Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org
In response to the Colorado Governor and legislative leaders’ push for every county to use paper ballots at the polls in November, and to be counted by optical-scan, county election officials are warning of long lines and late results. We’ve heard this from election officials in California and Ohio, also. My opinion? So what. I want my vote counted and I want as much assurance that it has been correctly counted as possible. I don’t need immediate gratification, i.e., a winner or loser within 30 minutes of the polls closing. The media crawl all over themselves to be the first to call the election for one candidate or another. Well, if they have to wait a few more hours then so be it. I want my damn vote counted the way I cast it. Tomorrow is fine. And about the long-lines; have they heard of cardboard boxes? Voters don’t necessarily need to use a specially built voting booth. If they have a choice between using a cardboard box as a booth or standing in a long line in the rain or snow, which do you think they will chose?
Our sincere congratulations to the elections staff and poll workers of Horry County, South Carolina, for what is being reported as a trouble-free election today.
As usual, links to those stories, and the rest of today’s voting news, all follow below…
- NAtional: Voters confused by e-voting machines, study finds
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0108/012508n1.htm - NAtional: Soldiers overseas may get their ballots via e-mail
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5487230.html - CO: Conroy Plaintiffs Applaud Legislators’ & Governor’s Decision to Support Optical-Scan Paper Ballots as Solution for 2008 Election
Group Cites Lack of Time and Vendors’ Inability to “Patch†Fundamental Security and Reliability Flaws in DRE Computerized Voting Systems
http://voteraction.org/node/331 - CO: Clerks: Long lines, late results likely in Colo. election
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20080125/NEWS/386575812 - CO: Voter-database doubts
Some officials say system, two years late, still isn’t ready
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jan/26/voter-database-doubts/ - CO: Voter verification database will be ready by election
http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1201336142/2 - CT: 96.6% Of Memory Cards OK, Half Of Registrars Follow Last Minute Procedures
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=137 - CT: VoTeR Center Audits Election Technology
http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2731&Itemid=113 - CT: Secretary of State says safeguards for computer voting are strictest in nation
http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/local/scn-gt-votingjan26,0,2436484.story - FL: Surge in Early Balloting Alters Florida Races
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/us/politics/27florida.html?hp - FL: Palm Beach County – Glitch leaves early voters waiting
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/01/26/s1c_voting_0126.html - NY: HAVA compliancy breeds havoc
http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2008/01/26/latest_news/latestnews03.txt - NY: Back to the future for N.Y. voters
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080126/NEWS01/801260354/1002 - OH: Give Touch-Screen Machines a Chance
http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/505012.html?nav=511 - OH: Editorial: Don’t rush to change voting methods in problem-free Ohio counties
http://www.cleveland.com/editorials/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1201339923221760.xml&coll=2 - OH: Ohio Secretary of State agrees with Voting Activists…
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_james_st_080125_ohio_secretary_of_st.htm - OH: Brunner in a quandary over elections decision
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1201357847247360.xml&coll=2 - PA: Lackawanna County – Group seeks to halt voting machine buy
http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19234873&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=415898&rfi=6 - PA: Northampton County – Block sought for voting machine purchase
Group wants injunction against Northampton County.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b4_3votes.6245199jan26,0,2173000.story - PA: Northampton County – Voting machines tied up in court
County had ordered Sequoias before bid to stop distribution.
http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-15/120132390390010.xml&coll=2 - SC: Voters in SC Encouraged to Print Out Their Own Ballots Before Going to Polls
https://bradblog.com/?p=5611 - SC: Chester County – Justice Dept. won’t monitor Chester polls
http://www.heraldonline.com/109/story/319557.html - SC: Horry County has problem free Democratic primary
http://www.scnow.com/midatlantic/scp/news.apx.-content-articles-BTW-2008-01-26-0007.html - SC: Horry County – Election officials: All i’s are dotted
Officials have been working to ensure success
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/story/327851.html - TN: Tennessee bill could do harm in search of phantom fraud
Today’s Topic: States press voter photo IDs
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080126/OPINION01/801260331/1008 - TX: ID views heat up voter fraud hearing
Backers pressed on level of poll ‘impersonations,’ whether proof needed Backers pressed on whether requiring proof at polls deters violators
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/012608dntexvoterid.271cf30.html - VA: Herring Introduces Bill for Meaningful Recounts
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**”Daily Voting News” is meant as a comprehensive listing of reports each day concerning issues related to election and voting news around the country regardless of quality or political slant. Therefore, items listed in “Daily Voting News” may not reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or BradBlog.Com**
John, thank you for being so straight forward simple and correct. Paper is cheaper, and lets just make sure counting is bipartisan public confirmation. Organization,pretty please.
I say swipe some presnit election thunder and make our OWN THUNDER, to light peoples Volunteer Vote Countin Mastery March. We neeeeeeed a MARCH, preferably large and internationally covered. Each and every voting issue articulated! Something tangible and good for all to focus on, and look forward to participating in and joining together on. Shit, people do it for sports teams, WHY NOT FOR YOUR COUNTRY, WHILE FEIGNING DEMOCRACY? The sooner the better, lets get it finally done. Antigravity in the sink hole.