The Voting News Daily: Michigan voter purge investigation, Illinois undervote law vs secret ballot, UK: Does E-counting make sense?
“Does it really make sense to splurge a huge sum of money on e-counting when we know a manual count would be cheaper, let alone easier to verify and more trusted by voters and politicians alike?” ~ Jason Kitcat, Green city councillor in Brighton & Hove, London…Missouri troops can continue to vote by email?…Bo Lipari’s issued his “Statement on NY Voting System Certification:…New Yorkers try to write-in Simpsons character Charles Montgomery Burns for mayor…Illinois Military and Overseas Voters, Submit your Ballot Request for the February 2, 2010 State Primary!..Nonprofit sues Virginia to avoid revealing source of voters personal data….Burglars steal computers from Houston polling place… New Iraqi election law approved…
All this and more in today’s voting news below….
AL: Alabama Files Brief in 11th Circuit in Ballot Access Case
December 7th, 2009 On December 7, Alabama filed its brief in Shugart v Chapman, the case pending in the 11th circuit over whether a state can require an independent candidate for US House to obtain more signatures than an independent candidate for president.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/12/07/alabama-files-brief-in-11th-circuit-in-ballot-access-case/
CA: Local Politician Convicted of Fraud *
Fri, Dec 4, 2009 The former mayor of the tiny municipality of Vernon and his wife were convicted Friday of voter registration fraud and fraudulent
voting.
Leonis Malburg, 80, who had been mayor of Vernon for more than 50 years before resigning this summer, and Dominica Malburg, 83, did not live in Vernon, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Johnson found in a non-jury trial.
Leonis Malburg was convicted of conspiracy to commit a crime, being a public official aiding illegal voting, falsifying a declaration of candidacy, voter registration fraud, false voter registration, perjury under oath, fraudulent voting and assisting an unqualified voter….
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local-beat/-Local-Politician-Convicted-of-Fraud-78576127.html
CA: Secretary of State approves county’s ranked choice voting system
12/07/2009 California’s secretary of state has officially certified Alameda County’s upgraded voting machines, paving the way for instant runoff voting in some cities’ elections, likely including next year’s Oakland’s mayoral race.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_13945823
FL: Resident claims election fraud in Groveland
GROVELAND — An elections fraud complaint was filed with the Florida Department of State, claiming the City of Groveland did not advertise its Nov. 3 municipal election in accordance with state statutes.
http://www.dailycommercial.com/localnews/story/120609ballots
GA: Group suspects illegal voting in mayor’s race
A newly formed group has asked the Secretary of State for voter eligibility information that may allow a challenge to the result in the Atlanta mayoral race
…
Erica Long, co-chair of the group formed last week, said it discovered that 1,314 voters in the general election on Nov. 3 had invalid addresses.
“They were empty lots,” Long said.
She said the addresses had belonged to federal housing projects or apartment complexes that had been knocked down.
…
Fulton County elections chief Barry Garner, however, said his investigation of the questioned address shows that the concern may be premature, at least in terms of election results. Only 33 of the 1,314 people on the list voted in the general election, Garner said.
“I don’t know where they got their numbers but they’re just not true,” Garner said.