Super Fat Tuesday Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News, 02/05/08

[Melissa G]

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News, Tuesday 02/05/08



Esteemed DUer's, Please lend a Big Hand today 'cuz there is gonna be a lot of news and I will be at City Hall for a bunch of the time the good stuff is coming in.
Please participate by posting 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 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).
Thank You!

[Melissa G]

1. States n/t

[Melissa G]

6. NJ- Machine problems at Gov Corzine's voting station

Machine problems at Corzine's voting station
Tuesday, February 05, 2008 | 9:06 AMStory Media Top Stories
One polling machine was fixed, allowing Gov. Corzine to vote

HOBOKEN -- Gov. Corzine cast his vote in the state's presidential primary after neither of the voting machines worked at his Hoboken polling place.

Eyewitness News is told Corzine was originally scheduled to cast his ballot at 6:15 a.m at the Hoboken Fire Department Engine Company No. 2 on Washington Street. But the two voting machines didn't work for about 45 minutes and about a dozen voters were turned away.
However, one machine was fixed, and Corzine arrived just before 7 a.m. to cast
his ballot.

The governor said the weather is holding up for the state's first presidential primary in February. "We're doing pretty well. We're doing like the Giants," Corzine said.

Election officials will investigate why both voting machines malfunctioned, and why there were no provisional ballots at the site. The delay concerned supporters of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who is surging in the state.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/politics&id=5936011

[sonias]

12. The Gov has left the voting booth

After finally voting that is. Glad to see that Governors get to experience these problems first hand, and see what kind of crap these machines are. So much for "fast, safe and reliable." Who are you going to believe Gov. Corzine, the DRE vendors or your lying eyes?

A dozen voters walked away from this polling station while Corzine waited and there were no provisional ballots at the site. Only the Governor's schedule allowed for him to stick around for almost an hour to vote. Voting is not supposed to work like this.
:grr:

He better think about what a presidential election in November is going to look like.


Sonia

[Melissa G]

16. Update from Bradblog

Corzine is just the latest in a growing line of public officials and other well-known personalities who have run into recent trouble voting at the polls.

Last week, Rush Limbaugh's touch-screen machine froze up while voting in the Florida Primary.
In 2006, Missouri's Sec. of State Robin Carnahan was told three times by a pollworker, in violation of state law, that she would have to produce a drivers license before she would be allowed to vote.
In 2005, California's Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was temporarily barred from casting his vote, as the e-voting system in Santa Monica showed him as having already voted.
And, only somewhat related: In early 2006, Ann Coulter knowingly voted at the wrong precinct (a first degree misdemeanor) after knowingly using an incorrect home address, that of her realtor's, on her voter registration form in Palm Beach County Florida (a third-degree felony).

FURTHER UPDATE FROM BRAD, 7:45am PT: Right on schedule, officials say pollworkers are to blame for the still-unspecified problem that kept machines from working this morning. As you'll see, it's always "human error", rather than the fault of the crappy machines, or the idiots who created them so poorly or made them so complicated that they continue to fail in election after election. The only "human error", in truth, is that of the Election Officials who irresponsibly chose to use these horrible voting systems in the first place.

http://www.bradblog.com/

[sonias]

17. Rush Limbaugh had trouble voting

Boo hoo.

Yes there's also that human error involved in creating/programming the software for those machines too. That's the human error we're concerned about. Garbage in and garbage out.

Sonia

[Melissa G]

8. NY-Controversial Voting Machines Allowed

Controversial Voting Machines Allowed
Producer: E. Longwell-Grice
Last Update: 7:15 am


Good news for the state board of elections on this Super Tuesday.

A court order has been issued allowing the use of voting machines that have been highly criticized by voting and disability advocates.

New York is years behind on multiple deadlines to meet federal voting laws aimed at ensuring accuracy.

The state board of elections has been charged with selecting new machines, and has now been ordered to add another machine to the list that county election officials can choose from.


http://www.fox23news.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=5a8a8f46-4f0d-4d18-a400-84e38aeb5755

[Melissa G]

9. CA- Thomas Elias: Voting machines back on track

Thomas Elias: Voting machines back on track

February 05, 2008 - 12:01 AM

Some county voting registrars don't like the reasons for it, but there's good cause for California voters to feel pretty secure this year that their votes will be counted accurately.

For more than five years, since the advent of touch-screen voting machines and DRE (direct recording electronic) vote-counting devices, voting integrity activists have contended that votes could be switched and election results flipped by tampering that leaves no trace.

As recently as last month's New Hampshire primary, suspicions were voiced over the twin facts that Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton ran far stronger in counties where votes were counted on Diebold Accuvote optical scan machines than where paper ballots were counted by hand — and that rival Sen. Barack Obama ran worse where votes were tabulated electronically.

On the Republican side, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ran far better where votes were counted electronically and Texas Rep. Ron Paul did much worse. In two Diebold-counted precincts where Paul had known supporters, he received no official votes. Those results are not proof of chicanery, but they did raise some eyebrows.

Tests in Florida, Ohio and California have shown the Diebold machines to be hackable (because of the resulting negative publicity, that company, largest producer of electronic voting equipment, last year changed its name to Premier Election Systems).
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/machines_59898___article.html/election_voting.html

[Peace Patriot]

23. "good cause for CA voters to feel pretty secure this year"? Not true, and wrong focus.

He repeats it after recounting some of CA SoS Bowen's reforms (and Brunner's in Ohio):

"Bowen led the way, and even though it may delay some vote counts into the day after the election or beyond, her rules ought to ...minimize allegations of corrupted elections this year." --Thomas Elias

Is the point to "minimize allegations," or to have certainty, and full transparency?

Then, at the end, he writes: "So voters, whether at the polls or using absentee ballots, can feel reasonably sure after years of uncertainty and suspicion that their preferences will be counted accurately. Registrars may not like all this, in part because it makes them look foolish for investing in corruptible equipment, but if it makes voters once again trust the electoral system, all the trouble and arguing will have been worthwhile." --Thomas Elias

Voters should not "trust" the vote counting system--ever! Period. Not just because of the events of the last few years, but because it is the most fundamental principle of elections in a democracy that no one is to be trusted when it comes to vote counting, and everyone involved must be watched, and every step of it must observable and observed!

A pox on trust!

Elias leaves out some things that are rather crucial to understanding the election reform struggle in CA. He mentions San Diego Registrar Deborah Seiler's lawsuit against SoS Bowen, trying to stop implementation of mild new auditing reforms, but fails to note that Seiler is Diebold's former chief salesperson in California! (San Diego has a Diebold system.)

How's that for corporate white-washing?

But most of all this sleepy, lazy, "nothing to see here, move along" attitude about the continuing huge vulnerability of our voting system to insider corporate tampering--by corporations with intense partisan ties to the Republican Party and rightwing causes--is extremely bad.

Please see "California Election Integrity Assessment 2008," to understand just how vulnerable we still are. It also provides tools and analysis for vetting today's results, and doing so in the future.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4380748

Take nothing for granted! Trust no one in our voting counting system! No one! Trust no machine in our voting system--no matter what they tell you! Demand full transparency! Question everything! Sow distrust! It's essential and healthy in a democracy!

[Melissa G]

10. NY- New voting machines ordered

New voting machines ordered

By Tom Grace
Cooperstown Bureau


Otsego County has ordered 40 optical scan voting systems at a cost of about $460,000, according to Sheila Ross, the county's Republican deputy elections commissioner.

"We want to have them up and running for the September primary," she said.

The machines are equipped with ballot markers for use by people with disabilities.

All counties in the state that still are using out-of-date equipment must order new machines by Friday, a date determined by federal Judge Gary Sharpe.

Sharpe is presiding in a case brought by the federal Department of Justice in 2006 in which the DOJ contends that New York state is not abiding by the terms of the federal Help America Vote Act.

http://www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_036040042.html

[Melissa G]

11. CA- Super Tuesday info

Super Tuesday info
What you need to know to vote
By News-Sentinel Staff
Updated: Tuesday, February 5, 2008 6:59 AM PST

Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. today. Voters should bring identification that shows their address, such as a utility bill or sample ballot.

Despite the hotly contested primary election in both major parties, San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters Austin Erdman anticipates a mere 32 percent turnout in the county. "I hope I'm way wrong," Erdman said. "But I've only seen 50 percent of the absentees mailed back. I'm not seeing lines out my door. I'm not seeing the excitement in as many people as usual. Some people are attributing it to San Joaquin County being a high recession area." Elections officials will stay up all night counting ballots, Erdman said.

"We'll be done by 8 a.m. Wednesday morning," he said.

While Sacramento County officials expect a sixto eight-hour delay counting votes due to machine troubles, Erdman sees no such trouble in Stockton, though he is a bit concerned that Murphy's Law may come into play.

"We don't have any major issues at this point," Erdman said. "Knock on wood — this is an election."

http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2008/02/05/news/4_voting_080205.txt

[Melissa G]

14. OH- Union County officials contest state's decision on paper ballots

Union County officials contest state's decision on paper ballots
Tuesday, February 5, 2008 11:04 AM
By Holly Zachariah and Mark Niquette

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The Board of Union County Commissioners says Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner doesn’t have the authority to force county boards of elections to use paper ballots in an election, and the board has asked a judge to stop her plan to do just that for the March primary.

In a lawsuit filed this morning in Union County Common Pleas Court, the commissioners asked Judge Richard E. Parrott to stop Brunner from forcing counties to use the paper ballots and also asked that she be prevented from removing from office any of the board of elections officials who refuse to do so.

Last month, Brunner ordered all 56 Ohio counties planning to use touch screens in the March 4 primary – including Union, Franklin and all central Ohio counties except Madison – to make paper ballots available for voters who request one.

The order was a response to a study that Brunner’s office sought last fall that concluded all voting systems in Ohio, especially touch screens, were vulnerable to tampering and error.

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/02/05/voting_wrap.html?sid=101

[Melissa G]

15. IL- ELECTION '08: State officials alert to voter fraud

ELECTION '08: State officials alert to voter fraud
02/05/2008, 10:21 am

STEPHANIE SIEVERS, [e-mail], 217-524-5797

Illinois may be the state that coined the phrase "vote early and vote often," but local election officials say they aren't expecting problems with voter fraud as people head to the polls today.
"There are so many checks and balances in the system at this time," said Rock Island County Clerk Dick Leibovitz, who said election information is verified and re-verified.

Further, Illinois voters now use some form of electronic voting technology that has made it harder to commit the old forms of voter fraud such as stuffing ballot boxes, says Steve Sturm, an attorney for the Illinois State Board of Elections.

There are optical scan machines in which a voter fills out a paper ballot and it is then fed into a scanner to be "read" and tabulated. Other voters use touch-screen machines and a few parts of the state use a hybrid combination, Sturm said.

It may be harder to get around the technology, but Sturm said it doesn't mean people won't eventually find new ways to try and skirt election laws.

http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=352864

[rumpel]

18. CA: on DU - "Disenfranchised in Beverly Hills"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4409514

thanks to catagory5

[rumpel]

19. TX: Large turnout for young voter registrants

News 8 Austin

2/5/2008 8:09 AM
By: Bob Robuck

Many voters may have waited until the last minute but if Monday night were any indication as to what may come, expect there to be a large turnout of young voters.

"We've been watching what's been happening and not particularly liking the results of that, so we're trying to come out and make a difference," Sarah Lisle a young registrant said.

A steady stream of people showed up at the tax office Monday, and though older voters showed up, it was the young voters who had a strong presence.

Dolores Lopez, the Voter Registration Director said young voters want their vote to count.

http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=199552

[rumpel]

20. CA: on DU: Ballot bubble may baffle (Butte County, CA)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3170004&mesg_id=3170004

thanks to fed-up

also last night by WillYourVoteBCounted

Warning: California Gets Its Own Butterfly Ballot

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x496744

[Melissa G]

2. National n/t

[Melissa G]

5. 'Crash tested' e-voting machines spread doubt on Super Tuesday Six states at 'high risk'

'Crash tested' e-voting machines spread doubt on Super TuesdaySix states at 'high risk'
By Dan Goodin in San Francisco

Published Tuesday 5th February 2008 13:02 GMT

In the Democratic and Republican primaries being held today, voters from 24 states will cast ballots for presidential candidates, making it the biggest "Super Tuesday" in US history.

But this election day comes with another distinction that's much more dubious: mistrust of the electronic equipment that will be used to tally many of the votes is higher than ever, computer and political experts say. Doubts about e-voting are no longer the esoteric stuff of geeks and conspiracy theorists. For perhaps the first time, they have become a mainstream obsession.

"In 2002 and 2003, I had trouble getting any credibility in the press or getting politicians to listen to me," says David Dill, a Stanford University computer science professor and a critic of electronic voting machines. "Now, the tide has definitely turned, and the momentum is against e-voting. By and large, there is a perception that it is problematic."

According to a report issued by two voting advocacy groups, six of the 24 states holding primaries today are at a high risk of miscounting votes because of machines that malfunction or are tampered with. Five other states are rated at medium risk, according to Common Cause and Verified Voting Foundation.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/05/super_tuesday_evoting_doubts/

[Peace Patriot]

24. Please see my analysis of this CC/VV report. It's a screwy report in many ways.

For instance, they include New York, with its old reliable lever voting machines--that are seeable and understandable by all--in the same category, "high risk" of fraud/error, as Georgia and South Carolina, which have all paperless e-voting run on "trade secret," proprietary programming code, owned and controlled by rightwing corporations, involving multi-millions in contracts. This is absurd. And I'm afraid the purpose is money--to push New York to get bilked and defrauded, like the rest of us, by these very "bad actor" e-voting corporations. It doesn't surprise me at all that CC would do this. VV surprises me a bit. Their criteria for "high risk" are extremely simplistic, and imply that if the corporations just supply a paper ballot, all is fine. That is so far from the truth as to be laughable. And it puts a state like CA in a "low risk" category, and that is baloney.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=496591&mesg_id=496591

[Melissa G]

7. Securing voting machines

Graham Titterington

Securing voting machines

Electronic voting machines are widely used in the US, despite some unease amongst IT security professionals. Fortify Software is seeking to build on its work in this area to raise the profile of its Source Code Analysis product, with an offer of free software for checking the machines in this year's presidential elections.

Comment: Electronic vote counting machines are widely used in the US. They scan paper votes or allow voters to use a keypad or a touch sensitive screen. Security experts are worried because the complexity of these machines leaves them wide open to software errors that could corrupt the vote either deliberately or accidentally. Many machines do not produce a paper tally against which results can be verified. Some machines are vulnerable to tampering. Software errors are more serious than either human errors or hardware errors because they consistently err in the same direction each time they occur, rather than randomly erring in favour of different candidates in an election. They are thus more likely to change the overall result of the election.

Fortify Software has made a headline grabbing offer of a free copy of its source code analysis software for every state in the US so that it can check the integrity of its vote counting machines and check the protection they offer for voter privacy, ahead of November's presidential elections. It might be easy to dismiss this offer as a cheap publicity gimmick if it weren't for Fortify's track record in this sector. It has already been used by the states of California, Florida and Ohio. The Californian experience is particularly newsworthy, as it led to the de-certification of voting machines from three vendors. Fortify also has been used extensively in less public domains in both the commercial and government sectors, mainly in the US.

Source code analysis has been gaining a higher profile over the last two years and this initiative will raise it further. Previous controversies, such as the Florida election result in 2000, have opened up interest in a turgid subject. States that refuse this offer could find themselves under pressure to justify their position. States that accept it will find it hard to reject source code analysis of future systems, both in voting and elsewhere.

http://www.ovum.com/news/euronews.asp?id=6621

[Melissa G]

13. Superdelegate endorsement and uncommitted lists

Thanks to livvyfor the post and the DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x496761

Tue Feb-05-08 05:52 AM
Original message
Superdelegate endorsement and uncommitted lists
Edited on Tue Feb-05-08 06:03 AM by livvy
There are notes and responses at the end of each list.

These delegates have endorsed a candidate (they are free to change their mind at any time):

Here's a list of superdelegates to the 2008 Democratic Convention that have officially announced who they plan to nominate. If you know of any others or are a superdelegate please post a comment.

We have also created a list of superdelegates that have not endorsed a candidate. There are 796 total Democratic superdelegates that the nominees are trying to be endorsed by.

From the Democratic Convention Website:

UNPLEDGED AND PLEDGED PARTY LEADERS AND ELECTED OFFICIAL DELEGATES


The procedure to be used for certifying unpledged party leader and elected official delegates is as follows:
Not later than March 1, 2008, the Secretary of the Democratic National Committee shall officially confirm to each State Democratic Chair the names of the following unpledged delegates who legally reside in their respective state and who shall be recognized as part of their state’s delegation unless any such member has publicly expressed support for the election of, or has endorsed, a presidential candidate of another political party;

The individuals recognized as members of the DNC (as set forth in Article Three, Sections 2 and 3 of the Charter of the Democratic Party of the United States); and,

The Democratic President and the Democratic Vice President of the United States, if applicable; and,

All Democratic members of the United States House of Representatives and all Democratic members of the United States Senate; and,

The Democratic Governor, if applicable; and,

All former Democratic Presidents, all former Democratic Vice Presidents, all former Democratic Leaders of the U.S. Senate, all former Democratic Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives and Democratic Minority Leaders, as applicable, and all former Chairs of the Democratic National Committee.
Super-delegates highlighted in red are from Michigan or Florida and do not count toward the nomination at this time.


Clinton
DNC Patti Higgins (AK)
DNC Joe Reed (AL)
Gov. Tagiola Tulafono (AS)
DNC Fagafaga Langkilde (AS)
DNC Deanna Fuimaono (AS)
DNC Nathaniel Savali (AS)
Rep. Ed Pastor (AZ)
DNC Joe Rios (AZ)
DNC Janice C. Brunson (AZ)
Hon. Carolyn Warner (AZ)
Gov. Mike Beebe (AR)
Sen. Mark Pryor (AR)
Rep. Marion Berry (AR)
Rep. Mike Ross (AR)
Rep. Vic Snyder (AR)
DNC Don Beavers (AR)
DNC Martha Dixon (AR)
DNC Karla Bradley (AR)
Sen. Diane Feinstein (CA)
Rep. Maxine Waters (CA)
Rep. Joe Baca (CA)
Rep. Doris Matsui (CA)
Rep. Mike Thompson (CA)
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (CA)
Rep. John Lewis (GA)
Rep. Dennis Cardoza (CA)
Rep. Jane Harman (CA)
Rep. Tom Lantos (CA)
Rep. Grace Napolitano (CA)
Rep. Laura Richardson (CA)
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA)
Rep. Brad Sherman (CA)
Rep. Hilda Solis (CA)
Rep. Ellen Tauscher (CA)
Rep. Diane Watson (CA)
DNC Alice Huffman (CA)
DNC Alicia Wang (CA)
DNC Rosalind Wyman (CA)
Rep. Loretta Sanchez (CA)
DNC Charles Manatt (CA)
DNC Kamil Hasan (CA)
DNC Mona Pasquil (CA)
DNC Mirian Saez (CA)
DNC Hon. Maria Echaveste (CA)
Rep. Diane DeGette (CO)
DNC Manny Rodriguez (CO)
DNC Maria Handley (CO)
DNC Ramona Martinez (CO)
DNC Ellen Camhi (CT)
Gov. Ruth Ann Minner (DE)
DNC Rhett Ruggerio (DE)
DNC Karen Valentine (DE)
DNC Mary Eva Candon (DC)
DNC Yolanda Caraway (DC)
DNC Hartina Flournoy (DC)
DNC Harold Ickes (DC)
DNC Ben Johnson (DC)
DNC Eric Kleinfeld (DC)
DNC Minyon Moore (DC)
DNC Elizabeth Smith (DC)
DNC Marilyn Tyler Brown (DC)
DNC Gerald McEntee (DC)
DNC Carol Pensky (DC)
Sen. Bill Nelson (FL)
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL)
Rep. Alcee Hastings (FL)
Rep. Corrine Brown (FL)
Rep. Kendrick Meek (FL)
DNC Raul Martinez (FL)
Rep. David Scott (GA)
Michael Thurmond (GA)
Sen. Daniel Inouye (HI)
DNC John Rednour (IL)
Sen. Evan Bayh (IN)
DNC Joe Andrew (IN)
DNC Dan Parker (IN)
DNC Phoebe Crane (IN)
DNC Bob Pastrick (IN)
Rep. Leonard Boswell (IA)
DNC Sandy Opstvedt (IA)
DNC Teresa Krusor (KS)
Gov. John Balducci (ME)
DNC Ken Curtis (ME)
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Gov. Martin O'Malley (MD)
Rep. CA Dutch Ruppersberger (MD)
DNC Nancy Kopp (MD)
Rep. Richard Neal (MA)
Rep. Jim McGovern (MA)
Rep. Barney Frank (MA)
Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA)
DNC Steven Grossman (MA)
Dr. Elaine Kamarck (MA)
DNC Diane Saxe (MA)
Gov. Jennifer Granholm (MI)
Hon. John Cherry (MI)
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI)
Rep. Sander Levin (MI)
DNC Joel Ferguson (MI)
DNC Debbie Dingell (MI)
VP Walter Mondale (MN)
DNC Jackie Stevenson (MN)
DNC Rick Stafford (MN)
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (MO)
Fmr. Rep. Dick Gephardt (MO)
DNC Doug Brooks (MO)
DNC Sandy Querry (MO)
Rep. Shelley Berkley (NV)
DNC Dina Titus (NV)

Clinton cont'd
DNC Gaeten DiGangi (NH)
DNC Anita Freedman (NH)
Gov. Jon Corzine (NJ)
Sen. Robert Menendez (NJ)
Rep. Robert Andrews (NJ)
Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ)
Rep. Bill Pascrell (NJ)
Rep. Albio Sires (NJ)
DNC Joseph DeCotiis (NJ)
DNC Dana Redd (NJ)
Rep. Donald Payne (NJ)
DNC Joe Cryan (NJ)
DNC Tonio Burgos (NJ)
DNC June Fisher (NJ)
Hon. Diane Denish (NM)
DNC Hon. Martin Chavez (NM)
DNC Mary Gail Gwaltney (NM)
Gov. Eliot Spitzer (NY)
President Bill Clinton (NY)
Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (NY)
Rep. Gary Ackerman (NY)
Rep. Michael Arcuri (NY)
Rep. Timothy Bishop (NY)
Rep. Joseph Crowley (NY)
Rep. Eliot Engel (NY)
Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)
Rep. John Hall (NY)
Rep. Brian Higgins (NY)
Rep. Maurice Hinchey (NY)
Rep. Steve Israel (NY)
Rep. Nita Lowey (NY)
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY)
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (NY)
Rep. Michael McNulty (NY)
Rep. Gregory Meeks (NY)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY)
Rep. Charles Rangel (NY)
Richard Schaffer (NY)
Rep. Jose Serrano (NY)
Rep. Louise Slaughter (NY)
Rep. Edolphus Towns (NY)
Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY)
Rep. Anthony Weiner (NY)
Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (NY)
DNC June O'Neill (NY)
DNC Dave Pollak (NY)
DNC Randi Weingarten (NY)
DNC Vivian Cook (NY)
DNC Emily Giske (NY)
DNC Judith Hope (NY)
DNC Maria Luna (NY)
DNC Sheldon Silver (NY)
DNC Robert Zimmerman (NY)
DNC Hon. David Paterson (NY)
DNC Susan Burgess (NC)
Gov. Ted Strickland (OH)
Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (OH)
DNC Betty McElderry (OK)
Gov. Ted Kulongoski (OR)
Rep. Darlene Hooley (OR)
Gov. Ed Rendell (PA)
DNC Hon. TJ Rooney (PA)
Rep. Joe Sestak (PA)
Rep. Allyson Schwartz (PA)
Rep. Paul Kanjorsky (PA)
DNC Rena Baumgartner (PA)
DNC Jean Milko (PA)
DNC Roberto Prats Palerm (PR)
DNC Kenneth McClintock (PR)
DNC Francisco Domenec (PR)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)
Rep. Jim Langevin (RI)
DNC David Cicilline (RI)
DNC William Lynch (RI)
DNC Mark Weiner (RI)
DNC Don Fowler (SC)
DNC Marva Smalls (SC)
DNC Bill Owen (TN)
DNC Elisa Parker (TN)
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX)
Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX)
DNC Sue Lovell (TX)
DNC Senfronia Thompson (TX)
DNC Denise Johnson (TX)
Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (TX)
Rep. Silvestre Reyes (TX)
Rep. Gene Green (TX)
Rep. Solomon Ortiz (TX)
DNC Hon. Karen Hale (UT)
DNC Helen Langan (UT)
DNC Terry McAuliffe (VA)
DNC Jennifer McClellan (VA)
DNC Mame Reiley (VA)
DNC Lionel Spruill Sr. (VA)
DNC Susan Swecker (VA)
Del. Donna M Christensen (VI)
Sen. Maria Cantwell (WA)
Sen. Patty Murray (WA)
Rep. Jay Inslee (WA)
Former Speaker Tom Foley (WA)
DNC Ron Sims (WA)
Rep. Tammy Baldwin (WI)
DNC Tim Sullivan (WI)

Obama
Rep. Artur Davis (AL)
Del. Eni FH Faleomavaga (AS)
Gov. Janet Napolitano (AZ)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ)
Rep. Anna Eshoo (CA)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA)
Rep. Barbara Lee (CA)
Rep. Adam Schiff (CA)
Rep. George Miller (CA)
Rep Zoe Lofgren (CA)
Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA)
DNC Hon. Eric Garcetti (CA)
DNC Norma Torres (CA)
Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO)
DNC Dan Slater (CO)
Debbie Marquez (CO)
DNC JW Postal (CO)
Rep. Chris Murphy (CT)
Rep. John Larson (CT)
DNC Stephen Fontana (CT)
DNC Martin Dunleavy (CT)
Rosa DeLauro (CT)
Mayor Adrian Fenty (DC)
DNC Arrington Dixon (DC)
Rep. Robert Wexler (FL)
DNC Allan Katz (FL)
Rep. Sanford Bishop (GA)
Rep. Hank Johnson (GA)
Mayor Shirley Franklin (GA) **
Rep. Neil Abercrombie (HI)
DNC Hon. Gail Bray (ID)
DNC Grant Burgoyne (ID)
Gov. Rod Blagojevich (IL)
Sen. Barack Obama (IL)
Sen. Dick Durbin (IL)
Rep. Melissa Bean (IL)
Rep. Jerry Costello (IL)
Rep. Danny Davis (IL)
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL)
Rep. Phil Hare (IL)
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL)
Rep. Bobby Rush (IL)
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL)
DNC Constance Howard (IL)
DNC Margaret Blackshere (IL)
DNC Hon. Emil Jones Jr. (IL)
DNC Hon. Iris Martinez (IL)
DNC Tom Hynes (IL)
DNC Willie Barrow (IL)
DNC Michael Madigan (IL)
Rep. Dave Loebsack (IA)
DNC Michael Fitzgerald (IA)
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (KS)
E. Lee Kinch (KS)
Rep. Albert Wynn (MD)
Rep. Elijah Cummings (MD)
DNC Karren Pope-Onwukwe (MD)
Gov. Deval Patrick (MA)
Sen. John Kerry (MA)
Sen. Ted Kennedy (MA)
Rep. William Delahunt (MA)
Rep. Michael Capuano (MA)
DNC Alan Solomont (MA)
Rep. John Conyers (MI)
Rep. Jim Oberstar (MN)
Rep. Keith Ellison (MN)
Rep. Betty McCollum (MN)
Hon. Mee Moua (MN)
Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS)
DNC Johnnie Patton (MS)
Sen. Claire McCaskill (MO)
Rep. Russ Carnahan (MO)
Rep. Lacy Clay (MO)
Sen. Ben Nelson (NE)
Rep. Steve Rothman (NJ)
DNC Steven Horsford (NV)
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (NH)
Rep. Paul Hodes (NH)
DNC Hon. Martha Fuller Clark (NH)
Fmr DNC Chair Fred Harris (NM)
Rep. G.K. Butterfield (NC)
DNC Everett Ward (NC)
Sen. Kent Conrad (ND)
Rep. Earl Pomeroy (ND)
DNC Jim Maxson (ND)
DNC Mary Wakefield (ND)
DNC Kitti Asbury - (OK)
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR)
Rep. Patrick Murphy (PA)
Rep. Chaka Fattah (PA)
Rep. Patrick Kennedy (RI)
DNC Waring Howe Jr. (SC)
Sen. Tim Johnson (SD)
Fmr Sen. Tom Daschle (SD)
Rep. Jim Cooper (TN)
Rep. Steve Cohen (TN)
DNC Lois DeBerry (TN)
Rep. Al Green (TX)
DNC Moses Mercado (TX)
DNC Bill Orton (UT)
Sen. Patrick Leahy (VT)
Rep. Peter Welch (VT)
Gov. Tim Kaine (VA)
Rick Boucher (VA)
Rep. Bobby Scott (VA)
Gov. John P. deJongh, Jr. (VI)
Rep. Adam Smith (WA)
Pat Notter (WA)
Rep. Gwen Moore (WI)
Gov. Jim Doyle (WI)
DNC Peter Jorgenson (WY)
DNC John Millin (WY)


http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-l...




This list is of delegates who have not yet endorsed a candidate:

Superdelegates who haven't endorsed
We have a list of superdelegates to the 2008 Democratic Convention who have officially endorsed a candidate but who is left? Who hasn't made an official endorsement?

Now that the primaries have started we will probably see a wave of endorsements. Let's take a look at which Democratic superdelegates haven't endorsed a candidate yet. Along with our superdelegate list we will be updating this list as new endorsements are made.
This will be an ongoing work in progress so check back often for updates.

Superdelegates highlighted in red are from Michigan or Florida and do not count toward the nomination at this time.

Representatives
Bud Cramer (AL)
Harry Mitchell (AZ)
Gabrielle Giffords (AZ)
Nancy Pelosi (CA)
Jerry McNerney (CA)
Pete Stark (CA)
Mike Honda (CA)
Sam Farr (CA)
Jim Costa (CA)
Lois Capps (CA)
Howard Berman (CA)
Henry Waxman (CA)
Bob Filner (CA)
Susan Davis (CA)
Mark Udall (CO)
John Salazar (CO)
Joe Courtney (CT)
Allen Boyd (FL)
Kathy Castor (FL)
Tim Mahoney (FL)
Ron Klein (FL)
Jim Marshall (GA)
John Barrow (GA)
Mazie Hirono (HI)
Dan Lipinski (IL)
Rahm Emanuel (IL)
Peter Visclosky (IN)
Joe Donnelly (IN)
Brad Ellsworth (IN)
Baron Hill (IN)
Rep. Bruce Braley (IA)
Nancy Boyda (KS)
Dennis Moore (KS)
John Yarmuth (KY)
Ben Chandler (KY)
William Jefferson (LA)
Charlie Melancon (LA)
Tom Allen (ME)
Rep. Michael Michaud (ME)
John Sarbanes (MD)
Steny Hoyer (MD)
Chris Van Hollen (MD)
John Olver (MA)
Niki Tsongas (MA)
John Tierney (MA)
Edward Markey (MA)
Dale Kildee (MI)
Sander Levin (MI)
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (MI)
John Dingell (MI)
Rep. Bart Stupak (MI)
Rep. Tim Walz (MN)
Collin Peterson (MN)
Gene Taylor (MS)
Ike Skelton (MO)
Rep. Rush Holt (NJ)
Rep. Bob Etheridge (NC)
Rep. Mike McIntyre (NC)
Rep. Brad Miller (NC)
Rep. David Price (NC)
Rep. Heath Shuler (NC)
Rep. Mel Watt (NC)
Charlie Wilson (OH)
Marcia Kaptur (OH)
Betty Sutton (OH)
Tim Ryan (OH)
Rep. Zack Space (OH)
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (OH)
David Wu (OR)
Peter DeFazio (OR)
Bob Brady (PA)
Jason Altmire (PA)
Chris Carney (PA)
John Murtha (PA)
Tim Holden (PA)
John Spratt (SC)
Rep. Jim Clyburn (SC)
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD)
Rep. Dan Boren (OK)
Lincoln Davis (TN)
Bart Gordon (TN)
John Tanner (TN)
Chet Edwards (TX)
Nick Lampson (TX)
Ciro Rodriguez (TX)
Lloyd Doggett (TX)
Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (TX)
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX)
Jim Matheson (UT)
Jim Moran (VA)
Rick Larsen (WA)
Brian Baird (WA)
Norm Dicks (WA)
Jim McDermott (WA)
Alan Mollohan (WV)
Nick Rahall (WV)
Ron Kind (WI)
Steve Kagen (WI)
Rep. David Obey (WI)
Rep. Tim Ryan (OH)
Rep. Tom Udall (NM)
Rep. Mike Doyle (PA)
Rep. Solomon Ortiz (TX)
Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC)
Madeleine Bordallo (Guam)
Former Speaker Jim Wright


Presidents & VPs
Jimmy Carter (GA)
Al Gore (TN)
Senators
Blanche Lincoln (AR)
Barbara Boxer (CA)
Ken Salazar (CO)
Chris Dodd (CT)
Joe Biden (DE)
Tom Carper (DE)
Daniel Akaka (HI)
Tom Harkin (IA)
Mary Landrieu (LA)
Ben Cardin (MD)
Carl Levin (MI)
Amy Klobuchar (MN)
Max Baucus (MT)
John Tester (MT)
Harry Reid (NV)
Frank Lautenberg (NJ)
Byron Dorgan (ND)
Sherrod Brown (OH)
Ron Wyden (OR)
Bob Casey (PA)
Jack Reed (RI)
Jim Webb (VA)
Robert Byrd (WV)
Jay Rockefeller (WV)
Herb Kohl (WI)
Russ Feingold (WI)
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (NM)
Fmr. Senator George Mitchell
Michael Brown (DC)
Paul Strauss (DC)


Governors
Bill Ritter (CO)
Chet Culver (IA)
Steve Beshear (KY)
Brian Schweitzer (MT)
John Lynch (NH)
Bill Richardson (NM)
Mike Easley (NC)
Brad Henry (OK)
Phil Bredeson (TN)
Chris Gregoire (WA)
Joe Manchin (WV)
Dave Freudenthal (WY)
Aníbal Acevedo Vilá (PR)
DNC Members
Howard Dean - Chairman (VT)
Mike Gronstal (IA)
Lottie Shackleford (AR)
Linda Chavez -Thompson (TX)
Susan Turnbull (MD)
Mark Brewer (MI)
Andrew Tobias (FL)
Alice Germond (WV)
Philip D. Murphy (NJ)
Alabama
Joe Turnham - AL Chair
Nancy Worley - AL Vice Chair
Hon. Yvonne Kennedy
Hon. Randy Kelley
Alaska
Blake Johnson - AK Vice Chair
Hon. John Davies
Cindy Spanyers
Arizona
Don Bivens - AZ Chair
Donna Branch Gilby - AZ Vice Chair
Arkansas
Bill Gwatney - AR Chair
California
Art Torres - CA Chair
Alexandra Gallardo-Rooker - Vice Chair
Steven Alari
Rachel Binah
Mary Ellen Early
Edward Espinoza
Inola Henry
Aleita Huguenin
Hon. Carole Midgen
Bob Mulholland
Christine Pelosi
Robert Rankin
Garry Shay
Hon. Christopher Stampolis
Keith Umemoto
Steve Ybarra
John Perez
Colorado
Pat Waak - CO Chair
Connecticut
Nancy DiNardo - CT Chair
Anthony Avallone
John Olsen
Delaware
John Daniello - DE Chair
Harriet Smith-Windsor - DE Vice Chair
Florida
Karen Thurman - FL Chair
Rudolph Parker - FL Vice Chair
Terrie Brady
Mitchell Ceasar
Hon. Joyce Cusack
Diane Glasser
Chuck Mohlke
Janee Murphy
Jon Ausman (FL)
Georgia
Jane Kidd - GA Chair
Carole Dabbs
Mary Long
Lonnie Plott
Richard Ray
Hawaii
Beverly Withington - Chair
Joshua Wisch - Vice Chair
Richard Port
Dr. Marie Dolly Strazar
Idaho
Keith Roark - Chair
Jeanne Buell - Vice-chair
Illinois
Hon. Carol Ronen
Hon. Darlena Williams-Burnett
Indiana
Cordelia Lewis Burks - IN Vice Chair
Connie Thurman
Iowa
Scott Brennan - IA Chair
Sarah Swisher
Richard Machacek
Kansas
Larry Gates - KS Chair
Randy Roy
Helen Knetzer
Kentucky
Jennifer Moore - Chair
Nathan Smith - Vice Chair
Moretta Bosley
Terry McBrayer
Jo Etta Wickliffe
Louisiana
Chris Whittington - LA Chair
Mary Lou Winters - LA Vice Chair
Patsy Arcenaux
Hon. Renee Gill Pratt
Claude "Buddy" Leach
Maine
Marianne Stevens - ME Vice Chair
Jennifer DeChant
Sam Spencer
John Knutson
Maryland
Michael Cryor - MD Chair
Lauren Glover - MD Vice Chair
Glenard Middleton
Hon. Heather Mizeur
Hon. Gregory Pecoraro
Mary Jo Neville
Massachusetts
John Walsh - MA Chair
Debra Kozikowski
Gus Bickford
Hon. Raymond Jordan
David O'Brien
Margaret Xifaras
Michigan
Arthenia Abbott - MI Vice Chair
Elizabeth Bunn
Debbie Dingell
Hon. Robert Ficano
Joyce Lalonde
Jeffrey Radjewski
Michael Tardiff
Richard Wiener
Minnesota
Brian Melendez - MN Chair
Donna Cassutt - MN Vice Chair
Ken Foxworth
Nancy Larson
Mississippi
Wayne Dowdy - Chair
Carnelia Pettis Fondren - Vice Chair
Everett Sanders
Missouri
John Temporiti - Chair
Yolanda Wheat - Vice Chair
Mark Bryant
Leila Medley
Montana
Dennis McDonald - MT Chair
Hon. Margarett Campbell - MT Vice Chair
Jean Lemire Dahlman
Hon. Ed Tinsley
Nebraska
Steven Achelpohl - NE Chair
Audra Ostergard - NE Vice Chair
Kathleen Fahey
Vince Powers
Nevada
Jill Derby - NV Chair
Sam Lieberman - NV Vice Chair
New Hampshire
Raymond Buckley - NH Chair
New Jersey
Donald Norcross
Christine "Roz" Samuels
New Mexico
Brian Colon - NM Chair
Hon. Raymond Sanchez
Annadelle Sanchez
New York
Hon. Herman Farrell Jr.
Dennis Mehiel
Hon. Robert Ramirez
Irene Stein
Sylvia Tokasz
North Carolina
Jerry Meek - NC Chair
Dannie Montgomery - NC Vice Chair
Dr. Jeanette Council
David Parker
Muriel Offerman
Carol Peterson
North Dakota
David Strauss - ND Chair
Renee Pfenning
Ohio
Hon. Chris Redfern - OH Chair
Hon. Rhine McLin - OH Vice Chair
William Burga
Enid Goubeaux
Hon. Mark Mallory
Ronald Malone
Patricia Moss
Sonni Nardi
Oklahoma
Dr. Ivan Holmes - OK Chair
Jim Frasier
Oregon
Meredith Woods-Smith - OR Chair
Frank Dixon - OR Vice Chair
Jenny Greenleaf
Wayne Kinney
Pennsylvania
Hon. Jean Milko - PA Vice Chair
Carol Ann Campbell
Hon. Richard Donatucci
William George
Marcel Groen
Hon. Sophie Masloff
Ian Murray
Evelyn Richardson
DNC Members (cont'd)
Rhode Island
Edna O'Neill Matson - RI Vice Chair
Hon. Frank Montanaro
Patrick Lynch
South Carolina
Carol Fowler - SC Chair
Wilbur Lee Jeffcoat - SC Vice Chair
Hon. Gilda Cobb-Hunter
South Dakota
Jack Billion - SD Chair
Deb Knecht - SD Vice Chair
Hon. Nick Nemec
Sharon Stroschein
Tennessee
Gray Sasser - TN Chair
Will Cheek
Dr. Inez Crutchfield
Jimmie Farris
Texas
Boyd Richie - TX Chair
Roy LaVerne Brooks - TX Vice Chair
Hon. Yvonne Davis
Hon. Al Edwards
Norma Fisher Flores
Jaime Gonzalez Jr.
David Holmes
John Patrick
Betty Richie
Bob Slagle
Utah
Wayne Holland Jr. - UT Chair
Vermont
Ian Carleton - VT Chair
Judy Bevans - VT Vice Chair
Billi Gosh
Hon. Chuck Ross. Jr.
Virginia
Jim Leaman
C Richard Cranwell
Washington DC
Anita Bonds - DC Chair
Jeffery Richardson - DC Vice Chair
Washington
Dwight Pelz - WA Chair
Eileen Macoll - WA Vice Chair
Ed Cote
Sharon Mast
David McDonald
West Virginia
Nick Casey Jr. - WV Chair
Belinda Biofore - WV Vice Chair
Pat Maroney
Marie Prezioso
Wisconsin
Lena Taylor - WI Vice Chair
Stan Gruszynski
Jason Rae
Melissa Schroeder
Paula Zellner
Joe Wineke
Wyoming
Nancy Drummond - WY Vice Chair
Cynthia Nunley
Democrats Abroad *
Christine Marques - Chair
Toby Condliffe - Vice Chair
Robert Bell
Connie Borde
Liv Gibbons
Theresa Morelli
Brent O'Leary
Leo Perez Minaya
American Samoa
Theresa Hunkin - Vice Chair
Guam
Antonio Charfauros - Chair
Cecilia Mafnas - Vice Chair
Taling Taitano
Hon. Robert Underwood
Puerto Rico
Luisette Cabana - Vice Chair
Dr. Celita Arroyo de Roques
Virgin Islands
Cecil Benjamin - Chair
Marylyn Stapleton - Vice Chair
Carol Burke
Kevin Rodriguez
Members -At-Large
Lu Battaglieri (MI)
Joyce Brayboy (VA)
Donna Brazile (DC)
Anna Burger (PA)
Hon. Maria Chappelle-Nadal (MO)
Alvaro Cifuentes (MD)
Larry Cohen (DC)
Ralph Dawson (NY)
Barbara Easterling (VA)
Kalyn Free (OK)
John Gage (MD)
Hon. Yvonne Gates (NV)
Janice Griffin (MD)
Hon. Alexis Herman (VA)
Ben Jeffers (LA)
Joe Johnson (VA)
Frank LaMere (NE)
Belkis Leong-Hong (MD)
Leon Lynch (PA)
Robert Martinez (TX)
Richard Michalski (MD)
Mona Mohib (CT)
Jay Parmley (OK)
Steve Powell (IL)
Gail Rasmussen (OR)
James Roosevelt Jr (MA)
Eliseo Roques-Arroyo (PR)
Richard Shoemaker (MI)
Edward Smith (IL)
Marianne Spraggins (NY)
Michael Steed (MD)
John Sweeney (MD)
Christine Trujillo (NM)
Vernon Watkins (CA)
Jerome Wiley Segovia (VA)
Dr. James Zogby (DC)
Former DNC Chairmen
David Wilhelm (IL)
Debra DeLee (MA)
Paul Kirk (MA)
Roy Romer (CO)
Bob Strauss (TX)
Nat'l Conf. of Dem. Mayors
Hon. Kwame Kilpatrick (MI)
Dem. Assoc. of SoS
Hon. Robin Carnahan (MO)
Hon. Bill Bradbury (OR)
Nat'l Assoc of Dem State Treasurers
Dem. Leg. Campaign Comm.
Hon. Joyce Beatty (OH)
Hon. Joan Fitz-Gerald (CO)
Nat'l Dem. County Officials
Hon. Eric Coleman (MI)
Hon. Margie Woods (IL)
Nat'l Dem. Municipal Officials Conf.
Hon. Myron Lowery (TN)
Nat'l Fed. of Dem. Women
Virgie Rollins (MI)
Hon. Ruth Rudy (PA)
College Dems of America
Lauren Wolfe (MI)
Awais Khaleel (WI)
Young Dems of America
David Hardt (TX)
Crystal Strait (CA)
Dem Assoc. of Atty Gen.
Hon. Catherine Cortez Masto (NV)
Nat'l Dem Ethnic Coord. Comm.
Christine Warnke (DC)
Nat'l Dem. Seniors Coord. Comm.
Hon. John Melcher (MT)
Maria Cordone (MD)
Secretary of Emeritus
Kathleen Vick (DC)
Unassigned
Four "Unassigned" superdelegates to be determined before the convention.


* Superdelegates from Democrats Abroad count as 1/2 of a vote.

In addition to the above superdelegates, there are 76 additional unpledged add-ons that will be picked at the various state conventions.

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegates-...

on edit: changed for clarification

[rumpel]

22. ABC News: Oprah Fixes Voting Glitch; Scattered Problems with Machines

By MARCUS BARAM
Feb. 5, 2008

It wasn't quite a "hanging chad" moment, but Oprah Winfrey stepped in early today to resolve one of the first voting glitches of Super Tuesday.

When Rachel Waymire got to her Chicago precinct this morning to vote, she was told that she wouldn't be able vote because only one of five election judges was present.

When Winfrey, who happened to be at the next-door precinct, heard about the problem, the talk show queen and Barack Obama supporter told Waymire she would stay with her until she was allowed to cast her ballot.

"She just kind of stood there and then as soon as I got to vote she left and she said, 'I'll call you later to make sure that you voted.' And probably about an hour later I was sitting at my desk and she called my cell phone," Waymire told WLS, adding that she voted for Obama.

That was just one of several mishaps on the most crowded primary day in history.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=4240895&page=1

[Melissa G]

3. International n/t

[Melissa G]

4. Editorial n/t

[Joanne98]

21. After a reboot, does my e-vote count?

With all things touch-screen in an increasingly touch-screen centric world, I was given the "plastic or paper" option for casting my vote in the California primary on this most super of Super Tuesdays. So, not liking the marker fumes and being used to touching everything on the iPhone anyway, I opted to vote "plastic."

The polling place had 10 conventional optical-scan voting stations with real paper ballots, but only 1 digital voting machine. San Francisco uses the Sequoia voting machine and, well, here's my story:

The clerk handed me a plastic card to insert into the machine. The idea is that you insert the card to activate the ballot and machine. Easy, right? Umm, no, not so in my case. Instead of the black screen of death, Sequoia's red screen of death (irony that the Communists would laugh at) popped up when I inserted my card into the machine's slot. Nothing moved--neither touching nor talking to the machine worked. What's worse, the card was now stuck in the machine as there was no eject button or function. The clerk who handed me the card was confounded. I was having flashbacks to that movie, Man of the Year, with Robin Williams being elected on a computer glitch. I had a thought that I'd have to cast a dreaded "provisional ballot"--at least my name isn't Chad and I'm not pregnant.

Not to be deterred, however, another clerk came over and explained something about hitting "yes" to the other clerk who handled the plastic cards that had been processed on another machine. The clerk then proceeded to lift the back of my voting machine up, slapping it hard so that it must have told it to reboot itself. (What is it about me and having to reboot things? Voting machines, airline seats, iPhones?)

After the two-minute reboot, voting was simple. After a language choice, you were presented with various screens containing all the would-be presidents, ballot measures, and attempts to turn Alcatraz into a Global Peace Park. (I voted no on that bright idea.)

The font was large and not as elegant as the voter guide, nor was it sexy like any Apple-based user interface, but it was functional. I clicked my choices (maybe you can see who I voted for on the pictures I took on my iPhone to document the event) and, at the end, was asked to review my choices. What's best, is that the screen then directed me to look at the paper (yes, paper) receipt that scrolled up on the left of the machine, providing the reassuring paper record of my vote. And it was, indeed, accurate.

So in the end, it's an anachronistic notion that in a plastic world, paper is still the default method that gives us reassurance that our vote still counts. What's more interesting is that while my plastic voting method was expected to be faster, it wasn't, as some of the paper people in line behind me moved past.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9864972-7.html?tag=nefd.top