Friday 3/18 Election Fraud, Reform, & Updates Thread

[MelissaB]

In order to organize and document I thought it would be a good idea to have a daily thread to place items related to reform, fraud, protests, and other items. This also make it easier to "catch up" when we are away from the computer for a while.

Please help us. If you see something that isn't here post it with a link to the thread and a thanks to the author. Thanks to everyone who is helping with this project.

Link to the thread from yesterday: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x345149

[snot]

1. Latest, greatest evidence?

Can anyone direct me to the latest compilation of proof of fraud/irregularities?

I've been out of loop for a while. The last I'd been referring people to were Conyer's Ohio Vote Fraud Summary and Steven Freeman's paper analyzing exit poll discrepancies.

I just read a great Free Press article from Mar. 16 on yesterday's thread, which summarizes well and triumphantly concludes the proof is in--but then doesn't describe any of the proof or where it can be found.

Thanks.

[nightfire]

4. Here's a recent account entitled "Tin Foil Hats, the MSM and

Election Mischief"

http://www.logosjournal.com/issue_4.1/main.htm

"So were Americans in November really 'dumb' enough, as an understandably testy British newspaper headline lamented, to elect a war-mongering, duplicitous, clueless, inarticulate buffoon as president?<4> Has Dubya, this reactionary dynastic 'aberration' slouching out from the 2000 Florida non-recount, now become a popular personification of a whole bellicose Orwellian 'era,' as a supercilious Guardian journalist suggested?<5> As small a consolation as it is to an apprehensive planet, a majority of Americans who trudged off to polling stations, it increasingly appears, fully intended to elect John Kerry (despite his long dreary list of shortcomings and misplays). Apart from numerous voter suppression gimmicks built into the rickety US electoral system, as chronicled by Greg Palast and others, it was, according to a growing chorus of well-credentialed skeptics and congressional investigators, the deployment of easily-rigged electronic voting machines that may well have clinched the result for Bush.<6> Does the charge withstand scrutiny? . . .

[dzika]

2. Video - DemocracyNow: New FCC Chairman will be worse than Michael Powell -

Video - DemocracyNow: New FCC Chairman will be worse than Michael Powell - 3/17

Kevin Martin appointed as FCC Chairman, Ken Ferree to head PBS.
They favor increased media monopolies and increased censorship over the media.

"... I think Martin is going to unleash a kind of moralist agenda."

"...there has been a takeover by conservatives of the principle funding agency for Public Television and Public Radio."

"The conservatives, I think, want to destroy public broadcasting from within, and they couldn't have picked a better person than Mr. Ferree to help undermine it."



Video in Real Media format (7 minutes)

transcript

Related Video:

News Hour: Controversial changes planned for FCC - 3/3 (7 min.)

[dzika]

3. Editorial: Fake news/Your tax dollars at work

March 18, 2005

Editorial: Fake news/Your tax dollars at work

When we Americans think about the hallmarks of repressive foreign dictatorships -- the Soviet Union of the 1970s, the North Korea or Cuba of today -- we take their officially produced, self-lauding "news reports" as clear evidence of their rottenness. Things must be really bad, we smirk, when the government has to phony up coverage to make itself look good.

What, then, are we to make of the Bush administration's quarter-billion-dollar PR campaign in which at least 20 federal agencies have sent out hundreds of self-promoting TV reports to networks and local stations? Or of broadcasters' willingness, on a far wider scale than has been reported, to air these bogus stories as ordinary journalism?

The so-called "video news release" has become a common tool of corporate public relations, and a regrettably frequent feature of programming at stations where production budgets and staffs are spread thin. The Bush administration was not the first to adapt the technique to selling government programs and policies, but it appears to have spent twice as much on phony news in its first four years -- at least $254 million -- as the Clinton administration did in its last four.

For this investment, TV-watching taxpayers have been treated to reports in which government employees or contractors, posing as reporters, tell them what the administration wants them to hear about its Medicare proposals, anti-drug campaigns, environmental protection policies and much more.

Three times since May, the Government Accountability Office has ruled these reports to be illegal "covert propaganda," specifically prohibited in the appropriations bills that pay for their production. The administration could avoid this problem, GAO said, by simply making clear within the reports that they were prepared by government agencies.

more here

[dzika]

5. And now, the counterfeit news

March 18, 2005

And now, the counterfeit news

THE Bush administration has come under criticism for its attempts to fob off government propaganda as genuine news reports. Whether federal agencies are purchasing the services of supposedly independent columnists or making videos extolling White House initiatives and then disguising them as TV news reports, that's wrong. But it is time to acknowledge the nation's news organizations have played a large and unappetizing role in deceiving the public.
As documented this week in an article in The Times by David Barstow and Robin Stein, more than 20 federal agencies, including the State Department and the Defense Department, create fake news clips. The Bush administration spent $254 million in its first four years on public relations contracts, more than double the amount spent by the Clinton administration.

Most of these tapes are very skillfully done, including "interviews" that seem genuine and "reporters" who look much like the real thing. Only sophisticated viewers would easily recognize that these videos are actually commercial announcements for the White House or some other part of the government. Some videos clearly cross the line into the proscribed territory of propaganda, and the Government Accountability Office says at least two were illegally distributed.

But too many television stations run government videos anyway without any hint of where they came from. And while some claim they somehow stumbled accidentally into this trap, it seems obvious that in most cases, television stations that are short on reporters, long on air time to fill and unwilling to spend the money needed for real news gathering are abdicating their editorial responsibilities to the government's publicity teams. Bush administration officials now insist that they carefully label any domestic releases as government handouts.

However disingenuous those assurances may be, in at least some cases, the stations are the main culprits in the deception — as at the Fox affiliate in Memphis, where a station reporter narrated a State Department video, using the text that came with it.

more here

[dzika]

6. Texas voters may have to produce photo IDs

March 17, 2005

Texas voters may have to produce photo IDs

JIM VERTUNO
Associated Press

AUSTIN - Texas voters would have to show photo identification or multiple forms of other ID before they could cast their ballots under election law changes being pushed by House Republicans.

Three bills with the photo ID requirement are pending before the House Elections Committee. Lawmakers heard testimony from supporters who say the measure would prevent voter fraud and opponents who warn it will deny some citizens of their right to vote.

"This is to make sure you are who you say you are when you show up to vote," said Rep. Mary Denny, the Flower Mound Republican who sponsored one of the bills. She is chairwoman of the elections committee.

The Republican Party of Texas supports the measure. The state Democratic Party opposes it.

"They're just adding roadblocks to voting," said Democratic Party Chief of Staff Mike Lavigne.

more here

[dzika]

7. Black Dems. Take on Georgia Voter ID Bill

March 18, 2005

Black Dems. Take on Georgia Voter ID Bill

By: Denis O'Hayer

There are no fights over the state flag this year, but race is still a hot issue at the state Capitol.

Republican leaders are pushing a bill to require voters to show a picture ID before they can vote. Backers say the bill will cut voter fraud, but black Democrats charge it will turn back the clock.

...
Under the bill, voters would have to show a valid driver’s license, a valid student or military photo ID, a passport, or a government issued ID. Currently acceptable forms of identification like bank statements, a utility bill, or a Social Security card would no longer be valid.

Black Democrats say the changes would affect the poor and elderly of any race, most especially African-Americans.

“This is not about African-American people crying. It’s about a nakedly aggressive attack on voting rights,” said State Senator Kasim Reed (D-Atlanta).

more here

[dzika]

8. Letter: Bankruptcy bill aids Bush friends

March 18, 2005

Letter: Bankruptcy bill aids Bush friends

With the impending passage of the Bankruptcy Reform Act, the U.S. Congress will deliver another of President Bush's paybacks to the businesses that supported his re-election. It does not matter that a great many of the less fortunate among us will suffer untold agony because of this action.

The credit card industry and the banking community claims that it is the fault of the person using the credit. The Congress, however, has done zilch to stop the haphazard and irresponsible soliciting and issuing of credit cards that arrive daily in our mailboxes.

Where is the equality or fairness in this action by the Republican Congress and President Bush? They both seem to be on an unstoppable drive to provide the haves with more at the expense of the have-nots. They propose budgets that strip or eliminate programs designed to help those who have difficulty in helping themselves.

Meanwhile, the Republicans shout "class warfare" at any Democratic program or proposal that might help the less fortunate or aid those who are just able to make ends meet.

more here

[dzika]

9. William Mikesell: Of Bush, Rove and Leave it to Beaver

March 17, 2005

William Mikesell: Of Bush, Rove and Leave it to Beaver

As George W. Bush retained his throne after the November election, pundits were quick to credit his victory to the outpouring of moral values voters at the polls. Never mind that the last four years saw tax cuts for the wealthy, an unprovoked war against Iraq, and a skyrocketing deficit; Bush is a self-proclaimed Evangelist so Jesus must be riding shotgun in his triumphant Mideast crusade.

Through Karl Rove's political wizardry, the Republicans reinforced the notion that their party has a monopoly on family values; you're either with us or against us in this fight to stop gay marriage and the wickedness protecting abortion. Where Bush is taking his moral values campaign remains to be clear, but the good ol' days of Leave it to Beaver are over.

Family values are not partisan politics.

The moral tidal wave rises and falls, not from the influence of one party, but how we define what is acceptable, such as our submission to the onslaught of 24-hour lowbrow virtual debauchery. It is commonplace to wake up to Howard Stern, eat our lunch with Jerry Springer, and go to bed with a violent movie. The best we can do is to protect the innocent and prepare them to handle the corruption of the world when we aren't there.

- William Mikesell, Clive

source

[dzika]

10. Kerry Denounces Bush Budget, Appointments

March 18, 2005

Kerry Denounces Bush Budget, Appointments

By Ronald Brownstein, Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — John Kerry, continuing his sharp criticism of the man who defeated him in November, denounced President Bush's budget and the president's two major recent foreign policy appointments during a speech to a Democratic think tank here today.

In a speech to the Center on National Policy, the senator from Massachusetts and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee said the federal budget moving toward Senate approval on a largely party-line vote failed to uphold basic values of "honesty, opportunity and responsibility."

By any standard this budget fails to measure up and I believe it even sells out our most cherished values," Kerry said.

In response to a question, Kerry also pointedly questioned Bush's recent nominations of two leading conservatives to high-profile international positions. Kerry said that Bush's nomination of Undersecretary of State John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz as president of the World Bank would undermine the administration's efforts to rebuild ties with allies frayed by strains over the Iraq war.

more here

[dzika]

11. New Mexico Senate Passes Election Reform

March 17, 2005

New Mexico Senate Passes Election Reform

By Andy Lenderman
Journal Politics Writer

The Senate early Wednesday approved New Mexico election law changes that call for voter identification and "paper trails" from electronic voting machines.

Just after midnight, the Senate voted 24-17 to send the measure on to the House.

The measure's sponsor, Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, said the legislation will address election problems that have plagued the state for years.

Lopez's bill would require voter identification for all voters in every election. Republicans, however, said the bill doesn't have a real voter identification requirement.

It also would require all voting machines in the state to have a "voter verifiable and auditable paper trail" to go along with electronic voting machines.

more here

[dzika]

12. Ohio Panel to discuss election reform

March 17, 2005

Ohio Panel to discuss election reform

AKRON - Election reform will be the focus of a League of Women Voters Akron Area breakfast Saturday at the Akron Woman's City Club, 732 W. Exchange St. .

Breakfast will begin at 9:30 a.m.; the panel discussion will follow at 10:15 a.m. Both are open to the public.

Panelists are Peg Rosenfield, the Ohio League of Women Voters election lobbyist; Bryan Williams, director of the Summit County Board of Elections; and John Schmidt, deputy director of the elections board.

Provisional ballots, optical-scan voting machines and pending lawsuits are some of the topics to be addressed.

Breakfast is optional for a $14 fee. To reserve a breakfast, call 330-923-9460.

source

[Wilms]

13. PERSPECTIVE: Election reform proposals ignite clash over states rights

PERSPECTIVE: Election reform proposals ignite clash over states rights

MALIA RULON

Associated Press 18 March 2005

WASHINGTON - As Congress considers possible election reforms in light of another close presidential race, a fight is shaping up between lawmakers who want national standards and state officials, who maintain that running elections is a state right.

This underlying ideological conflict - federal power vs. states rights - is a tension that has been a part of American politics since the beginning of the union. But how it plays out on this issue is critical to what future election changes end up being put in place.

"Our system certainly is not perfect ... but we are concerned by what we see is a movement to federalize elections," Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh said at a recent congressional hearing. "The states, clearly, must be allowed to do what we do best."

House Administration Chairman Bob Ney, R-Ohio, whose committee oversees election issues, agreed that making election reforms strikes a "horrific balance" between states and the federal government, but he has said the reported problems that followed both the 2000 and 2004 elections demand Congress' attention.

-snip/more-

http://www.votersunite.org/article.asp?id=5017

[dzika]

14. PERSPECTIVE: Election reform proposals ignite clash over states rights

March 18, 2005

PERSPECTIVE: Election reform proposals ignite clash over states rights

State officials try to halt National election reform

MALIA RULON
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - As Congress considers possible election reforms in light of another close presidential race, a fight is shaping up between lawmakers who want national standards and state officials, who maintain that running elections is a state right.

...
Now, as state officials struggle to implement these reforms with less money than the law promised they are bristling over a slew of recent legislative proposals that would force additional standards on them, such as national polling place hours of operation, voter eligibility criteria, and restrictions on election chiefs serving in political campaigns.

In response to legislation on these reforms - from Reps. John Conyers of Michigan and Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio, and Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and John Kerry of Massachusetts, both possible presidential contenders in 2008 - the National Association of Secretaries of State sent a harshly worded resolution to members of Congress.

In it, they urged lawmakers to dissolve state election officials' oversight organization, the federal Election Assistance Commission, which was created by the Help America Vote Act to set election standards that states must implement in order to receive funding.

...
Rebecca Vigil-Giron, New Mexico's secretary of state and president of NASS, said the group wasn't downplaying the need for election improvements. They were reacting to the pending legislation in an attempt to head off any consideration of national election standards.

more here

[dzika]

15. Propaganda by Any Name

March 18, 2005

Propaganda by Any Name

The "town meetings" at which President Bush and his stringently vetted audience provide a carefully constructed government message are chilling in a democracy (news story, March 12). The media refrain from using the charged word "propaganda," but that is what we are witnessing.

These events are systematic efforts to spread the opinions and beliefs of the president's true believers and his staff -- the definition of propaganda.

What I find even more disturbing are the questions culled from these audiences. A retiree had no problems with the proposed changes because they were not going to affect her Social Security check. A younger speaker begged the president to make sure she got her golden nest egg, apparently not caring if others suffer benefit cuts.

Mr. Bush is encouraging divisiveness and self-interest.

PATRICIA MARSHALL

Wayland, Mass.

more here

[dzika]

16. What's a Press Corps to Do?

March 18, 2005

What's a Press Corps to Do?

By Dan Froomkin

What should the press corps do the next time the White House calls a background briefing and demands that no one identify the briefer by name?

...
There was much talk, on the one hand, about what panelists called the unprecedented secrecy with which the Bush administration operates; and on the other hand, about the need for reporters to occasionally grant confidentiality to sources who are taking a risk by exposing information that the public has a right to know.

But sticking in pretty much everyone's craw was the persistence of those maddening White House briefings where a senior administration official stands in front of an auditorium full of reporters, says nothing remotely controversial, and yet insists on being cloaked in anonymity.

From the reporters' perspective, there is no excuse for it. The anonymity doesn't engender frankness; all it does is hinder accountability and undermine journalistic credibility.

more here

[dzika]

17. Bob "Mr. Integrity" Ney Will Hold Another Ohio Election Hearing

From Bring Ohio Home:
March 17, 2005

Bob "Mr. Integrity" Ney Will Hold Another Ohio Election Hearing

Ohio 18th District Congressman Bob Ney is planning on holding another hearing into election difficulties in Ohio during the 2004 cycle. Apparently, our esteemed Secretary of State will make the time to attend this time.

A congressional committee that blasted the secretaries of state from Ohio and Florida for missing its hearing about the presidential election will hold another session in Ohio.


Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell plans to attend the House Administration Committee hearing, scheduled for Monday in Columbus, spokesman Carlo LoParo said.

Lawmakers were frustrated with Blackwell when he did not attend a Feb. 9 hearing in Washington, especially when they discovered that he was in the area that day. He led a meeting of the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute, a session he said he previously had agreed to attend.

"I am disappointed that they are not here," Chairman Bob Ney, R-Ohio, said at the time. "We can have disagreements, but you can't run and you can't hide."

Florida's Glenda Hood had a previously scheduled speech before the British-American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida that day, which the committee was told about.

The committee is investigating complaints of voting irregularities, such as long lines, computer malfunctions and confusion about provisional ballots, in November's election in Ohio, Florida and other states.

State lawmakers and representatives from the boards of elections in Franklin, Cuyahoga, Mahoning and Allen counties also are to testify at Monday's hearing.

source

[dzika]

18. Cobb, Badnarik, Kerry-Edwards add "election tampering" to Ohio lawsuit

March 18, 2005

Cobb, Badnarik, Kerry-Edwards add "election tampering" to Ohio lawsuit

The lawyers for Green presidential candidate David Cobb and Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Badnarik, along with Kerry-Edwards 2004 have added election tampering to a civil suit filed against the state of Ohio over problems with the state's recount, RAW STORY has learned.

The suit, detailed here, alleges that a manufacturer of voting machines, Triad Election Systems, which serves 43 counties in the state, is tampering with the recount. It is unclear exactly what recourse the plaintiffs' seek; the filing adds on to an original suit to have the recount take place before Ohio electors meet, which failed in the courts. Green Party spokesman Blair Bobier said the party hoped to reform the recount process and suggested Ohio should secure or impound voting machines.

RAW STORY has also acquired the affidavit of the programmer mentioned in this suit who alleges that such tampering threatens the integrity of the recount. Click here to read it.

See also: U.S. House Judiciary staffer speaks out on investigation, suit.

Civil Suit Page 1 | Civil Suit Page 2 | Civil Suit Page 3

more here

[dzika]

19. Indiana voters may have to show ID at polls

March 18, 2005

Indiana voters may have to show ID at polls

Voters might have to show government-issued photo identification before casting ballots in elections.

Such a bill is now eligible for passage in the House. Democrats have strongly opposed the bill. They say it would discourage or prevent many voters -- primarily Democrats -- from going to the polls. Republicans say it's simply intended to prevent voter fraud.

Republicans turned back several Democrat amendments to the bill. One would have allowed voters without photo IDs to sign affidavits at polling places that could later be verified. Another would've allowed counties to decide whether photo IDs are necessary.

Democratic Representative Ed Mahern has indicated that Democrats might put up a bitter fight against the bill if it's called down for a vote next week.

source

[Wilms]

20. Los Angeles Daily News Opinion: Martinez's folly

Martinez's folly

Opinion Los Angeles Daily News 18 March 2005

City, state must thoroughly investigate mayoral election breakdown

-snip-

A month before the election, Martinez says, he found that coding on the newly printed ballots was too dark. But he didn't send them back to the printer to be done right. Instead, he decided to rewrite the rule book for counting ballots.

He called up the private expert who knew all about InkaVote ballot counting machines and had him rewrite the code so the machines would keep on counting, despite the confusion caused by the printing problem.

-snip-

Then, to make matters worse, Martinez chose to have city workers and election volunteers hand-sort every ballot on election night and re-ink with blue highlighter all those that might be faint. This was inexplicable since county officials in November ran three million votes through machines and only had a few hundred that didn't count properly.

And for reasons that only he knows, Martinez never bothered to invite independent observers to monitor the process, let alone representatives of the mayoral campaigns.

-snip/more-

http://www.votersunite.org/article.asp?id=5018

DU Discussion on this subject:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=345572

[dzika]

21. Indiana Governor pulling for voter ID bill

March 18, 2005

Indiana Governor pulling for voter ID bill

Gov. Mitch Daniels said today he's hoping that the legislature does not again dissolve into partisan inaction, as lawmakers in the House prepare to vote on a controversial measure to require voters to show photo IDs at the polls.

That issue contributed to a Democratic walk-out two weeks ago which shut down action in the House for a couple days, killing many bills including a House version of the photo ID bill.

Thursday, House Republicans rejected numerous Democratic attempts to alter Senate Bill 438, the Senate version of the measure. That debate avoided rancor, but Rep. Ed Mahern, D-Indianapolis, warned that he could not promise what will happen when the measure comes down for a final House vote. The issue, he said, is "very emotional."

...
He said he was hoping, though, that the issue does not again cause an impasse in the House. Democrats -- including in other states, such as Georgia, which also are considering photo ID legislation -- charge that the measure will depress voter turn-out, including among the low-income and minority voters. Republicans say it is needed to combat voter fraud.

more here

[Wilms]

22. Herald Poll: Touch screen voting in Utah?

Herald Poll: Touch screen voting in Utah?

Opinion Provo Daily Herald 18 March 2005

Like it or not, voters, Utah's punch-card ballots are probably going away.

-snip-

The only question left for Utah is which type of electronic voting system to use. Diebold and Election Systems & Software are both vying for the state's business, and a state commission will make its final recommendation later this month.

The companies each are preparing two methods for voting from which the state can choose one involves touch screens and another uses optical scanning of ballots at the voting place.

-snip-

The companies maintain their computer software is proprietary and cannot be released publicly. But Diebold said, with nondisclosure agreements, it would allow state election officials to view and evaluate the code for flaws.

Is it worth $22 million to outfit every polling station in the state with this equipment? That price tag kept Utah from considering ping its punch-card system. The punch-card system is relatively cheap, and was simple and durable; no software to upgrade, no electronics or programming to deal with. By contrast, an electronic voting machine is $3,100 and require more maintenance.

-snip/more-

http://www.votersunite.org/article.asp?id=5019

DU Discussion on this subject:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=345650

[dzika]

23. Provisional Ballot Counts Vary by State

March 18, 2005

Provisional Ballot Counts Vary by State

Two-Thirds of Provisional Ballots Counted From Presidential Vote, With Variations Among States

By DAVID PACE Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON Mar 18, 2005 — Two-thirds of the more than 1.6 million provisional ballots cast in last year's presidential election were counted, but there were wide differences from state to state. Alaska counted 97 percent of its provisional votes, Delaware just 6 percent.

The figures are from a study by electionline.org, a nonpartisan clearinghouse for election reform information. It is the most comprehensive look yet at how states implemented the major change to grow out of the 2000 presidential vote in Florida, when administrative errors and voter registration database problems kept thousands of eligible voters from casting ballots.

In the 43 states where data were available, provisional votes accounted for just over 1 percent of the total votes counted. In Alaska, 7.2 percent of all the votes counted came from provisional ballots, the highest of any state.
...

The electionline.org study found that 70 percent of provisional ballots were counted in states with rules that deemed such ballots valid if cast anywhere in the voter's county or township. In states that required provisional ballots to be cast in the voter's correct precinct to be valid, only 60 percent were counted.

...
On the Net: http://www.electionline.org

more here or http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=593786&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312">here

[Wilms]

24. (MS) State's polling places a barrier to disabled

State's polling places a barrier to disabled

Money, OK from building owners required to upgrade sites to accommodate voters.

3/18/05
By Heather J. Carlson
Associated Press

Jefferson City — Nearly a quarter of Missouri's polling places were inaccessible to disabled voters, according to a survey conducted for the secretary of state's office.
Of the polling places that were accessible, nearly half had at least one significant barrier to voting for the disabled, according to analysis by The Associated Press Friday of the survey results.

The results illustrate the obstacles disabled Missourians face when heading to the polls, said Kelly Anthony, director of the Missouri Disability Vote Project, led by Paraquad Center for Independent Living in St. Louis.

-snip/more-

http://springfield.news-leader.com/news/today/20050318-Statespollingpl.html

[Wilms]

25. (GA) Opposition mounts to photo ID voting requirement

Opposition mounts to photo ID voting requirement

The Associated Press - ATLANTA 18 March 2005

-snip-

Secretary of State Cathy Cox, a Democrat, weighed in on a pending bill that would cut the forms of identification voters can use to vote. If approved, the bill would give Georgia the nation's toughest requirements for voter IDs, the secretary of state's office said.

Amid growing opposition _ not just from Cox but also the state AARP and civil rights groups _ a Senate committee postponed considering the bill Friday. Sen. John Wiles, R-Marietta, who postponed the vote, didn't say when it would be brought back up.

-snip-

Opponents said they'd fight any requirement for photo IDs. William Brown, spokesman for the state AARP, said 36 percent of Georgians over age 75 have no driver's license.

The bill "singles out people who are older and who are inconveniences by another obstacle to vote," he said. "Some of these people have been voting for years."

-snip/more-

http://www.votersunite.org/article.asp?id=5022

[Wilms]

26. States, counties quarrel over election rules; deadline approaches

States, counties quarrel over election rules; deadline approaches

JOHN McCARTHY

Associated Press 18 March 2005

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Federal rules intended to improve voting have sparked repeated quarrels between states and counties over ballot counting and equipment as time runs out for compliance with the election law.

-snip-

Disagreements over the federal rules have popped up around the country, including California, Florida and Pennsylvania. By January, states must take over supervision of voter databases, angering some local officials who do not want to give up control.

-snip-

"Ohio is now where California was last year, where the secretary of state is making directives that the locals think he shouldn't be making or maybe they just don't like," said Dan Seligson, editor of electionline.org, a nonpartisan election issues clearinghouse based in Washington. "What's happening in Ohio is what we see here in Washington all the time."

-snip-

"They're saying, 'If we're the ones who are going to get sued and we're the ones that are ultimately held accountable, ... then we want you to at least from the groups of systems we say are OK."

-more-

http://www.votersunite.org/article.asp?id=5021

[Wilms]

27. (NY) Agreement near on voting changes

Agreement near on voting changes
Counties would gain stewardship of machines under tentative plan

By ELIZABETH BENJAMIN, Capitol bureau
First published: Thursday, March 17, 2005

ALBANY -- Counties, not municipalities, would own voting machines and the voter registration rolls of county boards of election would be integrated into one statewide database under a tentative agreement announced Wednesday by a bipartisan legislative committee.

-snip-

Committee members, however, have yet to agree on the other key issues: what kind of new electronic voting machines the state will buy, what identification will be accepted at polls and how voters whose names or identifying information are wrong on the registration list will be allowed to vote -- if they're allowed to cast a ballot at all.

-snip-

Some of New York's 62 counties already own their machines. But elsewhere -- including in Schenectady and Albany counties -- towns and cities are the owners, leading to different standards in maintenance. In some cases, machines are stored in basements, hallways and even unheated barns. That might work for the roughly 20,000 old mechanical lever machines currently in use in New York, but the electronic machines HAVA requires -- and provides millions of dollars in funding for -- will require better care.

"In my county, some lever machines are stored in town barns with the highway equipment," said Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito, D-Utica. "(Electronic machines) aren't going to make it through our winters and our humid summers."

-snip/more-

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=342648&category=STATE&newsdate=3/17/2005

[Wilms]

28. Herald Poll: Touch screen voting in Utah?

Herald Poll: Touch screen voting in Utah?

Opinion Provo Daily Herald 18 March 2005

Like it or not, voters, Utah's punch-card ballots are probably going away.

Under the Help America Vote Act, it's just about time for Utah and other states to put away the Votamatics and the paper ballots and go electronic. It's coming sooner than you think 2006 is the federal deadline.

The only question left for Utah is which type of electronic voting system to use. Diebold and Election Systems & Software are both vying for the state's business, and a state commission will make its final recommendation later this month.

-snip/more-

http://www.votersunite.org/article.asp?id=5019

[Wilms]

29. (MS) Court Settles 2003 Election Dispute

WDAM

Court Settles 2003 Election Dispute
March 18, 2005, 01:48 PM PST

-snip-

The Mississippi Supreme Court made that ruling, upholding a 2003 ruling by Circuit Judge Forrest Johnson that local Democratic Party officials erred by ordering a countywide revote for chancery clerk.

Davies won the Aug. 26, 2003, runoff election by a handful of votes.

The local Democratic committee never certified a winner. Citing irregularities in the election, the committee ordered a new vote between Davies and Von Norwood.

Johnson sided with Davies, who was declared the Democratic nominee and who went on to win the general election.

-snip/more-

http://www.wdam.com/Global/story.asp?S=3097524&nav=1Pw1XfTN