Need to blow off a little steam: Indiana SOS - Apparent Obfuscation

[IndyOp]

Autorank just posted the IndyStar's report on CommonCause identifying Indiana as "high risk" for election fraud in the Election Reform Daily Thread. The most notable statement is: "Paul Okeson, deputy secretary of state in Indiana, said that office is not concerned. "We've been using DRE since 1986 without incident," he said"

That wasn't what got my attention - what got my attention was:

The final line of the IndyStar article is this: "Common Cause recommended voters opt instead for an absentee ballot. In Indiana, though, only voters who certify they will be unable to go to the polls on Election Day may cast an absentee ballot."

This line is technically accurate, but it OMITS the very important information that Indiana has no fault EARLY VOTING throughout the state.

To vote absentee you have to have a compelling reason why you cannot vote on election day and you must complete an application for an absentee ballot well in advance of the election.

EARLY VOTING, in person, at your county clerk's office is no fault. You do *not* need to have any reason at all why you want to vote early.

Where can you learn about early voting in Indiana? Good luck! You will NOT find any information about early voting in ANY of the following documents on the SOS site:
# Quick Reference Guide
# 2006 Election Calendar Brochure
# Indiana Voter Information Guide
# More Information for Voters

I searched for "early voting" on the Indiana Secretary of States' Website and found only one relevant entry - and it makes early voting sound bad...

http://www.in.gov/sos/press/old/09052004.html

In recent years, the acceptance of procedures such as early voting and voting by mail have made it even more accessible to Americans. But an increase in the promotion and use of these techniques has not been followed by an increase in voter turnout. Just the opposite is true.

That raises the question, "Why don't more people vote?" The more important question, and the one on which I've focused the efforts of my administration is, "What can we do about it?" From voter registration drives at the Indiana State Fair and Indiana Black Expo to extensive voter education programs, my office continues to seek the elimination of barriers that keep Hoosiers from voting.

That's why since taking office in 2003 I have aggressively pursued policies that encourage voting and confidence in our elections. I have made it a point to work in a bipartisan manner to increase penalties for vote fraud, provide resources to local election officials and create Indiana's first statewide voter registration system.

EARLY VOTING in Indiana - EVERY registered voter has the *right* to vote early. You do *not* need to have any reason why you wish to vote early.

This Fall: You may vote early Monday-Friday (8 am to 4 pm) from Tuesday, October 10th until noon on Monday, November 6th in person at your clerk's office.

You may vote early on Saturday, October 28th & Saturday, November 4th from 8 am to 4 pm in person at your clerk's office.

I just spoke to the author of the IndyStar article who said that she didn't feel she needed to run another article to explain the distinction between absentee/early voting because voters won't be paying attention in June.

I just spoke to a nice young man in the SOS office to ask whether the SOS will consider issuing a directive and $$ to the counties to ADVERTISE the early voting option. He said he'll call back by the end of the day.

I called Common Cause and left a message for the chief researcher on the "Malfunction & Malfeasance" report - which I emphasized is WONDERFUL!! - to let him know about the distinction between absentee and early voting. Hopefully he can change the next edition...

So why does the Indiana Secretary of State's website go on and on and on about the new Voter ID law -- and he has NOTHING, NOTHING about the early voting option. If someone takes the wrong ID with them to the polls 3 weeks before election day proper and they are turned away, they can get the right ID and return - thus avoiding getting a provisional ballot. Why isn't the IN SOS yelling about this wonderful new option from the rooftops of every county clerk's office?

:grr: :grr: :grr:

[mod mom]

1. rec'd. While early voting can alleviate some issues such as long lines,

it can give more opportunity to those who would like to taint the vote. You raise a good point about improper IDs. It would be nice if anyone who votes PV would have the opportunity to clarify their status. It 's called "Help America Vote Act" anyway. Too bad it's just another GOP hollow promise used for their own benefit.

[IndyOp]

2. If we advocate early voting, we have to check & double-check

procedures to make sure that the early votes don't walk off, to make sure they are not identifiable by party and so forth...

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

3. Give up your "secret ballot" and hope your vote gets counted

Two NC election officials describe early voting and ballot secrecy issues --

County official's description of early voting on Direct Record Electronic (DREs, touchscreen or pushbutton)

I have no problems with DRE systems in early voting because you can track and recreate each distinct vote as it is always tied to the name of the voter in the process, and the vote does not get randomized (and made anonymous) as it does in a general ballot. I can spot check and audit back to the voter's individual marks in an early voting DRE use (a big part of my role as a guarantor of the process, I think) - I can't in a general ballot situation with DREs currently.

During early voting, we have been told by election officials that on DREs, at least - the vote is tied to the voter, that you can tie the name to the actual ballot, and officials can look at that ballot and see how you voted.

The ballot can be removed from the machine if need be.
*what reasons dictate the removal of a early vote ballot from the machine?
The vote is tied to the voter even on optical scan/paper ballots - we are required to put the ID number on the ballot itself (or enter it into the DRE before the voter votes). The same process is designated on absentee ballots. The reason for this is that absentee ballots including one-stop voters must be approved by the board and can be challenged by any voter. So at the absentee meeting, if it is determined by the board that the voter is ineligble for whatever reason, the ballot could then be removed. Also if the voter votes on election day (which shouldn't happen but sometimes does) the absentee or one-stop ballot can then be removed and the vote subtracted so that the voter does not have their ballot counted twice.

Next, I have been told by Don Wright that the voting machines used for early voting cannot be used on election day, because they are programmed differently.

*Why would that matter?

Early voting machines contain the entire ballots for all precincts rather than the individual precinct ballots so that anyone in the county can vote on them regardless of where they live. Also we protect the integrity of the machines by not using them until after canvass where possible in order that if there is a problem we can go back and look at it and know nothing has changed since election day or since early voting.

*Secrecy of ballot?

There is no question that people voting absentee or one-stop give up some of the privacy of the ballot. It is marked with a number that can identify the ballot. However, every effort is made to protect the secrecy of the ballot because for instance if the board is looking at it, they are only seeing the number not a name.

*Problem that someone might vote out of precinct?

People vote outside their precinct for a variety of reasons, some are that they never changed their address with us, or some just don't want to go to the correct precinct and prefer to go to some place next to their work or where they perceive may be closer to their home. Given the uncertainty regarding provisional ballots and what should count or not, we must be able to either remove all or a portion of the voters ballot if it is determined they are not eligible to vote at that location (which i think is totally wrong) that is the purpose of provisionals anyway and any vote for which the voter is entitled to vote should be counted.


more here http://www.ncvoter.net/earlyvoting.html

[Stevepol]

4. Vital for IN voters. How can this be publicized?

[IndyOp]

5. What ideas do you have?

I've contacted Common Cause-Indiana and they are contacting the SOS office.

I am speaking to the local Democratic Women's group; Democracy for America; and League of Women Voters over the next few weeks and will be highlighting the Common Cause recommendations for voter-verified paper ballots, random audits, and for voting early if stuck with DRE's -- I am hoping the groups/members will help me shake the SOS office into action and if not will take this aspect of voter education very seriously.

Any other ideas you have, I will appreciate hearing.

;-)