PA Primary: Polling Place, E-Voting Problem Wire...

[BradBlog]

Source: BRAD BLOG, Various



Pennsylvania Primary: Polling Place, E-Voting Problem Wire...

Problem reports from polling places in PA, including voting machine malfunctions, long lines, registration problems and more having been coming in all across the state (particularly in and around Philly), all morning.

We've been doing our best to keep up, with a running wire of notable reports, which we continue to update throughout the day.
See our report yesterday detailing concerns about e-voting equipment (though not from officials, who weren't concerned at all) and whether there would be enough machines to go around (presuming they work at all) across Pennsylvania...

ELECTION PROB WIRE: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5918

If you missed it yesterday, we tried to warn you...
The Pennsylvania Primary: Democracy of the Gods
Tuesday's Election Will be 'Unrecountable, Unverifiable, and Unauditable'..
FULL STORY: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5916

Read more: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5918

[BradBlog]

1. OP Updated with much more...

Kicking to point that out...Will likely be rolling updates all day. Please keep this kicked if you can!

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

48. many precincts only had two machines

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5918

Here's John Gideon's daily news/epitaph for clean elections"

What is wrong with election officials in Pennsylvania? They knew that
voter turnout was going to set records today yet many precincts only
have two machines. Two machines equal long lines and voters turning
around and going home. On top of that there were wide-spread machine
failures. And, on top of that, in areas like Philadelphia officials will
not allow voters to use a paper ballot unless both machines are
out-of-service and then, the paper ballot is a provisional ballot that
may or may not ever be counted. At the same time that voters are
reporting problems to the local news blogs and the voting assistance
groups, local officials were telling the broadcast media that there were
very few problems and they were all expected (normal). In fact the
problems were numerous enough to warrant VoterAction to go to court in
an attempt to keep the polls open for two extra hours. That attempt was
denied.


PA: Pennsylvania Primary: Polling Place, E-Voting Problem Wire...
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5918

PA: Voter Story: Battling Administrative Incompetence And Technical
Failure At The Polls
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-fine/voter-story-battling-admi_b_97891.html

PA: Reports of disenfranchised and uncertain voters
http://blogs.phillyburbs.com/blog.php/?p=28239&cat=197

PA: Heavy Turnout In Pa.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/22/heavy-turnout-in-pa/

PA: Obama camp charging voting problems in PA
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Obama_camp_charging_voting_problems_in_0422.html

PA: Election Protection in Full Swing in Pennsylvania
http://newsblaze.com/story/2008042212030400006.pnw/newsblaze/POLITICS/Politics.html

PA: Voting Problems In Pennsylvania?
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/04/22/politics/horserace/entry4035618.shtml

PA: Breaking: Voter Group Requests Extended Poll Hours
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/politics/Extended_Hours_Paper_Ballots.html

PA: Poll problems: The case to extend hours
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/politics/Poll_Problems_the_Case_to_Extend_Hours.html

PA: Judge: Polls Will Close As Scheduled
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/politics/Judge_Polls_Will_Close_As_Scheduled.html

PA: Allegheny County - Early Polling Issue Reported In Green Tree
http://kdka.com/local/Poll.Green.Tree.2.705572.html

PA: Bucks County - Downed voting machines caused delays in Falls
http://blogs.phillyburbs.com/blog.php/?p=28259&cat=0

PA: Centre County - Update: Voting brisk in county, at HUB
http://www.centredaily.com/116/story/541302.html

PA: Monroe County - Changes should eliminate long lines, lengthy waits
for voters
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080422/NEWS/804220302

PA: Northampton County - Polls open for Pennsylvania primary
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-n-l-voters-042208-cn,0,5655617.story

PA: Northampton County - Palmer Twp. voter reports ballot confusion
http://blog.pennlive.com/lvbreakingnews/2008/04/palmer_township_voter_reports.html

PA: Philadelphia - Court Appointed Machine Inspector Denied Entrance to
Poll
http://www.electionjournal.org/?p=129

PA: Westmoreland County - Election workers brace for onslaught
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/westmoreland/s_563612.html

[Dr.Phool]

2. kick

Nobody could possibly have foreseen....... I'm gettin' tired of saying it.

I predicted last night that Hillary would win, 100% to Obama's 55%. That's with a 156% margin of error. With these machines, anything is possible.

[electropop]

3. I can't stand this.

How much longer will we use these damned machines? How much longer before we pull the partisans out of running elections? It's disgraceful!

[JanusAscending]

39. PULLEEEEEEZE,

someone forward this post to K. Olberman at MSNBC right NOW!! I'm sitting here listening to them making excuses as to why the results are so slow in coming in. Even they are being BULLSHITTED. Some one there must "have a clue" yet are keeping America hanging out here to dry!! Also get the information to them about the DOJ monitoring this election. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE !! Maybe now the powers that be will get rid of those DAMNABLE MACHINES !!! Gov. Rendell needs to have a long talk with the Sec. of State. Can they afford a do-over????????????? Bastards.:nuke:

[truedelphi]

4. I thought that the state primaries were on paper ballots!?!

between the electronic machinery and Ed Weasel Rendell forcing the delegates to go his way or no funding for districts, maybe Hillary will get her 28% above Obama.

<sigh>

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. Yes, it's all true. And there's nothing you can do to stop us!!!!

;)

[natrat]

5. let me guess shillary by 30

[Diane R]

6. Let me guess. Broken machines in Obama strongholds, Obama missing from ballots. So surprising.

[joeybee12]

7. Yup it's Hilary's fault...the seriousness of these problems denigrated

by the Bots trying to make it into another conspiracy theory. Pathetic.

[darue]

21. oh for fucks sake... you're so right...

why would powerful rich people ever secretly agree to act in concert to accomplish their goals? What lunacy to suggest that they might or EVER HAVE. of course we know our betters would never do such things. republican state election officials have no reason whatsoever to do something that we KNOW they think will help them win the presidency of the most powerful nation on earth. What would even motivate them to try? conspiracy? please, what a joke. there's NEVER been a conspiracy in history has there? Certainly no conspiracy has ever occurred in our perfect and great nation.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

23. Coming in swinging...sarcasm...on point...

Welcome to DU.

:party:

[darue]

25. yes

a little of the old sarky indeed. thnx 4 the welcome :beer:

[cyberpj]

54. BRAVO! I'm so tired of people who deny election theft as long as their person wins. This is

a problem that is rampant and unacceptable to anyone who is a true American citizen. This 'as long as my guy wins' mentality has got to go! And as long as there are questionable elections there will be more and more contentious snarling between people within the same party -- and that will just add to the glee of the thieves.

It is unfair to deny the suspicious nature of people who can not believe election results until election results are as safe and auditable as an ATM transaction. We know it can be done. We also know why it isn't.

Whether 'your person' wins or not - you should be demanding transparent elections in "the Land of the Free".

[Auggie]

9. The Dysfunctional States of America

[New Earth]

10. .

[thoughtcrime1984]

11. Kick, those who don't believe these things happen are naive

[defendandprotect]

41. ...but, but, but .... that would be a conspiracy . . .. !!!

and we would all be wearing "tin foil hats" ---

Oh . . . it would be so frightening ---

Let's pretend this isn't happening --- it's easier that way!!

[jennied]

12. Sigh...

This makes me mad. I just might close my eyes for a few months, then open them and see who is gonna be our nominee. I can't stand all this crap...

[OnyxCollie]

28. You need Wait Mate™!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJVeHm0QT04&feature=related

Welcome to DU!:hi:

[The Wielding Truth]

34. Gimme a couple. I can't stand it.

:banghead:

[Norrin Radd]

13. kr

[drm604]

14. I voted on one of those damned machines this morning.

This was in Norristown, which should go heavily for Obama. There were no obvious problems, but of course I have no way of knowing whether or not my votes were accurately recorded when I pushed the vote button.

[The Wizard]

15. Can anyone help?

Did Pennsylvania make a verified paper trail illegal for the primary?

[BradBlog]

44. I can help...

"Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trails" are unconstitutional in PA because it was found (accurately) that they violate the secret ballot and allow tracking of how specific voters voted.

That said, even with VVPATs, touch-screen (DRE) machine are equally unverifiable, whether they have a paper trail or not.

Worse, there is no way to prove that any vote ever cast on one during an election, anywhere anytime, has ever recorded a choice on the ballot correctly as per the voters intent.

More on that in my article on PA yesterday:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5916

[drm604]

16. Here's the machine I voted on.

I voted on a "Sequoia Advantage" machine.

Here's an instructional video put out by the state of Pennsylvania for that machine (if you can stomach the silly cartoon).

http://www.votingbooth.state.pa.us/media/instructional_videos/Sequoia%20AVC%20Advantage.wmv

[bushmeister0]

19. I think I used a somwhat older version of that one. I was a little more rickety.

Damn, I wish I'd thought to write in "John Doe." The bass player of the band "X" is so much cooler than anyone running in this primary.

[BradBlog]

45. That machine failed in NJ's Super Tuesday primary

Latest details here for ya:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5880

Rendell and Nutter were absolutely clueless about the probs, as seen in this video:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5905

[flyarm]

51. that machine failed in 2006 in Ocean County Nj ..i know i sat in on the court case..

and i was in the warehouse helping out the candidates in looking at the machines being checked and looked at on their insides, I took all the notes on the tech reports inside the machines for the candidates.....when the machines were checked after the court ordered a recount of the machine totals.. 75 votes from Barnegat,NJ were found on machines in Lakewood and no one could answer how that happened and dem candidates lost by very few votes. ...

nothing new here..and yet our votes in Fla are not being counted because we fought for a bill to out law the damn DRE machines..go figure!!

fly

[AllyCat]

17. Is anyone surprised? Anyone? n/t

[truedelphi]

18. error message -- You have already recommended that discussion

[nashville_brook]

20. ...

[demo dutch]

22. Just the normal crap, it happens in every state of the union!

[truedelphi]

33. No in other states of the Union there were primaries held where

The votes were counted on paper ballots.

And some states are now going with paper. For even the General Eections.

[Window]

24. Thanks Brad.

:kick:

[ohio2007]

26. (problems) particularly in and around Philly

Philly always had problems going back more then a couple of years now

[Stevepol]

27. As reported elsewhere, PA is 85% touchscreen (no paper at all).

In other words, almost total faith-based voting, even tho PA state law requires the verification of the vote.

[Willo]

29. K&R

[Mnemosyne]

30. Columbus, PA pop. 1700, 2 machines, both down first thing. Paper ballots

used for 33 people before 'fixed'. First person could not 'fix' machines, tech person called in. Finally 'fixed' about 8:45am.

Not my district, but was until 2003.

[humbled_opinion]

31. Figures...

You'd think people would have figured this stuff out by now...

[lonestarnot]

32. Well oh my fucking dee dee fucking dee!

:eyes:

[chill_wind]

35. "Machines break down, 100's leave without voting, Obama's name not on provisional ballot!"

"I just came from voting. Finally got my vote in at 49 ward, 07 division....after waiting for (the only) 2 voting machines to be repaired.

"I was able to cast my vote for Obama after waiting 1 and 1/2 hours. During that time at least 100 voters left without voting.....possibly not to return.


"I immediately called every News channel I could get through to. Persons who answered at the stations informed me that my ward was not the only one with broken machines and 'Paper ballots (as an alternative) without Obama's name on it. These provisional ballots did have Hiliary's name on them."

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/politics/More_voting_machine_malfunctions.html
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5918

[Prophet 451]

36. Well, that was predictable

Haven't we learned by now that those things are a f'ing nightmare?

[Prophet 451]

37. Well, that was predictable

Haven't we learned by now that those things are a f'ing nightmare?

[DCKit]

38. The "problem" with e-voting...

is that the dipshits forgot to make the shortcomings invisible to us, their rubes. When voters know their votes are being switched, not counted or lost, they tend to get a little irate.

Personally, I hope PA is such a debacle that every vote in the GE will be done on a paper ballot, from coast to coast.

[defendandprotect]

40. Looks like they are now engineering the win for HRC . . . 8:47 pm Central NJ . . . ????

[happygoluckytoyou]

42. WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE.... HOW JOHN "THE REPUBLICAN" WILL WIN IN 2008

[trickyguy]

43. How could I be so naive as to think there wouldn't be any problems.

I was so caught up in Obama fever that I forgot about the scumbags out there

who like to ruin things for a lot of honest Americans. Like mess with their votes.

And now I'm nervous as hell about the whole primary process.

Gotta think positive now. Maybe if I go and do some yoga that would help.:evilfrown:

[Canuckistanian]

46. It truly boggles the mind, doesn't it?

Problem..............................................PA Voting Officials Solution
DRE Voting machines are unreliable.........Huh?

Voting machines have no auditable trail...Wha?

Shortage of DRE machines....................(silence)

What shocks me the most is how Democrats accept this system unquestioningly.

Jesus.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

47. this is so painful

sheesh, not again. the "powers that be" won't let us choose our leaders.

[flyarm]

49. Gee from someone who Obama and Dean and Brazile has disenfranchised ..

this gets a big yawn from me!

and a tough shit..since my state Got rid of the DRE voting machines for the 2008 general and we got punished for it when the repigs added an amendment to change the primary date to the bill to ban DRE voting machines and mandate voter verified paper ballots for 2008 General ..

my feeling is..tough!

since they fucked us in Florida.

[lonestarnot]

50. If this... what, son-of-a-bitch!

:banghead:

[cyberpj]

52. kick

[democrattotheend]

53. We had some problems in South Philly

People were being turned away or told that they could not vote provisionally because no provisional ballots were available. I had to leave at 7:30 to drive back to DC but they were scrambling to address the problem when I left. We petitioned the court for extended voting hours in problem precincts but the request was denied.

[Barack_America]

55. Many voters were turned away in West Philly because poll-workers didn't "recognize them"...

Even though they had voted in that precinct on multiple occasions and had appropriate forms of ID.