5/11 Damn the science view riles internet voting critic.EAC i-voting plan breaks law. No Diebold UK!

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

Damn the science view riles internet voting critic. EAC i-voting plan breaks law. UK election-No Diebold!

May 11 2010

"Damn the science, Damn the integrity; If it feels good do it!" attitude riles CTvoterscount.org - response to comments in NYT article on Internet voting...The EAC violated law in proceeding with Internet voting system guidelines says Voter Action. "If allowed to proceed, the US Election Assistance Commission will place at risk the votes of hundreds of thousands of military and overseas voters," ~ John Bonifaz, Voter Action...Rep Rush Holt intros 2 new promising election bills...'Citizens United was a shot across the bow'...UK Electoral Commission 'lacked grasp of reality'...

All this and more in today's voting news below....

CA: KQED Radio Makes Maldonado-Winger Debate on Prop. 14 Available (podcast)
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/05/10/kqed-radio-makes-maldonado-winger-debate-on-prop-14-available/ fascinating discussion.

CA: California: Santa Clara County election commission finally set to meet
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_15057358

CO: Aspen election spurs flurry of complaints
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100511/NEWS/100519961/-1/RSS ...the alleged failure to certify and adequately test the new voting system, the failure to ensure anonymity in voting and the use of a private firm, TrueBallot Inc., to help conduct the election though its representatives were not legally qualified to do so.

CO: Harvie Branscomb's Letter of Complaint to Aspen Election Commission 5.10.10
http://aspenelectionreview.blogspot.com/2010/05/harvie-branscombs-letter-of-complaint.html
"...Aspen has a host of impediments to citizen oversight inherent in its character. Most of these deserve observation, analysis and remediation. I am staggered by the extent to which citizen activism in Aspen is met with a range of emotions from disregard to outrage."

GA: New Law in Ga. Gives (Republican) Governor Power over (Democratic) Attorney General in Handling VRA Section 5 Litigation
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015948.html

KY: Voters in 42 counties expected to use new voting machines for primary(escans)
The new system provides a voter verified paper record.
http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/93422939.html
Officials say voters, precinct officials, and county clerks liked the machines.

MA: Massachusetts picks up tab for special election
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1253732&srvc=rss

MN: City council actions :: Korbel confirmed (Minneapolis)
http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.php?publication=downtown&page=65&story=15355
The continuing cost of RCV: $244,000

NC: State, feds investigate elections allegations in Bladen Co.
http://www.wwaytv3.com/node/22701 (also double voting)
BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WWAY) -- From vote buying to violations of a federal law, state and federal elections investigators have their hands full with Bladen county. There's not one or two but three investigations into recent elections and candidates.

NJ: Judge may split Atlantic City voter-fraud case into more than 1 trial
http://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/article_fba9f0ee-5c97-11df-85a0-001cc4c002e0.html

NY: Setting the Record Straight on New York Uprising
http://www.brennancenter.org/blog/archives/setting_the_record_
straight_on_new_york_uprising/ http://bit.ly/a1o53o The Brennan Center never provides material support to efforts to influence the outcome of elections.

OH: Election officials reject primary audit
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio-news/ohio-elections-officials-reject-primary-audit-697609.html

OH: Elections board members fire employee for Facebook comments
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100511/NEWS09/100519953

SC: ACLU to Argue in Appeals Court That South Carolina's Ballot Access Law Is Unconstitutional - Group Says "Sore Loser" Statute Violates Free Association Rights
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/05/10-13

SD: SD to pioneer electronic voting system (misleading title)
http://www.capjournal.com/articles/2010/05/10/news/
doc4be8e8d99d863018731317.txt http://bit.ly/an9NZ3
They will be able to use e-mail, faxes and the Internet to request and receive access to absentee ballots to vote in South Dakota elections...
...
After that, both the ballot and the oath form will need to be returned via military and U.S. mails to the county auditor

TN: Tennessee Senate OKs requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/may/10/tennessee-senate-oks-requiring-proof-citizenship-v/ ...The House approved the legislation Wednesday on a 92-1 vote but will have to reconsider the bill after the Senate adopted several amendments that were not in the measure that passed the House.

WI: Voters can't require clerks to check their IDs at polls, state board rules
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/93291544.html
Madison — Voters cannot sign up with municipal clerks to voluntarily show their IDs when they go to the polls, the state elections board ruled Monday.


Internet Voting Watch

Dam the science; Dam the integrity; If it feels good do it!
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3165
At least thirty-three states are planning on allowing military and overseas voters to cast ballots by Internet, email, or fax. What could possibly go wrong?

Pentagon voting assistance office to the EAC: Internet voting pilot not secure enough. http://bit.ly/d13jXP

Voting Rights Advocates and Cyber-Security Experts Raise Alarm Over Internet Voting
http://www.voteraction.org/news-article/2010/voting-rights-advocates-and-cyber-security-experts-raise-alarm-over-internet-votin US Election Assistance Commission Charged with Violating Federal Law in Proceeding with Internet Voting Plans
Voter Action letter asking EAC to withdraw its plan, citing violations
http://voteraction.org/files/2010-04-26%20Final%20Voter%20Action%20Letter%20to%20EAC_0.pdf

Internet Voting For U.S. Citizens Over Seas Could Be A Bad Idea
http://thegeekchurch.com/2010/05/10/internet-voting-for-u-s-citizens-over-seas-could-be-a-bad-idea/ ...So, it seems that the Internet is being used as a “cure-all” device to solve all sorts of problems in society, including voting access for U.S. citizens over seas. ...Security will always be a serious issue due to the easy availability of the Internet and the ability of hackers to crack systems for the stealing and manipulating of information.

WV: Military Internet Voting A Hit In Kanawha County
http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=36971
Kanawha County has received its first-ever Internet voting ballots from overseas military personnel.
Kanawha County Clerk Vera McCormick says 11 ballots were decrypted Tuesday morning with plans to count those Tuesday night with early voting and absentee ballots

Isle of Man conference on technology and privacy
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/isle_of_man/8675640.stm
An electronic voting system is among some of the technological advances that world island leaders will discuss at a conference on the Isle of Man.

National

'Citizens United was a shot across the bow'
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/05/citizens_united_was_a_shot_acr.html

CommonCause tweet -Katrina vanden Huevel: Turn Congress Inc. back to just Congress with #FairElections and #disclose acts http://bit.ly/9Y6fW2
https://twitter.com/CommonCause/status/13800322561

International

Dominical Republic: Shooting unveils Dominican Government’s electoral corruption
http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2010/5/11/35660/Shooting-unveils-Dominican-Governments-electoral-corruption

Philippines: Voters paid to stay away from Philippine elections
http://newsdesk.org/2010/05/voters-paid-to-stay-away-from-philippine-elections/

Philippines: Voters cry complaints
http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p100510.htm&no=40
Tagum City (10 May) -- Lost names. Transferred voting center assignment. Long queues. Slow vote-casting and tired of waiting.

Philippines: PHILIPPINES USE UBUNTU-BASED VOTING MACHINES IN RECENT ELECTION
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2010/05/philippines-use-ubuntu-based-voting.html
Yesterdays election in the Philippines was notable for several reasons – not least of which was the introduction of a new electronic voting system in which Ubuntu has played a vital – but invisible – role managing the Linux-based ROMs that do the actual counting.
India: Who says Indian EVMs are failsafe?(PART 1)EVMs frustrated Tamil Nadu voters
http://www.indianevm.com/blogs/?p=94

Sudan: Carter Center calls Sudan voting 'non-transparent'
http://www.sfexaminer.com/nation/carter-center-calls-sudan-voting-non-transparent-93283404.html The Carter Center said Sudan's recent elections were "highly chaotic, non-transparent and vulnerable to electoral manipulation."

UK: The Brits...No Diebold!
http://www.thomhartmann.com/forum/2010/05/britsno-diebold

UK: David Cameron Is UK’s New Prime Minister
http://thevitimes.org/?p=12203

UK: Council’s conduct of elections “an embarrassment”, say Hackney MPs (video)
http://www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2010/05/11/councils-conduct-of-elections-an-embarrassment-say-hackney-mps/comment-page-1/ Re-elected Diane Abbott and Meg Hillier call for official enquiry, other candidates also raise concerns

UK: General Election 2010: Electoral Commission 'lacked grasp of reality'
The woman who presided over last week's voting chaos “lacked a grasp of reality” in running a general election, Britain most senior returning officer has claimed.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7701561/General-Election-2010-Electoral-Commission-lacked-grasp-of-reality.html
Jenny Watson, who earns £100,000 for working a three day week as chairman of the Electoral Commission quango, has faced an angry response from thousands of voters who were unable to exercise their democratic right on May 6.
...
the same system had coped perfectly well in the past, often with higher turnouts of voters.

UK: Locking out voters is not exactly democratic
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7707301/Locking-out-voters-is-not-exactly-democratic.html

UK: A laughing stock in the eyes of the world
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/election/article-1274198/UK-ELECTION-RESULTS-2010-A-laughing-stock-eyes-world.html
Before 1997 the British electoral system, in the hands of local returning officers, functioned smoothly.
But, with its instincts for bureaucratic tinkering and central control, Labour chose to change the system and hand oversight of the job to a new quango, the Electoral Commission.
The result, inevitably, has been widespread confusion and inefficiency ...

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