Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Friday, 2/08/2008

[Mnemosyne]

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 new Spring 2006 Edition of "Election Fraud and Reform News Directory" listed here:



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407240



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.








Please Feel Free to "Recommend" for the Greatest Page (it's the link just below). Thanks!



Good morning everyone! Short and sweet today. :hi:

[Mnemosyne]

1. National. n't

[Mnemosyne]

6. Florida: GAO: Voting machines not to blame in '06 race

GAO: Voting machines not to blame in '06 race

Mark K. Matthews | Washington Bureau
February 8, 2008

WASHINGTON - It wasn't flaws in electronic-voting machines that kept 18,000 voters in Sarasota County from casting ballots in the disputed 2006 election between Democrat Christine Jennings and U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, a new study shows.

Rather, investigators for the Government Accountability Office said an investigation shows it's most likely that voters either skipped the race by choice or were confused by poor ballot design.

For more than a year, Jennings has blamed her 369-vote loss on Sarasota County's touch-screen-voting machines and contested the results in both Florida and Washington.

The so-called "undervote" -- the number of people not voting in the race -- was six times higher in Sarasota than in other counties for House District 13. But the state found nothing wrong, and a congressional panel is expected today to use the GAO results to quash her challenge.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-jennings0808feb08,0,6720533.story?track=rss

[Peace Patriot]

18. So who designed the ballot? It appears that, in L.A., it was Diebold who disenfranchised

94,000 independent voters by ballot design. ES&S is as bad as its brethren Diebold, if not worse (funded by a guy who gave a million dollars to the extremist 'christian' Chalcedon foundation, which touts the death penalty for homosexuals, among other things). And I'm sure they have lots of tricks up their sleeves for stealing votes one way, if another way fails or doesn't seem advisable at the time.

This is the first time I have ever felt suspicious about the GAO that the fix is in. I suspect that it is, on this one. And though election activists have cited the GAO report on the perils of electronic voting, which came out a year or two ago, I felt the report was tame, and understated the extraordinary peril we are in from these machines. Now the GAO is even tamer, and is ignoring the obvious about ES&S machines--they are wide open to tampering every step of the way. I think this was a political "hot potato" and it was possibly the Democrats, not the Bushites, who killed the real report, if that's what happened. The Democrats in Congress tabled this outrageous FL-13 vote "count" (un-count, or whatever you want to call it--18,000 'disappeared' votes in Democratic areas, in an election 'won' by the Republican by only 369 votes). Congress wouldn't touch it--the only body with the power to remedy it. And they're ALL elected (if that's what you want to call it) by non-transparent electronic voting machines and tabulators, run on "trade secret," proprietary programming code, owned by the likes of ES&S. There is hardly a one of them--Dem or Repub--who can prove that he or she was actually elected.

And our Democrats are more vulnerable on this matter than Bushites. Everyone expects Bushites to steal elections, and the Bushites really don't care if they do. They abandoned democracy some time ago. But the Democrats! That would truly be a scandal, if it turned out that nutso rightwing billionaire Howard Ahmanson and his buds at parent company Diebold are picking our candidates and our 'winners.' The Dems have been more than skittish on this subject from the beginning. It struck ne as jaw-dropping, mind-bogglingly shocking when I first learned they all voted for this egregiously non-transparent, rightwing-controlled voting system.

It's the hottest potato in the land--non-transparent vote counting--in addition to the war that no one owns (and closely related to it, I think).

Peace Patriot, signing off. Sorry to interrupt the only real news worth reading--what kickass election integrity groups are accomplishing around the country. You have to read between the lines quite a bit, but it's there--the rumble of revolt!

Viva la revolución!

[Peace Patriot]

19. CA: regarding the 94,000 disenfranchised voters in L.A., see this thread

with the latest news:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x496986

Also useful on CA in general, and its election integrity problems:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4380748

[Mnemosyne]

22. And we are ready to rumble!

Thanks for the kicks and comments, PP! :hi:

I stopped being stunned by the D's actions, or lack thereof, on Sept. 28, 2006; the day the House and Senate agreed to torture. After that...

[Mnemosyne]

2. States. n/t

[Mnemosyne]

3. CO: Chaos, delays feared at polls

Chaos, delays feared at polls
Big caucus turnout adds to Election Day angst

By Myung Oak Kim, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Originally published 12:30 a.m., February 7, 2008
Updated 07:41 a.m., February 7, 2008

Huge crowds at Tuesday's caucuses confirmed what local election officials have been predicting for months - that November's vote could bring record turnouts, chaos at the polls and delayed results.

"We expected before the caucus that this November was going to be a very high turnout, and I think this was an indication that this will be true," Jefferson County Clerk Pam Anderson said Wednesday. "We're expecting lines. We're expecting a lot of activity at the polling place."

Lines and confusion for the August primary and November general election aren't the only things election officials expect.

Clerks in several of the largest counties, representing almost half of all voters statewide, warn that they will not have complete results on election night because of the state's move to paper ballots.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/feb/07/perfect-election-storm/

[Mnemosyne]

7. CO: Voting machines may stay in play

Voting machines may stay in play
Commissioners might not wait for Coffman's OK

By Le Roy Standish , The Daily Sentinel
Thursday, February 7, 2008

If the voting machine debacle is a board game, the Mesa County Commission just turned the table over.

The commissioners on Wednesday all but decided to run the November elections without the official approval of the Colorado Secretary of State's Office.

Upon hearing the news that the Secretary of State's Office decided not to temporarily recertify the county's federally compliant ES&S vote machines, the commissioners called for an "executive decision" to be made regarding their use in Mesa County on Election Day.

Commissioner Craig Meis, who was visibly annoyed during the morning discussion, blasted Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman for his actions.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/feb/07/voting-machines-may-stay-in-play/

[Mnemosyne]

8. NY: Concerns remain about electronic voting

Concerns remain about electronic voting

By Robert M. Miraldi, Freeman staff
02/07/2008

KINGSTON - While it is supposed to inspire "public confidence in the outcome of elections," a proposed local law under consideration by the Ulster County Legislature inspired serious doubt about the security of electronic voting machines at a public hearing Wednesday night.

As a response to voting snafus in the 2000 presidential election, Congress in 2002 adopted the Help America Vote Act, which mandated that all states switch to electronic voting. The type of electronic voting machine to be used in Ulster County will ultimately be decided by the county Board of Elections chairman, but the proposed local law would require the system to provide a paper backup.

Legislator Gary Bischoff, D-Saugerties, speaking at the outset of the hearing, said there was a concern among his fellow lawmakers that the voting machine decision was being "usurped" from the Board of Elections. That's not true, he said.

In fact, Bischoff said, the Board of Elections has already decided to use a handicapped-accessible ballot-marking device with a scanner built in. He said the machines may be ordered as soon as next week.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19270862&BRD=1769&PAG=461&dept_id=74969&rfi=15

[Mnemosyne]

9. NM: Provisional Ballots to Decide NM Winner

Provisional Ballots to Decide NM Winner

By HEATHER CLARK – 1 day ago

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Democrats prepared Wednesday to examine more than 17,000 provisional ballots that will determine a winner in New Mexico's tightly contested presidential caucus.

With 183 of 184 of precincts reporting, Hillary Rodham Clinton held a lead of 1,092 votes — 67,921 votes compared to 66,829 for Barack Obama, according to preliminary results posted on the state Democratic Party's Web site.

New Mexico is the only one of 22 states that held Democratic primaries and caucuses on Super Tuesday yet to report a winner.

The examination of the provisional ballots, expected to begin Thursday, will be closed to the news media but will be attended by representatives from both the Obama and Clinton campaigns, party officials said.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iCc92PUVIygkNFF0LiBuVuSFmLXAD8ULA95O0

[Mnemosyne]

10. PA: Paper ballots beat touch screens, Bucks is told

Paper ballots beat touch screens, Bucks is told
Activists say scanned hard copy is better for verifiable vote count.

By Scott Kraus | Of The Morning Call
February 7, 2008

With the presidency at stake in November, several dozen voting activists urged Bucks County officials Wednesday to replace the county's touch-screen voting machines with a paper ballot system.

''It is imperative that we be proactive,'' said David Leopold of Bedminster Township. ''Once our votes are lost, they cannot be recounted.''

Bucks County purchased full-face Danaher Corp. touch-screen voting machines for roughly $4 million in 2006 from Electec of Mount Holly, N.J.

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_2commish-r.6261419feb07,0,1843063.story?track=rss

[sonias]

20. Way to go PA voting activists

Keep up the pressure.

Sonia

[Mnemosyne]

11. PA: Creation of voting machine task force lacks support

Friday, Feb. 08, 2008

Creation of voting machine task force lacks support
Rogers: Panel representation not broad enough to be fair

Anne Danahy

BELLEFONTE — The voting machine task force Centre County commissioners planned to form isn’t coming to pass, at least for now.

Board Chairman Jon Eich said Thursday before the scheduled meeting that the three-member board is lacking the two votes needed to form a committee that would make a recommendation about the county’s voting system.

Commissioner Rich Rogers said he doesn’t think the task force has the broad representation needed to fairly consider all the options.

“To date, I’m not convinced we’ve been able to achieve that,” Rogers said.

http://www.centredaily.com/news/politics/story/389431.html

[Mnemosyne]

12. PA: Voters make plea for new machines

Voters make plea for new machines

By JENNA PORTNOY
The Intelligencer

Clinton or Obama? Romney or McCain?

These choices won't matter if the votes don't count on Election Day.

That's why dozens of voting activists, residents and municipal officials urged the Bucks County commissioners Wednesday to back a federal bill that would reimburse counties for the cost of replacing electronic voting machines with a paper ballot voting system. Instead, support fell along party lines.

“The problem is no machine should stand in the way of a voter's intended vote being counted,” said Madeline Rawley, an outspoken member of the Coalition for Voting Integrity. “Show some leadership and say this is what you want. You want to protect your voters.”

Congressman Pat Murphy, D-8, is a co-sponsor of the bill, which New Jersey Congressman Rush Holt introduced last month.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-02072008-1484017.html

[Mnemosyne]

4. The Youth Vote. n/t

[Mnemosyne]

13. CA: Ridge youths help out at the polls

Ridge youths help out at the polls

By Paul Wellersdick
Article Launched: 02/07/2008 01:00:00 AM PST

Young poll workers on the Ridge breathed life into California's first February Presidential Primary Election on Super Tuesday. Ashley Hedge, 23, is a senior at Chico State. This year was her fifth time working at the voting polls. She started when her government teacher at Paradise High School suggested she work the polls to get an idea of how the election process works.

Being a student poll worker has gone over well with voters, she said. "People like young people working here," she said. Young poll workers also attract younger voters.

"Yeah, your friends come to see you and they vote," she said.

MTV has also been responsible for attracting the next generation of voters with its "Rock the Vote," Hedge said. Being young and understanding computers helped Hedge to work with her older colleagues and fellow voters, she said.

http://www.paradisepost.com/ci_8189280

[Mnemosyne]

5. Foreign. n/t

[Mnemosyne]

14. Ireland: E-voting cost €850,000 last year

E-voting cost €850,000 last year

By Paul O’Brien, Political Correspondent

THE taxpayer is continuing to pay dearly for the electronic voting fiasco, with another €850,000 bill incurred last year — despite the fact the machines aren’t even being used.

They definitely won’t be used in this year’s referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, and critics of the system believe they will never be activated again.

The initial outlay on the e-voting machines was €51.3 million, a figure that included a €2.6m public awareness campaign.

They were used on a pilot basis in a small number of constituencies in the 2002 general election and the second Nice Treaty referendum that same year.

http://www.examiner.ie/story/ireland/ojeycwidgb/rss2/

[rumpel]

16. Japan: Future of e-voting in doubt, Discussion needed to ease fears about touch-screen machines

Yomiuri Shinbun

Ryota Akatsu / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

A bill designed to introduce electronic voting in national elections has been left up in the air due to worries about the system's reliability.

The bill to revise the law on special provisions of the Public Offices Election Law has been carried over to the current Diet session at the House of Councillors after the House of Representatives passed it in the extraordinary Diet session.

The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito and the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan previously agreed on passing the bill, but the DPJ has since changed its position and demanded revisions to the bill.

E-voting was permitted from February 2002 only for local governments that established ordinances on it.

In June that year Niimi, Okayama Prefecture, was the first municipality in the country to introduce the system for mayoral and municipal assembly elections. Since then 10 municipalities have used e-voting machines in 16 elections. The system is to be used in some areas in the Feb. 17 Kyoto mayoral election.

To speed up the vote counting in national elections, the ruling camp submitted the bill to the ordinary Diet session last year in a lawmakers-initiated form. Under the intended law, local governments with electronic voting ordinances would be approved to use the system in national elections based on applications.

The DPJ seized on promotion of the system in its campaign pledges. The three parties reached in-party arrangements and agreed in December to pass the bill into a law within fiscal 2007.

The revision bill passed through the lower house smoothly during the extraordinary session and was believed to be on its way to becoming a law without any problem.

However, the situation suddenly changed during deliberations at the upper house Special Committee on Political Ethics and Election System due to questions raised by a DPJ member, and consequently the bill was carried over to the current Diet session.

DPJ member Tetsuji Nakamura raised several concerns including:

-- There are fears that voting records will vanish due to machine trouble.

-- There are no measures to verify when illegal actions are taken in vote counting.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080208TDY04302.htm

[sonias]

21. Don't do it Japan!

Watch how badly we screwed up in the US.

Sonia

[Mnemosyne]

25. Tragic to even think about.

:hi: :(

[Mnemosyne]

23. Can we ever possibly scream loudly enough

to convince Japan what a horrible mistake they will be making if they buy into the Machines!?

Nakamura has valid 'concerns', he should hold a healthy fear, imho. Voting records disappearing; been there, done that. It was before EV, the second raygun election. I heard then that several thousand of us were lost when they put the data into the computer the first time. Bet it was all or mostly Dems.

Thanks for the addition, rumpel! I missed that one today. :hi:

Do some things never change? :crazy:

[tbyg52]

26. And look at that headline - so impartial!

"Discussion needed to ease fears" my eye! Whoever wrote that headline is just assuming that the machines are coming and there's nothing to be done about it except relaxing to the inevitable.

How about "Discussion needed to stoke fears"!

On a more cheerful note, thanks so much to all who helped me out on Monday, and I will see y'all as usual next Monday.

[Kurovski]

15. K&R.

Thank you, vickiss. :thumbsup:

[Kurovski]

17. Kick to the top. (nt)

[Mnemosyne]

24. A double dose of thanks to

you! :hug::hi:

[Marie26]

27. Why isn't anyone talking about Washington?

A blatant example of voter fraud there - Huckabee was winning the state all night, until the state GOP head randomly decided to stop counting votes & declare McCain the winner.

[autorank]

28. check it ouit;)