Election Reform, Fraud & News Sunday 09/17/06 - Hail to MO Judge Callahan

[freedomfries]

Election Reform, Fraud & News Sunday 09/17/06 - Hail to MO Judge Callahan

:patriot:
Ruling by Cole County Judge Richard Callahan that struck down the MO voter ID law as unconstitutional:
http://www.firedupmissouri.com/system/files?file=voter_id_ruling.pdf

While a license to drive may just be that: a license and not a right. The right to vote is also just that: a right and not a license."
:patriot:

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

[freedomfries]

1. MO: September 14, 2006 - V-Day for Democracy !

Re-post:
Thank you for a job well done, Judge Richard Callahan!

http://www.firedupmissouri.com/system/files?file=voter_id_ruling.pdf
:toast:
Remember these words:
The photo ID burden placed on the voter may seem minor or inconsequential to the mainstream of our society for whom automobiles, driver licenses, and even passports are a natural part of everyday life. However, for the elderly, the poor, the uneducated, or otherwise disadvantaged, the burden can be great if not insurmontable, and it is those people outside of the mainstream of society who are the least equipped to bear the costs or navigate the many bureaucracies necessary to obtain the required documentation.
http://www.firedupmissouri.com/system/files?file=voter_id_ruling.pdf

[freedomfries]

2. Salon News: The GOP wants to see your I. D.

The GOP wants to see your I.D.
Anger and outrage lit up Congress Thursday, as Republicans defended their voter I.D. bill against charges it will suppress minority turnout.
Michael Scherer

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/09/15/voterid/index_np.html

Rep. John Doolittle, a California Republican, was mad as hell and he wasn't going to take it anymore.

"It's outrageous to hear my colleagues sit there and say that the Republican Party is embarking on a move to suppress the vote of ethnic minorities throughout the country," he shouted Thursday at a meeting of the House Administration Committee. "That is blatantly false. I am not going to sit here and by my silence give any credence to that assertion. That's ridiculous."

The outburst was so remarkable that the ranking Democrat on the committee, a fellow Californian, couldn't resist prodding Doolittle a bit more. "Who is presenting the legislation here?" asked Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, who was speaking out of order.

...
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/09/15/voterid/index_np.html

[freedomfries]

3. Re-post: M0: Judge strikes down Missouri voter ID law

Judge strikes down Missouri voter ID law
KELLY WIESE
Associated Press
September 14, 2006
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/15519955.htm

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A state judge struck down Missouri's new voter identification law Thursday as an unconstitutional infringement on the right to vote.

Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan was considering two combined lawsuits claiming the requirement that people show a federal or Missouri-issued photo ID at the polls starting in November was an unconstitutional burden on voters.

Callahan's ruling bars the photo ID requirement from being enforced. He said the requirement is a particular burden to women and the poor. That's because a separate Missouri law requires those getting or renewing a driver's license to show they are lawfully in the country, generally with a birth certificate or passport.

Those whose name has changed, such as some married women, also must provide documents showing those changes. While the ID to vote would be free, underlying paperwork has a cost, and the judge said that's unacceptable.

Without the added requirements to obtain a license or state ID card, the judge ruled, the law might not be so burdensome.

"While a license to drive may be just that: a license and not a right. The right to vote is also just that: a right and not a license," the judge wrote.

Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican who backed the law, decried the decision.

"This is a constitutionally sound law that will help improve Missourians' confidence in the elections process and help combat those who attempt to manipulate the system," he said in a written statement.

Callahan agreed that a photo ID requirement is not a burden for most of society. Supporters have said that 95 percent of Missourians already have the ID they would need.

"However, for the elderly, the poor, the under-educated, or otherwise disadvantaged, the burden can be great if not insurmountable, and it is those very people outside the mainstream of society who are the least equipped to bear the costs or navigate the many bureaucracies necessary to obtain the required documentation," the judge wrote in his ruling.

Supporters of the law argued it's necessary to prevent fraud and increase confidence in the election process. But opponents who sued said it would disproportionately harm the poor, elderly and disabled who may be least likely to drive.

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, a Democrat who has lambasted the law since the beginning, praised the judge's decision.

"This ruling affirms my concern that the law clearly jeopardizes the constitutional voting rights of many Missourians," she said in a written statement. "As Missouri's chief elections official, it's my job to ensure fair elections, and elections cannot be fair if eligible voters are not allowed to vote."

The attorney general's office, which defended the law, did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Hearne said he would consider appealing the decision if the state does not.

The judge also said in his opinion that unlike many other states, Missouri residents don't have several options to prove they are legally in the country, but rather generally must rely on documents that cost money.

The judge also noted that there have not been major complaints of voter fraud since the law was changed after the 2000 election to require voters to show some identification at the polls. That law allows a variety of items to count, from a license to the voter card sent out by election authorities to a utility bill.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/15519955.htm

[freedomfries]

4. GA: Judge blocks Georgia voter ID law, but only for special elections

Judge blocks Georgia voter ID law, but only for special elections
Access North GA
September 17, 2006
The Associated Press - ROME, Ga.
http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/ap_newfullstory.asp?ID=80374

A federal judge has again blocked the state of Georgia from enforcing its voter photo ID law _ this time during 30-plus local special elections next week _ but he did not extend that order to include the general elections in November.

U.S. District Judge Harold Murphy also didn't prevent the state from moving forward with its efforts to educate the public about the law in time for the Nov. 7 elections.

In fact, Murphy commended the state for its efforts to inform voters that under the new law they must present at the polls a valid form of government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or U.S. passport.

However, he said halting the law during next week's elections is in the public's interest and will not harm the state's preparations for November.

"There are not many people with voter ID cards when the evidence shows that there are thousands and thousands and thousands of people" that don't already have a state-approved photo ID, Murphy said.

Murphy said he will hear arguments later on whether or not the law should be in effect in November.
...
http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/ap_newfullstory.asp?ID=80374

[freedomfries]

5. CA: Voting rights center says voters may be prevented from casting ballots

Voting rights center says voters may be prevented from casting ballots
San Jose Mercury News
James Rosen
September 12, 2006
McClatchy Newspapers

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/15511883.htm
WASHINGTON - Leaders of a voting-rights center that successfully sued Florida, Washington, Ohio and other states over their election laws said Wednesday that tens of thousands of eligible voters will be prevented from casting ballots in November.

Michael Waldman, executive director of the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University Law School, said federal and state voting changes since the disputed 2000 presidential election have produced new threats to eligible voters.

Several states have overreacted to the 2002 Help America Vote Act, passed by Congress to prevent a repeat of the 2000 stalemate, by passing draconian laws and imposing rigid regulations on voter registration, Waldman said.

"Most of the significant voter suppression in this country happens not on Election Day, but before Election Day," he said.

"These are not merely bad practices," Waldman said. "They are illegal. They violate the Constitution or they violate (federal) election law."
...
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/15511883.htm

[freedomfries]

11. GA: Voter groups ask court to block Georgia registration rules

Voter groups ask court to block Georgia registration rules
Doug Gross AP
Statesboro Herald, GA

http://www.statesboroherald.net/showstory.php?$recordID=8079

NEWNAN — Members of voter and civil rights groups testified Wednesday that a pair of state voter registration rules make it virtually impossible for them to sign up voters in Georgia.

The group is asking for an injunction in federal court to prevent those rules from being enforced leading up to the November general election.

The coalition’s complaint centers on rules they say prevent so-called third-party groups that hold registration drives from photocopying voter forms or double-checking the forms before they are sealed in envelopes.

Nyana Miller, elections coordinator with Little Rock, Ark.-based Project Vote, said the requirement that applicants seal their voting forms before handing them over means her organization cannot check behind its workers to ensure that forms are filled out accurately.

‘‘To be able to double-check when it gets back to the office greatly increases the accuracy,’’ Miller said during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Jack T. Camp in Newnan. ‘‘We would never fund a drive where we can’t do quality control.’’
...
http://www.statesboroherald.net/showstory.php?$recordID=8079

[freedomfries]

17. NY: Voting rights' coalition fight voting restrictions

Groups fight voting restrictions

WALB News, Albany NY
September 14, 2006

http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=5411415&nav=5kZQ

Another voting-related court challenge. Some voter and civil rights groups say new restrictions limit their ability to sign up voters.

Today critics testified against regulations that prevent groups from photocopying or double-checking voter forms before they're sealed in envelopes. Some organizations that hold voter registration drives say the rules make it impossible for them to ensure voters sign up properly.

Albany NAACP Chapter President William Wright says the rules aren't clear-cut and hinder registration.

"We've been doing it another way all along. Why do we need to change it this close to the election? You have to become suspicious about things that always crop up and especially when something is going to have an impact on a certain group of people," says Wright.

A coalition is asking for a federal court injunction to prevent the rules from being enforced in November's general election.
...
http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=5411415&nav=5kZQ

[freedomfries]

6. ABC News: Elections easy to steal, says computer scientist

Elections easy to steal, says computer scientist
Ned Potter
ABC News Re-Post
September 15, 2006

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=2450290&page=1&ad=homepage

Sept. 15, 2006 — When you walk into a voting booth and close the curtain behind you, you know which candidates you like, and you expect the people you choose will get your vote. Right?

Not necessarily, says Edward W. Felten, a professor of computer sciences at Princeton University who has made a career in recent years of poking holes through computer security.

In 2001, Felten raised hackles in the music industry by showing how hard it was to keep a recording from being copied. He's written software to show how easily private computer networks can be breached.

And now he's violated the sanctuary of the voting booth by hacking into the electronic voting machines that were designed to prevent election fraud.

Felten and two Princeton graduate students, Ariel Feldman and Alex Halderman, created a computer virus that they say could "steal" votes from one candidate and give them to another — and go undetected.
...
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=2450290&page=1&ad=homepage

[freedomfries]

7. CITP Princeton: Security Analysis of the Diebold AccuVote-TS Machine

Security Analysis of the Diebold AccuVote-TS Voting Machine
Ariel J. Feldman, J. Alex Halderman, and Edward W. Felten
Re-Post
http://itpolicy.princeton.edu/voting/

Abstract This paper presents a fully independent security study of a Diebold AccuVote-TS voting machine, including its hardware and software. We obtained the machine from a private party. Analysis of the machine, in light of real election procedures, shows that it is vulnerable to extremely serious attacks. For example, an attacker who gets physical access to a machine or its removable memory card for as little as one minute could install malicious code; malicious code on a machine could steal votes undetectably, modifying all records, logs, and counters to be consistent with the fraudulent vote count it creates. An attacker could also create malicious code that spreads automatically and silently from machine to machine during normal election activities — a voting-machine virus. We have constructed working demonstrations of these attacks in our lab. Mitigating these threats will require changes to the voting machine's hardware and software and the adoption of more rigorous election procedures.
Full research paper
Executive summary
Frequently asked questions
Princeton e-voting studies
Demonstration Video
Hi-res video and downloads

http://itpolicy.princeton.edu/voting/

[freedomfries]

8. TPM Cafe: Defend Democracy: Attack Diebold In Its Achilles Heel

Defend Democracy. Attack Diebold In Its Achilles Heel
By background N015E
TPM Cafe

http://warrenreports.tpmcafe.com/blog/background_n015e/2006/sep/15/defend_democracy_attack_diebold_in_its_achilles_heel

By now you have probably heard about the Princeton Video that shows yet again how easy it is to compromise the Diebold systems. Here is a picture of our heroes: Dr. Felten and his students, Feldman and Halderman. nbsp;As you can see, not all patriots are firebrands from central casting. They are normal folks like you and me. And that is important because Diebold is starting to push back... and it is going to take normal folks like you and me to help our heroes keep Diebold's feet to the fire. Let's look at where Diebold is vulnerable and how Diebold is trying to defend itself.

Diebold is a publicly traded company, trading under the stock symbol DBD. First some facts about the company. Most of its stock is held in large blocks by institutional investors. It's currently trading around 42 bucks. Yet its book value (what you would get if you sold it off as parts) is only about 16 bucks a share, so the trading value includes future expectations of great earnings. If those expectations are not met, or there is serious reason to question them...for example if there is a hidden liability that may come out down the road... folks are not going to want to be holding the bag when it comes time to pay the piper. You can be sure Diebold is aware of this potentially devastating problem and they will fight back.

Here's how Diebold is pushing back in the public relations arena. They are issuing press releases designed to obfuscate the issue. For example, they claim the system hacked by the Princeton group outdated and thus not relevant. cough cough.....say WHAT!??! You are telling me they admit the systems used in the 2004 Presidential Elections were security sieves? Or was it the 2000 Presidential Elections that were flawed? Or both? Remind me again, how is that not relevant?

Of course that defense is designed to keep the press off their ass... it allows them to be "balanced" by presenting the damning evidence and then watering it down by saying "Diebold, in an official statement countered these charges by ....." Doesn't matter if they are irrelevant or not, Middle America hears "it's complicated like global warming ...blah blah blah blah ...change the channel." This is not the first time they have done this. Here's an example from Ohio as recently as August, 2006

I have an idea. How about they let the Princeton group test their current generation of machines and software before any contracts are renewed? Gee.... is that the sound of crickets I hear?
...
http://warrenreports.tpmcafe.com/blog/background_n015e/2006/sep/15/defend_democracy_attack_diebold_in_its_achilles_heel

[freedomfries]

10. Re-Post: LOTS of Diebold news! Thank you helderheid!

If you were too busy last week to check helderheild's superb compilation, here is another chance:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2150448

Thank you helderheid!
:toast:

[freedomfries]

9. Christian Science Monitor: Electronic voting's moment of truth

Electronic voting's moment of truth
Christian Science Monitor
Opinion
September 15, 2006

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20060915/cm_csm/evoting

This November, many Americans will encounter electronic voting for the first time. Will it go smoothly? The primaries have shown that problems with the new voting process are likely. So election officials must be prepared, and have a backup plan.

With 9,500 voting jurisdictions in the country, and about half a dozen vendors supplying electronic voting machines, it's not possible to know how widespread problems will be.

But in a politically divided country, with control of both the US House and Senate at stake and many races tight, it's certain that the mechanics of voting itself will receive intense scrutiny.

Elections around the country this year illustrate a wide variety of problems:

*In the Maryland primary this week, officials forgot to include electronic voter cards needed to activate machines in Montgomery County - a suburb of Washington. Voting was delayed, and many voters gave up. Backup provisional paper ballots were in short supply, and in some cases, voters wrote down choices on scrap paper.

*In Iowa, a local election looked to be running smoothly until it was noticed that a college student was leading against an experienced politician. The problem was a ballot-counting malfunction with the new technology.

*In the Michigan primary in August, election officials counted over 100 problems with electronic voting in Oakland County. These problems ranged from machine jamming to rejected test ballots. One election official complained about late delivery of equipment from a vendor so busy that the programming wasn't done properly.
...
In the short term, election officials must focus on contingency planning for November. They should have plenty of provisional paper ballots on hand. They should have technicians on call, and even a few spare voting machines ready for quick delivery if needed. They should be able to direct voters to other polling places.
...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20060915/cm_csm/evoting

[Bill Bored]

22. Is this guy kidding?

"And now he's violated the sanctuary of the voting booth by hacking into the electronic voting machines that were designed to prevent election fraud."

Designed to facilitate election fraud is more like it! Someone should email Mr. Potter about this!

[freedomfries]

12. Re-Post: Avi Rubin: My day at the polls - Maryland primary '06

Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - My day at the polls - Maryland primary '06
Read and weep: Avi Rubin's classic account of the MD train wreck!
:cry:
http://avi-rubin.blogspot.com/2006/09/my-day-at-polls-maryland-primary-06.html

I don't know where to start. This primary today is the third election that I have worked as an election judge. The last two elections were in 2004, and I was in a small precinct in Timonium, MD. This time, I was in my home precinct about 1/2 a mile from my house. We had 12 machines, over 1,000 voters and 16 judges. I woke up at 5:30 in the morning and was at the precinct before 6:00. It is now 10:18 pm, and I just got home a few minutes ago. As I have made it my custom, I sat down right away to write about my experience while everything was still fresh. In anticipation of this, I took some careful notes throughout the day.

The biggest change over the 2004 election was the introduction of electronic poll books that we used to check in voters. I was introduced to these in election judge training a few weeks ago. These are basically little touchscreen computers that are connected to an Ethernet hub. They each contain a full database of the registered voters in the county, and information about whether or not each voter has already voted, in addition to all of the voter registration information. The system is designed so that the machines constantly sync with each other so that if a voter signs in on one of them and then goes to another one, that voter will already be flagged as having voted. That was the theory anyway. These poll books turned out to be a disaster, but more on that later.
...
http://avi-rubin.blogspot.com/2006/09/my-day-at-polls-maryland-primary-06.html
:cry:

[freedomfries]

13. Computerworld: Maryland county struggles with e-voting 'fiasco'

Maryland county struggles with e-voting 'fiasco'
Access cards were not provided for Tuesday's primary; voters turned away
Marc Songini
Computerworld
September 14, 2006

http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=privacy&articleId=9003305&taxonomyId=84

September 14, 2006 (Computerworld) -- Elections workers in what is one of Maryland's largest and most prosperous counties this week gave opponents of touch-screen voting systems more ammunition when an e-voting "fiasco" prevented an unknown number of voters from casting ballots. The problem, however, wasn't so much with the machines themselves; it was caused by a human error.

On Tuesday, a procedural error temporarily left would-be primary voters in 238 precincts in Montgomery County without the ballot cards required to operate the e-voting hardware, according to elections officials. The machines used by the state are from Diebold Elections Systems Inc.

As a result of the snafu, poll workers were left scrambling to provide enough paper-based provisional ballots to voters. And in some cases, even those ran out.

With the nation headed toward what is expected to be a hotly contested congressional election involving seats in a number of states where e-voting systems will be used, any potential for technical or procedural breakdowns gives e-voting critics cause for concern.

The error was as simple as it was disruptive. The voter access cards, which are about the size of a credit card, are given to voters, who insert them into a Diebold AccuVote TSx touch-screen system. The ballot then appears on screen, allowing votes to be cast. However, the access cards needed for Tuesday's primary weren't in the sealed election-supply bags provided to the precinct election judges who oversee voting.

Without the cards, voters had to use provisional paper ballots, although not every polling place provided them. Although every precinct in the county was affected, a few located near the state's election headquarters got cards by 7 a.m., when voting was supposed to start. Other precincts didn't receive them for up to three and a half hours, forcing some voters to be turned away from the polls. Others simply gave up waiting. To compensate for the delayed voting, a judge ordered the polls to stay open an extra hour Tuesday night.
...

http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=privacy&articleId=9003305&taxonomyId=84

[freedomfries]

14. WaPo: My 'Election Official' Debut: Coping With Chaos

My 'Election Official' Debut: Coping With Chaos
Better Training Would Have Helped in Montgomery
Karen Yudelson Sandler, Bethesda
Washington Post
September 17, 2006

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/15/AR2006091500934.html

I've been reading and hearing about "election officials" in news reports all week. I know that most of the criticism is directed at Montgomery County higher-ups, but I feel as if those reports were somehow referring to me. Before Tuesday's Maryland primary, I considered myself simply a citizen trying to do some good by stepping up to work at the polls.

Yes, for my work as a check-in judge at the polling place at Church of the Little Flower in Bethesda, I will be paid a small stipend -- but not enough to cover a grueling, 16 1/2 -hour day. The three hours of training I had in July did not include contingency plans if things went wrong.

There's a reason many election officials are senior citizens who have the time to spare. This was my first time in the job, and I had to make a number of arrangements to be sure my children, who had no school, were taken care of for the long day. As it was, we were short two judges at Little Flower.

None of us election officials had assembled as a team before Monday night, when we set up the polls and went through a flurry of checklists. There were eight of us: four Republicans and four Democrats. That night, we spent most of our time hunting for things. Finding the little printers that go with the electronic poll books required a call to the Montgomery County Board of Elections. And then there was the big bag that was not to be opened until the next morning -- where the voting access cards were supposed to be found.

By 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, we assumed that the cards were there among piles of signs, clipboards, plastic wrapping, boxes, wires, canvas bags, cases and folders but that we couldn't find them. One of the judges in charge at Little Flower started calling the Board of Elections about 6:35 and was on hold until almost 7, when we got the word to use paper, or provisional, ballots. Showtime!

Most voters were quite patient with us, but then, unlike some polling places, we didn't run out of provisional ballots before the voting access cards showed up. And although there were a lot of people in the slow-moving line, it was not a crush of people. A few left and said they'd come back, although I don't know if they did.

The complaint I heard most often from would-be voters was that they didn't believe the provisional ballot was confidential. However, my main concern was a result of what I learned during our brief training: that a provisional ballot is the lowest of the low when it comes to the caste system of ballots. Our trainer more than implied that such ballots might end up on a shelf somewhere and never be looked at by anyone.
...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/15/AR2006091500934.html

[freedomfries]

15. NV: Nevada Democrats encouraged by new poll

Nevada Democrats encouraged by new poll

Las Vegas Sun, AP
September 14, 2006

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2006/sep/14/091410047.html

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Nevada Democrats said they're encouraged by a recent poll that shows them close to Republican challengers for state constitutional offices, all currently held by the GOP.

In the lieutenant governor's race, Democrat Bob Unger trailed Republican Brian Krolicki by 14 points, 44 percent to 30 percent, in the poll sponsored by the Reno Gazette-Journal and KRNV-TV. The poll had a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

But Unger said he's pleased with the poll because he's still fundraising and hasn't yet started campaigning.

"I'm pleasantly surprised with the number," said Unger, a Henderson developer. "I haven't even started to get my message out. I'm still in the campaign fundraising mode. When I start to get my message out, we are really going to close it up."
...
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2006/sep/14/091410047.html

[freedomfries]

16. TN: Case goes forward against Republican Women chief

Case goes forward against Republican Women chief

The Tennessean, AP
September 15, 2006

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060915/NEWS0206/60915012/1001/NEWS

COVINGTON, Tenn. - The case involving the president of the Tennessee Federation of Republican Women charged with voter fraud is going forward despite a ruling that her actions were not significant enough to warrant a runoff in a contested Tipton County Commission race.

Last month, Shirley Ward turned herself in on a misdemeanor charge of false entry on an official registration or election document.

Ward, of Tipton County, is charged with knowingly voting in the wrong district of the county during early voting on July 14.

...
Ward was deputy chairwoman of the President Bush supporter group "W Stands for Women" in 2004, and has served as the county chairwoman for U.S. Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and unsuccessful Republican Senate candidate Van Hilleary.
...
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060915/NEWS0206/60915012/1001/NEWS

[freedomfries]

18. WI: JS Editorial: Another muffed election

Another muffed election
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
September 15, 2006

Once again, we had an election Tuesday, and, once again, we didn't get it right.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=498207

Election glitches galore cropped up across the nation, including in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties.

Believe us when we say that the old misery-loves-company line doesn't cut it.

It's disheartening that so many problems occurred in an election that drew just 16% of eligible voters in Wisconsin. What can we expect eight weeks from now when control of Congress is at stake?

To be fair, it's unlikely that the computer problems affected vote tallies. We think Vince Bobot, who lost by about 3,700 votes to Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. in the Democratic primary, jumped the gun in asking for a recount. And yes, as Kevin Kennedy, executive director of the state Elections Board, has noted, it's hard to field-test equipment. The election is the field test.

But is this the best we can do?

In Milwaukee, it now appears that a homespun computer glitch was responsible for double-counting turnout in the city, a problem that wasn't noticed until Journal Sentinel reporters pointed it out. A hand recount of ballots could cut reported turnout by 35,000, city officials believe. An analysis by reporters Dave Umhoefer and Derrick Nunnally found reported turnouts for 198 of the city's 314 wards were suspect.
...
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=498207

[freedomfries]

19. MX: Lopez Obrador Hailed as Mexico's Legitimate Leader at Rally

Lopez Obrador Hailed as Mexico's `Legitimate' Leader at Rally
Patrick Harrington
Blommberg.com

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aHYo87GR50NY&refer=latin_america

Sept. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Mexico's losing presidential contender, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, vowed to form his own government as thousands of supporters hailed him as the ``legitimate'' president at a rally in the capital.

Lopez Obrador, who finished second in the country's July 2 presidential elections to governing-party candidate Felipe Calderon, said he would name his own cabinet. Supporters will swear in Lopez Obrador as Mexico's alternative president Nov. 20, he said.

``We are going to reject the government of the usurper,'' said Lopez Obrador, 52. ``We are going to work toward forming a new republic.''
...
Lopez Obrador, who alleges he lost the election because of fraud, said Aug. 27 that a clause in Mexico's constitution gives the people the right to change their government at any moment. During today's rally, ``delegates'' elected Lopez Obrador president by raising their hands.
...
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aHYo87GR50NY&refer=latin_america

[freedomfries]

20. BBC: Mexico Rally in Pictures

BBC News
Sunday, September 17, 2006

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/5353432.stm

[Wilms]

21. White House Nomintates An Unknown For The EAC

White House Nomintates An Unknown For The EAC

By Warren Stewart, VoteTrustUSA
September 16, 2006

Who is Caroline Hunter And Why Is She Qualified To Be An EAC Commissioner?

In a press release on September 15, the White House announced its nominee to replace Election Assistance Chairman Paul DeGregorio, who’s term expires on December 12. The nominee is Caroline C. Hunter, who currently serves as Deputy Director of Public Liason at the White House. The brief resume provided by the White House and a scan of the internet reveal nothing to suggest that Ms. Hunter in any way fulfills the qualifications required for EAC Commissioners under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

Title 2, Section 203 of HAVA clearly requires that “Each member of the Commission shall have experience with or expertise in election administration or the study of elections.” According to the press release, prior to her current position with the White House, Ms. Hunter served as Executive Officer of the Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman at the Department of Homeland Security. Earlier in her career, she served as Deputy Counsel of the Republican National Committee. Ms. Hunter received her bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University and her JD from the University of Memphis. Apparently, in her role as Deputy Counsel to the Republican National Committee, she assisted the RNC and State Parties in some way with HAVA implementation.

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I share Mr. Tokaji’s concern that “the EAC will become an agency in which the commissioners viewed their roles as protecting the interests of their parties, rather than promoting a better functioning election system as HAVA originally promised. That would likely lead to stalemates along party lines, which would effectively paralyze the EAC and destroy its ability to serve as an effective instrument for election reform.”

By law, membership on the Commission is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans (apparently other parties do not have a stake in American elections). We can only hope that the Democratic recommendation for a nominee to replace retiring commissioner Ray Martinez, will have the direct experience with elections that is not only required by law, but desperately needed at the EAC at this critical time.

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http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1784&Itemid=26


Discussion:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x449735