Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News, FRI. 3/2/07 Public Disinterest

[rumpel]

Public oversight starts at the local level.

This is the last of my series of comments on LA County's voting system and related issues. (for the time being :evilgrin: )

Los Angeles County appoints it's Registrar position. It may well be worth for election reform discussions that this position should be approved by the people. Better yet, an elected position.
As I checked, unfortunately the appointment of our current registrar was not open to public discussion or scrutiny at all. How did this employment transpire?

On the Meeting Agenda of The Board of Supervisors
NOTICE OF CLOSED SESSION - PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
10-24-95.1 CS-1.

The Board met in Closed Session to interview candidates for the position
of Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, pursuant to Government Code Section
54957. At the conclusion of the interviews, the Board may deliberate and
make an appointment. THE BOARD APPOINTED CONNY B. MCCORMACK TO THE
POSITION OF REGISTRAR-RECORDER/COUNTY CLERK, EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 21, 1995,
AT AN ANNUAL SALARY OF $118,000.00, AND INSTRUCTED THE DIRECTOR OF
PERSONNEL TO EXECUTE AN AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT WHICH IS APPROVED AS
TO FORM BY THE COUNTY COUNSEL, AND REIMBURSE MS. MCCORMACK FOR
EXTRAORDINARY TRAVEL EXPENSES AND RELOCATION EXPENSES, PURSUANT TO
PROVISIONS OF THE COUNTY CODE.

Absent: None

Vote: Unanimously carried

One can only glean from subsequent material that Ms McCormack enjoys a 100% job approval and unquestioned trust of the County Supervisors.
By now, one would assume that word and rumors about Diebold, and Ms McCormack being a "shill" for Diebold, to have given some pause and or a closer look at our voting systems. Or is it better to keep the lid on a can of worms?

I reported on the sole source contract with Diebold from voter registration database to the final tallying of votes for Los Angeles County. Her recommendation letter appears to have had no public discussion or comments whatsoever. No comments by any of the Supervisors can be found either.

Did we County residents miss our chance? Did activist organization miss their chance to voice their opinions?

April 16, 2002

104 116.
Recommendation: Approve and instruct the Chairman to sign
agreement with Diebold, Inc. and Diebold Election Systems, Inc.
for the acquisition and implementation of an Election Tally
System, automated Ballot Layout System and Direct Recording
Electronic Device Touch Screen Voting System, collectively
referred to as the Integrated System, at a cost of $3,405,438;
approve the use of $1,750,000 from the Information Technology
Infrastructure Fund to support the acquisition of the Integrated
System, effective upon the Board's approval for four years; and
authorize the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to exercise two
one-year renewal options. APPROVED AGREEMENT NO. 73956

See Supporting Document

Absent: None

Tuesday, January 31, 2006
REGISTRAR-RECORDER/COUNTY CLERK (3) 53

Recommendation: Approve and instruct the Mayor to sign amendment to agreement
with Data Information Management Systems to extend Voter Information
Management System (VIMS), maintenance and support services for an additional
twelve months on a month-to-month basis, at a cost of $32,616 per month, for a total
cost of $391,392 if all 12 months are needed; authorize the
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to execute an amendment to agreement with the
City of Los Angeles for on-line access to VIMS, at no additional cost to the City, for
the duration of the month-to-month extension period; also authorize the
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to terminate the month-to-month extension with the
Contractor and the City, if deemed necessary. (06-0242)

APPROVED; ALSO APPROVED AGREEMENT NO. 71246, SUPPLMENT 1

See Supporting Document

Absent: None

Vote: Unanimously carried

Tuesday, January 30, 2007
REGISTRAR-RECORDER/COUNTY CLERK (3) 53

Recommendation: Approve and instruct the Chairman to sign a sole source
agreement with Data Information Management Systems for continuation of existing
system maintenance and support services for the County's Voter Information
Management System (VIMS) and provide for any future system enhancements legally
mandated by the Federal Help America Vote Act and/or State of California law,
regulation, or statute, for a total contract sum of $4,116,250 over an initial five-year
contract period with three one-year extension options effective February 10, 2007 or
upon Board approval whichever is later; authorize the Registrar-Recorder/County
Clerk to amend the agreement to exercise the extension options under the terms of
the agreement if needed and to incorporate into the agreement any new or revised
Board-mandated provisions that may become effective during the term of the
agreement; authorize the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to amend the agreement
to transfer up to 20% of the contract sum ($823,250) between the agreement service
components as needed to ensure that all VIMS service components are available as
needed for optimal performance of VIMS, and to amend the agreement to increase
the contract sum up to 10% ($411,625) if needed, for a maximum contract sum not to
exceed $4,527,875. (NOTE: The Chief Information Officer recommended approval of
this item.) (07-0243)

APPROVED; ALSO APPROVED AGREEMENT NO. 76010

See Supporting Document
Absent: None

Vote: Unanimously carried

Kudos to our County and State - this type of information is readily available from the confines of your home. Research takes only minutes-

What is happening in your County?



All members welcome and encouraged to participate.


http://www.virginia.gov/productdemos/palm_demo/palm_election_results.htm
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[rumpel]

1. IL: Lawyer details voter hardships

Chicago Maroon
Independent Sudent Newspaper of the University of Chicago

By Andrew Alexander
Friday, March 2nd, 2007

Nina Perales, an attorney at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) and a lead counsel in the Supreme Court battle over the 2003 Texas Congressional redistricting plan, spoke Tuesday at the Law School on current hardships facing voters in the American Southwest.

The most disenfranchising issue, she said, is an Arizona law that requires voters to show proof of citizenship to register to vote and to display ID when voting.

The requirement was part of a 2004 ballot initiative in Arizona restricting illegal immigrants’ access to social services, Perales said, even though there have been “one, maybe two” documented cases of illegal immigrants trying to vote in that state.

Between 15,000 and 20,000 voter registration applications have been rejected since the law passed due to insufficient documentation–-registrants must provide a photocopy of their birth certificate or naturalization certificate. Perales speculated that many more would-be voters have not bothered applying for registration due to the requirements.

http://maroon.uchicago.edu/online_edition/news/2007/03/02/lawyer-details-voter-hardships/

[rumpel]

2. Kentucky Election Director Elected Secretary of National Elections Standards Board

Government Technology Public CIO

News Release
Mar 02, 2007
The Standards Board of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) recently elected its executive board members at a meeting in Atlanta. Kentucky's Executive Director of the State Board of Elections, Sarah Ball Johnson, was elected secretary.

"We are delighted that the EAC Standards Board wisely elected Sarah into a leadership position within its organization," stated Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, chairman of the Kentucky Board of Elections. "Sarah's insight into the election's process is well-regarded by her colleagues around the country. Her election will once again allow Kentucky to maintain its position as a national leader in election administration." Grayson himself was recently elected to a national position in election administration as the chairman of the Republican Association of Secretaries of State.

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requires the formation of a 110-member Standards Board to assist EAC in carrying out its mandates. Fifty-five members are state election officials selected by their respective chief state election official and 55 are local election officials selected through a process supervised by the chief state election official. HAVA prohibits any two members representing the same state to be members of the same political party. The board elects nine members to serve as an executive board, of which not more than five are state election officials, not more than five are local election officials, and not more than five are members of the same political party.

http://www.public-cio.com/newsStory.php?id=2007.03.02-104190

[rumpel]

3. IN: County opts to forego primary elections

The Exponent Online

By Mike Westervelt
Publication Date: 03/02/07

complete change of mind, Tippecanoe County Democrats and Republicans decided to forego the primary elections.

Because there are no contested seats within the parties, the election is not required. But party officials originally wanted the elections to test out a new Vote Center concept.

The plan implements the use of 19 centers throughout the county where any voter can vote at any center. Vote Centers will not be officially used until the 2007 primary elections in November.

Lafayette mayor Tony Roswarski said the decision to cancel the primaries came about in a bi-partisan manner, after analyzing the estimated $30,000 price tag.

"It doesn't appear that we can get enough people to the polls to probably give us a legitimate test on the system and we certainly don't want to waste the taxpayers' money," said Roswarski.

Instead, the Board of Elections and Registration will hold a test, but Roswarski said if it doesn't go well, he wants a reconsideration of the program.

http://www.purdueexponent.org/index.php/module/Section/section_id/11?module=article&story_id=4600

[rumpel]

4. FL: Gov. Crist Thinks Felons Should Be Able To Get Voting Rights Restored

First Coast News Channel 25 (ABC) 12(NBC) (Wow joint? - rumpel)

TALLAHASSEE, FL (AP) -- Governor Charlie Crist says he will continue working to change the rules so that felons will have their voting rights automatically restored once they have paid their debt to society.

Crist changed his position on the issue last year and campaigned on changing the law that requires convicted felons to apply to the state's clemency board to have their civil rights restored. It's a process that can take months or years.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/florida/news-article.aspx?storyid=77096

[rumpel]

5. Clinton and Obama will participate in a historic reenactment of the Voting Rights March

Godd Morning America

March 2, 2007 — There's a new sort of showdown in Selma — of the political variety.

Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are coming to town to commemorate the legendary and bloody demand for voting rights.

Clinton and Obama will participate in a historic reenactment of the Voting Rights March that took place in Selma, Ala., on March 7, 1965, when 600 civil rights workers were violently attacked during a peaceful march for voting rights.

The two political heavyweights, vying for the Democratic nomination for the presidency, will be speaking at historic churches blocks from each other — and at the same time. They will also march in the same parade.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2917796&page=1

[rumpel]

6. TPMCafe: Launches Weekly Election Reform and Voting Rights News Update

By Project Vote | bio

This is the first in a series of blogs to keep people informed on current election reform and voting rights issues in the news.

Featured Story of the Week:
Make it easier, not harder, to cast ballot – The Kansas City Star: Opinion

Missouri voters complained last November of lack of privacy in the voting booth, of malfunctioning election equipment, of insufficient ballots and of waiting in long lines.

Voter fraud is a hot topic for people who care about participating in American elections. In a Feb. 26 column, Kansas City Star writer Laura Scott points out the glaring election protection issues that are overshadowed by the voter ID debate. MO Secretary of State Robin Carnahan released a report on election problems, showing that voter fraud - intentional corruption of the electoral process - does not exist.


http://americaabroad.tpmcafe.com/blog/project_vote/2007/mar/02/weekly_election_reform_and_voting_rights_news_update

[FogerRox]

15. Why don't they just copy yours?

LOL.

[rumpel]

17. the more eyes, the merrier

:hi:

[rumpel]

7. IL: Did election sink Daley ...

Chicago Sun-Times

Vote marked the beginning of the end of the Daley era

March 2, 2007
BY DICK SIMPSON

Voters may have voted in a new day in Chicago politics and government.

Yes, you re-elected Mayor Daley to a historic sixth term in office with 71 percent of the vote. Many people voted against him as a protest even though you knew he was going to win. While Daley won this election with a vote any politician would be proud to have, he won with only 300,000 votes against opponents the media said had no chance. In a city of nearly 3 million people, it would not be hard for a strong challenger with a clear platform to get 100,000 more votes than Dorothy Brown and Bill "Dock" Walls. So the media are beginning to speculate about the post-Daley era in Chicago.

But the critical election of 2007 was fought in the wards. In Chicago all politics isn't just local, its down at the neighborhood level where patronage precinct captains and campaign volunteers fight it out one-on-one, house-by-house, and voter-by-voter.

In 2003, there were only five runoff elections and no other incumbents defeated. This time incumbents Burt Natarus, Arenda Troutman and Darcel Beavers were defeated outright.

And there are 12 runoff elections. They include Dorothy "Big Hats" Tillman, old-fashioned Bernie Stone and Rostenkowski protege Ted Matlak. Of the 12 reformers making the challenge, at least six or seven should win runoff elections as the reform, the Machine and the mayor's forces all focus on these key April races. The result will be the end of an automatic rubber-stamp City Council.

Overall, citizen participation in this election was low. There were only 1.4 million registered voters, the lowest in the past 65 years. And turnout was down to 32 percent from the dismal 34 percent in the 2003 election. There were really serious battles and participation in only 17 of Chicago's 50 wards. That, too, sends a message of voter dissatisfaction.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/simpson/279589,CST-EDT-xSIMP02.article

[rumpel]

8. LA Times: Election rule clarified on public cash

Los Angeles Times

Obama and McCain indicate they'd observe spending limits in a general election if their opponent did.
By John McCormick, Chicago Tribune
March 2, 2007

WASHINGTON — The Federal Election Commission said Thursday that presidential candidates may accept private contributions for potential general election campaigns and still remain eligible for public financing if they ultimately win their party's nomination.

The ruling came after a request for clarification from Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who has suggested he would like the option of running a publicly financed general election campaign — with its associated spending limits — if he could convince a future Republican opponent to do the same.

Some political observers, however, said the ruling was probably a moot point since a financial truce is highly unlikely in an era where political advertising, organization and travel are extremely expensive and both parties will be ferociously fighting for a White House with no incumbent.

The decision, in a 5-0 vote, comes as front-runners from both parties have eschewed public funds and spending limits for the primaries.

Obama had requested the ruling, stating that two of his top rivals for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), had indicated they would probably reject the public financing system that has governed presidential elections for more than three decades.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-obama2mar02,1,2017027.story?coll=la-headlines-nation&ctrack=1&cset=true

[rumpel]

9. HI: Chief Elections Commissioner Takes Himself Out of the Race Before the Commissioners'

Reappointment Vote, Citing Lack of Support

Hawaii Reporter

More than 40 People Sent in Testimony Opposing Him, While Three People Said the Controversial Administrator Should Remain
By Malia Zimmerman, 3/1/2007 10:56:32 PM

After learning last week that he did not have the votes on the state Elections Commission to be reappointed, state Chief Elections Officer Dwayne Yoshina opted to withdraw his application that he’d submitted Feb. 8.

In that position since 1996, Yoshina received virtually no support from the public for his reappointment to the position in 2007 -- in fact, quite the opposite. Around 40 people sent in letters against him within the last couple of weeks. Just three people showed up to testify at the hearing in his favor and they work with him in one capacity or another.

Yoshina needed 5 votes from Commissioners to be reappointed. Divided down party lines, 4 Democrats on the commission supported Yoshina and 4 Republicans opposed him, so the Elections Commission accepted Yoshina’s resignation at its March 1 meeting.

http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?1f386917-e42f-4e03-8ebd-0ab9f6664a2f

[rumpel]

10. ESTONIA: Online Voting Clicks in Estonia

Wired News

By John Borland| Also by this reporter
02:00 AM Mar, 02, 2007

TALLINN, Estonia -- In the plush seats of a fireplace-warmed hotel cafe here, over a steaming cup of green tea, Veljo Haamer opened up his laptop computer Wednesday and logged into this country's digital ballot box.

With his online vote for parliament, the entrepreneur helped make a bit of elections history. This small Baltic country is in the midst of its first -- and the world's first -- national election featuring internet balloting open to all voters, an idea that remains deeply controversial among computer scientists.

Election Day itself isn't until Sunday. But officials said on Thursday that the internet poll, which closed on Wednesday, had exceeded expectations with more than 30,000 people, or a bit more than 3.5 percent of registered voters, casting ballots online.

"The goal is to make things easier for people, to increase participation," said Arne Koitmäe, a member of the secretariat of Estonia's National Electoral Commission. "No one has managed to prove that e-voting actually raises participation, so that remains unanswered. But this gives people another possibility."

By allowing online voting this way, this small Baltic country is testing an idea that still worries bigger nations: that an internet-based balloting system can be reliable and secure enough to safeguard democracy's most fundamental processes.

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/evote/0,72846-0.html?tw=wn_politics_1

[rumpel]

11. 11th Circuit Says Reform Party Must Repay $333,558 to Federal Election Commission

Ballot Access News

March 1st, 2007

On March 1, the 11th circuit (headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia) ruled that the Reform Party’s lawsuit to avoid repaying $333,558 to the Federal Election Commission cannot possibly succeed, because only the federal courts in the District of Columbia can entertain such a lawsuit. The case is FEC v Reform Party of the US, 05-17083. Thanks to Ed Still for this news.


http://www.ballot-access.org/2007/03/01/11th-circuit-says-reform-party-must-repay-333558-to-federal-election-commission/

[rumpel]

12. CO: Montrose moves to fix election failures

Denver Post

A study of the Montrose County 2006 election exposed a wide range of problems. Fortunately, race results weren't close enough to be distorted.
Article Last Updated: 03/01/2007 08:49:37 PM MST

For a small place, Montrose County sure suffered some big problems - dare we say, Denver-size problems - with its 2006 general election.

Secretary of State Mike Coffman issued a searing report this week chronicling problems in Montrose: lax security, providing voters the wrong ballots, improperly programming electronic voting machines, and an elections office so sloppy that it took days to find records for investigators.

At one Montrose polling place, machines were inoperable until 11 a.m., when a citizen noticed that the "connection of a cord was incorrect," according to the report.

Rule 1: Make sure the machines are plugged in.

Fortunately, the mind-numbing compendium of mistakes didn't change the outcome of any races. Coffman said the ballot margins were too large for the errors to make a difference in the county, which numbers just under 20,000 registered voters.

http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_5335085

[rumpel]

13. Non-citizens in U.S. want right to vote, and some already do

The Associated Press
Published: March 2, 2007

NEW YORK: Non-citizens are asking for the right to vote in New York City local elections — a right that would affect about 1.3 million legal adult residents in this famously immigrant-heavy city.

With more than 60 community groups publicly behind them, the non-citizen immigrants say they pay the same taxes, use the same services and want the same say in how the city is run.

"I care, and I would have thought that's what this country wants and needs," said Anja Rudiger, a permanent resident from Germany who moved to New York last summer. The proposal is restricted to legal residents of more than six months.

But the proposal, now before a City Council committee, touches a raw nerve in a country already debating what to do about the huge wave of recent immigrants.

"Has this city gone nuts?" one resident wrote to the New York Post, echoing similar letters to the newspaper. "If you don't like it here, go home or become a citizen."

The proposal has the support of just under a third of the City Council members. Mayor Michael Bloomberg opposes the measure.

"Until you're a citizen, I don't think you should vote," Bloomberg said last week.

But some non-citizens in the United States are already voting, taking advantage of a mostly forgotten tradition. Six communities in Maryland allow non-citizens to vote in local elections. In Chicago, non-citizens can vote in school board races. And in Massachusetts, three cities have approved non-citizen voting at the local level, including the city of Newton, which approved it last week. That move still needs the state Legislature's approval.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/02/america/NA-GEN-US-Non-Citizen-Voting.php

[rumpel]

14. CT: Groups Seek Change In Voter Registration

Hartford Courant

New Rules Proposed To Aid Political Procrastinators
March 2, 2007
By MARK PAZNIOKAS, Courant Staff Writer

Maybe they were inspired by the late media buzz over the fight for control of Congress. Or maybe they are just the same folks who shop on Christmas Eve.

Whatever the case, about 358,000 residents of Wisconsin registered to vote on Election Day last fall, swelling voter turnout by an impressive17 percent.

ADVERTISEMENT

SPONSORED LINKS
Such political procrastinators would have been out of luck in Connecticut, where the cutoff for new registrations under most circumstances is a week before Election Day.

A coalition announced Thursday they are asking the General Assembly to embrace same-day registration, a change appropriate to a society accustomed to 24-hour banking, Internet shopping and other instant conveniences.

Miles S. Rapoport, a former Connecticut secretary of the state who now runs a national group that promotes participation in public life, said research shows that Election Day registration is the surest way to boost turnout.

The seven states that allow same-day registration averaged a turnout of 48 percent last fall, 11 percentage points higher than the other states, where registrations are cut off days or weeks before Election Day.

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ctvoterreg0302.artmar02,0,194523.story?coll=hc-headlines-local

[robinlynne]

16. Oh we have tried. the supervisors know exactly what we think. Their response

is: prove there was a hacked election in LA county and we will do something about it. over and over again. And most of these are dems.

[rumpel]

18. like someone else said: prove to us that the system has no bugs

the burden of proof should be on those that insist on using these machines and software - not on the voting public.

[robinlynne]

20. of course! and we can prove that the machines are hackable. that is plenty.

I think, though that we can rest a bit easier now with our new sec of state! Doubt that Connie will be there for long. At least, know that she will be on a leash.

[rumpel]

22. :)

:)

[rumpel]

19. DU Editorials: CommonDreams: The Stolen Election of 2004

thanks to marmar

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=266153&mesg_id=266153

[rumpel]

21. Dopp: Fool Me Once: Checking Vote Count Integrity

Friday, 02 March 2007

NEW! "Fool Me Once: Checking Vote Count Integrity" To require voter-verified permanent paper ballots and increase voter confidence and accessibility, U.S. Representative Rush Holt of New Jersey and U.S. Senator Bill Nelson of Florida have sponsored virtually identical bills that are intended to correct some of the significant, if unintended consequences of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. According to Dopp, the Holt and Nelson audit provisions would not protect many U.S. House races where “protected” means that there is at least a 50% chance of discovering miscount under the assumption that sufficient miscount exists to alter an outcome.

The Holt and Nelson bills need crucial improvements in order to effectively ensure election outcome integrity.

http://electionarchive.org/

The report "Fool Me Once: Checking Vote Count Integrity" can be found at:
http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/paper-audits/TierElectionAuditEval.pdf

[autorank]

23. Simple Questions-Troubling Answers - Cramdown - From 20 April 2006

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00233.htm

Cramdown, Stripdown, Lockdown Democracy In The USA

Thursday, 20 April 2006, 10:44 am
Article: Michael Collins
SIMPLE QUESTIONS -- TROUBLING ANSWERS
Q&A Session with a Commissioner of the Elections Assistance Commission
Reveals Massive Violations of Citizen Rights

Secret Vote Counting Crammed Down the Throat of Democracy

Special Report for “Scoop” Independent Media
First in a Series on HAVA and the EAC
by Michael Collins
Washington, DC
CONTENTS:
- INTRODUCTION:
- THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Citizen Paul Lehto, Questions EAC's Ray Martinez
- THE IMPLICATIONS: The Citizen Lehto - Commissioner Martinez Exchange.
- CRAMDOWN, STRIPDOWN, LOCKDOWN
- DEFENDING DEMOCRACY
- CITIZEN ACTION NOW
APPENDICES:
- A. Key Help America Vote Act 2002 language.
- B. Illustration of paper versus electronic voting.
***********
INTRODUCTION:

The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) was passed on the heels of the Florida 2000 presidential election and its “hanging chad” problem. These ambiguous ballot chads riveted and frustrated the nation for a couple of months in late 2000. However, few thought the solution to the ambiguity of hanging chad evidence of a voter’s intent would be to completely eliminate that evidence.

With the help of nearly $4 billion in federal grants, HAVA eliminates the evidence of voter intent by eliminating the paper. Instead of paper ballots we have votes registered and counted on "touch screens" - computer based direct recording electronic (DRE) voting machines. Invisible electronic ballots are the result of these DRE touch screens. Electronic vote counting software does the vital vote tabulation in secret. For citizens and public officials, the vote counting processes are strictly off limits. There is literally nothing to see. As a result, the public records of vote counting are gone. To preserve this secrecy, DRE purchase contracts often pledge the government to cooperate with the vendors to fight the very citizens the government is pledged to serve.

What is this secrecy in vote counting, really? To have the votes counted in secret by your political enemy is the picture of tyranny. To have the votes counted in secret by your political friend is the picture of corruption. To even desire such an unaccountable power is itself corrupt. So how is HAVA cramming this down the throat of American democracy?