Cross-post: Austin voters (maybe Texas in general) - a warning.

[TexasTowelie]

from Richard D at http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251173843

Found this from a FB friend:

PLEASE CHECK YOUR BALLOT BEFORE YOU COMPLETE YOUR VOTE:

A friend who voted this morning at Randall's (Brodie and Slaughter) sent this message: "We cast a straight Democratic vote, and my husband saw on the 1st page that his vote was for Obama. When he got to the end summary page, much to his surprise, his Presidential selection indicated a vote for Romney. He called one of the monitors over, and the man verified his concern. They went back page by page. Every vote was for a Democrat except the Presidential vote. He helped change the vote and brought this to the attention of the Deputy Election Judge on site. They couldn't explain how this could have happened, and our concern is that THEY DID NOT appear to be overly concerned. We, of course, are!

[font color=green]I want to make certain that Texas DUers see this warning.[/font]

[HooptieWagon]

1. KnR

This is important.

[defacto7]

2. K&R

It has begun...

This has to be called to the attention of the party and the attorney general. Imagine how many non DUrs would miss this?

It is extremely important to be vigilant in our voting and take NOTHING for granted... in all states!

[PDJane]

3. Remember that these machines can be hacked,

by remote, without about 13.00 worth of electronics and a grade 9 education. Seriously. This worries the hell out of me, and I hope that people do check and do not let them get away with it.

[Eleanors38]

5. I don't think the closed circuit ones in Austin can be hacked

But they can be mis-programmed.

[Unknown Beatle]

4. Same thing happened to me

in the 2010 Texas gubernatorial election, Perry v White. I voted straight democratic party but at the end it indicated I voted straight repuke. I called the precinct chairwoman who was present and told her about the problem. She said to go back and do it again. As she was watching, I voted straight Dem again and this time it indicated I voted for every Dem except for governor, which indicated Perry again. By this time I was really pissed off big time, how dare the asshole repukes be fooling with my vote!

So she told me to do it again. I did and this time it showed I voted straight Dem including for White, but it was too late, I was livid. I was very loudly demanding that she stow this machine away somewhere out of sight. She did but I was telling everyone that was voting loudly to check at the end.

I made many calls the next day, including the mayor, the media (TV, newspaper, and radio), and the democratic party headquarters. All my calls fell on deaf ears. Even though I told them that I had several witnesses that were present, including my wife, they didn't want to pursue it. FUCK! It still pisses me off just writing about it. How many people voted on that same machine that I used without noticing? How many machines were like the one that was trying to steal my vote were there in the city? That's why I'm convinced that Perry stole the election, as a matter of fact, I'm sure of it.

I'm very worried that this election is going to be stolen, the repukes have had four years to prepare for it.

[WCGreen]

6. that is why I vote absentee...

There is a paper trail...

[They_Live]

14. I would do that too,

but I don't meet the criteria:

To be eligible to vote early by mail in Texas, you must:

be 65 years or older;
be disabled;
be out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance; or
be confined in jail, but otherwise eligible.

[WCGreen]

18. Here in Ohio, it use to be just like that....

But someone figured out that voting by mail was a lot cheaper to oversee...

[eridani]

7. I've heard that this is a very common bug when voting straight tickets

For some reason, the first candidate (for the highest office in that election) records no vote or a vote for the opposite party. Usually the beneficiaries of this bug are Republican.

[proReality]

8. Keep this kicked so everyone can see it. n/t

[DFW]

9. I vote absentee, too

But I also am quite convinced that these Republican-made (and programmed) machines are ALL programmed, to some degree, to favor Republican candidates. I have not heard of ONE glitch or complaint where a Republican voter has seen his or her vote switched to a Democrat. It's ALWAYS the other way around. No need to ask why, is there?

[NoPasaran]

10. I voted straight ticket on one of these e-Slates with no problems

This was at Randalls (Mopac & Wm Cannon). I always look over the review page before casting the ballot anyway.

[efhmc]

19. I still think it's best to not straight ticket vote. But looking back over

your ballot before confirming is a must either way. Going to vote in a while.

[Gothmog]

11. North Carolina e-mail and Emphasis voting

I am running the voter protection operation for my county for the County Democratic Party. Your advice is very good and I urge all voters to check the summary screen at the end to make sure that the proper selections have been made.

There is an e-mail going around telling people that you have to vote separately for President if you vote a straight party ticket. That e-mail is true for North Carolina but not Texas. North Carolina law prohibits one from voting POTUS on a straight party ticket and so in North Carolina, you vote for POTUS first and then get to vote a straight party ticket for the rest of the races.

In Texas on a number of machines, voting a straight party ticket and then voting for the candidate also is called emphasis voting and messes up the software. That is why it is always a good idea to check the summary screen at the end to make sure that your vote is accurate.

This e-mail is going through my county and we have to do a robocall and e-mail blast trying to warn people that this e-mail is not accurate for Texas. Snopes has debunked this e-mail. We are telling our voters to be careful and check the summary screen at the end before they cast their ballot.

[efhmc]

20. I have no idea what the heck emphasis voting is. But your best bet is to vote individually,

not straight ticket as one can do in Texas, then review your ballot at the end.

[Gothmog]

21. Emphasis voting

Emphasis voting is voting for a straight ticket and then selecting and marking a candidate on that slate again. The software from most of the machines in Texas treats this a de-selecting the candidate in question. It is safer to either vote a straight party ticket with no changes or to vote for each candidate. I never vote a straight party ticket because I know all of the candidates and like to select each candidate. I also check the summary screen at the end and make sure that my selections are reflected.

[sonias]

12. Damn electronic voting machines!

They are the most vile threat to voting democracies.

And the crap machines we use in Travis (Hart Intercivic) eSlates are involved in the Romeny investment controversy that's been discussed recently.

No surprise.


Romney Family Investment Ties To Voting Machine Company That Could Decide The Election Causing Concern
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/10/20/romney-family-investment-ties-to-voting-machine-company-that-could-decide-the-election-causes-concern/

[LeftInTX]

13. K&R

[D23MIURG23]

15. K&R

[efhmc]

16. Do you know if this was reported to the SofS?

[TexasTowelie]

17. I'm not aware of any reports.