Vote By Mail Book and Research

[GentryLange]

Hi everyone,

Haven't been around in awhile. But I am looking for people to help me research Vote By Mail problems, etc. I am currently running a blog on the subject and writing a book:

http://www.novbm.com

So if anyone has an interest in helping, blogging, posting links, or helping me edit the book... please chime in!

Most of you won't remember me, but I was Andy Stephenson's campaign manager, and so I still have a lot of love for most everyone on here!

My direct email is [e-mail], so drop me an email if you have the time to help in anyway.

Thanks!

[jilln]

1. I can't help you directly

but I can suggest you look into the Danish system. A Dane told me about it, and it was very interesting. When I asked if they were worried someone might steal their ballots, he said "Whatever for?"

Must be nice ;-)

[GentryLange]

2. Don't know about the Danes? but...

Here's a good system, sure:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B05wPomCjEY

[JanusAscending]

3. The only help I can give you is this...

If I'm not mistaken, Oregon's voting is done entirely by mail. Why don't you contact the Gov. of Oregon who's name escapes me at the moment, but I saw a whole T.V. Documentary about him in re to coal oil as alternative fuel. I was very impressed with him and his ideas! Hope this helps. I'm really surprised you haven't heard of this??!!! I'm sorry , I think I gave you mis information.It's not Oregon. Maybe Utah? I know it was the "Brian Sweitzer's" State! That's the name I couldn't remember. I'm getting old and losing it! Somebody out there HELP!!! please??

[troubleinwinter]

4. Welcome back, Gentry!

Your site asks if anyone is discussing the Ohio SoS issue of conscripting poll workers. Yep, we are, here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=465954&mesg_id=465954

[JanusAscending]

5. Voting by mail....

Went to google....It's Montana!!!!!!(whew)

[JanusAscending]

6. Bless Bess! !!!

OK I've got it all sraight now. Washington State was the first to have all voting by mail, then OREGON accepted vote by mail in 2005. I got Oregon right in the first place. I also got the Gov. of Montana right, but two different issues.....sorry....but thank god for Google!!

[GentryLange]

10. Oregon was first

Oregon is the only state that has gone 100% VBM at this point. We are fighting it tooth and nai in Washington. And so far losing.

We packed the last meeting to the rafters, and not one person of any political persuasion spoke in favor of VBM. That's King County, as we are the last hold-out in Washington. But the Dems pushed it through over large and vocal protest.

Anyway, my purpose is to help get the information out, so that other states do not follow our example... and instead learn from it.

[kster]

7. Heres an article for ya

http://www.blueoregon.com/2007/01/reject_papertra.html

[Land Shark]

8. Vote by mail is a trend in more places than WA state following OR state...

so thanks for doing this work.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

9. how Colorado does VBM

Folks in Oregon have told me that a state should
already have election integrity in place before considering
VBM.

If you don't have election integrity to begin with,
it may only get worse.


Colorado Springs VBM 2003
http://www.ncvoter.net/downloads/VBMCoSpgs_2003_mail-in.pdf


PPFC Colorado Springs 2003 Election
http://www.ncvoter.net/downloads/VBMPPFC_CoSpgs_2003_election.pdf

more at www.ejfi.org

[GentryLange]

11. Vote By Mail A Problem Regardless...

Of your state's history. Oregon has no system in place to audit the ballots against the Sequoio (Sarosota Florida) machines. So there is no way to tell if there system works in the first place.

From Greg Palast, to Bev Harris, to Lynne Landes, I have yet to find a voting activist who thinks vote-by mail is a good system. In fact, Reed College in Portland, helps put out a blog called Election Updates, along with several other Universities Nationally, that continual reports on Vote By Mail problems.

http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/blog.html

Vote By Mail is also typically combined with closing the polling place, which eliminates 1000s of citizens who use to participate in the public oversight of the election, as well as with electronic voting machines.

So with VBM you get:

1. Electronic vote counting on proprietary software
2. Centralized vote counting removed from public scrutiny
3. Inceased private contractor handling of the ballots
4. Increased loss of ballots, 0.7%-2.5% mail loss rate for the USPS in the last GAO report
5. Increased election times, from campaigns that must start earlier with get-out the vote campaigns starting the day ballots go out, and then must be maintained until election day.
6. Increased counting time, during which close elections even in small counties like Montana of 4000 voters must wait weeks to declare a winner. Counties that use to have winners declared shortly after the polls closed
7. The total elimination of the secret ballot.

And that's just to start.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

13. I'm not pushing it, but there are activists who are

Believe me I sympathize with you.

Some serious election integrity advocates in your state
are pushing VBM.

There is an organization that is pushing it for
all states too.

www.votebymailproject.org

But I want to credit some of the Oregon folks -
some do not try to proselytize.

Also, Oregon is working on audits etc.

[rumpel]

12. Please see my post and concerns

about anything that is done by mail -

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=466392&mesg_id=466392

and in depth

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=458059

and my daughters yet to be resolved status of voter registration - what can be called as "The Attack of The Never Ending Voter Registration Forms"

thanks for doing this research

rumpel