Major Problems At Polls Feared

[cal04]

Some Officials Say Voting Law Changes And New Technology Will Cause Trouble
An overhaul in how states and localities record votes and administer elections since the Florida recount battle six years ago has created conditions that could trigger a repeat -- this time on a national scale -- of last week's Election Day debacle in the Maryland suburbs, election experts said.

In the Nov. 7 election, more than 80 percent of voters will use electronic voting machines, and a third of all precincts this year are using the technology for the first time. The changes are part of a national wave, prompted by the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 and numerous revisions of state laws, that led to the replacement of outdated voting machines with computer-based electronic machines, along with centralized databases of registered voters and other steps to refine the administration of elections.

But in Maryland last Tuesday, a combination of human blunders and technological glitches caused long lines and delays in vote-counting. The problems, which followed ones earlier this year in Ohio, Illinois and several other states, have contributed to doubts among some experts about whether the new systems are reliable and whether election officials are adequately prepared to use them.

In a polarized political climate, in which elections are routinely marked by litigation and allegations of incompetent administration or outright tampering, some worry that voting problems could cast a Florida-style shadow over this fall's midterm elections.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/16/AR2006091600885.html

[marmar]

1. The world's greatest democracy? Puh-leaze....

:grr:

[Jackpine Radical]

2. So, Dems don't get to vote & the machines switch votes to Repugs.

Where's the problem?

[bling bling]

12. And who are these "some experts..."

Apparently the anonymous "some experts" are simply hoping that some of the other "some experts" will do something besides timidly hand-wring about the voting process being flawed. Is it too much to ask that "some experts" use their expertise to actually DO anything about it besides be so knowledgeable?

[texpatriot2004]

3. There have been major voting problems since 2000 nm

[flyarm]

4. i believe every dem running should say the moment the polls close

I WON..I WON I WON I WON I WON I WON..

NO MATTER WHAT..EVERY DEM SHOULD SCREAM FROM THE ROOF TOPS..I WON!!!!

its what the rethugs do every time with these machines...so damn it every dem should say it loud and clear..

i won!!

fly

[crossroads]

7. YES!!!

Great Idea!

[LA lady]

5. I keep saying this and get no response

How many of you are working the polls?

I went to our new state training, I am a certified election commissioner. You have to have this certificate in Louisiana EVEN TO BE A POLL WATCHER!!!!

Anybody taking care of this in advance? I DID!

Check your registration, check you State requirements for voting. BE PREPARED!!!

Don't just complain later. It's called being proactive.

[goclark]

6. 3rd time poll worker here!

Every signle person at DU that is not working that day needs to work the polls.

It is an eye opener!

[LA lady]

9. THANKS!!

I hear all these complaints, but you are about the first person who ever answered me that you are working as well.

My name was drawn to work on Sept 30 for LA primary. Hope to work in November.

[goclark]

11. I'm working in November in LA

They keep saying they have lots of jobs before the election.

I just need to call and see what I can do.

[flyarm]

13. i was poll watcher at large for 2primaries, 2 wks early vote and general

in 2004..i was only one of 2 poll watchers at large ( meaning i could be sent to any precinct in the county) i worked every day of early vote 15 hrs each day for 2 weeks..and the general..as well as two primaires...

but now i live in two states..and i will not be in my voting state for the election..( general) ..so i have volunteered to drive senior citizens to the polls...i can not vote in my NE state..as i am a resident in only one state i can vote in..

but yes, indeed i am always recommending people go do their civic duty..it can be a rewarding experience ( unless you are dem in my state of fla!..which you could get real assholes to work with!hmmm...i saw my fill of them!!)

but i agree..if you are not doing something..you have no right to bitch!!

and thank you all who do take it seriously and get out there and do the duty!!

folks its all or nothing this time..take the time and do something!!

call your dnc /dec..volunteer to help candidates , knock on doors..have a house party for a candidate..do phone calling..you can do that from home... so there are no excuses..
if everyone on Du put forth effort in their home towns or for home town candidates..thats alot of people doing what they can to take this country back..


lets go get them everyone!!

i even think it is a great idea to get a group together and go to republican candidate meetings..and ask real tough questions..go after the incumbants..do not let them just sing to the choir....get in their faces..and if need be go with others ..get a group to go..and then when they refuse to answer get up and leave..all together..show we are not going to take this shit any longer..it will embolden others to stand up..and refuse to be bullshitted..
don't be rude or ugly..but go prepared to ask tough questions..and watch the fuckers squirm!

fly

[NMDemDist2]

15. I'm watching for the local training

and hope to be one this year too

[kster]

17. Maybe you haven't been paying attention

THEY ARE COUNTING OUR VOTES IN SECRET!!! The Politicians DEM'S AND REPUBS REMAIN SILENT about this fact. How should we be proactive?

Should we go there and stare at the machines as they count our votes in secret, maybe we can get a recount, so that we can stare at the same votes being scanned into those same machines, which will give us the exact same total as it did the first time.

COME ON!!

We need a 2nd COUNT A HAND COUNT OF THEM OPTISCANNED VOTES, BY THE PEOPLE, NOT BY THE MACHINES anything else is just SILLY!

[cal04]

8. Page 3: Many states the admin of elections in politcal hands

Further clouding the election process is the fact that, in many states, the administration of elections remains in political hands -- run by secretaries of state or other officials who run for office with partisan affiliations and who often have designs on higher office.

Robert Pastor, director of a commission on election reform organized by American University and headed by former president Jimmy Carter and former secretary of state James A. Baker III, said this tradition should be abandoned.


"The Carter-Baker commission identified 87 steps that need to be undertaken," he said. "Regrettably, almost none of them are being done right now. I would start by establishing statewide, nonpartisan election administration."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/16/AR2006091600885_3.html

[Zorro]

10. Vote with an absentee ballot

I have for the past 14 years.

[flyarm]

14. depends on the state..some states only count AB if it is very close..

know your state laws!..and know how your supervisor of elections ..and how they count AB..and make sure you are registered call now and check your status..

do not delay in calling now..the rethugs are trying to eliminate voters..make sure you are not one of them..and tell everyone you know to check their registration now!!

fly

[bvar22]

18. Absentee ballots in Calif (and other places)...

were "counted" by having someone (unobserved) enter the absentee ballot on a DRE.
Voting "Absentee" in some places is WORSE than showing up at the polls.
At least at the polls, there is a chance of participating in an Exit POll.

[Triana]

16. "could" cause problems? "whether" the systems are reliable?

IS THERE ANY DOUBT THAT THEY WILL CAUSE PROBLEMS AND THAT THEY ARE NOT RELIABLE? WHY does the media write about this as if there is ANY doubt? There isn't and there ought not to be.

HAVA is nothing but a damned "help the Republic Party win no matter what" act.

It's BU$HIT!!

We need to TRASH the electronic machines and use PAPER ONLY. WHO makes the machines?

REPUBLICANS.

HA!

Gawd what a buncho crap. Stinking propaganda.

[OneBlueSky]

19. well . . . duh! . . . n/t

.

[truthisfreedom]

20. tell everyone to refuse.

tell them to use paper ballots.

[bamacrat]

21. We already have atleatst a 10% disadvantage regardless.

We can bet on most of the elections being fixed or atleast squewed. Is that how you spell it.

[DeepModem Mom]

22. WP: Md. Election Problems Fuel Push for Paper Record: E-voting Backup

Md. Election Problems Fuel Push for Paper Record
After Primary Day Fiasco, Some Area Officials and Activists Say Electronic Voting Systems Need Backup
By Cameron W. Barr
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 17, 2006; Page A04

The primary day debacle in Montgomery and Prince George's counties will add momentum to regional efforts to ensure that election systems create a paper record of each vote, according to some elected officials and activists critical of paperless balloting.

They say the crisis at the polls in Florida during the 2000 presidential race, which prompted many states to switch to electronic voting, forced the adoption of overly complex systems that now must be simplified.

An aide to Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R), who is seeking reelection in November, said heightened concerns about electronic voting in last week's primary would strengthen calls for a return to a paper-based system.

Precinct judges in Montgomery and Prince George's counties have reported various machine-related problems, including computers that misidentified the party affiliations of voters, electronic voter registration lists that froze and voting-machine memory cards whose contents could not be electronically transmitted. The electronic voter lists, or "e-poll books," were used for the first time in Maryland....

***

The outcomes of primary races for a congressional seat and two General Assembly seats remain undetermined as a result of voting irregularities....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/16/AR2006091600804.html

[texpatriot2004]

23. No Transparency = No Democracy nt

[znowboarding]

24. debacle in Montgomery and Prince George's counties

Um, not to rock the boat but we run these polling areas. We need to get our act together this is embarassing. No wonder we keep losing...