Thwart computerized voting with absentee ballot campaign.

[fleetus]

Whenever I have an idea, I assume someone else must have thought of it before me.

So why haven't I heard more talk of thwarting the potentially biased computerized voting machines by urging all democrats to vote absentee? Absentee ballots leave a paper trail unlike the controversial computer voting machines I keep reading about.

If this seems like a good idea to you, why not kick this thread to at least get DU'ers thinking about the possibility.

[alexwcovington]

1. Meh

I really think we should fight it by fighting for strict controls over the interface, software, and mandating that the systems NEVER EVER EVER be connected to any sort of network or wireless communications system.---- that all the memory must be INTERNAL, not removable.... etc etc

[Unforgiven]

3. Do We Have That Kind of Time?

In the meantime better plan on voting absentee and making two
copies ,one for your own records, and one to send off to either an independant auditor or your state Dem hdqrs.

[neuvocat]

2. Brilliant idea.

Kick!

[KittyWampus]

10. Not Brilliant... They Don't Always Count Absentee Votes

that's a fact.

[fleetus]

16. Counting Absentee Ballots

The only time I have heard of not counting absentee ballots is when someone has won the election day votes by a greater margin than the total absentee ballots submitted. In Washington, local elections sometimes take weeks to determine because of the large number of absentee ballots.

[dweller]

4. Assuming they will

count the absentee votes?

I have read here they only count them in close races...?

who knows for sure?

dp

[AndyTiedye]

7. They Will Count *Some* of the Absentee Ballots

you get one guess as to which ones.

It might make sense to vote absentee in Nov 2004 for another reason.
If * is too far behind to convincingly rig the election, that's when the hammer comes down.

[dwckabal]

5. I've thought about doing that

especially since I'm in MD where they've purchased a whole slew of those touch-screen machines. But I think you're only supposed to apply for an absentee ballot if you're unable to make it to the polling place. I wonder what is the legality of voting by absentee ballot when you are not "absentee?"

[dweller]

6. You are out of town that day

get a note from...um...your parents?

how or even why would they be able to tell if you are unable to get to the polls on that one day?

More important, do they count the absentee ballots?

dp

[AndyTiedye]

8. Being Out Of Town That Day Might Be A Real Good Idea Anyway

[OBXNCarolina]

12. True

We're planning on voting by absentee ballot. Since you submit your ballot a few weeks before the actual election, you can always say your "travel" plans changed permitting you to be in-state on Election Day. I know those people can be nit-pickers, but it would be hard to challenge the legality of your intentions at the time you submitted your absentee ballot.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi fleetus!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[lostnfound]

11. Love your sig line. Welcome to DU, Fleetus! n/t

[BevHarris]

13. Absentee ballots are counted by computer just like touch screen

They are run through an optical scan and both the absentee ballots, from optical scan, and the touch screen ballots, both get fed into the same central tabulator.

There is not that much difference -- both are counted on software on the touchscreen/optical scan, then both are accumulated on the central tabulator, and the voting machine company makes software for both. Unfortunately, no one ever looks at the paper ballot with optical scan software. This is why focusing only on the touch screen is a flawed approach to voting machine reform -- it is an auditing problem. They don't audit properly. Your paper ballot sits in a locked box, forlorn and ignored, as they use the machine tally only.

[mdmc]

14. In NY absentee ballots

1] Must be requested by the voter in writing or in person. All of these request are kept on file.
2] Once the request is filed, an absentee ballot is sent.
3] The ballot must be returned.

The election officials that I spoke to hate counting the paper, and that is why they oppose a paper trail. They conceed that it is more accurate and safer, but consumes too much time.

I like your idea, and encourage everyone to vote absentee.

[Triana]

15. My Mom suggested this and she usually does it too

Heh. Mom knows best?