Another Florida Election Debacle

[Bill Bored]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=515922&mesg_id=515922

[Bill Bored]

1. Sorry, meant to post this on GD, but NY's elections await the same fate. nt

[Rhiannon12866]

2. I just got a flyer in the mail from my county Board of Elections...

Giving me instructions on "how to vote using optical scan voting machines." I've always used the old lever machines since I was old enough to vote. This does not sound good... :scared: :grr:

[Wilms]

3. It isn't.

:(

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Aren't those the machines that caused such problems in Ohio?

Didn't we learn anything?! x(

[Wilms]

5. These machines cause trouble everywhere.

I will say that they are a bit safer than paper-less voting machines. But only a bit as NY audit laws are not consistent with providing a high level of confidence in close elections.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. We experienced one of those "close elections" here in NY-20

Just last year. We had a "special election" in March of 2009 to fill Kirsten Gillibrand's vacant congressional seat after she was appointed senator to replace Hillary Clinton. I worked for the Democrat, Scott Murphy. It was awful, nasty, and very, very close. Initially, Scott Murphy was ahead by only 60+ votes. This is traditionally Republican country, but Kirsten Gillibrand was very popular here. I couldn't help thinking of Al Franken, it dragged on so long... And I just got a call today to do canvassing, since Scott Murphy's up for re-election this year... We don't need any more impediments. x(

BTW, when I first got the flyer, I couldn't help thinking of this video that my friend sent me in 2004... :(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR3A9rG022M

[TreasonousBastard]

7. If you're using the same machine we're using, it's not nearly as bad as...

some would make it out. 'Specially some who've never seen the thing.

We've done a lot of training on it, and made some minor modifications to allay the fears of the mongers. However, I see primarily two possible problems.

The overvoting thing could be critical-- if someone votes for too many people for an office for some reason, the ballot isn't automatically kicked back. BUT, there is a poll worker there watching and listening for beeps and whistles, so the problem should be minimized.

The biggest problem I see, but one not publicly acknowledged by anyone in the BoE is that the public will screw it up. They're not always so bright even with the "foolproof" lever machines, and making them do something completely new and different is guaranteed to short circuit their brains. The little ovals MUST be filled in properly, something allegedly educated test-takers often can't handle, and voters are only allowed three ballots to get it right.

Considering the hoops and hassles every poll in this county had to go through just explaining affidavit voting in the old days, I can imagine what will happen next month.

Oh, and as many pollworkers as we've trained on the new machines, there's no guarantee any of it actually sank in.

(The good news is that there seem to be more Republican primaries next month, so they'll get the screwing if there is one.)

[Rhiannon12866]

8. Thanks for the reassurance.

I do wonder about how the poll workers will handle this, since, at least in my neck of the woods, they're on the elderly side. And when I read the instructions in that flyer, they confused even me... x(

But you make an excellent point about the primaries. I live in a traditionally red district and most local elections are decided in the Republican primary. So maybe my worries are unwarranted... :D

Thanks! :hi:

[Wilms]

9. TB questions critics who've not "seen" the machine as if he's able to view what a computer is doing.

These computers will determine the election outcome, TB's pollworking wonders notwithstanding. TB didn't tell you that.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. Well, there's still nothing that will make me comfortable using these machines.

I've read enough horror stories from the last two national elections. And if I find the instructions confusing, I can't imagine how voters who weren't forewarned will deal with them... :(