Wednesday 3/30 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=203x350320

[dzika]

1. 2 Issues Straining GOP Grip in Florida

March 29, 2005

2 Issues Straining GOP Grip in Florida

By Peter Wallsten

WASHINGTON — President Bush's decisive victory in Florida last year seemed to cement Republican dominance in an important battleground state that once symbolized an evenly divided nation.

But with the GOP base polarized over the Terri Schiavo case and the public skeptical of Bush's plan to overhaul Social Security, two issues with explosive relevance in Florida are stirring up confusing political crosscurrents for Republicans preparing to face the voters there next year.

On both fronts, President Bush and his brother Gov. Jeb Bush are promoting positions that put fellow Republicans on the spot, just before important campaigns that will determine the governor's successor and the fate of Florida's lone Democrat holding statewide office, Sen. Bill Nelson.

...
At the same time, public opposition has been mounting against the president's plan to let younger workers divert a portion of their Social Security payroll taxes into private investment accounts. The president's proposal is particularly unpopular among seniors, and so candidates in the senior-rich state are especially vulnerable to the charge that such a change could endanger benefits.

"It may be that we tried to load the wagon with too many watermelons," said Tom Slade, Florida's former Republican Party chairman. "There's not … a lot of good news on our side of the aisle at this minute."

more here

[Melissa G]

2. Us Count Votes Scientific Study out Tomorrow! preview email below.

DU Discussion Thread
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x350743
US countvotes Scientific Analysis Suggests Presidential Vote Counts



May Have Been Altered

Study Will Be Released Tomorrow March 31st

/Group of University Professors Urges Investigation of 2004 Election/

Officially, President Bush won November's election by 2.5%, yet exit
polls showed Kerry winning by 3%<1> <#_ftn1>. According to a report to
be released March 31^st by a group of university statisticians, the odds
of a discrepancy this large between the national exit poll and election
results happening by accident are close to 1 in a million.

In other words, by random chance alone, it could not have happened. But
it did.

Two alternatives remain. Either something was wrong with the exit
polling, or something was wrong with the vote count.

Exit polls have a long history of exceptional accuracy in past decades
in the US, in the Ukraine, in Latin America, in Germany, and elsewhere.
Yet in November 2004, the discrepancy was more than five times this (and
similar to that of the invalid Ukraine election.<2> <#_ftn2>

In a recent survey of US members of the world's oldest and largest
computer society, The Association for Computing Machinery, 95% opposed
software driven un-auditable voting machines<3> <#_ftn3>, of the type
that now count at least 30% of U.S. votes. The vast majority of today's
electronic vote-counting machines are not built with basic safeguards
that would prevent and detect machine or human caused errors, be they
innocent or deliberate.<4> <#_ftn4>

The consortium that conducted the presidential exit polls,
Edison/Mitofsky, issued a report in January suggesting that the
discrepancy between election results and exit polls occurred because
Bush voters were more reticent than Kerry voters in response to pollsters.

The authors of this scientific study of the National Election Data
Archive Project, consider that scenario highly unlikely, based on
extensive analysis of the election data presented in their report “Final
Study of the 2004 Presidential Election Poll Discrepancies”. They
conclude, /“The required pattern of exit poll participation by Kerry and
Bush voters to satisfy the exit poll data defies empirical experience
and common sense under any assumed scenario.”/

An executive summary of the report by Josh Mitteldorf of Temple
University has been released today and is available at:
http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/Exit_Polls_su... . The
full 25 page scientific report will be released tomorrow. This group's
preliminary study on the exit poll discrepancies was not refuted by any
PhD statistician in America, and we expect our final study to be
similarly received in the academic community.

Amidst the data, many extremely unlikely anomalies exist, invariably in
President Bush’s favor. For one, a state-by-state analysis of the
discrepancy between exit polls and official election results shows
highly improbable skewing of the election results biased towards the
president.

We have had election fraud in this country before. November's wildly
inaccurate presidential exit polls should warrant concern of the highest
order by every American citizen.

The report acknowledges that the possibility of fraud in our vote
counting system is the most serious issue any democracy can face. If
there is any chance that vote counts have been electronically
manipulated, it is imperative that the people of the United States know
the truth.

The report concludes, “/We believe that the absence of any
statistically-plausible explanation for the discrepancy between
Edison/Mitofsky’s exit poll data and the official presidential vote
tally is an unanswered question of vital national importance that needs
thorough investigation./”

US Count Votes is seeking financial support for its "National Election
Data Archive" project in order to collect detailed election data and,
prior to November 2006, to develop statistical methods to audit
elections results data and provide statistical evidence of vote
tabulation errors immediately following any US election.

*Contributors and Supporters of the Report include

*Josh Mitteldorf*, PhD - Temple University Statistics Department

*Steven F. Freeman*, PhD - Center for Organizational Dynamics,
University of Pennsylvania

*Brian Joiner*, PhD - Prof. of Statistics (ret) University of Wisconsin

*Frank Stenger*, PhD - Professor, School of Computing, University of Utah

*Richard G. Sheehan*, PhD -Professor, Department of Finance, University
of Notre Dame

*Paul F. Velleman*, PhD - Associate Prof., Department of Statistical
Sciences, Cornell University

*Victoria Lovegren*, PhD - Department of Mathematics, Case Western
Reserve University

*Campbell** B. Read*, PhD - Prof. Emeritus, Department of Statistical
Science, Southern Methodist University

*Jonathan Simon*, J.D., National Ballot Integrity Project

*Ron Paul Baiman, *PhD* *– Institute of Government and Public Affairs,
University of Illinois at Chicago

*About US Count Votes*

US Count Votes is a Utah non-profit corporation. It is the sponsor of
the National Election Data Archive project and of research to
scientifically analyze the accuracy of vote counting in the United
States. Its goal is to provide nationwide, impartial statistical
auditing services to help ensure the accuracy of future elections.

For further information: contact Bruce O’Dell, Vice President, US Count
Votes

Email: [e-mail] <mailto:[e-mail] >

612-309-1330

or visit www.electionarchive.org


------------------------------------------------------------------------

<1> <#_ftnref1> "Evaluation of Edison/Mitofsky Election System 2004"
prepared by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International for the
National Election Pool (NEP) Jan. 19, 2005

<2> <#_ftnref2> In the November 21 runoff, Ukraine's official vote count
had Prime Minister Yanukovych the winner by 2.7%. Two exit polls showed
him losing by 8% and 2%, respectively. Thus, the discrepancy was between
10.7% and 4.7%. In the US, the discrepancy was between 6.5% and 5.5%.
See http://www.templetonthorp.com/ru/news808 and
http://www.indybay.org/archives/archive_by_id.php?id=26... .

<3> <#_ftnref3> www.acm.org/usacm/weblog/index.php?p=73

<4> <#_ftnref4>
http://uscountvotes.net/voting_machines/Best_Practices_...

[Wilms]

4. DU Discussion

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x350743

[Wilms]

3. (NY) Political Activists Emerge (Disabled Voter Issues)

Ithaca Times

Political Activists Emerge

By: Mary Bulkot

March 30, 2005

Weeks before the November elections, a New York State voter with disabilities received notification that his usual polling site had been changed. Although the voter tried to make the necessary transportation arrangements, it was already too late.

Another voter with disabilities, faced with a 1/2-inch thick plywood board being used as a makeshift ramp at a polling place, simply gave up.

-snip-

"Even if we get the machines, there's still a lot of work to be done on basic access to the buildings and with the people responsible for running elections and training poll workers," Roberts said.

-snip/more-

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14247704&BRD=1395&PAG=461&dept_id=216620&rfi=6

[Wilms]

5. California Legislation Would Enable Preference Voting in Local Elections

California Legislation Would Enable Preference Voting in Local Elections

Mar 29, 2005 By News Staff

Local governments would be able to let voters elect officials via a preference voting system that eliminates the need for a separate runoff election under SB 596 by Senator Debra Bowen (D-Redondo Beach), which will be heard the Senate Elections, Reapportionment & Constitutional Amendments Committee on April 6.

"It takes democracy to a whole new level," said Bowen, the chairwoman of the Senate Elections, Reapportionment & Constitutional Amendments Committee. "Preference voting eliminates the traditional spoilers, it reflects the views and preferences of voters in a more nuanced way, and it promotes positive, issues-based campaigns because picking up second and third place votes can help candidates win an election."

-snip/more-

http://www.govtech.net/magazine/channel_story.php?channel=6&id=93516


SB 596:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0551-0600/sb_596_bill_20050218_introduced.pdf

[Wilms]

6. BradBlog: RNC Political Director Cites Report by RNC 'Voting Rights' Front

RNC Political Director Cites Report by RNC 'Voting Rights' Front Group to RNC Email List!

Report from 'American Center for Voting Rights' (ACVR) Used as Political Smokescreen to Deflect from Real 2004 Election Irregularities...

Cynical, Deceptive GOP anti-Election Reform Agenda gets Underway as Baker/Carter Commission Convenes...(And apparently ACVR Knew About it Before Anybody Else! Go Figure!)

Blogged by Brad on 3/30/2005 @ 2:04pm PT...

It'll be little surprise to BRAD BLOG readers who are by now aware of the phony "non-partisan" "voting rights" group recently created by high-level Bush/Cheney/RNC officials, but the coordinated strategy...
It'll be little surprise to BRAD BLOG readers who are by now aware of the phony "non-partisan" "voting rights" group recently created by high-level Bush/Cheney/RNC officials, but the coordinated strategy for smoke-screening what really happened in Election 2004 now seems to be in full swing.

In an Email sent yesterday by the RNC Political Director, Mike DuHaime, members of the huge RNC Email list are pointed to the 31-page hoax report created by the three day old Talon News-like, tax-exempt, self-proclaimed, "voting rights" group, American Center for Voting Rights (ACVR).

-snip-

But perhaps even more sinister, is that the emergence of this group from nowhere seems to have been well-coordinated with the newly announced Baker/Carter Blue-Ribbon Commission convened (by organizations still-unkown) to investigate and report on Election 2004 problems and solutions.

The ACVR, in fact, was the first known group to trumpet the creation of the newly seated Commission, posting a News Release in support of it just hours after the announcement of the Commission's existence hit the news wires.

-snip/more-

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001296.htm


Discussion:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x350863

[Wilms]

12. Liberal Bloggers Pounce on Voting Fraud Watchdog Group

Liberal Bloggers Pounce on Voting Fraud Watchdog Group

By Kathleen Rhodes
CNSNews.com Correspondent

March 30, 2005

(CNSNews.com) - A newly established group that is investigating and documenting registration and voting fraud during the 2004 election is suddenly under fire by a number of left-wing bloggers who are upset with the resumes of some of the group's members.

-snip-

But the past professional experience of some of the AVRC staff has some liberals upset. Brad Friedman, creator of the left-wing website The Brad Blog, told Cybercast News Service he is concerned about past connections with the Bush-Cheney reelection committee and the Republican National Committee.

Bloggers on The Brad Blog and like-minded site called Why Are We Back In Iraq have noted that Hearne previously worked as a lawyer for the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign, served as Missouri counsel to the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign and was general counsel to Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt.

-snip-

Friedman said he invited ACVR to join his own voting rights advocacy group, Velvet Revolution, a coalition of over 80 predominantly left-wing groups. "Believe me, I wish we had more folks from the right on board. If they can agree with us on these non-partisan issues, we'd love to have them," he said.

-snip/more-

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=%5CPolitics%5Carchive%5C200503%5CPOL20050330c.html

[MelissaB]

7. Assembly Votes To Confirm New Secretary Of State

Assembly Votes To Confirm New Secretary Of State
McPherson To Succeed Shelley

POSTED: 2:29 pm PST March 30, 2005
UPDATED: 2:35 pm PST March 30, 2005

SACRAMENTO -- The state Assembly has voted unanimously to confirm former state senator Bruce McPherson as California's 29th secretary of state.

He is scheduled to be sworn in at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

The vote came within hours of a seven to one vote in the Assembly Rules Committee to recommend him for the office. The Senate has already approved McPherson, a Santa Cruz Republican nominated by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to replace former Secretary of State Kevin Shelley.

Link: http://www.nbc4.tv/politics/4332149/detail.html

[MelissaB]

8. Velvet Revolution calls for Baker's immediate removal from Commission

Election Reform Coalition Condemns Inclusion of James A. Baker III as Co-Chair of Blue-Ribbon Election Reform Commission

WASHINGTON -- March 30 -- The following statement was released today by Velvet Revolution:

*Bush Family friend, loyalist, operative and architect of the
2000 Bush/Cheney strategy to keep American's votes from being
counted has no place as Co-Chair of bi-partisan commission
with esteemed former-President Jimmy Carter

*Velvet Revolution calls for Baker's immediate removal from
Commission

VelvetRevolution.us ("VR"), a leading Election Reform advocacy group representing nearly 100 affiliate-organizations, including the vast majority of America's Voting Rights and Electoral Reform movement, today strongly states its opposition to the recently formed Baker/Carter Commission that has been tasked to study and recommend solutions for the myriad of electoral irregularities documented in the 2004 general election.

The reason VR condemns this otherwise necessary blue-ribbon commission is due to the participation of James A. Baker III as its co-chair. Indeed, while we applauded the true bi-partisan spirit of the Carter/Ford commission, a similar blue-ribbon commission convened after the 2000 election, we believe that the selection of a partisan political operative and Bush Family loyalist in place of the esteemed former-President Ford, will irreconcilably sully the credibility of such a commission and render it's findings completely suspect.

While former President Jimmy Carter is a superb choice for the post, Mr. Baker is, indeed, the architect behind the invidious scheme to ensure that the votes of all Americans were not counted in the un-democratic 2000 Presidential Election. The regrettable and reprehensible actions of James Baker on behalf of Bush/Cheney '00 were antithetical to free, fair and trustworthy elections that are the cornerstone American democracy.

More: http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0330-22.htm

[MelissaB]

9. This is also on the U.S. Newswire

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=45022

[MelissaB]

10. Mr. Bush May Face His First Domestic Defeat

Mr. Bush May Face His First Domestic Defeat

Despite his recent electoral triumph, Bush's plan to partially privatize Social Security is being undermined by members of his own party.
By Eric Leser

March 28, 2005

Original Article (French)

For the first time since he entered the White House, in January 2001, George W. Bush may soon suffer his first major domestic policy defeat. The partial privatization of the Social Security system, announced as the most significant reform of his second mandate, seems to have very little chance of being adopted by Congress. Republican Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader, recently implied that the initiative may finally be pushed into next year.

It’s been a long time since the Republicans have been so powerful. Since the President’s re-election in November 2004, they have controlled the White House and enjoy a comfortable majority in both the Senate and the House of representatives. But it is his own party that George Bush cannot manage to convince.

Paradoxically, only five months after his electoral victory, Mr. Bush is likely to begin his second mandate with a snub from which it will be hard to recover. Finished will be the great ambition, acknowledged during last year’s re-election euphoria, to demolish the Welfare state, the heritage of Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal of the years 1930s.

More: http://www.watchingamerica.com/lemonde000016.html

[MelissaB]

11. Call the Natl Press Club and reserve a spot at the GannonGuckert panel

(From AMERICAblog.com)

Call the Natl Press Club and reserve a spot at the GannonGuckert panel

by John in DC - 3/30/2005 01:30:00 PM

It could prove useful for us to have a good number of those spots reserved for folks like us. Call the NPC's phone message hotline at [phone] and leave a message saying:

- You're a member of the public attending the "Who Is a Journalist?" event, open to the public, on April 8, 2005
- You want one ticket.
- Your name.
- Your phone number.

They won't call to confirm your reservation. In order to have them call to confirm you got the reservation, call this number: 202.662.7500

It helps if you're in the DC area, but even if you're not, it still could prove useful. More to come :-)

Link: http://www.americablog.org/

[Wilms]

13. Oregon Write-in Counting Bill Introduced

Ballot Access News

Oregon Write-in Counting Bill Introduced

March 30th, 2005

by Richard Winger

SB 1015 has just been introduced in the Oregon State Senate, by Senator Frank Shields. It restores the procedure by which a write-in presidential candidate can file a declaration of write-in candidacy, so that his or her write-ins will be tallied.

Oregon had a procedure like this in the past, but it was repealed in 1995. As a result, Oregon was one of 2 states in which Ralph Nader write-ins were permitted, but not counted. The other such state was Ohio. Ohio has a declared write-in candidacy procedure, but the deadline is so early, Nader missed it.

Leave Comment

http://ballot-access.org/2005/03/30/oregon-write-in-counting-bill-introduced

[Wilms]

14. .