Court Day Special: Election Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News 8/25/06

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Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Friday 8/11/06

For those who are not familiar with CA-50 election contest

This is the district in San Diego of the infamous Congressman Cunnigham now serving time - our own DU'er landshark represents the plaintiffs.
Why this is not trumping the J Bennet Ramsey case "news" for the MSM - well, go figure

Thanks to emlev's post of last night:

TIME: HEARING ON ELECTION CONTEST AND MOTIONS TO DISMISS IS AT 1:30 PM Friday, August 25, 2006, San Diego Superior Court, Dept 60, 330 Broadway, San Diego, CA, 92101 The Honorable Yuri Hofman, Judge.

UPDATE / OUTLOOK: The Defendants filed motions to dismiss on Tuesday set for hearing Friday at 1:30 coinciding with the Court's previously ordered hearing at the same time for purposes of determining how the case will proceed after reading the trial briefs of the parties. The motions to dismiss are based on the argument of Rep. Bilbray and Registrar Haas that the Court has no jurisdiction on account of Art. I, sec. 5 of the United States constitution, which provides that the House and Senate are to judge the qualifications of their members, and further arguing that the House's authority to do so is exclusive, thus depriving the California courts of any jurisdiction. If true, the swift swearing in of Bilbray (7 days, which may set an all time record) specifically PRIOR to certification would ALSO deprive Haas of any jurisdiction to certify the results. Simply put, according to the defendants own arguments triggered by the swearing in of Bilbray on June 13, every action of San Diego County thereafter which included the counting of votes and provisional votes, was null and void. Thus, the defendants are directly arguing that the swearing in of Bilbray completely terminated the election in the 50th Cong. District, prior to the official certification of the results, upon which all legal aspects of elections are actually dependent.

Secondarily, the Rep. Bibray is bringing an anti-SLAPP claim for attorney fees against citizens Jacobson and citizen Ritt, claiming that these citizens have mounted a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, specifically in violation of the First Amendment rights of Rep. Bilbray. It is, of course, absurd to suggest that two citizens have strategically prevented the "public participation" of Rep. Bilbray when the very question of his election is at bar, and Rep Bilbray has enough backing of the House of Representatives of the United STates of America to get himself sworn in only 7 days after the election while votes are still being counted.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x446966

The incredible hutzpah and arrogance of these people aganist the citizens is mind boggling!

Make sure you visit

www.nosleepovers.org

and the facts:
http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/07/dnc_voting_righ.php

this can happen in your district

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.

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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:

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Link to previous Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph ...

All previous daily threads are available here:
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and now to the regulary scheduled ERD news from accross the country and the globe...

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1. FL: Elections supervisor has confidence in machines

The Palm Beach Post

By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Friday, August 25, 2006

With his first major test as Palm Beach County elections supervisor less than two weeks away, Arthur Anderson on Thursday voiced confidence in the county's paperless electronic voting machines and said the run-up to the Sept. 5 primaries has been uneventful so far.

Anderson also announced a $550,000 media campaign to boost voter awareness and a new system that places automated phone calls to absentee voters to make sure they have received their ballots.

Many voters across the nation have "doubt and fear" about electronic voting, Anderson said at a news conference, but "we do have very trustworthy election equipment."

In 2004, Anderson capitalized on concerns about touch-screen voting and called for a voter-verified ballot "paper trail" when he unseated former elections chief Theresa LePore.

He still supports a paper trail, Anderson said Thursday.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/politics/content/local_news/epaper/2006/08/25/s3c_elex_0825.html

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2. FL: More Voters Casting Their Ballots Early

By JULIE PACE The Tampa Tribune

Published: Aug 25, 2006

TAMPA - With more than a week of early primary voting left to go, election officials say participation is high.

As of Thursday afternoon, more than 5,500 people in Hillsborough County have voted since polling opened Monday. There were 12,560 early votes cast during the 2004 presidential primary.

Hillsborough's supervisor of elections, Buddy Johnson, said voters are coming in faster this year.

"Between early voting and absentee voting, the pressure on voting day will be down," he said.

The state Legislature made early voting available in 2002 after massive lines and other problems arose during the 2000 presidential election. The process gives voters two weeks to cast votes before both primary and regular elections.

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB2D1FY9RE.html

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3. OpEd: An Exit Strategy for Electronic Voting

August 24, 2006 at 19:43:06

by Bruce O'Dell

Even though there are fundamental technical considerations which should rule out use of electronic vote tallying technology, some of my Information Technology colleagues are still trying hard to salvage it (see, for example,
the web site of the research group called ACCURATE).

When it comes to electronic voting technology, we do not
need a better mousetrap – we need an exit strategy.

I've done my best to explain why, in detail, elsewhere – but the main points bear repeating.

Voting systems are national defense systems (!) deserving the highest level of protection. Undetected compromise of our nation's voting systems is equivalent to our being invaded and occupied by a foreign power, since the American people lose control of their lives and destinies in either case - except that "coup by covert election manipulation" occurs under the reassuring guise of business as usual. I am ashamed that my profession has enabled voting systems to be deployed with mechanisms inadequate to protect mere financial transactions - much less, to safeguard the foundation of our national sovereignty.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_bruce_o__060824_an_exit_strategy_for.htm

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4. MA: Voter registration (announcement)

The Westborough News

Friday, August 25, 2006

The last day to register to vote for the State Primary Election on Tuesday, Sept. 19, is on Wednesday, Aug. 30.
Special Voter Registration will be from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Town Clerk's Office, Town Hall, 34 West Main St. on that day.
Residents only need to register to vote once unless they have recently turned 18, recently became a U.S. citizen, moved from another city, town or state or moved within the town.
The Town Clerk's office hours are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays from 7:39 a.m. to noon.

http://www2.townonline.com/westborough/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=561677

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5. MA: Ryan pledges to correct voting errors

Friday, August 25, 2006
By PETER GOONAN
[e-mail]
SPRINGFIELD - Mayor Charles V. Ryan, in a signed declaration yesterday, pledged to take a series of steps to uphold the rights of Hispanic voters in response to legal action recently filed by the U.S. Department of Justice.

In a five-page declaration, filed in U.S. District Court, Ryan detailed the steps being taken including: active recruitment of more bilingual poll workers; expanded training of all poll workers to assist Spanish language voters; translation of all election-related materials into Spanish; the new appointment of a Spanish Language Election Program coordinator; and establishment of an advisory committee to review the program and advise the coordinator.

The declaration was part of the city's response to the Justice Department's suit and request for a temporary restraining order that seeks to halt alleged violations of the Voting Rights Act pertaining to Spanish language voters. A hearing before Judge Michael Ponsor is scheduled on Monday at 2:30 p.m.

http://www.masslive.com/hampfrank/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1156491791298220.xml&coll=1

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6. AZ: No fine for governor's campaign debt

Arizona Daily Star

By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.25.2006

PHOENIX — Gov. Janet Napolitano's re-election campaign violated state law by contracting for consulting services before it had the money to pay for them, the Citizens Clean Election Commission concluded Thursday.
The 5-0 vote came despite arguments from Andy Gordon, attorney for the governor, that the commission and Todd Lang, its executive director, were misreading the law.
But the matter was settled when the panel voted unanimously not to levy a penalty after the governor agreed to a deal: Her campaign will obey the law in the future — and in the manner in which Lang interprets it.

Thursday's action drew derision from Glenn Hamer, executive director of the state Republican Party. He said for the commission to find that Napolitano broke the law but waive all penalties will "call into question the fairness of the commission."
Hamer said his views are not tempered by the fact that the commission, by law, consists of two Republicans, two Democrats and an independent — and that the vote was unanimous.

http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/143634

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7. CA: Election transparency supported

by Rebecca S. Bender, 8/25/2006

A Zogby International poll released Wednesday found that, on average, 92 percent of Americans across demographic and political spectrums agree that U.S. citizens have the right to view information on elections officials’ procedures for counting votes.

The Voter Confidence Committee of Humboldt County was quick to endorse the conclusions of that poll — and to reiterate its call for local election reform.

“I think the main thing that we’re hoping will register with people is that this number — 92 percent — is extraordinary,” VCC co-founder Dave Berman said. “These numbers speak for themselves: There’s nothing else that has found that much support from citizens, in any poll.”

The poll, which surveyed 1,018 likely voters by telephone between Aug. 11 and 15, was sponsored by attorney Paul Lehto. Lehto specializes in election law and is currently serving as counsel in the 50th Congressional District recount effort in San Diego.

http://www.eurekareporter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ArticleID=14275

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29. discussion at:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x446975

thanks to GuvWurld

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8. NY: Seeking a voice on voting machines

Times Union

19 county legislators sign letter asking that their views on new devices be heard by elections commissioners

By CAROL DeMARE, Staff writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Friday, August 25, 2006

ALBANY -- Nineteen county legislators have signed a letter to elections commissioners asking to be included in discussions on new voting machines to be purchased for next year's elections.
"We are simply asking, in a bipartisan way, for an opportunity to offer our opinion as representatives of the people of Albany County, as to which type of voting machine we prefer for Albany County," legislator Tim Nichols, a Latham Democrat, said in the letter hand-delivered earlier this month. "The Legislature should be fully engaged in this process that is at the root of our democracy. Any decision must include us."

County Democratic Elections Commissioner James Clancy said legislators would be included.
"There will definitely not be any decisions made in a vacuum," Clancy said.
For now, the matter is before the state Board of Elections, which must review and test machines and ensure they are in compliance with the federal Help America Vote Act.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=511409&category=ALBANY&BCCode=&newsdate=8/25/2006

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9. AZ: Turning voting into a raffle masks, not solves, the real problems

Web Devil - Arizona State University

by Daniel Raven
published on Friday, August 25, 2006

The Voter Rewards Initiative, also known as Proposition 200 on this year's ballot, aims to increase voter turnout by offering voters in Arizona's primary and general elections a chance to win $1 million by being "randomly selected" in a post-election raffle.

I've always been fond of using the ends to justify the means.

Still, while I appreciate the goal of Proposition 200 - stimulating voter turnout to ensure equal representation and promote functional democracy - I'm not sure if the scent of money is a positive or constructive means of coaxing voters to the polls.

Funded by the Arizona Lottery's unclaimed prize fund, the initiative is the brainchild of failed gubernatorial candidate Dr. Mark Osterloh, who has included provisions to make it retroactive for this year's elections.

You don't have to be an eye doctor like Osterloh to see how gimmicky Proposition 200 is.

While its intentions are noble, the end results of the Voter Rewards Initiative will not serve to improve the democratic process, let alone justify the mockery it makes of that process.

http://www.statepress.com/issues/2006/08/25/opinions/697325

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10. MD: E-poll book will cut voter fraud

The Daily Times

State election officials show new high-tech system to maintain integrity
By Annie McCallum
Staff Writer

OCEAN CITY -- When citizens go to the polls next month, they're going to notice a major change.

All Maryland localities will be using an electronic poll book in the upcoming primary elections on Sept. 12 and the general election on Nov. 7. The e-poll book will replace the long reams of paper election officials would use to check off the names of voters.

The sleek new computerized system is networked and looks like a small tablet. It keeps an accurate real time database and can show if someone has voted or received an absentee ballot.

"This will eliminate voter fraud," Mary Dewar, Maryland State Board of Elections communications director, said.

But perhaps the biggest effect the e-poll book will have on voters is the ability to cut down on lines. Dewar said that it shows information so instantaneously that the board of elections predicts less waiting in line to vote.

This is the first year Maryland voting precincts have used the electronic system. The board of elections doesn't foresee any problems with using the e-poll books because of the ease and efficiency of the new technology.

"It's not something drastically different to use," Dewar said.

http://www.delmarvanow.com/worcester/stories/20060824/2322288.html

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11. HI: Voter registration increases by 3.8%

The Honolulu Star Bulletin

Whether turnout will also rise is uncertain, a UH analyst says

By B.J. Reyes
[e-mail]
Voter registration for next month's primary election is up about 3.8 percent from two years ago, according to preliminary estimates.

As of yesterday, the deadline to register for voting in the Sept. 23 primary, about 650,000 people statewide had registered, said Glen Takahashi, city election administrator. Two years ago, a presidential election year, 626,120 voters registered for the primary.

Final figures, including statewide absentee ballot registrations, are expected by Labor Day, Takahashi said.

Whether the increased registration translates to increased turnout remains to be seen.

Hawaii traditionally has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the country. In 2004 only 248,731, or 40 percent of registered voters, actually cast ballots in the primary, according to the state Office of Elections.

http://starbulletin.com/2006/08/25/news/story09.html

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12. WI: Secretary of state race intensifies

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Outspoken challenger makes steady digs at longtime incumbent

By TOM HELD
[e-mail]

Posted: Aug. 24, 2006

Despite the connotations of the job title, the race for the Democratic nomination to be Wisconsin secretary of state hasn't exactly been about diplomacy.

Although the campaign hasn't turned quite as shrill as that for attorney general, the incumbent feels it has taken an "unfortunate" turn.

Stripped of most of its authority over the past three decades, the secretary of state's office is responsible for storing and preserving state records, affixing the state seal to official documents, registering trademarks and guiding citizens to other appropriate agencies.

Still, the race for this coveted post has included growing antagonism between the new-guard challenger, Scot Ross, 37, who counts a raft of younger elected Democrats among his endorsers, and the longtime incumbent, Douglas La Follette, 66. The job carries a four-year term and an annual salary of about $65,000.

The distant cousin of "Fighting Bob" La Follette, a celebrated U.S. senator, has held the job for 28 years, and last faced a primary challenge in 1990.

The winner of the Sept. 12 primary will face Republican Sandy Sullivan, author of "Green Bay Love Stories," a personal memoir about the Packers in the 1960s, and Green Party candidate Michael La Forest in the general election.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=487683

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13. Diebold voting machine failures strike again in Alaska

ars technica


8/25/2006 8:48:22 AM, by Ryan Paul

Plagued by hardware defects, security vulnerabilities, and rapidly diminishing credibility, voting machine manufacturer Diebold has been dealt yet another setback as Alaskan state elections are hampered by problems with the company's products. Assorted issues with voting machines in seven precincts forced some election officials to manually count and upload votes.

The Alaskan Democratic Party had anticipated the machine failures, and encouraged voters to use paper ballots in order to ensure that their votes were not discarded or incorrectly counted. Diebold voting machines have a poor track record and a colorful history. The machines were successfully hacked by computer experts hired by Leon County, Florida, and a 2003 study of leaked Diebold voting machine code conducted by security analysts revealed that the code is fundamentally flawed and vulnerable to exploitation in numerous ways. The state of California banned Diebold machines and then sued the company in 2004, asserting that the voting machine manufacturer had installed uncertified software on the machines, violating its agreement with state and calling into question the validity of vote counts conducted with the hardware.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060825-7592.html

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14. CA: Diebold to Count Nevada County's Votes in November

By: YubaNet
Published: Aug 23, 2006 at 12:43

Nevada County supervisors voted unanimously to have Diebold Election Systems count the votes in the upcoming November election. The $250,000 rental was proposed by Clerk-Recorder Kathleen Smith as a one-time deal, to bring Nevada County in compliance with the federal mandate HAVA (Help America Vote Act), and give her more time to find a permanent solution.

Of the voting systems certified in California, Diebold is the only one that has a conditional certification. This fact did not faze supervisors.

Ted Owens asked how many counties in California have a similar agreement with Diebold. Mike Rockenstein, Diebold's representative, replied that 20 counties in California are using some form of Diebold equipment. He didn't specify if these counties were renting the equipment, like Nevada County would be doing, or if they own it. According to YubaNet's research, Diebold had one rental agreement in California for the June primary.

Owens asked Smith if the county had some recourse against the vendor in case of an equipment failure. Rockenstein answered that a clause in the rental contract provides for liability failure in this case. Smith pointed out that the contract stipulates the payment of a lump sum, after the successful conclusion of the election.

http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_41084.shtml

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15. CT: Town gets look at voting machine

Greenwhich Time

By Neil Vigdor
Staff Writer

Published August 25 2006

With Greenwich trying to be one of the first municipalities in the state to make the switch to new electronic voting machines this November, election officials got a demonstration of the equipment yesterday from Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz.

Voters will be required to blacken the ovals on the paper ballot with a pen or pencil and feed it into an optical scanner similar to those used to score standardized tests, under the new Accu-Vote system designed by LHS Associates Inc.

The state selected the Methuen, Mass.-based company to supply it with optical scanners for all 169 of its municipalities, entering into a $15.7 million contract earlier this month.

The scanners sit atop a black ballot box on wheels that can sort through different types of ballots, such as those with write-in candidates on them. They will replace the mechanical lever machines, many of which date back 70 years and are difficult to find replacement parts for.

http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/local/scn-gt-a1votingfridayaug25,0,6274603.story?coll=green-news-local-headlines

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16. Iowa troops overseas first to vote electronically

Des Moines Register

ASSOCIATED PRESS

August 25, 2006


Iowa soldiers deployed abroad will be able to cast absentee ballots electronically under new rules announced Thursday by state and local election officials.

“Time is of the essence,” said Montgomery County Auditor Joni Ernst, a major in the Iowa National Guard who has been deployed to the Middle East. “This is a significant number of voters.”

Polli Brunelli, head of voter assistance programs at the Defense Department, said Iowa will become one of seven states to allow absentee ballots to be cast electronically.

She hailed the move as a way of increasing voter participation in this year’s midterm elections.

“Voter participation in midterm elections drops by 10 percent to 20 percent,” she said.

The announcement was made at a Statehouse news conference featuring state, local and federal officials, and National Guard soldiers

Secretary of State Chet Culver said letters will be sent in the coming week to families of those deployed overseas listing their options for voting.

A family member may pick up an absentee ballot, or soldiers can request an absentee ballot by e-mail. They can then either fax or e-mail the ballot back.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060825/NEWS/60825005/1001/NEWS06

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17. DC: New Voter Registration Site at the Reeves Center (announcement)

8/25/2006 9:53:00 AM

To: National Desk

Contact: Mike Simpson, 202-671-0547, for the DC Office of Campaign Finance

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 /U.S. Newswire / -- Registering to vote in the District has just gotten easier. The DC Office of Campaign Finance has partnered with the DC Board of Elections and Ethics to open a walk-up voter registration site at the Frank D. Reeves Center. Located in the lobby of the Reeves Center, at 14th and U Streets, NW, the site will be open from 1-4 p.m. weekdays.

District residents can complete the voter registration application in minutes. Once the application is processed by the Board of Elections and Ethics, voter registration cards will be sent by mail, with information on the newly registered voter's voting location. Registrants must be 18 years old by Election Day, and must register 30 days prior to the election. Voters in the Nov. 7, 2006 General Election must be registered by Oct. 10, 2006.

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18. TN: The Ballot Box Revolution is under way..... Get used to it!

Maggie Richards
Just a couple nights ago on the evening news I learned about what I consider "Operation Vote Fraud”" in Escambia and apparently a lot of other Florida counties.

It seems that our new elections supervisor, Mr. David Stafford, has chosen to use ONLY the "made for fraud" touch screen voting machines for early voting. It also appears that Mr. Stafford lied about the use of these machines last fall, according to an article in the Pensacola News Journal, " Election officials talk about new equipment" by Angela Fail, dated October 16, 2005.

http://pensacolademocrats.com/article.php?story=2005102315024837#comments

He claimed that we "don't have to use the machines if we don't want to" in that article.

I've heard from people all over the state & this is apparently happening all over Florida.

I called the supervisor of elections office this morning and the lady who answered the phone confirmed that only touch screens are available for early voting. She hemmed and hawed about paper ballots being available..... and on further questioning admitted that a voter 'could request' absentee ballot. Why the hell should I have to use an absentee ballot when we have perfectly good optical scanners that show beyond any doubt who or what we voted for & the ballot is not likely to get crumpled, marked on or otherwise destroyed?

http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/cgi-bin/blogs/voices.php/2006/08/25/p10278

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19. CA: Congressional Election Nullified – Nobody Noticed

Friday, 25 August 2006, 10:45 pm
Article: Michael Collins
Speaker of the House Nullified
San Diego Congressional Race

By Michael Collins
“Scoop” Independent Media
Washington, DC

It appears the US media overlooked one of the great political stories of the year. In what is becoming something of a pattern, here’s a brief chronology:

On June 6, 2006 Republican Brian Bilbray allegedly slightly outpolled Democrat Francine Busby in the special election for California’s 50th Congressional District, despite Busby’s lead in the polls going into the election. There were immediate cries of foul following the election due to major irregularities, including electronic voting machines sent out to the homes and cars of volunteers for up to 12 days prior to the election, and irregular election results like huge mega-precincts of absentee ballots where turnout was thousands of percent more than registered voters.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0608/S00316.htm

:hi: autorank

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20. KY: Women's Equality Day: In Praise of Radical Women

The Courier Journal

By Lucinda Marshall
Special to The Courier-Journal


Women's Equality Day on August 26 is celebrated as a commemoration of the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote. While most of us now take this right for granted, in its day, women's suffrage was a controversial issue and those who fought for it were considered radicals.

While this is an excellent opportunity to honor this significant moment in our history, it is also a chance to recognize the radical women of our own time who are working not only to insure that the democratic process really works and that our votes count but also to rectify the situation when it doesn't.

One such woman is Bev Harris, founder and one of two 54-year old women who run Black Box Voting. Harris has worked tirelessly to expose the problems of our current voting system, particularly the pitfalls of electronic voting. Her work has raised significant questions about the companies that make electronic voting machines (Diebold, Sequoia and ES&S). Harris sees the issue as the need for, "citizens being able to oversee and authenticate their own elections." And she points out, "We, the People, own the government and when you own something, it's up to you to manage it. Our children and grandchildren will inherit this government. The most important inheritance they can get from us is a government that they still control. We can't get that by clicking "send" on an e-mail someone else wrote for us, or by hoping someone else will take care of it for us. It's going to be up to us, and for that reason, the focus of my work now is on teaching citizens the practical skills they need to achieve real oversight over their elections and, ultimately, the government itself."

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060825/OPINION04/60824040

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21. FL: Voting machine proposal referred to court

08/25/06

The county attorney believes portions of the petition conflict with state election laws.


A citizens' petition to revise the Sarasota County Charter and require voting machines that produce a verifiable paper receipt for recounts has been steered to a circuit court for validation rather than advertised for inclusion on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.

On Tuesday, the county commission unanimously agreed to follow the advice of its legal staff, which has reviewed the petition language and found portions that might conflict with Florida election laws. An expedited court ruling will be sought.

An organization called the Sarasota Alliance for Fair Elections collected more than 14,000 petition signatures from registered voters -- well more than of the required number -- to have a referendum question about voting machines placed on the countywide ballot.

"We've identified a number of provisions that appear to conflict with the state election code," County Attorney Steve DeMarsh told the commission at Tuesday's meeting. "If the commission is in doubt, it should seek declaratory relief in the courts."

There is an understandable concern among some commission members that they might look like obstructionists.

"My question is the timetable," Commissioner Shannon Staub said. "What is the drop-dead date for getting this on the Nov. 7 ballot?"

http://www.venicegondolier.com/NewsArchive3/082506/vn1.htm

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22. Elsewhere: Bahrain-Electronic voting plan under fire

Thursday 24 August 2006

By KANWAL TARIQ HAMEED


BAHRAIN'S plan to use electronic voting in council and parliamentary elections later this year came under heavy fire last night.

It is too experimental and raises questions over transparency, identity, confidentiality and possible tampering, participants at a conference on e-voting declared at the Al Oruba Club in Juffair last night.

"We have one single day (for voting), we either get it right or the whole thing will collapse," said Al Wefaq National Islamic Society member Khalil Almarzooq, who is a certified information systems auditor, with 17 years of experience.

He was speaking to the GDN prior to an e-voting conference organised by the Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, Al Menbar Society, Wa'ed National Democratic Action Society (NDAS), the Islamic Action Society and the Constitutional Conference Society.

Mr Almarzooq and Dr Abdulaziz Abul gave presentations on technical issues related to e-voting.

"I wanted to look at e-voting from a technical management perspective," said Mr Almarzooq.

"I'm looking at it from the process of developing IT solutions, which engages lots of processes that define the feasibility of the transformation."

Bahrain currently uses a computerised system to identify voters, which is a compulsory requirement and works, said Mr Almarzooq.

"Because the process of voting is very complicated, it requires transparency, the person himself must activate this process and there should be privacy and confidentiality, equality, smooth process and no tampering of any kind.

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=153532&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29157

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23. Philippines: Still the ‘uncleansed’ GMA

Saturday, August 26, 2006

GROUND LEVEL
By Godofredo M. Roperos
Still the ‘uncleansed’ GMA


THERE is no question about it. The impeachment cases against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo are heading for the thrash bin. This time, the efforts to unseat her from an apparently well-entrenched position in the Palace by the Pasig would stay “thrashed” for good, and become part of our country’s history. But what had recently unfurled before our nation’s eyes was the strange ways of democracy.

In the past 26 months we witnessed the unfolding of one of the most turbulent phases of our country’s recent history. From the time Mrs. Arroyo assumed the presidency as a duly elected President up to the present, her trail to the Palace was followed with loud and often raucous chorus of protest, claiming election fraud, gross cheating at the polls and rampant vote buying, putting at issue her claim to election victory.

Truly, our democracy works in ways that’s most befuddling to a nation’s citizenry, yet it is one that establishes the primal means for the people to achieve stable governance and as equally viable social order. While the ascent of the President to the nation’s highest post has been questioned by a sector of the national society every inch of the way, still our democratic process held, and continues to hold to make this republic stay whole.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/aug/26/yehey/opinion/20060826opi2.html

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24. PHILIPPINES: Arroyo beats impeachment bid

UPDATED: 11:13, August 25, 2006

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo comfortably beat an attempt by political opponents to unseat her yesterday in a widely-anticipated victory.

After a marathon overnight debate, lawmakers in the lower house of Congress voted 173 to 32 to quash the impeachment complaint, which accused Arroyo of election fraud, corruption and human rights abuses.

Arroyo, due to serve until 2010, survived a previous bid to remove her in 2005.

"As far as we are concerned, the impeachment attempt was already dead," said Astro del Castillo, managing director of investment firm First Grade Holdings in Manila.

"Even her detractors knew that the impeachment complaint was defeated and dead from the start," said Ignacio Bunye, Arroyo's spokesman. "Let us now bury this issue and just move on."

Buoyed by an improving economy, a fractious opposition and scandal fatigue among ordinary Filipinos, analysts view Arroyo's position as relatively secure ahead of congressional elections next year.

Thirteen opposition lawmakers did not show up for the ballot and seven others defected to vote in favour of junking the impeachment complaint. A total of 30 were missing from the vote.

http://english.people.com.cn/200608/25/eng20060825_296742.html

[rumpel]

26. Philippines: Minority bloc to oust deserters in Arroyo impeach bid (WOW)

Sun-Star

OPPOSITION legislators who deserted the bid to push for the impeachment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo face expulsion.

This was revealed Friday by House Minority Leader Francis Escudero who was still recovering from the defeat of the second impeachment bid against Arroyo last Thursday.

He said in a radio station dzBB interview that although the minority does not need to subject the concerned lawmakers to an ouster process, he was optimistic that they would just voluntarily leave the opposition bloc.

This, as Bishops Antonio Tobias and Deogracias Iñiguez, who are known critics of the Arroyo government, will ask the public not to reelect in next year's elections the legislators.

Arroyo, for her part, said the rejection of the second impeachment case against her showed that congressmen still have confidence in her and in her administration.

The House, voting 173-32 with one abstention, dismissed the impeachment complaint against the President by affirming the findings of the House committee on justice because the complaint lacked substance.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/man/2006/08/26/news/minority.bloc.to.oust.deserters.in.arroyo.impeach.bid.html

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25. WI: Signatures on sheriff's forms from same hand

By MARK BOXLEY/Capital Newspapers

The same person signed 15 sheriff's race nomination forms turned in by Thomas Gullick in support of Republican candidate Roger Brandner, the state crime lab determined this week.

The report stated that in the opinion of analyst Marshall M. Reed Jr., the 15 signatures on Gullick's forms were "the product of one writer."

Brandner, a Columbia County Sheriff's Department lieutenant, is running against Deputy Dennis Richards in the Sept. 12 GOP primary. Gullick, a Caledonia resident, turned in 140 of the 329 signatures Brandner submitted to get on the ballot.

The documents were sent to the crime lab after Columbia County District Attorney Jane Kohlwey received informal complaints about apparently differing styles and shapes of the signatures attributed to Gullick.

Kohlwey originally said she would need an official complaint to have the signatures examined. But the feedback she received on the street about the signatures prompted her to seek an opinion from the crime lab.

http://www.wiscnews.com/bdc/news/index.php?ntid=96281&ntpid=1

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27. On DU: DeLay Says Courts Erred in Ballot Ruling

Thanks to Judi Lynn

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2474671

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28. Walker vs Members of Congress (Article V)

Thanks to mod mom

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x446956

[rumpel]

30. TX-22 vote machines cock-up. GOP write-in name can't be entered.

Thanks to longship

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1982124

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36. Autorank: The Strange Case Of The Psychic Speaker & The Contested Election

Thanks to allthecat

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1980238&mesg_id=1980238

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37. Our Voting "System": What are you doing about it? Time to PREACH

Thanks to Copperred

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1977168

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38. Congressional Election Nullified – Nobody Noticed (Busby\Bilbray)

Thanks to WillyT

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1982660&mesg_id=1982660

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39. Must Read: GOP TX 22's Write-In's Name is So Long, Voters Will Give Up

Thanks to Dems Will Win

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1984615

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41. CA-50: Ongoing interference by the House of Representatives

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1984847

[Kurovski]

31. Thank you to our "rumpel of the daily"!

:thumbsup:

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33. ...

:)

thanks

[Kurovski]

32. Kick to the top!(nt)

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34. MO: State seeks out nursing home residents needing IDs, but few takers

The Kansas City Star

Posted on Fri, Aug. 25, 2006

IM SALTER
Associated Press
FLORISSANT, Mo. - Beth Hunyar spent weeks polling the 119 residents of St. Elizabeth Healthcare & Rehabilitation in suburban St. Louis, seeing how many would-be voters lacked the photo identification necessary at the polls starting in November.

The Missouri Department of Revenue sent letters earlier this summer to 1,500 nursing homes, senior centers and other facilities serving the elderly and disabled, offering to bring one of its 25 new mobile units to nursing homes where potential voters need their picture taken.

Hunyar, the activities director of the nursing home, found one taker, a mentally ill man named Duane. On Friday, a Department of Revenue worker drove to the nursing home and took Duane's picture.

It turns out he still can't vote - the state has determined Duane's decision-making is too impaired to cast a ballot, Hunyar said.

So it goes for the state's outreach effort to the elderly and disabled, an effort required by the new voter ID law. Of the 1,500 facilities sent letters, 53 have requested visits. St. Elizabeth was the fifth visited so far.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/15361928.htm

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35. AR: SFC County Clerk Smith agrees to turn early voting over to election

commission

Times Herald

Published: August 25, 2006

Kendall Owens, T-H Staff Writer

St. Francis County Election Commissioners will have to find a new location to hold early voting for future elections after St. Francis County Clerk Elizabeth Smith notified the commission recently of her desire to no longer supervise early voting.

According to election commission chairman Frederick Freeman, commissioners received a letter from Smith this week. Smith attended a meeting Thursday of the election commission and said, “I really would like you all to take over the early voting duties. As early voting has grown, it has caused more and more of the duties of the clerk’s office to be allowed to slide while we handle early voting, and it has just gotten to a point that it is too big for us to handle,” Smith said.

More than 2,000 early voters cast ballots during the period prior to the May primary election and the June run-off. Earlier this year, Smith was asked to move early voting by the county chapter of the NAACP. At that time, she said that she would continue to hold early voting in the vault in her office. State law allows the county clerk control of the early voting process.

snip

Storage space at the county courthouse is also becoming a growing issue for the commission, according to Freeman. He said that county officials are still attempting to find space to store the new election equipment.

“I have had some limited discussion with the county personnel and made another request for storage space. We were considering storing the equipment in the witness rooms upstairs, but I don’t know where that is now,” said Freeman.

“At this point we’re still okay, but once we have the equipment programmed and ready for the election, we’re going to need a secure location for storage,” he said.

http://www.thnews.com/article.php?id=192

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40. Bradblog: LIVE UPDATE: We have recently received the following email from

Paul Lehto:

Hi. I'm in the courtroom right now after meeting with the judge in chambers with all counsel to decide how this is going. We have wifi from a hispeed cell on this laptop. We're on a ten minute recess, then the judge will hear on our Constitutional issues (or rather the defendant's motion) only, because it goes to the predicate issue of the court's authority to proceed. On Tuesday, the court will hear the anti-SLAPP motion brought against the citizen Contestants, our discovery motions, and issues regarding the recount availability.
The issue is joined, directly on the authority or power of the Court to proceed. Can the Court protect our elections, or not?

You can blog this update if you like. Will try to give this to Ken and perhaps he will email some updates along the way if this battery holds up. We'll see.

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=3325#more-3325

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42. the conclusion of this court day:

Thanks to emlev:

Report from Court in SD re: CA-50 election contest, starring Land Shark

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x447060