Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Tuesday, 2/6/07

[Melissa G]

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Tuesday, 2/6/07

Never Ever Giving Up... In Honor of Molly!


All members welcome and encouraged to participate.



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

If you can:
1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web.


2. Post stories using the new Spring 2006 Edition of "Election Fraud and Reform News Directory" listed here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407240

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 (it's the link just below).

[Melissa G]

1. Rep. Holt reintroduces bill to require paper trails for voting

Rep. Holt reintroduces bill to require paper trails for voting

BY Michael Hardy
Published on Feb. 6, 2007


Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) has reintroduced legislation that would prevent the use of paperless electronic voting systems. The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act, which Holt introduced Feb. 5, would amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002.

"Until we require that voting systems produce a voter-verified paper ballot, the results of our elections will always be uncertain," Holt said in a statement. "All Americans deserve to be confident that their vote will be counted, and it is my hope that the 110th Congress will act soon to pass legislation that will ensure elections are fair, accessible and auditable."

Touch-screen voting machines have been the object of suspicion since a team of researchers revealed in 2004 that at least one model could have its integrity compromised in ways that would be hard to detect. Subsequent analyses have reinforced the fears, although companies that make the machines insist their security measures combined with secure practices used by local elections officials make the machines safe.
However, the tide of opinion seems to be turning against the machines. In addition to Holt's bill, Charlie Crist, Florida’s Republican governor, has proposed spending $32 million to replace touch-screen machines in the state with optical scan systems. Those systems have voters record their choices on paper ballots, which are then counted by machine. In Virgina, the House of Delegates is considering legislation that would require the use of optical scan systems, while the Virginia Senate has passed a similar bill.

http://www.fcw.com/article97574-02-06-07-Web

[Melissa G]

2. DU's land shark let's loose on new Holt bill...

Land shark and DU opine here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=466821&mesg_id=466821

Land Shark (1000+ posts) Tue Feb-06-07 12:37 AM
Original message
New "Holt Bill": Fraudulent and Deceptive Use of term "Ballot"
Edited on Tue Feb-06-07 01:10 AM by Land Shark
The "new" Holt bill is a totally deceptive and fraudulent bill.

Why?

It uses the term "Ballot" to mean nothing much more than the old-fashioned "paper records" under the original "old" HR550 --- in other words in the "new" Holt "ballot" actually means something that will NEVER get counted on the FIRST count. Under the "new" Holt bill, just like under the old one, they will still count the electronic votes FIRST and release those as the results on election night, and the paper "ballots" only count (again just like the old Holt bill) if the audits show discrepancies.

And some of us were SO excited that we were gonna get paper "ballots" out of the Holt bill's new form. Progress. Bullshit.

In fact the new Holt bill, just to make this PERFECTLY clear, would require a sign to be placed in polling places that says IN ALL CAPS:


‘THE PAPER BALLOT

REPRESENTING YOUR VOTE

SHALL SERVE AS THE VOTE OF

RECORD IN ALL RECOUNTS AND AU-

DITS. DO NOT LEAVE THE VOTING

BOOTH UNTIL YOU HAVE CONFIRMED

THAT IT ACCURATELY RECORDS YOUR

VOTE’.



more here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=466821&mesg_id=466821

[Melissa G]

15. Landshark on Holt Part two...

DU discussion here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x466910
Land Shark (1000+ posts) Tue Feb-06-07 12:43 PM
Original message
New Holt Bill Fraud on the Public, Part TWO, Blackwell's and Harris's Revenge
Edited on Tue Feb-06-07 01:07 PM by Land Shark
Does your state election law have an automatic machine recount provision, based on winning percentage? (For example: If the winner and loser are separated by 1% or less, an automatic machine recount shall apply.)

If so, the new Enron/Arthur Anderson-style "audit" provisions of the new Holt bill (i.e. the government appoints its own auditors to check itself) DO NOT EVEN APPLY in Your state if the race is close.

BUT A BIG BOLD SIGN in every polling place will tell you to check your paper ballot carefully because it will be the "ballot of record in recounts and audits"

Not true! (see boxed excerpt from Holt bill below) If state law provides for a machine recount, the Holt audit bills won't apply, and the machine recount insures that we just re-run the DREs, or the machine recount of the opscams operates under the same defective programming.

So that is yet another main reason why the Holt bill is so fraudulent and deceptive.

Remember, if the STATE law has a recount based on a winning percentage concept, then the hold "audit" doesn't apply at all. Well, that recount in Florida and Ohio would be a
machine recount,
more...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x466910

[Melissa G]

3. Floridians strongly approve of new governor's first month

Floridians strongly approve of new governor's first month

By BRENT KALLESTAD
Associated Press Writer
February 06. 2007 1:11PM

New Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who has led bipartisan efforts to lower property insurance rates and replace touch-screen voting machines, is getting overwhelming support from voters, a poll released Tuesday shows.

More than two-thirds of Floridians sampled in a random telephone survey by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute approve of the way their new governor has taken to his duties while only 6 percent disapproved.

Even an overwhelming majority of Democrats applauded the Republican governor's performance with 65 percent giving a thumbs up and just 7 percent disapproving.

Crist was traveling in the tornado-ravaged central Florida area Tuesday and not immediately available to comment on the poll's results.

http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070206/APN/702062704

[Melissa G]

4. Cuyahoga County's election problems

Cuyahoga County's election problems
Associated Press
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has experienced many problems during executive director Michael Vu's tenure. Here's a look some of the problems and what was done to fix them for the November 2006 election:

_ Many poll workers weren't properly trained to operate touch-screen voting machines for the May 2006 primary. In response, the board approved $736,390 to train poll workers, awarding the training contract to Cuyahoga Community College. In the past, the board used its own staff to train Election Day workers.

_snip
Lingering issues:

_ Two election workers were convicted last month of illegally rigging the 2004 presidential election recount so they could avoid a more thorough review of the votes. They face up to 18 months imprisonment when sentenced later this month. Vu has maintained that the workers followed procedures.

_ Commissioners are considering getting rid of touch-screen voting machines and putting in a new system for the presidential election in 2008. The machines, first used in the May primary, cost $17 million.

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/news/state/16635649.htm

[Melissa G]

5. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission's Executive Director Oversaw Failed Voting Machine Test Labs

BLOGGED BY Michael Richardson ON 2/6/2007 9:35AM

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission's Executive Director Oversaw Failed Voting Machine Test Labs in Earlier Role as Well

Thomas Wilkey, Executive Director of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) seems to bear more direct responsibility for the growing voting machine test lab scandal than any other person. Let's connect a few dots and sift through a bit of murky alphabet soup.

For nearly a decade, Wilkey has overseen the testing process of electronic voting machines keeping recently revealed problems with the so-called “Independent Testing Authorities” (ITA) a secret from public and elections officials alike. Wilkey also tried to prevent federal oversight of the testing process during the development of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and worked to keep the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) out of his hidden world.

The EAC inherited the responsibility of qualifying voting machine test laboratories from the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) where Wilkey strategically positioned himself to control the test laboratories. When HAVA eventually assumed responsibility for the test laboratories from NASED and handed it to the EAC, Wilkey worked behind the scenes to try to keep control over the labs for himself.

snip
His involvement, therefore, in the entire process and the recently revealed failed accreditation of one of the previously-approved labs, CIBER Inc., deserves close scrutiny --- particularly as one reads Wilkey's bio as posted over at the EAC website which describes him as...

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4119

[Melissa G]

6. AHHHHHHGGG!!!!! More BAD security sleep overs!!!!!

Daily Editor IS SCREAMING HERE!!!more sleep overs EEEK!!!

Cold weather won't stop election or voters
Things going smoothly at polls so far

UPDATE: 12:51 PM, Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Today’s frigid isn’t slowing down poll workers or keeping area voting machines from firing up on time.
Jeanette Mullane, deputy director of the Stark County Board of Elections, said poll workers were contacted yesterday and told to bring the voting machines into their homes instead of leaving them in their cars to keep them warm and avoid any potential cold-weather problems with the equipment. Mullane said the machines were up and running on time this morning, “and I think that was a good thing.”

Mullane said no real problems have been reported at polling places around the county.

“A couple hours ago some of the precincts were slow and others in Plain Township ... were active for a special election,” she said. “Everything seems to be running smoothly. We’re hardly getting any phone calls of complaints or problems.”

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=9&ID=334600&subCategoryID=0

[Melissa G]

14. DU discussion here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=466933&mesg_id=466978

[Melissa G]

7. Cuyahoga Co. Elections Director Resigns

BYE Bye.. wish it had been before Kerry ran...

Cuyahoga Co. Elections Director Resigns

POSTED: 11:37 am EST February 6, 2007
UPDATED: 1:30 pm EST February 6, 2007

CLEVELAND -- NewsChannel5 has confirmed that embattled elections chief in Cuyahoga County has resigned.

Executive director Michael Vu's ouster marks the end of a tense term that thrust Cuyahoga County and its voters in the national spotlight. Under Vu, the county weathered a botched primary election and convictions of two workers who mishandled the 2004 presidential recount.

Bob Bennett, chairman of the county Elections Board and head of the state Republican Party, said the board negotiated the departure with Vu.

"Yes, Michael is going to be leaving. But we need to have a transition period, and it's very important to us that Michael agrees to stay around and help with the (new) director, particularly having a new system, and get his feet on the ground," Bennett told The Associated Press. "We're pretty close to being finished."
http://www.newsnet5.com/politics/10943511/detail.html

[robinlynne]

12. hang on, the chairman of the elections board is also the head of the repub

party.... That is who negotiated vu's departure....
doesn't sound good to me...

[L. Coyote]

13. Thanks go to OhioChick: Latest Breaking News Thread URL

Thanks to OhioChick Tue Feb-06-07 12:17 PM
Original message Cuyahoga Co. Elections Director Resigns (OH)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2719564

[L. Coyote]

8. Cuyahoga Co. Elections Director Resigns (OH)

Vu is gone!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2719564

[Melissa G]

9. EFF to fight for digital rights in Europe

?w=1

EFF to fight for digital rights in Europe
Tuesday 06 Feb 2007 - 15:21


Consumers in Europe have another group looking out for their digital rights with the opening of a Brussels office by the US nonprofit group the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

The EFF has battled the US government and corporations to protect the rights of consumers and technologists in areas like free speech, data privacy and digital rights management. It has brought or helped to defend cases against the US Department of Justice, Apple, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, AT&T and others.

snip
The office was funded partly by Mark Shuttleworth, the South African dot-com billionaire who launched the Ubuntu Linux distribution, and by the Open Society Institute, a US grants foundation chaired by George Soros.
Its current cases include a class-action suit against AT&T for wire-tapping on behalf of the US government, and a suit in Florida on behalf of citizens whose votes were not properly registered by e-voting machines.

http://www.digitmag.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=7156

[Melissa G]

10. Voting officials in a frenzy again

ELECTIONS
Voting officials in a frenzy again
Broward and Miami-Dade election officials are scurrying to learn more about the governor's plan for new voting machines.

BY AMY SHERMAN

[e-mail]

South Florida elections officials will have to prepare quickly to transform their voting systems and manage the mechanics of a 2008 presidential election that will be scrutinized across the globe.

Since Gov. Charlie Crist announced last week his determination to spend $32.5 million to replace the infamously balky, glitchy touch-screen voting machines, local election officials have compiled a long list of questions, and a longer to-do list.

The biggest question: cost. Crist has pledged state funds to pay for new, optical-scan equipment that would read voters' marks on paper ballots. Those ballots are the key to restoring confidence in the state's election system, advocates say.

But officials from the counties are not certain how much of the $32.5 million pie each would get. Also, the state will not cover every cost associated with transforming the system.
For example, the cost of staging a general election in Broward County could increase by about $500,000 because of the need to print more than a million ballots, said Pete Corwin, assistant to the county administrator.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16630800.htm

[Melissa G]

11. Back to the Future In Florida

Yahoo News

Florida is the USA's electoral laughingstock and its indispensable laboratory for voting experiments.




In 2000, the state's wildly flawed voting system gave the nation butterfly ballots, hanging chads and a presidential election that was finally decided by 537 votes some five weeks after Election Day.


To make sure that would never happen again, the state shifted many of its voters to supposedly more-accurate touchscreen machines. But last November another Florida election drew national derision when a suspiciously high percentage of voters in a heavily Democratic area somehow neglected to vote in the congressional race, handing a 369-vote victory to the Republican.


Was that voter error or malfunctioning touchscreen machines? Nobody knows for sure. Florida has no requirement that touchscreen machines produce backup paper receipts, so there's no foolproof way to figure out what happened.


Now Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, is trying - again - to make the way Florida voters cast their ballots more confidence-inspiring. Crist has proposed junking most of Florida's touchscreen machines and switching instead to optical-scan devices, which let voters connect arrows or fill in little circles on paper ballots that are scanned into a machine. The state's remaining touchscreen machines would have to produce a checkable paper record.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20070206/cm_usatoday/backtothefutureinflorida

[Melissa G]

16. BRAD BLOG: Holt Election Reform Legislation Filed; Blackwell Shredded Documents; MUCH MORE...

Thanks to Brad for the post and the DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x466971


BradBlog
Original message
BRAD BLOG: Holt Election Reform Legislation Filed; Blackwell Shredded Documents; MUCH MORE...
Yes, democracy is in the news today. Big time.

As Rep. Holt introduces his new Election Reform legislation, several groups have scrambled to be the first to endorse. We'll take a more cautious and careful approach as the devil is frequently in the details when it comes to ER legislation. Just ask Bob Ney. We'd urge all readers and citizens to take the same cautious stance and be sure to actually review and analyze the pros and cons before we all accidentally create "HAVA 2"...this time without Bob Ney and the Republicans to blame it on. That, and much more from today's BRAD BLOG below... -- Brad

Why the Holt Election Reform Bill Must be Amended to Guarantee a Real Paper Ballot
Guest Blogger and Constitutional Attorney John Bonifaz on Concerns About Holt's 'Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007' (HR 811)

Guest Blogged by John Bonifaz, Founder of the National Voting Rights Institute and a Senior Legal Fellow of Demos' Democracy Program.

Today, Congressman Rush Holt introduced H.R. 811 , a bill trumpeted as requiring “a voter-verified permanent paper ballot.” But before we all jump on this train as the new guarantee that our votes will be properly counted in future elections, we ought to beware of the warning flag. A paper trail from DRE (Direct Recording Electronic, usually touch-screen) machines cannot protect the integrity of our elections.
...
We can and we should press for the principled position here: an amendment to the Holt bill that would ban the continued use of DREs and require a real paper ballot. Otherwise, we're going to wake up in 2008 realizing the new disaster we helped to create...

FULL GUEST EDITORIAL:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4125

DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x466971

[Melissa G]

17. BLACKWELL: "Helping to Leave Office $1 Million Short..." BradBlog

Thanks to L. Coyote and Bradblog for the post and the DU discussion here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x466967

Original message
BLACKWELL: "Helping to Leave Office $1 Million Short..." BradBlog
"Ohio's Blackwell Authorized $80k in Farewell Bonuses
to State Employees as He Left Office"

"Another Suprise: $250k in Legal Settlements for 2004 Election,
Helping to Leave Office $1 Million Short as New SoS Takes Helm..."

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4056
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x466967

[Melissa G]

18. GOP vote bill draws fire (trying to shorten election hours in Iowa now!)

Thanks to calipendence for the post and the DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x466946
Original message
GOP vote bill draws fire (trying to shorten election hours in Iowa now!)
Edited on Tue Feb-06-07 02:28 PM by calipendence
Tom Slockett, the county auditor for Johnson County, which just turned blue last election when Jim Leach got thrown out of office near the University of Iowa campus aptly describes the bill:

"Well, I guess were addressing a serious problem in this county - too many Democratic votes," said Tom Slockett, the county auditor.

Republicans must not have been too happy about losing Iowa and are trying to find other "creative" ways to win elections there I guess! Also bills there are dealing with trying to require paper trail election machines (though perhaps not paper ballots, though it's a little hard to tell from the text of the article) and a voter ID requirement too. Sounds like a Democratic Iowa legislature might be wise enough to keep from passing this though. Hopefully!


http://media.www.dailyiowan.com/media/storage/paper599/news/2007/02/06/Metro/Gop-Vote.Bills.Draw.Fire-2699852.shtml?sourcedomain=www.dailyiowan.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com


GOP vote bills draw fire
Mason Kerns -�The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 2/6/07 Section: Metro

When asked to sum up a Republican-sponsored proposal to close election polls in the state at 7 p.m. instead of 9 p.m., Johnson County's top election official could only revert to sarcasm.

"Well, I guess were addressing a serious problem in this county - too many Democratic votes," said Tom Slockett, the county auditor.

Slockett, a Democrat, said Democratic voters - who dominate elections in Iowa City and its surrounding areas - tend to vote later in the day.

"Then we have working couples, married people with children, who get home from work late and have to take care of the kids," Slockett continued in humor. "And then they have the nerve to trouble our poll workers from 7 to 9 at night."

[Melissa G]

19. OHIO 2004: 6.15% Kerry-Bush vote-switch found in probability study

Thanks to L. Coyote for the post and the DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=466044&mesg_id=466044

(Original message)

OHIO 2004: 6.15% Kerry-Bush vote-switch found in probability study

Discussion here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x259620

Defining the vote outcome probabilities of wrong-precinct voting has revealed, in a sample of 166,953 votes (1/34th of the Ohio vote), the Kerry-Bush margin changes 6.15% when the population is sorted by probable outcomes of wrong-precinct voting.

The Kerry to Bush 6.15% vote-switch differential is seen when the large sample is sorted by probability a Kerry wrong-precinct vote counts for Bush. When the same large voter sample is sorted by the probability Kerry votes count for third-party candidates, Kerry votes are instead equal in both subsets.

Read the revised article with graphs of new findings:

The 2004 Ohio Presidential Election: Cuyahoga County Analysis
How Kerry Votes Were Switched to Bush Votes

http://jqjacobs.net/politics/ohio.html

A small spreadsheet too:

http://jqjacobs.net/politics/xls/cuyahoga_t_tests.xls

[Melissa G]

20. Fruitcake Polling Higher Than Bush

Thanks to meegbear for the post and the DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3098350



Original message
Fruitcake Polling Higher Than Bush


According to the latest CBS News poll, the president's overall approval rating has dipped to 28 percent—the lowest number in his presidency and dangerously close to Nixon's all-time low of 24 percent. To lend a little context to this historic feat, we found some other people and things with equal or greater popularity.

OTHER THINGS WITH A 28 PERCENT APPROVAL RATING
• Boxer Briefs
• Kelly Osbourne
• Body Hair on Guys
• Reptiles
• A Wall Along the Mexican Border
• Text Message Flirting
• Porn
• Cottage Cheese

THINGS WITH AN APPROVAL RATING HIGHER THAN GEORGE W. BUSH
• Brussels Sprouts (51%)
• Coke Zero (41%)
• Hillary Duff (52%)
• Jennifer Love Hewitt (36%)
• Fruit Cake (40%)
• Kevin Federline (45%)
• Rosie O'Donnell on The View (46%)
• Crocheting (72%)
• Fishing (49%)
• Legalizing Prostitution (58%)
• The Dentist (45%)
• Hanson (53%)
• In-Laws (68%)
• Figs (76%)
• The Name "Shiloh Nouvel Jolie Pitt" (29%)
• Ciara's Goodies (55%)
• The Pussy Cat Dolls (56%)
• Ryan Seacrest (60%)
• Spiceworld (57%)
• MTV VJ John Norris (35%)
• The Barenaked Ladies (73%)
• Russian Pop Duo T.A.T.U. (58%)
• The "Dude, You're getting a Dell!" Guy (42%)
• The Backstreet Boys (66%)
• Nickelback (57%)
• Sum 41 (63%)
• Hootie & The Blowfish (84%)
• Stepping in Dog Shit (35%)
• Walking in the Rain Without an Umbrella (60%)
• Small Breasts (50%)
• Getting Kicked in the Balls (41%)


http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2007/02/-things-with-a-28.php

[Melissa G]

21. Rep. DeGette Inroduces Legislation Calling for Electronic Pollbook Standards

National Issues




Rep. DeGette Inroduces Legislation Calling for Electronic Pollbook Standards
By Rep. DeGete Press Release
February 06, 2007
Chief Deputy Whip Diana DeGette (D-CO, pictured at right) introduced the E-Poll Book Improvement Act of 2007 today to improve elections and prevent a repeat of the voting difficulties that occurred in Denver during the 2006 elections.



“I was appalled by what happened in Denver on Election Day last November. It is inexcusable that residents would have to wait hours to simply cast their ballot,” said Rep. DeGette. “People's most fundamental right, the right to vote, was undermined due to poor planning and equipment malfunctions. This legislation is an important step in ensuring that never happens again.”



This legislation amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 by requiring the development of voluntary standards for electronic poll books. These poll books allow election officials to use electronic means to determine voter eligibility. The standards called for in this legislation provide guidance on how electronic poll books should operate and require these devices to be tested and certified.



“This bill is a common-sense solution to help elections run more smoothly,” said Rep. DeGette. “The most direct cause of the voting failure on Election Day in Denver was the repeated failure of the electronic poll book software. By requiring specific standards and testing for these poll books we will help prevent this from occurring again.”
http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2245&Itemid=26