Election Reform, Fraud & Related News Thursday June 29 2006

[EFerrari]

Election Reform, Fraud & Related News Thursday June 29 2006

Paul Wellstone's advice for CA 50: "I'm in FIGHTING MOOD! Are YOU in a fighting mood?"

All members welcome and encouraged to participate. :hi:

Please post Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News on this thread.

1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web.
2. Post stories using the "Election Fraud and Reform News Sources" listed here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x371233
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 see on this thread.






Please "Recommend" for the Greatest Page.

[EFerrari]

1. AZ: New law mandates recounts of ballots

New law mandates recounts of ballots
By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 06.29.2006

PHOENIX — A new state law will require manual recounts of at least some and potentially all ballots cast in future elections.

Gov. Janet Napolitano signed legislation on Wednesday to mandate a hand recount of randomly selected races in at least 2 percent of the voting precincts in each county.

If that count varies from the machine count by more than statisticians have determined to be an acceptable margin of error, then another count is made involving twice as many precincts. And if that difference also is outside the margin, then the ballots for every precinct must be recounted by hand, at least for that race.

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/135748

[EFerrari]

2. GA: State voter ID rules cleared

State voter ID rules cleared
Board still must vote on use in primaries
By Shannon McCaffrey
ASSOCIATED PRESS

ATLANTA - The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday approved rules governing the issuance of photo IDs to voters in Georgia, clearing the way for the State Election Board to decide whether to require them for the July 18 primary.

The rules establish what kinds of documents must be presented to obtain one of the free IDs, as well as where and when they will be distributed. Critics of the law - which mandates that all voters present a government-issued photo ID to cast a ballot - are expected to respond in the coming days by seeking an injunction to block the law.

Members of the State Election Board said last week that once they received approval from Washington they would then decide whether the law could be implemented for the primary, which is now less than three weeks away. A special meeting of the board has been called for today.

http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/14924978.htm

[EFerrari]

3. AL: Dale Co. Polling Machines Needs Storage Space

:eyes:


Dale Co. Polling Machines Needs Storage Space

Dale County’s recently purchased election machines have no place to call home.

Election officials say they need somewhere to store all voting equipment, including some recently purchased machines.

They are now storing the 47 machines across the county, in some places without proper air conditioning.

“We have recently purchased new voting equipment that's some 132 thousand dollars, and I feel we need additional adequate storage for these machines. Those that we've purchased and these that's owned by election systems,” said Probate Judge Eunice Hagler.

http://www.wtvynews4.com/news/headlines/3246436.html

[Wilms]

25. Allow Me.

Dale Co. Polling Machine$ Need$ $torage $pace

Dale County’$ recently purcha$ed election machine$ have no place to call home.

Election official$ $ay they need $omewhere to $tore all voting equipment, including $ome recently purcha$ed machine$.

They are now $toring the 47 machine$ acro$$ the county, in $ome place$ without proper air conditioning.

“We have recently purcha$ed new voting equipment that'$ $ome 132 thou$and dollar$, and I feel we need additional adequate $torage for the$e machine$. Tho$e that we've purcha$ed and the$e that'$ owned by election $y$tem$,” $aid Probate Judge Eunice Hagler.

[EFerrari]

4. AZ: Napolitano: Voting rights scrutiny OK

Napolitano: Voting rights scrutiny OK

PHOENIX Governor Napolitano says continued federal Voting Rights Scrutiny of Arizona would be O-K with her.
Arizona is among states required to get federal clearance of election law changes because of a past history of discriminatory election practices.

Renewal of the 1965 law is stalled in Congress, partly because some U-S House Republicans, particularly from Southern states, object to continued federal oversight.

Napolitano was asked during her weekly availability whether Arizona still should be subject to the pre-clearance requirement.

http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=5091168

(wow, look at all that dental work!)

[EFerrari]

5. CA: Coalition calls for election recount

By John Marelius
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

June 29, 2006

A coalition of election watchdog organizations is calling on the San Diego County Registrar of Voters to conduct a full manual recount of the June 6 primary election because of alleged security breaches involving touch-screen voting machines.

Specifically, the California Election Protection Network contends the county violated federal and state regulations requiring “secure custody” of voting machines by allowing poll workers to take them home before election day.

“There is no proof of this election's legitimacy,” said Jim Soper, a computer software engineer with the group. “Despite a mountain of proof that these machines are easily hackable, Secretary of State (Bruce) McPherson certified the system, claiming a set of handling procedures would keep the machines safe. Now we learn that machines were unsecured in poll workers' homes before the election, rendering those procedures useless.”

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20060629-9999-1mi29vote.html

[EFerrari]

6. CO: Injunction sought against computerized voting system

Injunction sought against computerized voting system
The Denver Business Journal - 3:27 PM MDT Wednesday

A nonpartisan group of Colorado voters is seeking a preliminary injunction in Denver District Court to prevent the use of computerized voting systems in the state's November elections.

They allege in the motion filed Wednesday and in an earlier lawsuit that Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting systems pose security, accuracy, reliability and verifiability problems, and that Secretary of State Gigi Dennis has failed to follow testing and certification procedures dictated by state law and her own rules.

Dana Williams, a spokeswoman for the Secretary of State's Office, denied the allegations, calling the claims "groundless" and saying the office is "quite confident" the voting machines are reliable.

http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2006/06/26/daily37.html

[EFerrari]

7. GA: State expects to issue voter photo IDs; court challenge promised

Posted Thursday, June 29 at 6:28 AM

State expects to issue voter photo IDs; court challenge promised
by The Associated Press

ATLANTA - Two members of the state Election Board say they expect to begin issuing voter photo IDs for the July 18 primary but opponents of the law say they are ready to take the matter to court.

Officials said Wednesday rules on the issuance of photo IDs to Georgia voters have been cleared by the U.S. Justice Department. It is up to the board to decide at a meeting Thursday whether to require them for the primary.

Board members Tex McIver and Randy Evans said Wednesday that unless unanticipated problems arise, they expect to begin implementing the law. Both men were appointed by Republicans to the five-member board.

http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/hall/newfullstory.asp?ID=104968

[EFerrari]

8. IN: Recount continues with absentee and provisional ballots counted

Published: June 28, 2006 08:00 pm

Recount continues with absentee and provisional ballots counted

The school board recount continued with a hand-count of provisional and absentee ballots completed by 7:30 p.m. today, leaving the personal electronic ballots to be counted.

Charles Mitchell, a representative of Election Systems and Software, the company that sold the voting machines to Madison County, said anytime a hand-count is conducted the process goes slowly, but added that the recount is going smoothly.

Shirley Weatherly brought about the recount after losing the Anderson Community Schools board central district race to Philip “P.T.” Morgan on May 2.

http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/breakingnews/local_story_179200054.html

[EFerrari]

9. MI: New Voting Machines In Polling Places

Delta County, June 29
New Voting Machines In Polling Places
Voters can use the large touch-screens and braille keypads.

Across the state, city and county governments are receiving new equipment to help those with disabilities vote in the August election.

Delta County received 22 Automark Ballot Marking Machines this week, one for each polling location.

The machines have large touch-screen displays, braille key pads, and are equipped with other equipment that helps assist a voter who otherwise may not be able to fill out a ballot alone.

http://www.wluctv6.com/Global/story.asp?S=5094713&nav=81AX

[EFerrari]

10. MS: Leflore County wants to do their own ballot programming

Voting machines
By Susan Montgomery, City Editor 06/28/2006

Leflore County election commissioners want their own technician to service the new touch-screen voting machines. They asked as much Monday in a formal written request to the Leflore Board of Supervisors.

The board is considering the request. The board tabled a decision on the proposal Monday, planning to take up the issue in July.

Diebold Election Systems, as part of its contract, will offer assistance to the county for five years.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16858105&BRD=1838&PAG=461&dept_id=104621&rfi=6

[EFerrari]

11. MO: Voter ID bill to become law in August

Voter ID bill to become law in August
Lindsey Pilcher
Of the Suburban Journals
Jefferson County Journal,Meramec Journal,News Democrat Journal
06/25/2006

Jefferson County voters will need to bring something extra to the polls when they vote in November: a photo ID.

Under a bill signed by Gov. Matt Blunt earlier this month, Missourians must show a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, to vote. The law will go into effect after the August primaries.

Republican supporters say the law prevents voter fraud and reassures voters that their votes are not being cancelled out by illegitimate votes. Democratic critics say the law will disenfranchise voters, especially the elderly and people with disabilities. Election judges expect people to come unprepared.

"I just think it's going to cause confusion," Republican election judge Martha Proffitt said. "Every time we have an election, there's always some confusion as to what is acceptable. I hope the law will officially clear that up."

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/neighborhoods/stories.nsf/jeffersoncounty/news/story/5E0E3171FAC6163686257197004A2385?OpenDocument

[EFerrari]

12. NH: House upholds vetoes of voting bills (Voter ID)

House upholds vetoes of voting bills
By Norma Love, Associated Press Writer | June 28, 2006

CONCORD, N.H. --Two bills introducing stricter voter identification requirements are dead after the House failed Wednesday to override the governor's vetoes of both.

One bill would have required residents to show photo identification to vote. The other required voters to list the same address on their driver's license as their voting record.

Supporters of the ID bill argued it would provide a safeguard against fraud and noted identification is required for many activities besides voting.

Rep. Richard Kennedy, R-Hopkinton, said owning a gun is as much a constitutional right as voting and yet people buying guns must show identification. :rofl:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2006/06/28/house_upholds_vetoes_of_voting_bills/

[EFerrari]

13. OH: Panel to quiz voting machine company

Panel to quiz voting machine company
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Joan Mazzolini
Plain Dealer Reporter

The maker of the Cuyahoga County election machines that failed to count ballots properly for the May 2 primary will appear today before a panel investigating the many foul-ups on Election Day.

Also appearing will be a Dayton-area firm that traditionally has printed the county's ballots but was skipped over this year in favor of a local but less experienced ballot printer.

County elections officials have criticized Diebold, which made the county's optical scan machines, for inadequate technical support before and on Election Day. But Diebold has deflected the criticism, noting that 47 other counties used the identical scanners to count absentee ballots -- without a problem.

The three-member Election Review Panel wants to determine what caused the problem -- the machines, the printing or some other glitch -- and has hired an outside company, Denver-based SysTest Labs, for the job.

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1151569862122511.xml&coll=2

[EFerrari]

14. PA: Piece of voting history: $35

Piece of voting history: $35
Democracy meets capitalism as the county elections office sells its old lever machines.
BY TERESA ANN BOECKEL
Daily Record/Sunday News

Jun 29, 2006 —

Got $35?

Then the York County elections office has an old lever voting machine for you.

County officials decided Wednesday to sell the majority of the machines for scrap metal.

Salvage Management of York will pay $9,975 for the 285 machines it will haul away by the end of July.

http://www.ydr.com/newsfull/ci_3993714

[EFerrari]

15. UT: Technical glitches delay election results

Technical glitches delay election results
By Josh Loftin and Jared Page
Deseret Morning News
Despite the use of new electronic machines by voters, the biggest technical glitches during Tuesday's primary elections came after the polls closed.
Throughout the night, the state's elections results Web site, www.electionresults.utah.gov, suffered from technical glitches that included delayed results and slow loading. Some county clerk Web sites also suffered from delayed updates of their election tabulations.
Joe Demma, the chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert, who oversees elections in the state, said that the problems were a combination of new voting equipment, a redesigned Web site, and unexpected interest from around the world in the 3rd District Republican primary between Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, and John Jacob.
"People from as far away as China and thousands on the East Coast" wanted 3rd District results, and that proved at times to be too much traffic for the state's server to handle.

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,640190843,00.html

[EFerrari]

16. UT: Ferrin of two minds on recount

Thursday, June 29, 2006
Ferrin of two minds on recount
ALAN CHOATE - Daily Herald

State Rep. Jim Ferrin, R-Orem, hasn't decided yet whether he'll ask for a recount in the race for the GOP nomination in state House District 58.

The unofficial tally from Tuesday's primary vote gave the nomination to Orem City Councilman Stephen Sandstrom, 1,887 to 1,788 -- a 99-vote margin of victory.

It was the closest race on Utah County's primary ballot throughout Tuesday's vote count -- in fact, the earliest results showed the candidates in a dead heat, first with 77 votes each, then with 262 votes each.

Several people have contacted him and said a recount would be a good idea, Ferrin said Wednesday.

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/184505/3/

[EFerrari]

17. WI: Legislators ask for a concrete voting rule (Voter ID)

Legislators ask for a concrete voting rule
By STEVEN WALTERS
[e-mail]
Posted: June 28, 2006

Madison - Legislators asked the state Elections Board on Wednesday to draft a rule over how to handle first-time voters who cannot or will not present a valid Wisconsin driver's license, questioning the policy the board adopted last week.

The Elections Board last week reaffirmed a policy of letting first-time voters cast their ballots if they present either a driver's license or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

But Sen. Joe Leibham (R-Sheboygan) said that decision violates provisions of the federal Help America Vote Act, adopted after the contested 2000 presidential election. That law clearly requires that first-time voters provide a valid driver's license and that Social Security numbers can be used only if someone does not have a license, Leibham told the Legislature's Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=444012

[EFerrari]

18. Opinion: First Impressions of the Partisan Gerrymandering (TX)

First Impressions of the Partisan Gerrymandering Portion of the Texas Case
Edward B. Foley
Director, Election Law @ Moritz
June 28, 2006


a. This case is really in effect two cases, one about partisan gerrymandering under the Constitution; the other about racial discrimination in districting under the Voting Rights Act. I have some preliminary analysis of the first; but none yet on the second.

b. With regard to partisan gerrymandering, the important news is that Justice Kennedy remains the swing vote and is still searching for a judicially manageable standard. It is also important that both Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito have deferred, for a future case, whether they believe that a judicially manageable standard exists to adjudicate constitutional claims of partisan gerrymandering.

c. Today's decision says only, in effect, that there is no particular constitutional problem with mid-decade redistricting; all redistricting plans, whenever they occur during the 10 years between census-taking, will need to be evaluated according to the same constitutional standard, if a judicially manageable one can be found.

http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/freefair/060628.php

[EFerrari]

19. Len Hart: Bush's Supreme Court to the GOP: there's more than one way to

Via --

Bush's Supreme Court to the GOP: there's more than one way to steal votes!

It was most probably the year 1980 when Tom DeLay revealed his vision thing: gerrymander the state of Texas so that only goppers can get elected. Earlier, Robert Kennedy had said:

Some men see things as they are and ask 'Why?' I dream things that never were and ask, 'Why not?'"
—Robert F. Kennedy

DeLay, however, dreamed of GOP majorities that never were and asked why the hell not? DeLay dared to dream of election-proofing an entire state, striking blows against Democracy from the bottom up. That was a difficult dream in 1980, when expensive IBM mainframes lacked the power that laptops have today. It's easy to imagine a Republican circa 1980, pouring over census tracks, trying to figure out how district lines could re-drawn to

* Protect GOP majorities in right leaning districts;
* Dilute Democratic voting strength.

http://existentialistcowboy.blogspot.com/2006/06/bushs-supreme-court-to-gop-theres-more.html

[EFerrari]

20. Bradblog: Brad on CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight!

Brad on CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight!
And other National Media Scuttlebutt…

Blogged from San Diego…

…But about to rush back to Los Angeles to get to the CNN building for an interview with the Lou Dobbs folks. If I can get there in time!

I should be on tonight's Lou Dobbs Tonight tonight at 6pm ET (3pm PT) and perhaps tomorrow night's show as well. Or so I'm told.

Had hoped to catch up a bit here about the Busby/Bilbray events last night and Tuesday, but it looks like that's going to have to wait again in order for me to race back up north to get to the interview on time…yeesh…

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=3014

[EFerrari]

21. IA: Study warns immigrant voters spell trouble for GOP

DES MOINES, Iowa A new study says enough legal immigrants will be eligible to vote in the 2008 presidential election to "substantially and quickly alter the political status quo."

The study by the Chicago-based Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights says there's an increase in voter registration by a large immigrant population -- new voters they say are likely influenced by "red-hot anti-immigrant demagoguery" that's spreading through Republican Party politics.

The group says there are more than 14 (m) million potential new voters among legal immigrants, including more than 12 (m) million who could cast ballots in 2008.

According to the study the influx could dramatically -- and negatively -- Republican prospects for election.

http://www.woi-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5096377&nav=1LFX

[EFerrari]

22. Headexploding Irony Dept: AIIM Standards Group Releases Guidelines

AIIM Standards Group Releases Guidelines for Electronic Document Management Systems (EDMS)
Report Provides Detailed Information for the Analysis, Selection, and Implementation Procedures of EDMS
Wednesday, 28 June 2006


AIIM, the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) industry association, announced the release of the "AIIM Recommended Practice, Analysis, Selection, and Implementation Guidelines Associated with Electronic Document Management Systems (EDMS)". This third version of the acclaimed report presents a set of procedures and activities which should be considered and/or performed during all aspects of analyzing, selecting, and implementing electronic document management systems in government and business world-wide.

(snip)

"I encourage California's local government officials to use these new guidelines as they work to develop ways to ensure that our state's essential records are preserved and protected," states California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson. "As technology continues to advance, and an increasing share of the state's official business is done electronically, it is critical that we work together to implement best practices to ensure adequate protection of electronic documents for years to come. I'm pleased that members of my staff were able to contribute to the final recommendations that have now been adopted. As county governments work to follow industry standards, it will dramatically enhance their ability to manage, share, and preserve vital public records" said Secretary McPherson.

:eyes:

http://www.crm2day.com/news/crm/119182.php

[EFerrari]

23. AP: Bolivia's Assembly Vote, at a Glance

Bolivia's Assembly Vote, at a Glance
By The Associated Press

June 29, 2006, 12:28 PM EDT

Bolivians vote July 2 for a national assembly that will rewrite this poor Andean nation's constitution. They will also vote "yes" or "no" on a ballot question on whether to offer the country's nine states greater autonomy in political and financial affairs.

The details:

The assembly: 255 members, 210 elected from local districts and 45 at state level. Voters will choose party slates rather than individual candidates. At least one of the three candidates on each slate must be female.

Each state will get five seats in the assembly -- the party with the most votes gets two seats; the second, third and fourth place parties get one seat each.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-remaking-bolivia-glance,0,1974654.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

Discussion:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2363276

[ariellyn]

24. What you do is appreciated. nt

[autorank]

26. R!!! Thanks. Great job on the OP of Paul W. n/t