Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Friday 6/24/05

[Melissa G]

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Friday 6/24/05

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

Link to previous Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x380117

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).

[Melissa G]

1. Election Auditing Is an End-to-End Procedure

Policy Forum
VOTING TECHNOLOGY:
Election Auditing Is an End-to-End Procedure
Ted Selker
Improving election auditing requires improved processes. New verification schemes must not make the system less trustworthy by making it easier for people to change records or claim that equipment is not working properly. New solutions for verification must also be tested and shown to improve voting. In this Policy Forum, alternatives for the improvement of auditing and election equipment are discussed, as well as a call for a halt to legislative changes that will mandate untested approaches.

The author is codirector of the CalTech/MIT Voting Technology Project and is at Massachusetts Inistitute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. E-mail: [e-mail]

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/308/5730/1873?rbfvrToken=20527981e7a24f1cc46072b8e96ee47d688d3603

[Melissa G]

2. Senate Subcommittee Approves Voting Machine Changes

Senate Subcommittee Approves Voting Machine Changes
By The Associated Press

(06/23/05 -- RALEIGH) — A Senate subcommittee approved a bill Thursday that would set aside $20 million more to help counties purchase voting machine equipment after expected federal and state standards go into effect.
The measure would require counties to use either optical scan machines, electronic machines or paper ballots counted by hand. A federal election commission is expected to provide more details this summer about minimum requirements for those machines.

The bill that cleared the judiciary subcommittee also would require each electronic machine to generate a paper receipt that confirms a voter's choices and provides a backup for counting totals.

Some Republicans on the committee complained that the earlier version provided only $600,000 to help pay for the equipment upgrades.

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/news/062305_APstate_xgrvotingmachines.html

[Melissa G]

3. Voting booths to go high-tech

Voting booths to go high-tech





ALBANY - Lever-action voting machines are destined to become museum pieces after state lawmakers and Gov. Pataki agreed yesterday to let the state tap more than $200 million in federal aid to buy new ones.
"The more new voting machines that get put in, the more money we can get," said Assembly Elections Committee Chairman Keith Wright (D-Harlem), who has been pushing to modernize New York's antiquated voting system since Florida's balloting fiasco in 2000.

New York City expects to have snazzy new voting machines in place by the 2007 elections.

City Board of Elections Director John Ravitz said city voters should be able to get a taste of the new technology by next year, when at least one new machine is expected to be installed at each polling place.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/story/321673p-275031c.html

[Melissa G]

4. Funding for vote machines sought- Ohio

Funding for vote machines sought



STEUBENVILLE - The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners on Thursday learned that a state-mandated conversion to electronic voting machines will require a six-figure local investment, prompting questions about where officials will find the funding.

Meanwhile, a state audit of the former Jefferson County Children services has been forwarded to the Ohio Auditor of State for further action that could eventually include criminal charges against former county officials.
Diane M. Gribble, director of the Jefferson County Board of Elections, on Thursday addressed the commissioners concerning the 267 touch-screen voting machines purchased by the state and expected to arrive July 7. She also provided a preliminary estimate for the equipment and upgrades required to use the new system, which must be funded locally.

Gribble provided a list that includes spare batteries, memory cards, storage and transport cases, printers and other needed equipment.
The preliminary cost estimate is $131,330, including $23,200 for electrical system upgrades at the board of elections offices to support the system.
http://www.timesleaderonline.com/news/story/0624202005_new02_vote24.asp

[Melissa G]

5. Officials scramble to cover cost of new voting machines- PA

Officials scramble to cover cost of new voting machines


By Jennifer Reeger
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, June 24, 2005


Westmoreland County will have to foot more than half the bill for new, computerized voting machines mandated by federal law, county officials say.
To help cover some costs, however, county commissioners approved applications Thursday for grant funding under the federal Help America Vote Act.

The act is a federal effort to correct voting problems encountered in Florida during the November 2000 presidential election.

The federal program is being administered at the state level by the Pennsylvania Department of State, which will funnel funds to the counties
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/westmoreland/s_347079.html

[Melissa G]

6. Albany Closer to Agreement on New Voting Machines - NY

Albany Closer to Agreement on New Voting Machines


By AL BAKER
Published: June 22, 2005
ALBANY, June 21 - State officials zeroed in Tuesday on a final agreement on a long-sought overhaul of New York's aging election system. The deal would pave the way for the replacement of the antiquated voting machines now prevalent throughout New York.

But, bowing to reality, several lawmakers and lobbyists said the plan would fall short, in some municipalities, of being in place by the federal deadline for the 2006 elections.

And should the state not meet that deadline, New York might have to return some of the $49.6 million in federal money it has received to replace its 20,000 pull-lever voting machines, since that task is expected to drag into 2007, officials said.

Members of many civic groups have been warning for months that New York was lagging in fulfilling the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act, which was passed after the disputed presidential election in 2000 and sought to modernize voting nationwide. New York is the last state to meet its requirements. Due to the delays, several lobbyists have predicted a messy scene in 2006, when the state will hold elections for the senator, governor and the State Legislature.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/22/nyregion/22vote.html

[Melissa G]

7. Voting machines, precincts on county's mind - IA

Voting machines, precincts on county's mind

By AIMEE TABOR

[e-mail]

KEOKUK — Lee County officials should know by Aug. 1 how many new voting machines will be needed and if they want to consolidate rural precincts to ensure the county gets the equipment by the end of the year. Scott Ourth, who works with the Secretary of State's office helping counties comply with the new Help America Vote Act, said the county should submit paperwork by that date to get the process started.

Getting the process started early will ensure the county won't be caught up in any backlog of orders a voting machine company may have when trying to meet the end–of–the–year deadline.

The county and others in the state and across the country have to update their voting machine equipment to comply with HAVA. For Lee County, that means switching to a precinct–voting system and having counters in each location.

Ourth said the county supervisors and auditor should submit a letter of intent that states the name of the company the county will buy the machines from and how many will be needed.
The machines will have to be ordered before Dec. 26 for the county to qualify for the estimated $228,000 in state and federal grant money.

http://www.thehawkeye.com/daily/stories/ln12_0622.html

[Melissa G]

8. Voters' next ballot will need a stamp - Oregon

Voters' next ballot will need a stamp
The turmoil of the governor's race prompts Clark County to change to a vote-by-mail system, starting with primary Sept. 20
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
BILL STEWART
VANCOUVER -- Starting with the Sept. 20 primary election, Clark County will be a vote-by-mail county.

Although all three county commissioners described themselves as polling-place voters, they were unanimous Tuesday in switching from ballot box to mailbox.

That won't be a gigantic step for most of the county's registered voters. County Auditor Greg Kimsey said about 83 percent of more than 207,600 voters already vote by absentee ballot in every election.


Kimsey said the switch may not be as convenient for some voters, but after the turmoil over the close governor's race in November, his top priority is to simplify the election process.

http://www.oregonlive.com/metronorth/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_north_news/1119434241147560.xml&coll=7

[Melissa G]

9. ES&S AutoMARK Receives Federal Qualification- Neb

June 23, 2005]


ES&S AutoMARK Receives Federal Qualification; Breakthrough Ballot Marking Technology Helps States and Jurisdictions Achieve HAVA Compliance for Optical Scan Voting

OMAHA, Neb. --(Business Wire)-- June 23, 2005 -- Today, Election Systems and Software (ES&S) announced that the ES&S AutoMARK, the only voting technology that allows all voters to mark an optical scan ballot privately and independently, is now fully qualified to the latest 2002 federal standards. States and jurisdictions can now proceed with purchasing decisions with confidence that the federal review is complete.



The breakthrough ES&S AutoMARK is an optical scan ballot marking system designed to provide privacy and accessibility to voters who are visually impaired, or have a disability or condition that would make it difficult or impossible to mark a ballot in the usual way. In addition, the technology provides language assistance to voters who are more comfortable speaking an alternative language or who have reading difficulties.

In the short time since it was introduced, the ES&S AutoMARK has generated tremendous interest because of the substantial benefits it offers to election administrators and voters, alike. To date, the ES&S AutoMARK has received rave reviews from election directors and voters across the country, with a number of jurisdictions already indicating an intention to incorporate the technology into their election process. As part of a pilot project sponsored by Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer in the 2004 general election, the ES&S AutoMARK was used in three counties in Phoenix, Arizona, where it performed exceptionally well.

"Throughout our 35 year history, ES&S has been driven by a passion for enhancing the voting experience for all," said Aldo Tesi, President & CEO of ES&S. "I am very proud of our industry leadership in innovating voting solutions to increase access and improve the election process. The ES&S AutoMARK continues that strong tradition." -0- *T Features of the ES&S AutoMARK include: -- Protection for voters by eliminating over-votes; minimizing under-votes; and allowing for the selection of write-in candidates. -- The ability to use the same paper ballot for all voters in a way that protects privacy and provides secure recount capability. -- An audio function, which allows visually impaired voters or those with severely impaired vision to listen to the choices through headphones. -- The ability to protect legacy systems by allowing jurisdictions to use existing optical scanner hardware/software solutions. Simply adding an ES&S AutoMARK device to a polling location ensures compliance with HAVA and eliminates the need to reinvest in a new tabulation systems. -- A sip/puff tube for voters who are not able to use the touch screen or touch pad. -- A zoom feature which enables the voter to increase the font size of each race listed on the optical scan ballot. This may be especially helpful for voters who are sighted but have vision limitations. -- Multiple language capability. Assuring that all citizens in a diverse population can exercise their privilege to vote, visual and audible ballots in multiple languages can be stored on a single machine. *T

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2005/jun/1157786.htm

[Melissa G]

10. New voting machines purchased for county voters- VA

New voting machines purchased for county voters



Voters in Wise County will be using new voting machines at all of the county's 12 polling locations in November.
Wise County Registrar Tom Chester has received federal money for 40 touch screen voting machines from the Help America Vote Act, which made federal money available to states to replace older voting machines.

The machines, manufactured by Sequoia Voting Systems, cost $3,525 each. Thirteen of the new machines are audio enabled for blind voters.

When voters use the machines, they will touch the screen to choose their candidate's name, rather than pull a lever or submit a ballot. Chester feels the older mechanical lever machines were accurate and easy to understand, but the county had to accept the offer to upgrade.


"The money was made available and if you didn't take advantage of it, it would not be there forever," he said in a Friday interview. "We had only until 2006 to decide. After that, the locality would be responsible for it. Basically, Wise County is getting all new voting machines at no cost to the county."

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1283&dept_id=158551&newsid=14729363&PAG=461&rfi=9

[Melissa G]

12. self delete

[Melissa G]

11. Karl Rove in a Corner

Karl Rove in a Corner

Karl Rove is at his most formidable when running close races, and his skills would be notable even if he used no extreme methods. But he does use them. His campaign history shows his willingness, when challenged, to employ savage tactics
by Joshua Green

.....

It is the close races that establish the reputations of great political strategists, and few have ever been closer than the 2000 presidential election. From the tumult of the lengthy recount, the absentee-ballot dispute, the charges of voter fraud, and, ultimately, the Supreme Court decision, George W. Bush emerged victorious by a margin of 537 votes in Florida—enough to elevate him to the presidency, and his chief strategist, Karl Rove, to the status of legend.

But the 2000 election was not Rove's closest race. That had come earlier, and serves as a greater testament to his skill. In 1994 a group called the Business Council of Alabama appealed to Rove to help run a slate of Republican candidates for the state supreme court. This would not have seemed a plum assignment to most consultants. No Republican had been elected to that court in more than a century. But the council was hopeful, in large part because Rove had faced precisely this scenario in Texas several years before, and had managed to get elected, in rapid succession, a Republican chief justice and a number of associate justices, and was well on his way to turning an all-Democratic court all Republican. Rove took the job.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/prem/200411/green

[Melissa G]

13. Karl Rove in a Corner MelissaB's DU discussion

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x380376