Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News MONDAY, 12/26/05

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Thank you Canada. This is a great resource. We need
to share with Canadians. They have paper voting now
and it works!!!

Paper Vote Canada

Electronic and Internet voting are a danger to democracy. This blog is dedicated to preserving the existing Canadian paper-based, hand-counted voting system.
http://papervotecanada.blogspot.com/

Never forget the pursuit of Truth.

Only the deluded & complicit accept election
results on blind faith.

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News MONDAY, 12/26/05

All members welcome and encouraged to participate.

Please post Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News on this thread.

If you can:

1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web.

2. Post stories using the "Election Fraud and Reform News Sources" listed here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x371233

3. Re-post stories and announcements you find on DU, providing a link to the original thread with thanks to the Original Poster, too.

4. Start a discussion thread by re-posting a story you see on this thread.

If you want to know how post "News Banners" or other images, go here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=371233#371391



All previous daily threads are available here:
http://www.independentmediasource.com/DU_archives/du_2004erd_el_ref_fr_thr_calenders.htm

Please

"Recommend"

for the Greatest Page (it's the link just below).

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1. Nation: Kerry Won!!! Statistical Tools for Everyone + TIA Interview

What more could you ask for on Christmas and the start of Hanukah. Well, it’s all here: the paper, the links, and the free Excel simulations. Happy Holidays!!!
Note to mods: 3 paragraph limit exceeded with full permission of author.

Kerry Won!!! Statistical Tools Everyone Can Use

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00242.htm


The 2004 Election Controversy will not stop. Statistical analysis of polls is now more accessible with free interactive Excel-based election models available on the Internet. Plus an interview with TruthIsAll.

Special for “Scoop” Independent Media
from Washington DC
Michael Collins
Dec. 21, 2005

USEFUL RELATED LINKS:
The Law of Large Numbers & Central Limit Theorem: A Polling Simulation
Excel Polling Simulation Model
2004 Election Model Projection; Exit Poll Collection; Excel Interactive Election Simulation; Other links.

The Kerry concession speech on November 3, 2004 marked the beginning, not the end of the controversy over the 2004 election. Just hours before the speech, Vice Presidential Candidate John Edwards emerged and said that, “John Kerry and I made a promise to the American people that in this election every vote would count and every vote will be counted."

Democrats were in a state of shock. 2004 was a banner year for new registrations, party financial support, and activism. Reported new registrations favored Democrats all over the country. Democrats were well ahead of Republicans in new registrations in Ohio. South Florida, the “scene of the crime” in 2000, saw major Democratic efforts and a lackluster Republican response.

Democrats matched and exceeded Republicans in funds raised. For the first time, the internet proved to be a highly potent form of fund raising. The Democrats collected $10 million a month for the Kerry Campaign on the Internet alone. Other groups supporting the Democrats raised substantial funds. MoveOn.Org and New Democratic Network ran parallel campaign commercials and provided other support with the $25 million they raised during the election cycle.

Activism was at an all time high. People who had never worked in elections volunteered in large numbers and local Democratic parties throughout the country saw a surge in citizen participation.
While Kerry may have conceded the election at 2:14 p.m., Nov. 3, a large portion of the population failed to accept the final results. They knew something was wrong. As one Virginia activist said, “This is simply not possible, the national results or here in Virginia.”

Why all this energy devoted to the 2004 election?

I was appalled when the election was stolen from Gore in 2000. I had posted daily projections of my Election Model on DU in the four months leading up to the election. The projections were based on state and national polls. The final national model had Kerry 51.6 % of the two-party vote; the state model 51.8 %. The state model included a Monte Carlo simulation with a Kerry expected total of 337 electoral votes.

The initial exit polls and the Iowa Election Markets showed that Kerry was a 3% winner. When Bush came from nowhere after 9 p.m. to win, I had this feeling of Déjà vu. So I decided to confirm the doubts using mathematical probability analysis, based on the
preliminary exit poll data downloaded by Jonathan Simon.

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2. CA: GuvWruld Rocks the House—Diebold & Election Officials Accountable

..accountable to US the CITIZENS. We are the only constituency that guards voting rights. This is the paradigm for what has to happen all over the country. Citizens need to file complaints about lousy practices in elections. This one is on target since Diebold made documented, unauthorized modifications in 17 California counties. WTF!
Note to mods: 3 paragraph limit exceeded with full permission of author.

California Activists Call the Cops on Diebold:
The Campaign to Unite California Election Reformers

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00246.htm


Movement for legal action against officials who allowed
unauthorized software changes to voting machines starts in
Northern California. Strong local support.

Special Report by for "Scoop"
Michael Collins

December, 2005

Humboldt Co., CA. A major challenge to election equipment maker Diebold Corporation began in California last week. Dave Berman is a nationally known internet activist who blogs under the name GuvWurld. He is calling on all Californians to ensure election integrity by holding public officials accountable for what he argues are gaping security holes and illegal alterations of Diebold voting machines. One part of the plan asks local activists to demand investigations of unauthorized changes to voting machines by the beleaguered election systems company. The plan has strong local support in a major Diebold territory, Humboldt County. Humboldt County includes Eureka, Arcata and Humboldt State University and is at the very top of the California coastline.

Concerns about Diebold practices in California

Berman cites multiple concerns about Diebold business practices but focuses on the combination of unauthorized installations of Diebold software patches in as many as 17 California counties and the acquiescence of local election officials to that practice, clearly barred by California code. Berman asked the following pointed questions:

“Who allowed Humboldt's voting machines to have uncertified software installed in them? Was someone in the Humboldt county elections department complicit in this crime or merely negligent? Is this person still employed by the elections department, and if so, why?”

Prior to the March 2004 California presidential primary, Diebold was scrambling to make its machines meet the needs of some large county customers. In this process, Diebold wrote several letters to then California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley. The letters claimed that Diebold was about to get approval for new voting machine software from the Federal government. Diebold used this to request provisional certification allowing their equipment to be used in the primary.

<snip>

Dan Ashby of the Voting Rights Task Force (VRTF) told us…"To reward this worst-of-class, repeat offender by granting an extended franchise in the nation's largest voting market - after all the Diebold dirt that has floated to the surface these past few years - is just unthinkable."

Berman is working with the CEPN groups in California, national forums on election integrity, and has plans to expand the campaign to other political groups in the state.

"Election conditions must change in order to ensure conclusive outcomes and create a basis for confidence in the results reported," he said. "Officials resigned to the status quo should resign their positions and make way for those determined to improve these conditions."

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3. Iraq: Claims made that election fraud in Iraq favored Iran-friendly parti

This is what they’re saying. It bears watching. The source may be biased but it’s what they think is going on…that the election fraud in the 12/15/05 Iraq elections was biased towards Iran-friendly groups. Who knows but what a mess.

Assyrian International News Agency
http://www.aina.org/news/20051222114337.htm

Iraq Election Fraud in Favor of Groups Backed by Iran Regime

Posted GMT 12-22-2005 17:43:37

Ibrahim al-Janabi, a representative for former Prime Minister Allawi, delivered a statement today describing the December 15 elections in all of Iraq's 18 provinces as "fraudulent." during a press conference by dozens of Sunni Arab and secular Shiite groups in Baghdad. The groups threatened to boycott Iraq's new legislature if complaints about tainted voting are not reviewed by an international body. A joint statement issued by 35 political groups that competed in last week's elections said the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq, which oversaw the ballot, should be disbanded.

Political and patriotic Iraqi parties are continuing their protests and complaints against election fraud during the Thursday elections in favor of the Iranian preferred Shiite list. Ayad Jamaleddin, a well-known Iraqi cleric and member of Ayad Allawi's coalition said in an interview with Al-Arabiya television that if the electoral commission did not revise the preliminary results, they would take the issue to the UN Security Council.

Dr. Ayad Sameraii from the Iraqi National Dialogue Front told Al Arabia television that some of the vote tampering was in favor of the Iranian-backed Shiite alliance. He said: "Voters in Sadr City were allowed to vote ten times, that's why the result in Baghdad has been seriously manipulated." He added that more than a hundred thousand of his slate's supporters were denied admission to polling stations to cast their ballots. In Ghazaliya, the National Guards continuously fired shots into the air to disperse voters before they had a chance to vote.

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4. Iraq: Another Source, Canadian, has Sunnis and seculars claiming fraud.

Well, this isn’t looking good is it. * and Company started the process and it’s ending up, after all the human and financial losses, with our efforts helping religious Shiites who are biased towards Iran.


http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/World/2005/12/23/pf-1365678.html

Election fraud claimed
Groups threaten to boycott new Iraqi legislature

BAGHDAD -- Dozens of Sunni Arab and secular Shiite groups threatened yesterday to boycott Iraq's new legislature if complaints about tainted voting were not reviewed by an international body.

A representative for former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi described the Dec. 15 vote as fraudulent and the elected legislators "illegitimate."

A joint statement issued by 35 political groups that competed in last week's elections said the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq, which oversaw the ballot, should be disbanded.

It also said the more than 1,250 complaints about fraud, ballot box stuffing and intimidation should be reviewed by international organizations such as the UN, the European Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference or the Arab League.

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5. CA: Both the Miami Herald and the NYT Covered ESS Problems in CA

Irony upon irony. Miami is the scene of the crime, the fake riot that stopped the vote count. If the Herald wants to show us it’s serious, it would investigate that little event and blow the top off. The NYT is covering CA one year after they knew there were problems there (don’t know but it sounds good), The fact that this story is actually being written by UPS and covered by these papers shows movement.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/national/13477283.htm

CA: ESS told to fix machines or go away.
Well, isn’t that what CA is supposed to say to Diebold too! Who will be left? I hope they look at Canada which has all-paper elections. That’s the model.

Errors lead California officials to warn voting-machine company

JULIET WILLIAMS
Associated Press
Posted on Fri, Dec. 23, 2005

SACRAMENTO - California election officials have told one of the country's largest manufacturers of voting machines to repair its software after problems with vote counts and verification surfaced during California's November special election.

In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, Assistant Secretary of State for Elections Bradley J. Clark threatened to start the process of decertifying Election Systems and Software machines for use in California if senior officials didn't address the concerns immediately.

"The California Secretary of State is deeply concerned about problems experienced by counties utilizing ES&S voting equipment and software," Clark wrote in a letter addressed to company president Aldo Tesi nine days after the Nov. 8 election


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/25/national/25vote.html

California Demands Repairs to Software for Voting Machines

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 25, 2005

SACRAMENTO, Dec. 24 (AP) - California election officials have told one of the country's largest makers of voting machines to repair its software after problems with vote counts and verification , etc. (same AP article as above.)

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6. OR: Completes state wide database for registration.

Oregon election integrity activists are actively in touch with the state elections departments and the largest local elections group (Portland area). I would defer entirely to their opinion of this.]

http://www.kgw.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8ENHD183.html

Oregon completes new statewide voter database

12/25/2005

Associated Press

Oregon has put the finishing touches on a new statewide database of registered voters, a $10 million project that's aimed at preventing the potential for duplicate votes in the state's vote-by-mail elections.

Creation of the new system brings Oregon into compliance with a 2002 federal law that requires states to upgrade their registration and balloting systems. It was prompted by problems during the 2000 presidential election with ballots cast and counted, especially in Florida.

Nineteen states could miss the New Year's Day deadline to meet the federal requirement, according to the National Association of Secretaries of State.

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7. OH: Reprise--Legislature Blinks...good news for now!

Ohio is America writ small…total domination of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches by Republicans. Power corrupts and absolute power just makes you such a greedy bastard, you’re intolerable. Don’t know how much longer Ohio can survive before this great leader in education, commerce, and science becomes a backwater. Next thing you know, Ohio Republicans will install ‘intelligent design’ in the school study requirements.


http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=258478&Category=13

House nixes changes to Ohio election law
Thursday, December 15, 2005
By JOHN McCARTHY ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

COLUMBUS - The House on Wednesday rejected Senate amendments to a bill that would make major changes to Ohio election law after concerns were raised about the effect on local elections and other issues.

The unanimous vote means differences between the House and Senate will be negotiated early next year.

Republican leaders said the primary sticking point is a provision that limits contributions from employees of local elected officials to their political campaigns.

[gristy]

8. Here's an interesting study on the counting of paper ballots in Wisconsin

http://www.washburnresearch.org/HandCountingPaperBallots.htm
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x406615

[Wilms]

9. The Real Reason Diebold Ran & The Coming Phoney "Crisis"

December 23. 2005

The real reason Diebold ran

Yesterday was the deadline for signing the affidavit mentioned here:

§ 163‑165.9A. Voting systems: requirements for voting systems vendors; penalties.

snip

http://blackboxvoting.com/s9/index.php?/archives/59-The-real-reason-Diebold-ran.html


and...


December 24. 2005

The coming phoney "crisis"

The anti-voter forces in the NC BoE and elsewhere are going to try and claim that the Diebold withdrawal is a "crisis" and the governor needs to call a special session of the NCGA to gut S223. They will claim the law is so strict Diebold had to pull out and now the state is in peril of not having anyone who will sell us voting machines.

Some points to remember:

snip

http://blackboxvoting.com/s9/index.php?/archives/60-The-coming-phoney-crisis.html

[Wilms]

10. PA: Monroe won't pay for voting machines

December 26, 2005

Monroe won't pay for voting machines

U.S. wants county to fund half of $1.2 million. So far, the answer is no.

By Matt Birkbeck

snip

''We've budgeted no county money and we're not kicking in any cash,'' said Commissioner Chairwoman Donna Asure. ''We are looking at meeting the HAVA requirements by any other means other than costing local taxpayers.''

With a Jan. 1 deadline days away and no local funds in place, the commissioners know they are treading on dangerous ground, opening themselves up to a fight with the federal government. It is the only county in Pennsylvania to refuse to use local funding to pay for voting machines.

The Justice Department warned the commissioners a year ago that they ''must obey the law'' and could face a lawsuit if they don't comply.

But the commissioners remain as undaunted today as they did then, firmly resolved against paying for what they say is an unfunded mandate.

snip

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_1havadec26,0,7160670.story?coll=all-newslocalbirths-hed

Discussion:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x406649

[GuvWurld]

11. This discussion has to be on Greatest - Biggest story of the day (so far)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x406649

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12. The VelvetRevolution spreads!

These people are great Americans, true patriots, people of the Declaration and Constitution.

[Yellow Horse]

13. Pennsylvania gets a BIG LUMP of COAL for Christmas!

Discussion:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x406663

Pennsylvania Gets a Big Lump of Coal from Harrisburg for Christmas

Immediately before closing up shop for the long weekend last Friday afternoon, the Pennsylvania Department of State uploaded a holiday present to its HAVA website that left election integrity activists and many voters in the state thinking they had just been whacked in the head with a lump of coal.

The lovely little Christmas package actually put quite a few lumps in Keystone State stockings -- including the announcement of yet another examination go-round with Jack Gerbel and his UniLect Patriot DRE. Pennsylvania state certification documents were also uploaded for ES&S and Diebold paperless touchscreen DREs.

The UniLect Patriot was listed as scheduled on January 4 for its fourth re-examination in less than a year by the Pennsylvania Department of State. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania law allows what appears to be unlimited attempts by a decertified or denied vendor to demand re-examinations at what is at least partial taxpayer expense.

MORE:
http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=641&Itemid=113

Also located at
http://www.votePA.us

Link to PA Department of State Voting System Exam page:
http://www.hava.state.pa.us/hava/cwp/view.asp?a=1283&q=445833&havaNav=|

[FogerRox]

14. Please kick & recommend

the Election Reform, Fraud, thread---

Kick for NC voter
kick for WAshburn