San Bernardino County to defy state order on e-voting

[UpInArms]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/05/12/state0608EDT0036.DTL

Election officials in San Bernardino County say they will defy a ban on electronic voting ordered by Secretary of State Kevin Shelley in November's presidential election.

County Supervisor Dennis Hansberger said Tuesday that Shelley had previously encouraged counties to move toward electronic voting and was rash to change paths after many counties had invested in the new technology.

"If you really disagree with us, you tell us to stop," Hansberger said. "But have the court tell us that, because we were acting on your prior authorization."

The move comes as other counties joined a federal lawsuit filed by Riverside County that challenges the ban on touch-screen voting machines.

Doug Stone, a spokesman for Shelley, said the secretary of state intended to work with San Bernardino County officials to help them meet his directives. Under state law, all election equipment must be approved by the secretary of state, he said.

...more...

[BadGimp]

1. the fix is in folks

Touch screen voting machines are the death of Democracy in this country...end of story.

[ParanoidPat]

7. Not quite!

This is where we get to participate in our 'representative democracy'!
Time to give the San Bernardino elections representative a piece of our mind. Please let him know that the law is the law and that the 'prior authorization' argument holds no legal basis in fact. Contact Scott and let him know that we will be working to remove him from office if he doesn't follow the law! :)

You can reach him here,

San Bernardino (36) --- Sequoia AVC Edge --------- touchscreen / DRE
Scott Konopasek, Registrar of Voters
777 East Rialto Avenue
San Bernardino, California, 92415-0770
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Hours 8:00am - 5:00pm
http://www.sbcrov.com
General Election Information E-Mail Address: [e-mail]

The rest of California's County elections officials contact info can be found in the California State forum at this link as well as the contact info for Secretary of State Kevin Shelly. Drop him a line or give him a call and let him know we back his decision.

It's up to us now. :evilgrin: Sic 'em!

[reggaehead]

11. Just called his office

Conveniently he was unavailable. But I did send him this email.

Where have you been. E-Voting is the biggest scam since the last round of tax cuts. I want my vote to count. I expect your registered voters feel the same way. For that to happen we need evidence of our votes. Voting is sacred. Do not turn our electoral system into the 1 armed bandit so prevalent in casino's. Remember, Casino's can determine the payoff each machine makes individually.

[LeftCoast]

17. Welcome to DU reggaehead!

:toast:

[newyawker99]

18. Hi reggaehead!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[MSgt213]

2. So these people can choose what authorization they can comply with under

state law. How bout putting them in jail then go to court.

[cosmicdot]

4. at least a hefty fine to upset local tax payers

but, I think the jail idea may be better


defy = defiant

sounds like rather radical anti-American-ism going on here

[MSgt213]

5. I don't understand this bullshit. SS says go to machines and they went

to machines under his order. SS investigates and finds machines are totally fucked up, as opposed to sound like they were assured by the company issuing them, orders their removal because they don't work and these assholes decide they are now not going to comply because they spend some money? Fuck them. Take the election officials to jail for obstructing an election.

[nolabels]

14. The county is very American

One of the elected County supervisors got caught red handed doing all kinds of illegal things multiple times and mostly only got community service or something

Lately they nailed also, but not very convincingly, If he was a ordinary Joe and embezzled that much cash, he would be doing at least 20 yrs in the pen.

http://www.steve4u.com/eaves.htm

Former San Bernardino County supervisor and assemblyman is put on probation and fined $10,000 for conspiracy over a billboard project.

By Hugo Martín Los Angeles Times Staff Writer January 22, 2004

Former San Bernardino County Supervisor Gerald "Jerry" Eaves pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony charge of conspiracy for failing to report free Las Vegas vacations he received from a businessman who was seeking county approval for a billboard project.

Under a plea agreement between Eaves and state prosecutors, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Patrick Magers sentenced Eaves to three years of informal probation and a $10,000 fine. Eaves also received a suspended 180-day jail sentence, which means he would go to jail only if he violates probation.

As a convicted felon, Eaves was forced to resign his post, which he did effective Monday.

Three other government officials, including the county's former chief administrative officer, already have pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges stemming from the 1991 alleged scheme. Prosecutors said it involved hefty payouts to local and county officials to win support for permits to build seven billboards on county land. The billboard project was worth nearly $5 million.
(snip)

[whistle]

3. Diebold and the other electronic touch screen voting machine

...companies obviously have corrupt county and state government officials in their back pockets. At $3,500 to $5,000 per voting machine that's easy to understand. Just add up all the machines that these companies have sold so far. It comes comes out to some real money, I'll bet. Here in Orange County Florida where there are 100+ voting precincts requiring dozens of voting machines each, the investment by the county has been significant. Don't forget the maintenance agreements also, more jobs. Screw the vote counts, it's all about big money.

[AndyTiedye]

6. Those Are Republican Counties

so of course they want to use the
Diebold Repulican Electing Machinez!

If they can steal California it's all over.

[Mountainman]

8. San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern all repub counties

If they used the machines and there was fraud such as someone voting for a Dem and it's counted as a Repub, in all likely hood no one would suspect a thing.

[nodictators]

9. Stealing California IS the plan!

They warmed up in the gubernatorial recall election of 2003.

Statewide, there were 4.6% uncounted ballots in the Yes/No recall vote, and 8.1% uncounted in the governor's race.

Dem counties had 10.6% in the governor's race, but repub counties had only 5.6% uncounted. Unlike Florida, Dem counties had significantly higher educational attainment levels and incomes.

[SoCalDem]

15. Exactly.. That was why we "needed" a recall..

Ahhhnold has not done one thing that Davis did not propose.. oh wait !! yes he DID do one thing.. He "settled" the Energy suits for pennies on the dollar, so no $9B for CA..That's why I pay almost 15 cents a KWH and our taxes have gone waaay up..

They knew that CA would need to "be in play: for 2004, so Ahhhnold was their stooge.. Ever since he was trotted out, there have been more and more stories in the press about how "wonderful " he is and how well he works with the Dems...and how they LOVE him..

So when the election goes to Bush, the pundits will say...well they DID elect a republican governor :eyes:

VOTING IS NOT A "BUSINESS".........IT'S A RIGHT !!!!!

[reggaehead]

12. All about the big money

and delivering the vote to the Bushiban.

[Xithras]

10. Someone should build a big electromagnet...

Pre-charged capacitor + 5 pound electromagnet + switch. Visit Republican heavy districts, attempt to vote, and as they turn you away, set the thing off and wipe the votes on all of the polling machines. If you don't wear any metal and have it in a backpack or something, most people won't even realize what you've done (they'll be too busy tryuing to fix the broken voting machines).

Of course, if the polling is being held in an exterior facing room, you don't even need to go inside. Just walk up to the outer wall and set it off. It'll still crash the machines inside, and nobody will even know you're there.

It's time for some civil disobedience folks. These machines are unreliable, insecure, fraud prone, and the state itself is insisting that they not be used. If your local election officials insist on using them, it's your duty to rebel. If they'll tamper with your right to vote, what else will they tamper with?

[hunter]

13. They are crooks and idiots...

Okay, they have to print absentee ballots anyways. Printing a few more paper ballots is no big deal. But instead they want to jeopardize the integrity of their elections.

Why?

[PhuLoi]

16. How embarrassing for me, I grew up there.

I can recall as a four year old child stepping outside into the smog and heat (100+ typically) and thinking "what a shithole (I was precocious)." The city had sunday blue laws preventing commerce and for all I know the right-wing enclave of Redlands may still have. How glad I am to be living in the Northwest.