The Voting News Daily: Former New Mexico SOS indicted, Obion Co TN suing to block paper ballot law, WA Mail ballots take their time, Afghanis tweet election

Bombshell: Former New Mexico SOS Vigil-Giron is accused of embezzlement, money laundering scheme, soliciting or receiving an illegal kickback and offering or paying an illegal kickback. Over $2 million can’t be accounted for. Its ok to spend millions of $$ and “test” electronic poll books in Tennessee, but its too hard to implement paper ballot law. Obion County, Tennessee plans to sue to delay paper ballot law. Weakley County officials say new voting machines need to be in place by July 2010. In Ohio, several charges dropped in ‘False Statements’ case following FBI whistleblower’s testimony. Economics again – Indiana’s SOS had to order a county to hold a special election that will cost the county $414K. In Washington, vote-by-mail ballots only have to be postmarked by election day – not delivered. Afghans tweet about voter intimidation.

AL. Caught in the Crosshairs: Gov Don Siegelman talks with OpEdNews, Part Three “We await the United States government’s response to our motion for a new trial based on their (prosecutorial) misconduct.”
http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/Caught-in-the-Crosshairs–by-Joan-Brunwasser-090818-779.html

IN. Sec. of state: Follow the law
Lake County must hold transit referendum according to elections chief
August 20. That’s the simple message Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita had Wednesday for Lake County officials battling over whether to hold and how to pay for a November transit referendum…The Lake County Council has refused to pay the estimated $414,000 cost of the referendum determining whether a regional transit authority is created in Northwest Indiana.
http://nwitimes.com/news/local/article_99203566-e954-5d49-88cc-1802d26aa3bd.html

KY. Bullitt moves to paper ballots
August 19, 2009 Fiscal Court on Tuesday approved the purchase of 53 Hart Intercivic eScan voting machines, which involve voting on paper and scanning the ballots into a computer…Fiscal Court unanimously voted to purchase 44 eScan machines, using $198,000 in the state Secretary of State’s office available to Bullitt
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090819/ZONE10/908190378/Bullitt+moves+to+paper+ballots

MA Sherborn’s election invalidated
Aug 20, 2009 Sherborn – Sherborn Town officials are waiting for Governor Deval Patrick to take action on special legislation designed to salvage the town’s May 12 Annual Election, which was invalidated last month due to a posting error.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/sherborn/news/x2145965172/Sherborn-s-election-invalidated

NM. Vigil-Giron accused of embezzlement, money laundering scheme
8/19/09 The indictment lays out a scheme whereby several large deposits were made into a Wells Fargo bank account controlled by Gutierrez over several years — $2 million in 2004; $2 million in 2005; and $1.7 million and $186,500 in 2006
http://newmexicoindependent.com/34461/vigil-giron-indictment-alleges-embezzlement-and-money-laundering-scheme

NM. Prosecutors allege the theft of millions of dollars
Vigil-Giron and other defendants each face 50 counts in indictments issued today by grand jury Posted 8/19/2009 Former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron and the others indicted today by a state grand jury each face 50 counts including money laundering, fraud, soliciting or receiving kickbacks and tax evasion in the alleged theft of millions of dollars.
http://haussamen.blogspot.com/2009/08/prosecutors-allege-plot-to-steal.html

NM. Rebecca Vigil-Giron targeted in probe of voter education funds
8/19/09 …Audit says more than $2 million can’t be accounted for
http://newmexicoindependent.com/34404/vigil-giron-targeted-in-probe-of-voter-education-funds

OH. Several Charges Dropped in ‘False Statements’ Case Following FBI Whistleblower’s Testimony.
Rep. Jean Schmidt drops four claims in Ohio election case, following deposition by formerly-gagged Turkish-American translator Sibel Edmonds, adds another
Preliminary panel finds ‘probable cause’ in several claims against Krikorian…
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7359