.

[MoonRiver]

10. When will we know about Riverside?

:scared:

[Eric J in MN]

11. I don't know (nt)

nt

[elperromagico]

6. Only one poll (that I know of) has shown Kerry and Bush neck-and-neck.

The rest have all shown Kerry with a comfortable lead similar to Gore's lead in 2000. Now, if a bunch of polls start appearing showing the same thing - then you can start worrying.

[MoonRiver]

7. So that poll is an anomaly. Whewww.

I hope the BBV thing gets resolved soon, so CA can hand * his arse in a candy box this November.

[AlCzervik]

8. I'm in the holy city of Sacramento and i know

for a fact that optical scan will be used. i voted by optical scan in March, it was fine. In Nov. i'm voting absentee.

[elperromagico]

12. Comparison of Kerry-Edwards-Democrat/Bush matchups since February.

for the State of California.

Got these numbers from DC Political Report

Survey USA 5/4-6/04:
Bush 45% Kerry 46% other 6% MOE 4% KERRY +1

Rasmussen Report 4/17-24/04:
Bush 40% Kerry 51% other 5% MOE 5% KERRY +11

Los Angeles Times 4/17-21/04:
Bush 41% Kerry 53% MOE 3% KERRY +12

Bush 39% Kerry 49% Nader 6% MOE 3% KERRY +10

Rasmussen Reports 3/5-11/04:
Bush 44% Kerry 53% other 1% MOE 5% KERRY +9

Los Angeles Times 2/18-22/04:
Bush 40% Kerry 53% MOE 3% KERRY +13

Bush 42% Edwards 49% MOE 3% EDWARDS +7

Field Poll 2/18-22/04:
Bush 41% Kerry 53% MOE 3.3% KERRY +12

Bush 42% Edwards 51% MOE 3.3% EDWARDS +9

Public Policy Institute 2/8-16/04:
Bush 37% Democratic Nominee 54% MOE 2% DEMOCRAT +17

[deek]

13. Apparently it's all about $$..........and saving face (surprise surprise)

Merced County: State OKs balloting machines

By Scott Pesznecker
[email protected]

Last Updated: May 12, 2004, 07:35:48 AM PDT


~snip~


Jones said the county plans on using its machines. Also, Jones said, Shelley called him last Friday to tell him Merced County's machines would be re-certified. Merced County has used its machines in the past two elections, with only minor problems. "He thanked me for the great job we did (in the last election) and said he hopes we continue using electronic equipment, which we will," Jones said.

~snip~

Last year, the county spent $2.1 million to purchase 440 touch-screen machines. The only obstacle left for the county's machines is a pending Senate bill, which a committee approved last Wednesday. The bill would ban all electronic voting machines only for the fall election. Bill supporters say they are worried that electronic voting machines might not provide accurate vote counts.

Merced County would have to cut five positions if the bill passes, Jones has said, because the county would need to buy at least $250,000 worth of paper-ballot supplies, including ballot boxes and privacy sleeves for ballots. It would cost more than $200,000 just to print ballots, Jones said.

~snip~

But Jones is confident that his equipment is both accurate and secure.
"There are some people out there who don't like electronics," he said.


http://www.mercedsun-star.com/local/story/8560133p-9416640c.html