Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Saturday, April 29, 2006

[livvy]

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News

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.

I'm going to post as many stories as I can in the next hour, but then I must go... or my neighbors are going to boot me out of the neighborhood. I'll come back and post some more when I'm done, but in the meanwhile, everyone feel free to contribute, (please?)



Please "Recommend" for the Greatest Page (it's the link just below).

[Botany]

1. Move along .... nothing to see .... copy of a DU post from 3 days ago

hey Pressed "KERRY" but got "BUSH"
?...there were other anomalies too, but still...

10/31/04

Columbus, Broward Co County, Florida

Two unrelated people (taxi driver & store clerk) told our volunteer they had voted on touch screens this week and screen showed they had voted for Bush when they know they voted for Kerry -- they got someone to change it before their vote was filed.

11/01/04

Broward County, Florida

Voted early at main library in Broward County. Using electronic machine voted for Kerry and at review screen vote came up for Bush

11/02/04

Roaker Center, Broward County, Florida

Voter and daughter voted using machine - when summary popped up it showed a diff. outcome - Martinez instead of Castor. This also happened for daughter - same problem. Update from cos - She used machine 2nd from right against the back wall, daughter used machine 3rd from right. In both cases, Castor was highlighted and selected, but when reached summary screen, it said Martinez. When they reported problem, poll worked laughed, did not seem interested in doing anything about it.

11/02/04

2501 NE 30th street United Church of Christ, Ft Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida

Voting machine problem - pushed Kerry got Bush - pushed Castor got Martinez - all others - pushed Parrish got Zella - accused of not being able to read –intimidation

11/02/04

Broward County, Florida

Machines switching are switching vote Kerry to Bush -- this happens prior to confirmation screen. - other voters complaining about the same thing

11/02/04

Lauderdale by the Sea, Broward County, Florida

Voter hit Kerry button and check mark appeared next to Bush. Voter contacted poll worker to correct problem but the same thing happened she voted the rest of the ballot. She had help and was able to fix ballot before she left, but was concerned.

11/02/04

Broward County, Florida

Candidate deleted when hit button, at review screen, no vote for president, 5 voters so far reported this don't know which machines.

11/02/04

Tamarac, Broward County, Florida

The vote selected on the machine was not the choice the voter wanted. When asked to confirm the candidate that came up was not the candidate selected.

11/02/04

Veteran's Park, Broward County, Florida

One machine; told by Kerry monitor that when people voting for Kerry push "summarize". Another candidate's name shows up. Poll workers said, "Didn’t push hard enough." Said tech repairman has been dispatched.

11/02/04

Broward County, Florida

Voter needed help with machine when poll worker came over, the review screen was up but had no ballots cast (no candidates issues checked). The poll worker hit the red vote button and voted the voter's blank ballot.

11/02/04

Lauderhill, Broward County, Florida

Voted at Veteran's Park. When pushed screen a selection was made that was not wanted. Machine malfunction.

11/03/04

Broward County, Florida

Chose candidate of choice and machine chose a candidate in another section as well. Was able to fix it, but wanted to let us know.

11/05/04

Somerset Condominiums Clubhouse, 2845 Somerset Dr., Ft. Lauderdale, Brower County, Florida

Voter voted for Kerry; when she reviewed the ballot it showed that she voted for Bush. Poll worker said that has been happening to many others.

11/08/04

Broward County, Florida

Voter found the summary screen showed a person whom she did not vote for. She corrected the problem.

11/10/04

3M Roarke Hall, Sunrise, Broward County, Florida

Voted for "Castor" on electronic screen, but "Martinez" came up on summary screen. Told poll worker, but is worried that machine is not working.

11/10/04

Daniels, Dania, Broward County, Florida

At review screen, selection changed from Kerry to Bush "before my eyes" as voter pushed red button just before. Voter filed complaint with Kerry lawyer in polling place and told poll worker of problem, who said, "nothing could be done."

11/10/04

8909 Fire Station, Miramar, Broward County, Florida

Voter voted- confirmation screen came up with different results than what he had selected. Voter is concerned that the same problem is happening with other voters who don't check the confirmation screen.

11/10/04

69 R, Ft. Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida

Voter pressed "Kerry" on machine, but another name was indicated on the summary page. Voter was able to review & change the vote satisfactorily.

11/11/04

Deerfield Beach Housing Authority, Deerfield Beach, Broward County, Florida

Upon reviewing her ballot before casting her vote, the voter noticed that "Bush/Cheney" appeared even though she had chosen "Kerry/Edwards".

11/11/04

Miramar Civic Center, 6290 SW 38th St, Miramar, Broward County, Florida

Voter says touch-screen machine was touched for his choice for presidential candidate, but it registered a vote for the other candidate.

11/12/04

Lakes of DelRay Club house 15055 Ashland Blvd, DelRay Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida

Four out of 6 machines down. 100 people in line and people are leaving.

11/13/04

3720 Oakland Pk Blvd, Lauderdale Lakes, Broward County, Florida

Unknown name came up on review screen, Walter F. Browne - after Kerry selected. Asked for help from election's worker, who suggested he do it over. He retried, got same result, and finalized vote without accurate screen.

11/15/04

Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida

I've been a pollworker in Broward County, Florida for a number of years and have worked in many elections. As a citizen, and someone with a B.S. in Computer Science, I've been greatly concerned about the accuracy of electronic voting machines. Having worked with computers for decades in my own business, I know how vulnerable they are to both incompetence and tampering. So I always do everything I can to cross check and verify the numbers in my precinct, and the numbers in this election do not add up. 553 people voted on the machines in Precinct 11R, but the machines only registered 536 votes cast…

12/27/04

Broward County, Florida

We staffed the emergency hotline for the Kerry Campaign Headquarters in Broward County from late October through the election. All of us were devastated by the margin of Bush's win in Florida, particularly since polls predicted the race would be extremely close. Many of the calls to our hotline were from voters who had pressed the "Kerry" button on their electronic voting screen, only to have "Bush" light up as the candidate they had chosen. In some cases, this would happen repeatedly until about the 5th or 6th time the voter pressed "Kerry" and eventually his name would light up. In other cases, the voters pushed "Kerry" but were later asked to confirm their "Bush" vote.

12/31/04

Pompano Beach, Broward County, Florida

Voted in Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida, (Broward County) and the I-Voting machine would not let me vote for John Kerry. Every time I touched the Kerry box, Bush's box would check off. After several failed attempts at trying to vote for Kerr, I called over a poll worker and demonstrated what was happening. Then a technician was called in and he had to re-calibrate the machine. The technician said this had happened several times already even though voting had only started 90 minutes prior.

01/14/05

Coral Springs, Broward County, Florida

Caller learned from relatives in Coral Springs, FL (Broward) that electronic machines malfunctioned when voter tried to vote for Kerry - machine responds with "Bush". She does not believe the voters reported the problem. She reported it to Kerry campaign. They said they were aware of the problem, and that it had been going on all day.

04/05/05

Coral Gables, Broward County, Florida

Volunteer received 75 calls from Broward that when they voted for Kerry the light for Bush lit up on the election machines

11/02/04

Coral Spring Elementary on 110th Ave., Broward County, Florida

Voting machine is not registering the correct candidate the voter chose i.e. voted for one candidate but the other candidate appeared (five times)

11/02/04

Veterans Park, 7600 NW 50th St, Lauderhill FL 33351, Broward County, Florida

ACT poll observer called in to report that multiple voters (at least 5 so far) had reported their vote for president was missing on the review screen. Voters were able to go back and correct problem if they noticed it. Observers are advising voters to check for this problem on their review screen.

11/02/04

Marriott Resort Hotel, 11775 Heron Bay Blvd, Coral Springs, Broward County, Florida

Touchscreen calibration problem: Tried to vote for Kerry multiple times, kept getting candidate below Kerry. Asked poll worker for assistance, got no help. Finally was able to vote for Kerry by touching towards the Bush button. 3rd or 4th machine from the right.

11/02/04

Marriott Resort Hotel, 11775 Heron Bay Blvd, Coral Springs, Broward County, Florida

Tried repeatedly to vote for Kerry, got candidate underneath. Was able to vote for Kerry by touching more toward the Bush button. Machine against back wall, somewhere around the 4th or 5th from the right (See also case #41979)

11/02/04

Rockdale elem. school, Ft. Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida

Voter pushed button for choice, machine indicated other candidate at the bottom of the screen, tried again, indicated again that he voted for wrong candidate, third time his selection was correctly noted.

11/02/04

Sunrise, Broward County, Florida

Machine changed candidate he was voting for (3rd machine from right, precinct 17M) Kerry highlighted, on review saw Brown(?) for president. Asked poll worker for help and poll worker had him start over. Voted successfully 2nd time.

11/02/04

Hollywood Hills Alliance Church, Hollywood Hills, Broward County, Florida

Voted for Kerry but machine showed Bush.

11/02/04

St. James Baptist Missionary Church 500 N.W. 21st Ave., Broward County, Florida

After voter voted for Kerry, and when they tried to move to the next screen, if heel of hand brushed against screen, which was apparently happening, vote switched to Nader and got cast for Nader. Kerry Poll Watcher said some had been caught and corrected, but who knows about all. Poll worker not helpful to EP mobile attorney. Was Votronic machine

11/02/04

Deerfield Housing Authority, Broward County, Florida

Upon reviewing his vote, voter noticed wrong candidate choice appeared.

11/02/04

Oriole Gardens Clubhouse, 7400 NW 5th Ct., Margate, Broward County, Florida

She had to select presidential choice 2x before correct choice was reflected. Got help from poll worker; successfully voted. Voted Bush, Kerry got highlighted.

11/02/04

Deerfield Beach Housing Authority, Broward County, Florida

Voter noticed that the wrong choices appeared as she reviewed her selection.

11/07/04

Towngate, Broward County, Florida

Voted for a candidate but other name came up several times. In another instance pressed the Democrat & the Republican came up.

--------------------------------------

These reports are compiled from the:

Election Incident Reporting System: 1-866-OUR-VOTE

https://voteprotect.org/index.php?display=EIRMapNation&...






And that's just Florida.

[livvy]

2. CA: Resource: Online Voter Guide for Candidate and Prop. Info

For Immediate Release, Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Contact: Kim Alexander or
Saskia Mills, 530 750-7650
New California Online Voter Guide debuts at www.calvoter.org
Nonpartisan resource helps voters prepare for June primary election

Davis, CA – Today the California Voter Foundation unveiled the June 2006 edition of its California Online Voter Guide, a free, nonpartisan web site featuring comprehensive and balanced information about state and federal candidates and state propositions on the ballot. The new guide is available online at:

www.calvoter.org/covg

“California voters have important decisions to make every election,” said Kim Alexander, president and founder of the California Voter Foundation (CVF). “Our online guide helps voters sort through election information and make their choices with confidence,” she added, noting that a 2004 CVF survey found that confusion about issues and distrust of election information are leading reasons why many would-be voters sit on the sidelines at election time.

The online guide is packed with information about the 600-plus candidates running for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, statewide offices such as Governor and Lt. Governor, Board of Equalization, and State Senate and Assembly. Propositions 81 and 82 — the two statewide ballot measures proposing more money for public libraries and public preschool education — are also covered in the online guide, which identifies major contributors supporting and opposing each of the propositions. Additional resources include candidate job descriptions, links to official campaign web sites, and a “Voting FAQ” featuring information on voter registration, absentee voting, and party affiliation in the primary election.

The California Online Voter Guide will be frequently updated throughout the election season, and more features will be added as the June 6th election approaches. CVF is reaching out to all California candidates for state and federal offices and encouraging them to provide CVF with updated campaign information.

>a bit more info

http://www.calvoter.org/news/releases/042606release.html

[livvy]

3. Map: HAVA Compliance & Voter-Verified Paper Ballots

Verified Voting Sweeps the States!

VerifiedVoting.org, our partners, and voters across the country have successfully persuaded state governments to pass or propose legislation / regulations to require voter-verified paper ballots. Help us complete the legislative landslide toward reliable, secure, and transparent elections!

Please visit our action center (click here) to turn the whole country green with voter-verified paper ballots. Click on the map to see our legislation tracking web page.


HAVA COMPLIANCE COUNTDOWN

Paper Ballot Map Legend

Legislation / Regulation Requiring Paper Ballots (26) Green

Mixed Requirement (1) Purple

Proposed, Not Yet Enacted (13+DC) Blue

Not Yet Proposed (10) Red

Also, here is:

Voter-Verified Paper Record Legislation
by Robert Kibrick, VerifiedVoting.org Legislative Analyst
April 3rd, 2006

This web page summarizes voter-verifiable paper records (VVPRs) legislative and administrative requirements. On other web pages, you can research election audit legislation and election recount legislation (coming soon). On this page, you can go directly to federal legislation, state legislation, or international legislation. If you have updates or corrections on verified voting legislation or requirements, please let us know. Thank you!
http://www.verifiedvoting.org/article.php?list=type&type=13

http://www.verifiedvoting.org/

[livvy]

4. CA: Progressive Challenges Powerful Dem Harman in Congressional Race

Progressive challenges powerful Dem Harman in CA congressional race

Miriam Raftery
Published: Friday April 28, 2006

Profile: Progressive activist raises stakes in California race, putting veteran Democrat on defensive

Powerful California Congresswoman Jane Harman (CA-36th) is facing a rare and surprisingly successful primary challenge, RAW STORY has learned. The Democratic powerhouse is set to face off this term with Marcy Winograd, a teacher, newscaster, peace activist and outspoken advocate for election reform.

"This is a primary to recapture the soul of the Democratic party of Bobby Kennedy and the Civil Rights movement," said Marcy Winograd, president of Progressive Democrats in Los Angeles.

In a startling upset, Winograd supporters blocked California Democratic Party endorsement of Harman, a six-term incumbent, at a pre-primary endorsement meeting. Winograd got 35 percent of the delegates' votes, enough to prevent Harman from gaining the 70 percent needed for an automatic party endorsement. A floor fight is anticipated at the state convention April 28, where either candidate could win the state party endorsement by capturing a 60 percent margin.

"I decided to run for office after watching Jane Harman on Meet the Press," Winograd told RAW STORY. "I found her interview very disturbing. She was a lawyer, yet she didn't know the law concerning the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)."

>more
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Progressive_challenges_powerful_Dem_Harman_in_0428.html

[livvy]

5. FL: Forum's Topic Will Be Voting Technology

VOLUSIA & CENTRAL FLORIDA THE AREA IN BRIEF

Forum's topic will be voting technology

April 29, 2006

DELAND -- A voter-advocacy group that opposes paperless voting said Friday that it is planning a town meeting focused on whether votes cast are being accurately counted.

The DeLand-based Florida Fair Elections Coalition plans to bring national and local experts to talk about voting technology and answer questions at Daytona Beach Community College on May 20. The event will be 1 to 4 p.m. in Room 112 of Building 110.

Speakers planned include David Cobb, former Green Party presidential candidate; Ion Sancho, supervisor of elections in Leon County; Clint Curtis, a computer programmer; and Susan Pynchon, executive director and founder of Florida Fair Elections Coalition.

To comply with voting-reform laws, Volusia has purchased handicapped-accessible -- but paperless -- touch-screen voting machines to augment its paper ballot scanners.

> a wee bit more

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/volusia/orl-vbriefs29_306apr29,0,4207225.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-volusia

[livvy]

6. Arkansas: Voting-counting Gear Due to Arrive in Time For Testing

Voting-counting gear due to arrive in time for testing

BY DANIEL NASAW

Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006

Equipment needed to program Pulaski County’s votecounting machines for the May primary will arrive on time to test the equipment and ensure an accurate tally, the county Election Commission said Friday.

But the gear won’t come in time to check roughly 900 absentee ballots set to be mailed over the next few days. If the machines fail to correctly read sample ballots in a Monday test, election workers will have to reprint all the paper ballots to be used on election day — at a cost of about $ 75, 000 — and hand count absentee ballots after the polls close on May 23, officials said.

At Friday’s commission meeting, Director of Elections Susan Inman said she had assurances from the secretary of state’s office that the needed equipment would be delivered Monday.

The secretary of state’s office contracted voting equipment vendor Election Systems & Software in November to provide touch-screen voting machines and optical-scan readers.

>more

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/153156/

[livvy]

7. CA: Absentee Ballots in Vietnamese Make the Difference

Saturday, April 29, 2006
Vietnamese prove to be key for Harman
Recount reaffirms his victory in 35th Senate District race, making him the Republican nominee in June 6 election.

By MARTIN WISCKOL
The Orange County Register

Assemblyman Tom Harman eked out his narrow state Senate victory this month, thanks to a huge advantage among absentee ballots in Vietnamese.

With a recount officially completed Friday, Harman's margin over Dana Point Councilwoman Diane Harkey shrunk slightly from the original count of 236 votes to the recount total of 225 votes.

That's still enough to make him the Republican nominee over Harkey, and send him to the June 6 general election for the 35th state Senate seat against underdog Larry Caballero, a Democrat.

Without the foreign-language ballots, Harman would have lost. He beat Harkey 1,364 to 591 on those ballots, 73percent of which were in Vietnamese, according to an analysis by Harkey's camp.

>more

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1123520.php

[livvy]

8. Cabell County Has Paper Ballot Backup Option

Saturday, April, 29, 2006

Cabell County has paper ballot backup option

By Curtis Johnson
The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- The Cabell County Commission has voted unanimously to authorize the county clerk to order enough paper ballots for use in the May 9 primary.

"We truly believe in our hearts that this is an issue that is not even going to become necessary," Cabell County Clerk Karen Cole told the commissioners as she explained the need for the paper ballots. "We've got to have a plan 'B' because come May 9, we have to put on an election."

Cole updated the situation Friday evening by saying she expects those electronic ballots will be ready for members of her office to pick up this morning in Spencer, W.Va. She said her staff will then work late into tonight to prepare the county's computerized touch screens.

The lack of ballots in Cabell County is just one example of pre-election madness worrying county clerks across the state. Clerks in 11 other counties are battling to fix a software glitch that developed when the machines were programed with outdated software.

>more

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060429/NEWS01/604290329/1001/NEWS

[livvy]

9. WV: Judge Extends Deadline After Voting Machine Problems

Apr 28, 5:12 PM EDT

Judge extends deadline after voting machine problems

By LAWRENCE MESSINA
Associated Press Writer

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- A Kanawha Circuit judge on Friday gave counties until the eve of the May 9 primary to test new electronic voting machines, responding to problems in at least 11 counties blamed on a software glitch.

Judge Paul Zakaib granted a petition filed by Secretary of State Betty Ireland earlier in the day to extend the deadline that requires testing one week before an election.

Counties were in danger of missing that deadline after an engineer for Election Systems & Software programmed the machines with outdated software.

"I am absolutely appalled by ES&S' delays and the hardships ES&S has placed upon this state and our county officials," Ireland said. "ES&S' delay in programming ballots has made the process very difficult. It is inexcusable."

>more

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WV_VOTING_MACHINES_WVOL-?SITE=WVHUN&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-04-28-17-12-11

[livvy]

10. IN: Election Panel OKs Voting Machines

April 29, 2006

Election panel OKs voting machines
Thousands no longer face prospect of paper ballots; possible violations by 2nd firm found

By Mary Beth Schneider
[e-mail]

Thousands of voters across Indiana will vote in Tuesday's primary election by machine rather than paper, following an Indiana Election Commission decision Friday to certify equipment by Indianapolis-based MicroVote General Corp.

Also Friday, Secretary of State Todd Rokita said a preliminary investigation has found 30 potential violations of Indiana law by a second voting company, Election Systems & Software.

He will have a hearing at 9 a.m. May 8 in his Statehouse office on those issues, which mostly involved ballot printing, delivery and readability problems in Marion, Johnson and St. Joseph counties.

ES&S issued a statement saying the company "will vigorously defend" itself against the allegations.
"It is unfortunate that our company and county election officials may now have an additional distraction that will divert attention from the task at hand -- preparing for election day," the Nebraska-based company said.

Rokita also is investigating MicroVote and can fine the company up to $300,000 per violation.

>more

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060429/NEWS02/604290465/1006/NEWS01

[livvy]

11. CO: New Voting Equipment Will Help Disabled, Make County Compliant

New voting equipment will help disabled, make county compliant
By Jennifer Klein Journal-Advocate staff [e-mail]

Saturday, April 29, 2006 - STERLING - Logan County voters can expect to see new electronic voting equipment in this year's August primary election and November general election.

The voting equipment will be available to all voters but will specifically impact disabled or blind voters.

The county will purchase 17 electronic machines. That will put a machine in all 16 precincts and one in the Logan County Courthouse, according to Logan County Clerk and Recorder Bobbi Perry. The purchase will make the county compliant by the Help America Vote Act, passed after the close 2000 presidential election when paper ballots caused a contested Florida recount.

>snip

Perry said it will mean Logan County voters will now have a choice between the traditional paper ballot or the electronic machine, called a direct-recording electronic voting machine. Perry said it will also help the disabled vote.

>more

http://www.journal-advocate.com/Stories/0,1413,120~7826~3300849,00.html

[livvy]

12. IN: Election Reminder: Photo ID Required

Saturday, April 29, 2006

Election reminder
Photo ID required to have vote count

Saturday, April 29, 2006


Voters who do not have a government-issued photo ID will have to produce one within 10 days after the party primaries Tuesday or their votes won’t count.

The deadline for producing a picture ID at the clerk’s office in the courthouse is noon May 12.

The requirement for showing a government-issued identification such as a driver’s license or a free, state-issued picture ID is new this year in Indiana. A state-issued picture identification can be obtained at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles license branch, 175 Demaree Drive.

>snip

The only people who will be exempt from showing a picture ID at the polls are those who are indigent, those whose religion prohibits the taking of a photo, or a person who is in a state institution that is the person’s polling place, Indiana secretary of state’s office said. Those voters will be given provisional ballots and will have 10 days after the primary to document that they deserved the exemption, the secretary of state’s office said.

>more

http://www.madisoncourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=253&ArticleID=29930&TM=38132.23

[livvy]

13. Breaking News: Berlusconi to Resign as Italy PM

Berlusconi to resign as Italy PM
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says he will resign on Tuesday, more than three weeks after his narrow election defeat.

The announcement, reported by Italy's Ansa news agency, came after his centre-right alliance failed to get its candidate elected as Senate speaker.

Italy's highest court has confirmed the victory of the centre-left coalition.

Mr Berlusconi had until now refused to concede, saying the vote was too close. He will be replaced by Romano Prodi.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4958354.stm

[livvy]

14. The Peoples Voice: Down With the Monarchy

04/29/06

Down With the Monarchy
By: Norla Antinoro


Rise up! Overthrow the monarchy! Citizens of America stand together against tyranny!

The plea is an old one. It is simply aimed at a different regime this time. Today we must save Nepal. For my great grandmother it was Spain or China. Franco or the Boxer Rebellion. Liberators R Us! America will save the world. Some how some where we got the idea that it was our job to Make the World Safe. We must save them all. We must liberate them. Free the freeless!

>snip

Americans are brash and direct, crude and lacking in subtlety. Much the same characteristics ascribed to the British by their Indian subjugants. The Americans have formed a Coalition of the Willing to rule the world. Madison Avenue now decides elections, swaying voters with color and sound. All it takes is deep enough pockets and an election can be bought. There have been no landslides in recent years. All elections in my lifetime have been fairly closely fought battles. Some have been clearer victories than others. Nixon won by a fairly safe margin. But most elections were close enough that the “swing states” became important. So the way to throw the election into turmoil and cloud the results is to find a way to take the swing states, by hook or by crook.

Exit polls rarely disagree with the final vote tallies. Yet they are not legal in any sense and the disparity between exit polls and counted votes is not a valid excuse, in law, to contest an election or demand a recount. That they are almost always in agreement is not a legal argument with any weight, as troubling as it is.

So our Empire now has its tool of succession. Not royal birth, occasionally supported by force of arms. This time royalty is conferred by the Holy Diebold machine. No midwifely witnesses needed to witness the birth of the next monarch, for proprietary black boxes will guard well the royal secrets. Secrets like who the people actually voted for. But wait, we don’t want those facts to be known or retrievable so instead of simply programming in the change of votes to the ones we want to see, let’s make the actual vote, cast by the voters, disappear. No paper back up, if you please. Especially we must not have a paper ballot signed by the voter. That would make it no longer a secret ballot.

>more

http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/cgi-bin/blogs/voices.php/2006/04/29/p7911

About this site:
Our Mission at thepeoplesvoice.org

Americans in Portland, Oregon, assembled in the
thousands to stand in peaceful protest against
George W. Bush. They were clubbed, arrested, and
hosed down with pepper spray by riot police. This
grandmother being choked with a nightstick thought
she had constitutional rights.

Mission: The mission of peoplesvoice.org is two fold:

To inform the public about news and information, which a corporate media aligned with the Bush administration will not.

To provide people with a way of expressing their views publicly concerning issues that effect; the quality of life, our freedoms, and our environment. Other areas of interest also include, but are not limited to; articles, about politics, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific, and social justice issues.
http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/cgi-bin/blogs/index.php/Mission

[livvy]

15. And now, a word from our sponsor....

I just looked out the window, and my neighbor is out there with a ruler. I think he's going to see how long my grass is. I must go mow. I'll be back, but meanwhile, feel free to post away!

Me... except I'm not really smiling!

You?...

[I Have A Dream]

16. PA: Allegheny County touch-screen voting machines OK'd

(Note from "I Have A Dream": This is the county in which Pittsburgh is located.)

Allegheny County touch-screen voting machines OK'd

Court ruling clears way for use in May 16 balloting

Saturday, April 29, 2006

By Paula Reed Ward, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


The waiting game to see which voting machines Allegheny County will use for the May 16 primary is over.

A federal judge ruled yesterday that the county's newly purchased electronic voting machines -- the ones that were the subject of a three-day court hearing this week -- will be in place at the polls in the election now less than three weeks out.

Officials from the county, which was named as a defendant in the lawsuit challenging the machines, said they will now focus their efforts on voter and poll worker education and ensuring that the election goes off without a hitch.

"This now lifts any impediment put in front of us to conduct the election," said county Solicitor Michael Wojcik.

(continued at link below)

http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/06119/686067-85.stm

[livvy]

17. A Response from Blaine, Pres. of Sequoia Voting Systems

Posted on Sat, Apr. 29, 2006


Firm committed to reliable voting system



Re Richard Brand's March 27 Other Views piece, Forget Dubai -- worry about Smartmatic instead: Contrary to Brand's implications, Smartmatic's electronic-voting system with an auditable paper trail performed well in 2004's recall referendum in Venezuela. International observers from the Carter Center and the Organization of American States monitored and audited the election and upheld Venezuelan President Huga Chávez's win.

In fact, the Carter Center's final report investigated all charges, saying, ``The audit concluded the voting machines did accurately reflect the intent of the voters as evidenced by a recount of the paper ballots in a sample of machines. . . . The Center found no evidence of fraud.''

Brand alleges that Smartmatic's partner in the recall referendum was ''partly owned by the Venezuelan government.'' This is technically accurate but misleading. Specifically, the Venezuelan Industrial Credit Fund -- the equivalent of the U.S. Small Business Administration -- did hold a 28-percent nonpermanent, minority equity position in Bizta via a routine loan. A member of the consortium that handled the recall, Bizta adapted the voting software to enable it to include the manual vote. Bizta repaid the loan before the referendum.

Smartmatic Corp. is a U.S. company, incorporated in Delaware with principal offices in Boca Raton. No shares in Smartmatic have ever been held by a foreign government. A controlling interest is held by its founder and CEO, Antonio Mugica, a dual Spanish and Venezuelan citizen. Before its merger with Smartmatic in 2005, Sequoia was owned by a British company, which had purchased it from another European company. Neither owner was in the voting industry.

> one more paragraph from JACK A. BLAINE, president, Sequoia Voting Systems, Inc., Oakland, Calif.


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/14461204.htm

[livvy]

18. Hoosiers To Vote on 'Infinity' Machine

Hoosiers to vote on 'Infinity' machine; Election Commission gives approval
Sat, 29 Apr 2006 17:22:00 GMT | Author : Geoffrey Lewis

MUNCIE: Hundreds of thousands of Indiana residents will use an electronic machine rather than paper to cast their vote, said Indiana Election Commission today.



Infinity, the voting machine sold by Indianapolis-based Microvote General Corp. yesterday got an eleventh hour approval from the commission yesterday. These machines are currently being used in 47 counties across Indiana including Perry, Daviess, Spencer and Warrick.

Microvote, the maker of the voting machine, was earlier rapped for using software in their existing voting machines without certification from the commission. The company was accused of selling new machines with the uncertified software to some counties. It is also believed that some county clerks knew about it.

Microvote clarified its stand saying it did not wish to hide any information from the commission. The new software was an update. The company showed copies of documents presented to the commission over the past 10 days to prove that it had filed all the software information in the required manner. The documents included a report by an independent testing firm that had okayed the update.

>more

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/6368.html

[livvy]

19. Commission Repremands Ohio Congresswoman (Schmidt)

Commission Reprimands Ohio Congresswoman



By JOHN McCARTHY, Associated Press Writer Fri Apr 28, 12:49 AM ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Elections Commission on Thursday reprimanded U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt for claiming on her Web site last year that she had two college degrees when she had only one.

The commission in a unanimous ruling said Schmidt had violated campaign law.

The Republican went to Congress last year in a special election to replace Rob Portman, whom
President Bush appointed U.S. trade representative and is set to take over the White House budget office.

Schmidt obtained a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Cincinnati in 1974. The Web site said she also had received a bachelor's in education from Cincinnati in 1986.

>more

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060428/ap_on_el_ge/congress_campaign_violation;_ylt=Ah46jIbeyjoRvv3uxsUaM1CM5QcF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

[livvy]

20. Kuwaitis Locked in Bitter Debate Over Election Reform

Kuwaitis locked in bitter debate over election reform
Saturday April 29 08:03 PM

KUWAIT CITY (AFP) - The Kuwaiti cabinet postponed a crucial meeting during which it was to vote on controversial election reforms that have engaged the Gulf state in a heated debate.

The meeting was postponed to Sunday because of official engagements with the visiting Indonesian president, an official source said.

At stake is a move that analysts say will pave the way for legalizing political parties by slashing the number of electoral districts from 25 to five in a bid to clamp down on alleged irregularities in elections.

"The reduction will certainly produce better quality MPs who will focus on national issues like promoting freedom and democracy," said Nasser al-Abdali, head of the Democracy Development Society.

>more





http://uk.news.yahoo.com/29042006/323/kuwaitis-locked-bitter-debate-election-reform.html

[livvy]

21. Candidate Promises 'Fair and Honest' Election

Candidate promises 'fair and honest' election
By: MARGARET GIBBONS, Times Herald Staff
04/28/2006

"We have had good clean elections in the county and that is what I expect on May 16," said Ellis, chastising members of the grassroots Election Reform Network for "putting questions in our voters' heads."

Members of the group, who want voting machines with a paper component that will enable voters to check and make sure that the machine records the votes that they actually cast, have been critical of the Sequoia Voting Systems electronic machines that the county has used since 1996.
Their position was bolstered when Sequoia's new tabulation software for an audio component, added for the visually impaired to comply with new federal regulations, failed state certification in March.

The state voting systems examiner at that time expressed that the software, which Sequoia had attempted to correct overnight, could be manipulated by a hacker.

County election officials have maintained that the Sequoia machines with the audio component have been certified and that it is just the tabulation software that is not certified.

>more

http://www.timesherald.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16548272&BRD=1672&PAG=461&dept_id=33380&rfi=6

[livvy]

22. TX: Ballot Box Blues: County Forced to Take Emergency Measures

04/29/2006
Ballot box blues: County forced to take emergency measures
By JULIE DAFFERN , LAREDO MORNING TIMES

With early voting for several races set to begin Monday and no ballots, Webb County election officials will have to print emergency ballots for the May 13 election.
Oscar Villarreal, elections administrator, sent an e-mail Friday evening saying that paper ballots were not yet available and officials would have to print ballots from proofs provided by Election Systems and Software.

>snip

He later said that his office was aware that there were problems with ES&S providing electronic ballots earlier in the week, but that he had no idea Webb County's paper ballots were going to be affected until Friday.
"We've never been in this predicament," Villarreal said.
With the county's electronic machines impounded because of a pending case contesting the March 7 Democratic primary election, Villarreal already had ruled out using electronic ballots.

>more

http://www.lmtonline.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16556328&BRD=2290&PAG=461&dept_id=569392&rfi=6

[livvy]

23. NC: Paper Ballots Return

Paper ballots return
County expects long night of counting
by Julie Ball, [e-mail]
published April 29, 2006 12:15 am

ASHEVILLE — For decades, Buncombe County voters have pulled a lever, punched a card or pushed a button at the polls.

But for Tuesday’s primary, many will use a paper ballot and a pen to vote. For some, it will be their first time using a paper ballot.

Voters in both Buncombe and McDowell counties will use paper ballots, while the rest of North Carolina’s counties have opted for new optical scan or electronic voting machine systems. The new systems are in response to a state law that requires a paper trail that voters can review and verify.

Buncombe County leaders, frustrated that the state had approved just one vendor — Election Systems & Software — to provide the equipment decided to use paper ballots for the primary. County officials were also frustrated with the short time frame they had to make the decision.

>more

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060429/NEWS01/60428067/1010&theme=ELECTION

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

26. the real story, before HCPB folks get all giddy

Read the whole article - for the facts

R/e the Hand Counting in 2 NC Counties -

It is all about hoping that our new VVPB law will be repealed. Buncombe County is the Diebold lobbyist's stomping grounds. If you have been paying attention, Diebold fled North Carolina:

There is story behind these two counties - The Chairman of the NC State Board of Elections,
Larry Leake - lives in Buncombe County, as does the Diebold Lobbyist, Steve Metcalf.
Steve Metcalf used to be the county manager of Buncombe, and later was a democratic
state senator who resigned under cloud of an investigation. Larry Leake is opposed to paper in
elections.

Our State Board of Elections has always opposed voter verified paper ballots.
They voted 5-0 against paper, and they voted 5-0 in favor of certifying Diebold.
They were trying to phase out optical scan.

On January 20, 2006, Buncombe County Commissioner David Young said that,

“by going with paper ballots in May, we can allow the General Assembly time to fix this law and give us more options for November.” - Citizen Times

Another commissioner stated that you can expect a "negative bounce" (following a hand counted election).
(They mean they can scare politicians with the idea of thousands of ballots being hand counted and results being turned in late)

*They believe that

"Wake (County) will go to the General Assembly to get this mess of a law changed."
They are hoping that most folks voting in the Buncombe county will use the DREs so that they have few if any paper ballots to hand count.

They said they wanted to "postpone the decision to see if someone else gets into the game."

At one of Buncombe Co's Commissioners meeting, there was discussion about the $966K in HAVA money. The commissioners wanted to make sure that they wouldn't lose it by postponing their decision. They were told that as long as they had ADA equipment available in the primary, they could use the money later on (to buy voting machines).
They hope to divert as many voters to the ADA touchscreens to reduce the number of regular paper ballots used.

If standards of the NC law were weakened, Diebold would be the vendor with the best chance of getting back in, as they probably could post the bond, they just don't want anyone looking at their source code, nor do they want to be charged with a crime if they put uncertified software on machines as they were caught doing in California. Diebold needs a way to save face, after recent departure of CEO, stockholders lawsuits, and discovery in California of some crazy software issues in California.

Below is the letter that County Commissioners sent to Governor Easley asking for delay in implementing the Public Confidence in Elections Act, and also the response from Buncombe County's Manager to my public records request:

http://triadblogs.com/uploads/NCVoter_Buncombe_FOIA_response.pdf

http://triadblogs.com/uploads/NCVoter_Buncombe_Gov_Easley.pdf

Buncombe Co Commiss Jan 19 meeting:
http://www.triadblogs.com/NCVoter/1544/

This is all about trying to use stiff political power to amend or repeal North Carolina's verified voting law.

We spent months fighting the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners' attempt
to get the law repealed. (I blogged about that too)

Now we have a local group of activists fighting in Buncombe to persuade the BOE and County
Commissioners to overturn their resolution to purchase all DRES.

As it stands, after this election, if nothing changes, Buncombe will be an all touchscreen county.

Additionaly, the Buncombe BOE is having trouble getting enough republican poll workers.

Go to my blog for more on Buncombe County
http://www.triadblogs.com/NCVoter/

ON top of it all, they are short neary 100 poll workers, and their
regular workers are refusing to come to the polls. They should not be
poll workers again, IMHO.
Short especially on GOP ballot counters.

[livvy]

24. IL: St. Charles Recount Shows Paper Snafu Thwarted Votes

Saturday, April 29, 2006
St. Charles recount shows paper snafu thwarted votes

By Josh Stockinger
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Thursday, April 27, 2006

About 50 would-be voters did not cast ballots in last month’s primary election after voting machines at a St. Charles precinct ran out of paper, officials said Wednesday.

The figure came out of a recount this week of ballots in nine precincts. A citizens group in St. Charles requested the recount on an $86 million bond issue request to build schools.

While the recount verified the request’s failure by 134 votes, it also confirmed suspicions that dozens of people left St. Charles Precinct 24 without voters.

Several machines at the polling place ran out of paper, and an effort to restock them was delayed. Would-be voters reported leaving amid long lines that remained after hours.

>more

http://www.dailyherald.com/community/zonestory.asp?id=182909&zone=stc

[Kurovski]

25. Kick to top.

Thanks, livvy!