Election Reform and Related News: Sat. April 19, 2008

[livvy]

Election Reform and Related News
Saturday, April 19, 2008





Everyone is welcome to participate. Feel free to:

:graybox: Post stories and announcements you find on the web.

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

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:graybox: Re-post stories and announcements you find on DU, providing a link to the original thread with thanks to the Original Poster, too.

:graybox: Start a discussion thread by re-posting a story you see on this thread.

Recommendations for the Greatest Page are always welcomed. It's the best way to share the news with members who don't frequent this forum. It's the link below.

[livvy]

1. Election '08 n/t

[livvy]

2. Primary Lures Those Too Young to Vote

April 19, 2008
Primary Lures Those Too Young to Vote
By JACQUES STEINBERG
FLOURTOWN, Pa. — The primary race between Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama could be decided in places like this bedroom community in southeastern Pennsylvania, where polls show the two Democratic presidential candidates running tight.

So it was with obvious gravity that 74 fourth graders at Erdenheim Elementary School assembled this week behind the glass and tan brick walls of their classrooms to debate the campaign’s central issues. The children, most 9 or 10, then signaled their preferences for the Democratic nomination in a gradewide straw poll.

“It’s a battle between man and the environment, and the environment’s losing right now,” Michael Kassabian announced to his fellow voters in Renea Boles’s room, before explaining that he was endorsing Mr. Obama at least partly because of the candidate’s enthusiasm for renewable energy sources.

Henry Centeno said that the candidates’ stances on health care should take precedence, and that his support depended on which candidate would guarantee health insurance for anyone age 25 or younger. Why 25? “If it’s 25,” he said, “Miss Boles would still have free health care.” (His teacher, he knew, is 24.)

Just as their parents and grandparents are paying close attention to the drawn-out fight for the Democratic nomination, so too are those who will not cast an official vote for president for another decade or so. While no polling outfit has systematically canvassed those Americans who are more attuned to the nuances of Hannah Montana than Hannah Arendt, the enthusiasm generated by similar straw polls in places like Austin, Tex.; Scotch Plains, N.J.; and Broward County, Fla., suggests that young children are more engaged in this year’s presidential race than any other in recent memory.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/19/us/politics/19class.html?em&ex=1208750400&en=f896b504b40175c2&ei=5087%0A

[livvy]

3. Making Their Vote Count

Making their vote count

By ANNIE TASKER
Bucks County Courier Times

If elected president in November, John McCain would buy solar-powered cars with leftover campaign funds, Hillary Clinton would declare four days out of the week “clean-up days,” and Barack Obama would fine people for failing to own a trash can.

So said the fifth-grade candidate impersonators at the “Room 49 Debate '08,” held Thursday afternoon in an Everett A. McDonald Elementary School classroom in Warminster. The debate was part of Kids Voting, a national campaign to get children into the habit of casting their ballots by letting them take part in mock elections. Six students got a chance to impersonate the three presidential front-runners, with speeches prepared with the help of their classmate campaign staff.

Through Monday afternoon, youngsters in Southeastern Pennsylvania can vote online for next week's presidential primary. For the general election in November, they can go to the polls with their parents and cast their own optical-scan paper ballots.

The Kids Voting primary ballot lets children vote for both a Republican and a Democratic candidate, with a disclaimer about how that wouldn't be allowed in a real election. Another ballot bonus: the optional section at the bottom for explaining why you think voting is important.

more...

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-04192008-1521673.html

[livvy]

20. Political Perceptions: And the Winner is-Karl Rove?

April 19, 2008, 8:18 am
Political Perceptions: And the Winner is—Karl Rove?
Here’s a summary of the smartest new political analysis on the Web:
By Gerald F. Seib and Sara Murray


Bloomberg News’ Margaret Carlson names an unlikely choice as the winner of the Pennsylvania debate between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama: “Karl Rove was the big winner,” she writes. “His Politics About Nothing lives on…Republicans show respect for all the things not under siege — his guns, his religion, his marriage, his patriotism — and hope no one homes in on jobs, foreclosures or health care.” Her point is that all the talk about guns, religion, marriage and patriotism moved the Democratic debate to ground where Republicans have done well in the Rove era. “The Democrats are playing Rove’s game full throttle.” As for Obama and Clinton, Carlson writes, “neither candidate looked that good. Who does, when they’re on the defensive for more than half an evening?”

Newsweek’s Michael Hirsh, meantime, sees the Democrats blowing their chance to establish credentials in national security: “Once again timorous Democratic advisers behind the scenes are hoping they can run mainly on the ailing economy. While their candidates are urging an end to George W. Bush’s war in Iraq, they are terrified of questioning the larger premises of his ‘war on terror’ or John McCain’s redefinition of it as the ‘transcendent challenge of the 21st century.’”



This, Hirsh argues, is a big mistake. While they are afraid of national security topics, he writes, “to little notice, Obama’s tough, clearly stated position on Bush’s war—that it was disastrously misdirected toward Iraq when Afghanistan was always the real front—is becoming conventional wisdom, even among the Bush administration’s top security officials, like Defense Secretary Bob Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.” Nobody has “a better case” than Obama on national security, but “John McCain is still out there contending that Iraq is the central battlefront and quoting Osama bin Laden favorably to justify his argument (not to mention mixing up Shiites and Sunnis).”

Look for more of this policy talk in weeks to come, as more people focus on the idea that the looming general election poses real choices. U.S. News and World Report’s Michelle Andrews says that with most attention focused on the Democratic primary, voters haven’t gotten too “heated” about whose health plan they like, but that “now that Sen. John McCain is the sole Republican candidate, that’s about to change. When the Republican proposal gets an airing, voters will be confronted with two starkly different visions for reforming healthcare.”

more...



http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/04/19/political-perceptions-and-the-winner-iskarl-rove/?mod=WSJBlog

[livvy]

21. McCain's Texas Fat Cats

McCain's Texas Fat Cats
9:28 AM Sat, Apr 19, 2008

Wayne Slater

John McCain has announced his elite team of big-money campaign contributors and there are nine Texans on the list. Like the Bush campaign before him, McCain is bestowing honorary titles on its fattest fat cats who pledge to raise big bucks. There are 73 Trailblazers, who raised $100,000 each, and 33 Innovators, who have raised $250,000.

Federal law limits donors to $2,300 to a presidential candidate. But so-called "bundlers" pledge to raise huge sums from individuals - and are frequently rewarded with favored treatment, like ambassadorships.

Innovators ($250,000) from Texas include lobbyist Tom Loeffler of San Antonio, McCain's national finance chairman; former Commerce Secretary (in the Bush 41 administration) Bob Mosbacher of Houston; and San Antonio developer William Powell.

The $100,000 McCain money-raisers:

Houston lawyer Lawrence Finder
East Texas oilman Gaylord Hughey, Jr.
Fort Worth developer Ben McDavid
Fort Worth socialite Kit Moncrief
Laredo banker Dennis Nixon
Houston lobbyist David Walden

You can find the full list here. (Click on "here" for the list at the link below.)



http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/04/mccains-texas-fat-cats.html

[livvy]

4. States n/t

[livvy]

5. Voting Machines Tested, Ready

Voting machines tested, ready
(http://www.post-trib.com/news/903846,pcelex.article)

April 19, 2008

By James D. Wolf Jr. Post-Tribune correspondent

VALPARAISO -- Porter County is ready for the May 6 election, at least as far as voting machines are concerned.

On Friday morning the Porter County Election Board tested 12 of its 124 voting machines to see that they read a series of "dummy" cards correctly, voting errors and all.

"What (state) statute shows we're supposed to do is 5 percent," said Dennis Rzepka, account representative from the Omaha-based Election Systems and Software.

However, Porter County has always done slightly more than what the state requires, he said.

All machines gave the totals they were supposed to after members of the Election Board fed the paper ballots through. Those participating were Clerk of the Courts Pamela Fish, Board President and Democratic appointee J. J. Stankiewicz, Republican appointee Patrick Lyp, Democratic Voting Co-Director Kathy Kozuszek, Republican Voting Director Sundae Kubacki, Republican observer Ken Taylor and Democratic observer Clay Patton.

more...

http://www.post-trib.com/news/903846,pcelex.article

[livvy]

8. WI: Democracy Campaign Director Set To Speak April 28

Democracy Campaign director set to speak April 28

Herald Times Reporter April 19, 2008

MANITOWOC — Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, will discuss money in politics, campaign finance reform and government corruption at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 28 at the Senior Center, 3330 Custer St.

His free, public talk is sponsored by the Manitowoc County Democratic Party.

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign calls itself a nonpartisan watchdog group. Manitowoc County Democratic Chairman Phil Knier said McCabe has led successful efforts to win passage, and eventual implementation of the 1998 Citizens Right to Know law requiring electronic disclosure of campaign finances.

McCabe also spearheaded a 2006 “paper trail” bill requiring electronic voting equipment used in Wisconsin produce a verifiable paper record, and a 2007 ethics enforcement reform law that abolished the state Elections Board and Ethics Board, and replaced them with a politically independent enforcement agency under the direction of a nonpartisan Government Accountability Board.

McCabe is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with degrees in journalism and political science. He served as a Peace Corp volunteer in Africa. Before joining the Democracy Campaign staff, he was a school district official, newspaper reporter, and legislative aide.

For more information, call Knier, [phone].




http://www.htrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080419/MAN0101/80419003/1984

[Wilms]

9. PA: Officials Say No Trouble With Touchscreens (Video)

PA Officials: No Trouble With Touchscreens

Thursday, April 17th, 2008

Recently I interviewed Princeton computer scientist Edward Felten about malfunctions of touchscreen voting machines in New Jersey on Feb. 5th. PAVotes.com says these same machines will be used on Tuesday in Montgomery and Northhampton counties.

Despite a judge subpoenaing the Sequoia AVC Advantage touchscreen machine in New Jersey for testing after Sequoia refused to allow Felten to test the machines, at last night’s ABC Democratic presidential debate trouble with this particular touchscreen voting machine wasn’t an issue on the minds of local pols.

snip

http://www.whytuesday.org/2008/04/17/pa-officials-no-trouble-with-touchscreens


Thanks to babylonsister for posting this in the Political Video Forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x121232

[livvy]

10. AL: Proxy Problems

Apr 19, 2008

Proxy problems

THE ISSUE
Republicans in the Alabama House of Representatives have accused some Democrats of abusing a proxy voting rule that allows those not present to have a vote cast by a colleague.

When is a vote cast by proxy and when is it cheating? That's the question asked this week by Republican members of the Alabama House of Represenatives, who say a constitutional amendment that would abolish the state sales tax on groceries passed with the exact number of votes needed to assure

passage.

Republican leaders in the House said some Democrats took liberties with a rule that allows colleagues to cast votes for House members who are absent, but who have given consent for someone to vote for them. It's common business practice to appoint a proxy to vote in someone's stead at a board meeting, but the rules of proxy voting must be well defined. The rules for proxy voting in the House are either ill defined or just plain ignored.

Before a vote was called on the sales tax bill Wednesday, Republican Rep. Jack Williams of Vestavia invoked a rule that requires each member of the House to vote using only the electronic machine at their desks. At the last minute, Williams agreed to withdraw the invoking of the rule, which allowed what may have been a wholesale hijacking of the vote. Several Republicans accused Democrats of voting on machines of absent members, including a conservative Republican who probably would have voted against the measure. The vote was 63-38 in favor - the exact number of yea votes needed to pass a constitutional amendment.

One Democratic representative, Randy Hinshaw of Meridianville, was accused of voting on multiple machines. He acknowledged voting for others but declined to name those whose machines he used. He told the Huntsville Times he did what he thought was best for his district.

more...

http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20080419/NEWS/804190332/-1/COMMUNITIES

[livvy]

11. IN: Polling Place Changes Take Effect in Primary Election

Polling place changes take effect in primary election


By BILL RICHMOND


City editor

The upcoming primary election will mean a change in polling location for some Randolph County voters. In an effort to reduce the cost of local elections, especially by saving on the number of electronic voting machines purchased, the county has reduced the number of precincts.
The decision was made last fall by the County Election Board and approved by the County Commissioners.

"Some people have said they are not sure when the change in polling places goes into effect," said County Clerk Claudia Thornburg. "We want people to know the polling place changes are taking affect for this spring."

Thornburg said her office has mailed out thousands of informational cards to let voters know about the changes.

"For instance, when we combined Winchester precincts one and two, we sent out cards for all voters in both precincts even though there wasn't a change for voters in precinct number two," she said. "They should still get a card to let them know they will vote at the same place. Every place we've had a change, we've made a point to mail out cards. With cards that have been returned, we've tried to remail to clean up the voter registration record."


more...


http://www.winchesternewsgazette.com/articles/2008/04/19/news/news1.txt

[livvy]

12. CA: Editorial: A Deal is Within Reach on Redistricting Reforms

Editorial: A deal is within reach on redistricting reforms
-
Published 12:00 am PDT Saturday, April 19, 2008
The "L" word – legacy – appears to be on Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez's mind.

He's termed out, has a landmark global warming law to his name, but seems to want more. In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Núñez says he wants to enact a set of constitutional amendments this year to lengthen term limits, revamp how voting districts are drawn and restrict fundraising while lawmakers are deliberating budget decisions.

Núñez and Assembly minority leader Mike Villines say they are working on such a package. Both acknowledge the challenge of agreeing on the finer details. But both seem sincere in achieving a breakthrough this session – or at least they say they are.

"There's an opportunity for reform, and both parties should come together and look at that," said Villines.

Proposition 93, a Núñez-led initiative to modify term limits, died at the ballot last year. This page opposed it because it wasn't coupled with a promised measure to reform redistricting. It also seemed to be a self-serving attempt by Núñez and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata to maintain their grip on the reins of power.

snip...
That would be a vast improvement over the current rigged process that allows the political machines to carve up districts and create safe seats for Democrats or Republicans. An example of this is Assembly District 10, now held by Alan Nakanishi, a Republican from Lodi. The district splits Elk Grove in half, stretches down to Stockton, includes part of the city of Sacramento, and then goes out to El Dorado Hills and Amador County. It looks likes it was designed by a GOP operative armed with an Etch A Sketch. :rofl: Great line :rofl:


more...

http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/873886.html

[livvy]

14. Ohio Still Arguing Best Way To Vote

Ohio still arguing best way to vote
Debate rages whether to scrap touch screens for paper ballots instead

By Stephen Majors
Associated Press


Published on Saturday, Apr 19, 2008

COLUMBUS: Four years after Ohio decided the presidential election, a partisan debate has erupted over whether the must-win state should scrap its touch-screen voting machines.

The attention Ohio got for equipment malfunctions and lines to vote in 2004 not forgotten, the elections chief is pushing to return to paper ballots, because she believes the machines are vulnerable to tampering.

Similar concerns prompted Florida to do the same last year and California has limited use of the touch-screen machines.

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's effort has been trounced by many county election officials who say their machines are secure and that a switch ahead of the November election would be rushed. The
Republicans who control the Legislature have refused to act on the request from Brunner, a Democrat, for $64 million to switch to paper.

Republicans accuse Brunner of trying to squelch the opinions of those who disagree with her.

more...

http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/17937034.html

[livvy]

16. TX: When Does Your Vote Not Count? When It Isn't Counted

When does your vote not count? When it isn't counted
Angelina County officials upset with technician, but say glitch won't change election results


Click-2-Listen
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News

Saturday, April 19, 2008

If you voted electronically in Box 13 in the Angelina County primary, your vote doesn't count — yet.

Angelina's county and district attorneys filed a petition Friday asking for a recount of the primary election votes after an electronic error caused some votes to not be counted and others to be counted multiple times.

County District Attorney Ed Jones didn't have the exact numbers Friday, but gave amounts of discrepancies he thought were "close." Electronic votes from Box 13, which was at the Chambers Park rock house, were under-counted by 305 votes; Precinct 6 was over-counted by 573 votes; Precinct 11 was over-counted by 275 votes; and Precinct 11B was over-counted by 204 votes, Jones said.

The problems were discovered a couple weeks ago, according to Jones, when Thelma "Midget" Sherman, Angelina County tax assessor-collector/election administrator, and Jim Wark, Angelina County's Democratic Party chairman, both noticed that the number of voters who signed up didn't match the number of votes counted at certain voting boxes.

more...


http://www.lufkindailynews.com/hp/content/news/stories/2008/04/19/election.html

[livvy]

18. OH: Commissioners Not Fans of Voting By Mail

Commissioners not fans of voting by mail

The County Commissioners' Association of Ohio is not supporting a proposal by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to give counties the ability to choose whether to conduct future elections by mail.

Brunner wants the legislature to give counties the authority to put a vote-by-mail issue on the ballot, arguing it could be more convenient and less expensive for some counties than opening up the polls on Election Day.

But Republican legislative leaders and the Ohio Association of Election Officials are cool to the idea. The County Commissioners Association decided this week not to back the idea, said Cheryl Subler, director of policy.

Subler said the association is supporting three of the other suggested changes to Ohio elections that Brunner has proposed: allowing the counting of absentee ballots based on the time of the postmark if they are received as late as 10 days after an election; allowing college students to be poll workers in the county where they live or go to school; and allowing out-of-state ballot printing.



http://blog.dispatch.com/dailybriefing/2008/04/commissioners_not_fans_of_voti_1.shtml

[livvy]

22. Phila. Has 'Exceptional' Voter Rolls

Posted on Sat, Apr. 19, 2008


Phila. has 'exceptional' voter rolls
By Marcia Gelbart

Inquirer Staff Writer

In Philadelphia, who's at least 18 and registered to vote? If voter rolls are to believed, almost everyone.
The city has an almost 100 percent match when it comes to the number of voting-eligible residents and Philadelphians registered to vote - a figure far higher than in other major cities.

"That number is exceptional," said Michael Caudell-Feagan, project director of Make Voting Work, an initiative of the Pew Center on the States. In most jurisdictions, he said, 50 to 75 percent of the voting-age residents are registered to vote.

According to the July 2006 census, the city counts 1,077,718 residents who are 18 or up.

Sometimes, though, numbers can be misleading.

Bob Lee, the city's longtime voter-registration administrator, knows that of the 1,030,949 names on the city's registration rolls as of this week, just 892,850 are likely voters. The rest are in the process of being scratched from the rolls under state rules designed to keep lists updated.

more...

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/chester/20080419_Phila__has__exceptional__voter_rolls.html

[livvy]

23. Keep Elections Honest in Ohio

Keep Elections Honest in Ohio
By The Intelligencer
POSTED: April 19, 2008

Convenience for voters obviously needs to be a major consideration for Ohio elections officials — but not the top priority. Honest elections, free of vote fraud, should be the primary concern.

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner believes that counties should have the option of conducting elections solely through mail-in ballots. She wants state legislators to consider action that would allow counties to seek voter approval of such a mechanism. Under the plan, if a county’s voters approve, ballots would be submitted only by mail — there would be no polling places open on election day.

We can think of few more effective recipes for widespread vote fraud, not to mention questions about errors on ballots.

Obviously, voting by mail is attractive to elections officials at all levels. Should voters approve it, a county elections board would be spared the expense and headaches of operating a system of polling places on election day.

more...

http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/508461.html

[livvy]

24. Indiana Scrambles To Process Voter Registrations

Ind. scrambles to process voter registrations
April 18, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana counties inundated with voter registrations thanks to the hotly contested Democratic presidential primary are struggling to process the applications in time to send their poll books to printers, and some say a state system designed to clean up voter rolls is hindering their progress.

Some 160,000 voter registrations were processed in Indiana since January, bringing the number of registered voters up to nearly 4.28 million, the Secretary of State's office said. In the week before the April 7 registration deadline for the May 6 primary, nearly 86,000 forms were submitted.

The crush caused voter registration offices around Indiana to hire additional staff, extend hours and work through weekends to process the forms.

"It's been a train wreck," said John Riordan, Democratic member of the Marion County voter registration board in Indianapolis. "The reason we're working 24 hours is because the system is working so poorly."

The county had about 20 temporary workers and staff working 24 hours a day to process more than 40,000 applications they'd received since March 25.

more...


http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-04-17-ind-voter-registration_N.htm

[livvy]

26. Effort to Get Instant-runoff Voting on St. Paul Ballot Continues--As Does Criticism

Effort to get instant-runoff voting on St. Paul ballot continues -- as does criticism
By CHRIS HAVENS, Star Tribune

April 18, 2008

This November, how you vote might be on the ballot in St. Paul.

A group is pushing to put a question before voters that asks whether they'd want to use a different system, instant-runoff voting, to pick candidates for mayoral and City Council races.

The method allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. It's controversial, with proponents saying it ensures a candidate wins by a majority and opponents saying it gives people more than one vote.

The city's 15-member Charter Commission will hold a public hearing Monday on the matter.

A vote to put the question on the ballot could happen then, said chairman John Van Hecke, but he's not sure how supportive his colleagues are.

The system would eliminate primaries, and supporters say the method puts more candidates in front of more voters because turnout is higher at general elections.

more...

http://www.startribune.com/politics/local/17880219.html

[livvy]

27. PA: Fight Erupts in Pike County Over Voting Machines

Fight erupts in Pike County over voting machines
By Stephen Sacco
Times Herald-Record
April 17, 2008 9:49 AM

MILFORD — With the primary just days away in Pennsylvania, back-and-fourth accusations aren't just for the candidates. There's a quarrel brewing between Pike County's Democratic Committee and Board of Elections, complete with partisan overtones.

Members of the Democratic Committee plan on conducting a "teach-in" today at the board's office in Milford on the use of electronic voting machines.

It's either a public service or an ambush, depending on who you ask.

"This is a sneak attack," said Yolanda Goldsack, department head for the board. The Democratic Committee never told Goldsack they were coming, but did inform the news media.

"Why would they consider it an ambush?" asked Julius Litman, chairman of the Democratic Committee. "If there wasn't a problem, why would they be so concerned?"

more...

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080417/NEWS/80417007

[livvy]

28. KY: Voter Registration Deadline Nears for Primary Election

Voter Registration Deadline Nears for Primary Election

Posted: 11:48 AM Apr 17, 2008
Last Updated: 1:29 PM Apr 17, 2008



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the end of the Kentucky General Assembly's 2008 regular session, the political focus of Kentuckians now turns to the primary election-and just in time! Kentuckians who wish to vote in the upcoming May 20, 2008 primary only have a few more days to register to vote.

The deadline to register for the upcoming May primary is Monday, April 21, 2008. County Clerks' offices throughout Kentucky will accept voter registration cards until the close of business that day.


A postmark of April 21st is also required for all mail-in voter registration applications. Registration cards can be obtained over the internet at www.vote.ky.gov/register.

"I encourage all citizens who have not already done so, to register to vote today," stated Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson. "We hope to see everyone exercising their constitutional right to vote on May 20th."

more...


http://www.wkyt.com/news/headlines/17848679.html

[livvy]

30. Pennsylvania’s Election Systems Expected to Be Tested Under Weight of Heavy Turnout

Pennsylvania’s Election Systems Expected to Be Tested Under Weight of Heavy Turnout
By Common Cause
April 18, 2008

Pennsylvania’s election system will be tested Tuesday during the Democratic presidential primary as election officials brace for unprecedented turnout in a state with a recent history of voting machine problems, and where voter registration and registration changes have surged in recent months.

Some 7 million Pennsylvanians are expected to vote on paperless electronic voting machines that have a history of unreliability, and voters and election officials should be prepared, according to a report released Friday by Common Cause and the Verified Voting Foundation.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Pennsylvanians to have a voice in the process to choose our next president,” said Common Cause President Bob Edgar. “But we also know there are likely to be problems at the polls and it’s smart to be prepared.”

"Everyone is working for a smooth election, but if problems do occur, voters should report them to the voter hotline,” Barry Kauffman, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, said of the election protection line, 1-866-OUR VOTE.

more...

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2821&Itemid=113

[livvy]

6. World n/t

[livvy]

7. Poll Recount Begins in Zimbabwe

Poll recount begins in Zimbabwe
7 hours ago

Zimbabwe officials began recounting ballots for two dozen legislative seats on Saturday, an exercise which could overturn the opposition's landmark victory.

Human rights groups continued to report allegations of beatings and torture of opponents deemed to have voted "wrongly" in the elections which humiliated long-time President Robert Mugabe.

Three weeks after the March 29 vote, Zimbabweans are still awaiting results of the presidential vote which Mr Mugabe is widely believed to have lost.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai claims he won the election outright and that the delays are aimed at brutalising and intimidating voters and engineering a run-off vote.

more...

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ideltsOt0at300ZkgsX6Ty3hdf-g

[livvy]

17. Dragon Kingdom's Date With Democracy

Dragon Kingdom’s Date with Democracy



Bhutan’s Historic Transition from
Absolute Monarchy to Absolute Majority
17 April, 2008 - From the bombshell His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo dropped on his unsuspecting subjects on 9 December 2006 to the electoral rout meted out by Druk Phuensum Tshogpa on 27 March 2008, Bhutan’s roller-coaster ride from monarchy to democracy has been a run of one irony after another.

The Abdication Paradox –
The Emperor’s New Close

When in late 2006 Palden Drukpa’s fourth hereditary monarch informed an extraordinary meeting of cabinet ministers of his sovereign decision to step down from the golden throne and hand over the raven crown to his eldest son and heir-apparent, Crown Prince Jigme Khesar, a fly on the wall would have heard a pin drop. And when, via grapevine, the momentous news filtered down to the masses, there was general disbelief mingled with grief.

Why would a ruler at the height of his power, prowess and popularity seek to relinquish the reins? was the question, born in Bhutan, which verily went around the world.

But this was no ‘Lear’y brainstorm but vintage king’s end game. To paraphrase His Majesty’s own words, the transition to democracy was no overnight phenomenon but an ongoing process, anchored in the 1981 decentralisation to dzongkhag levels, extended in 1991 down to the gewogs. Also, a committee of eminent persons had been entrusted way back in 2001 with the task of drafting a Constitution –a development that should have hinted at his future intentions and stands testimony to his characteristic foresight- which now awaits ratification by the first democratically elected Parliament.

It is far better, he explained, for a nation to take this historic step when it enjoys peace and progress than to do so under duress, like so many others have, in times of violent upheaval. He went on to outline his blueprint -Bhutan’s roadmap to democracy- and, overruling nationwide calls to recant, when he went around the country as was his wont to discuss the issues with his people, forged ahead to put in place the stepping stones towards realising his vision.

more...


http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=10230

[livvy]

19. Opinion: Feingold Leads on Zimbabwe

Feingold leads on Zimbabwe
An editorial — 4/19/2008 7:42 am

The deepening political crisis in Zimbabwe may seem distant to many Wisconsinites, but U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold correctly understands that conflict in that southern African country is an essential struggle for Americans.

Feingold, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, has taken the lead in pressing for a democratic and peaceful result to the increasingly tense standoff between reformers -- who appear to have the support of the vast majority of Zimbabweans -- and the corrupt and thuggish government of President Robert Mugabe.

The Wisconsin Democrat recognizes that if the will of the people, as expressed in recent elections, is not respected, Zimbabwe will collapse as a functional nation. This, in turn, will create a humanitarian crisis that will spread far beyond the borders of this one country.

So Feingold has taken the lead in encouraging a regional response to the crisis.

more...

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/282184

[Wilms]

13. National

[Wilms]

15. Following the Paper Trail: Case study examines five states’ efforts to limit paperless voting

Following the Paper Trail: Case study examines five states’ efforts to limit paperless voting

Pew Press Release

Dan Seligson

Washington, DC - 02/21/2008 - A new report by electionline.org details how five states that implemented electronic voting have chosen or are considering statewide paper-based optical scan systems.

“Back to Paper” explores the process by which California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Ohio – having adopted electronic voting systems – subsequently decided to de-certify, re-examine or re-think their use.

Although it focuses on five states, the report describes a growing trend. Six years and millions of dollars into a major overhaul of the U.S. election system, a number of states are contemplating returning to paper-based voting systems after failed or troubled experiments with newer voting technology. Even as bills in Congress have stalled, nearly half of all states have adopted requirements for voter-verified paper with electronic voting and/or the use of paper-based voting systems, including optical-scan machines.

In the five states that are the subject of the electionline.org case study, problems at the polls, pressure from voter integrity groups and rising concern among lawmakers prompted leaders to scrap – or in one case, strongly consider scrapping – recent purchases of direct-recording electronic (DRE) systems in favor of paper-based optical scanners.

“While the national enthusiasm for a return to paper is undoubtedly a reaction to lingering concerns about electronic voting, it also mirrors the same push into electronic voting we saw in the wake of HAVA," said Doug Chapin, director of electionline.org, referring to the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which mandates that all states and localities upgrade many aspects of their election procedures. "What remains to be seen is whether states come to see paper-based voting as the right decision - or just the best decision right now."

While the five states’ decisions reflected different circumstances and timing, they all shared some common threads:

* Problems at the polls with electronic machines and/or poll workers operating them in one or more elections.
* A bipartisan, usually cooperative effort by each state’s chief election official and lawmakers to enact legislation and/or fund a purchase of replacement voting systems.
* State-funded and/or private studies that questioned the integrity of DRE systems.

The five states could soon be joined by Maryland—which was among the first in the country to purchase a statewide DRE voting system--Virginia and New Jersey. Lawmakers there have announced plans to phase out DREs without voter-verified paper trails, though the timelines for compliance vary.

As the report notes, the future of voting in the United States is moving decisively back to paper. With the phasing out of paperless DRE voting in the five states detailed in the report, only 13 states now allow the use of DREs without voter-verified paper audit trails, and three of those are slated to make the switch before the 2012 presidential election.

snip

http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=35630


Full Report

pdf:

http://stage.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/EB21Brief.pdf


Discussion:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x500781

[livvy]

25. Officials Work to Improve Absentee-Voting Procedures, Boost Participation

Officials work to improve absentee-voting procedures, boost participation

by Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

4/17/2008 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The Defense Department has made great strides over the past four years to ensure servicemembers, particularly those stationed and deployed overseas, have greater opportunity to vote, a senior defense official told Congress April 15.

Michael L. Dominguez, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told House Administration Committee members the department is working closely with U.S. and military postal service officials and other entities to ensure no servicemember wishing to vote misses out on the opportunity.

The Defense Department's Federal Voting Assistance Program works cooperatively with state and local elections to carry out provisions of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. This 1986 law safeguards absent servicemembers' and their families' right to vote for federal offices, and also protects voting rights of other U.S. citizens overseas.

In 2005, department officials simplified two forms used for absentee voting: the Federal Post Card Application, a registration and ballot request form, and the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot, a back-up federal ballot used when a state ballot doesn't arrive on time.

more...

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123094821

[livvy]

29. Democrats, Paper 'Trails' Aren't Good Enough; Count the Damn Ballots!

Democrats, paper ‘trails’ aren’t good enough; count the damn ballots!

By Lynn Landes
Online Journal Contributing Writer


March 19, 2005—After the 2004 election I thought I would barf if I heard one more Democratic pundit or politician lament the lost election and blame it on the party's "message." As grassroots activists across the country reported thousands of election irregularities and voting machine "glitches" that overwhelmingly benefited Bush, the Democratic leadership seemed unusually willing to look the other way. John Kerry quickly conceded, former President Carter attended Bush's ignoble inauguration, and Bill Clinton now pals around with Bush the First.

Rank and file Democrats are tearing their hair out.

Now, in a gesture calculated to win back their base, but gain little else (in terms of voting security), both House and Senate Democrats have offered a flurry of bills (with many state legislatures following in hot pursuit) that require ballot printers for touchscreen voting machines.

Incredibly, none of these bills call for the ballots to be counted . . . except in the extremely remote event of a recount.

It takes your breath away. The Dems know that two Republican-controlled companies (ES&S and Diebold) count 80 percent of all votes in America. Why do they still trust these companies and their lousy machines, particularly after the last two presidential elections? In fact, since the 1960s when computerized voting technology was first introduced, machine malfunctions almost always benefit Republicans. Perhaps that’s why the Republican stranglehold over the political landscape has grown so tight. Otherwise, things don’t add up. One example, if Bush’s war on the world is so popular, why don’t lots of young Republicans sign up for the military? Haven't the Dems noticed that?

more...
http://onlinejournal.com/evoting/031905Landes/031905landes.html

[livvy]

31. On a personal note...

Should anyone find a 4 ft. female corn snake who answers to Maizie, please tell her for me, that I am not amused, and would like her to get back into her aquarium as soon as possible.

And now you know how I'll be spending the rest of my Saturday.

Have a good one, everyone, and wish me luck. Dratted snake...grrrr..

[scarletwoman]

32. Ah, 4 foot. That makes it a bit easier than if she were smaller. I wish you luck!

I'm here because Kurovski posted a thread about your lost snake. I hadn't read your post here yet, when I replied on the other thread.

Good luck!

[WildClarySage]

33. I replied too but I'll post it here too in case you didn't see it there...

Try placing a heating rock near the enclosure and put a mousysnack near it. Stay a few feet away lest your smell disturb her and stakeout the spot- hopefully the heat and the food will draw her out. Oh and if you have other animals loose (like dogs, cats) keep them penned up in another room. You don't want to find her the bad way. Good luck and let us know when you find her!

[liam_laddie]

34. Stake a mouse in the room?

Like those poor animals that wildlife photographers do when they want to entice a big cat into the viewfinder. Seriously, my younger daughter raised a boa from 18 in. to about 7 ft. before she tired of the snake-keeper role. Maybe the snake got bored, too. Used to take it to the park for a slither-about. Snake loved it. Hope Maizie shows up.

[Ellipsis]

36. Have you checked GDP?

[Wilms]

37. .

:rofl:

[livvy]

40. Yeah, but I couldn't tell which one was her, and I almost got bit...

so I went back to checking around closer to home. LOL

[EFerrari]

39. livvy??! Oh, livvy????

Maizie??! Anyone?!

:scared:

[Kurovski]

35. Kick to the top. (nt)

[create.peace]

38. john 'deep pockets' mccain, march 2001 reform and presidency

i spent hours this last week, organizing, so i could do my
taxes, which i did, and i found this old AARP newsletter
interview with mccain.  these are the last few paragraphs,
march 2001:


Americans without deep pockets don't have a voice, McCain says
"The rich and powerful special interests sit in the front
of the room with a megaphone and [ordinary people] are in the
back of the room whispering, because of the influence of huge
amounts of money that wash around this town in a wave that
continues to grow."
   How could reform change that? It would encourage
grass-roots activity, he says. Candidates would do more
one-on-one campaigning at factory gates, town halls and I
neighborhood rallies.  Without soft money, he says, we could
have "a far more level playing field...between the very
rich and average citizens."
   That's the way it was. he says. when he first ran for a
House seat, in 1982.   Speaking of campaigns, does he plan
another bid for the White House?
   "No, " he laughs.  "Perhaps I shouldn't say
this to AARP, but Father Time is catching up with me a little
bit.  Frankly, I think I had my shot at it."


I repeat:   Speaking of campaigns, does he plan
another bid for the White House?
   "No, " he laughs.  "Perhaps I shouldn't say
this to AARP, but Father Time is catching up with me a little
bit.  Frankly, I think I had my shot at it."