The Voting News Daily: Dallas Co. violated law in voting machine use, Diebold Sale may see recount
WA SOS to introduce bill in 2010 to “allow overseas and military residents to return their ballots by fax or e-mail.” …A three-judge panel has ruled that Dallas County election officials violated federal law when they did not inform the Department of Justice about changes in the way straight-party votes are counted on electronic voting machines….The trial of former NM SOS Rebecca Vigil-Giron…”has been set for July”…Update: see Pennsylvania Court voting machine ruling r/e Banfield Order 121509…Open source voting system development is alive and well….
All this and more in today’s voting news below….
CA: Voters sue over Novato Sanitary election *
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_14044648?nclick_check=1
12/21/2009 A pair of voters, claiming they were disenfranchised because they weren’t given the chance to vote, filed a lawsuit late Monday to contest the results of the Nov. 3 election for three seats on the Novato Sanitary District board.
FL: Sumter Elections office wants delay of Florida law
http://www.dailycommercial.com/localnews/story/121709machines
BUSHNELL — You can say the cost adds up to about $60,000 per disabled voter in Sumter County.
…
Although the office said the county only has six voters that its deems as needing the disabled accessible machine, a law requires Florida counties to have the equipment for each of its precincts by 2012.
GA: Handel resigns as Ga. secretary of state
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/12/21/daily17.html
Karen Handel announced Tuesday she is resigning as Georgia’s secretary of state to concentrate on the 2010 governor’s race
HI: In Hawaii, Cuts Reach to Core Functions
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/20/us/20hawaii.html?_r=1
The State Elections Office said it might not be able to afford a pending special election, which could leave half of the state’s population without a voice in the House of Representatives until September.
HI: CommonCauseHI
http://twitter.com/CommonCauseHI/status/6906370244
Elections Comm meets Dec 30 at 10am to discuss special election and new elections chief
KS: An update on election news from Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh
Double voting leads to conviction in Nemaha County.
http://www.kssos.org/forms/communication/canvassing_kansas/dec09.pdf
IL: eVoter Specimen Ballot Mistake
Champaign County Clerk
http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2009/12/22/evoter-specimen-ballot-mistake/
IL:Ballots tossed in State’s Attorney election*(absentee ballots & residency issues)
http://www.register-news.com/local/local_story_354195232.html
MT. VERNON — A circuit court judge has invalidated a number of ballots in the November 2008 election between Jefferson County State’s Attorney Jeff Bradley and Nicole Villani.
IL: Voter Resources — Absentee Voting in the Illinois Primaries Begins on Thursday, December 24th
http://centralillinois912project.com/?p=2341
The actual primary election here in Illinois will take place on February 2nd. There are a variety of resources (especially online resources) that you can use to ensure that your vote is an informed one!
NM: Trial of Vigil-Giron, others set for July
http://fwix.com/albuquerque/share/e7ba658fa7/trial_of_vigil-giron_others_set_for_july
Vigil-Giron, lobbyists Joseph Kupfer and Elizabeth Kupfer and media consultant Armando Gutierrez, who headed the company Vigil-Giron hired to help the state implement a federal voter education program, each face 50 counts including money laundering, fraud, soliciting or receiving kickbacks and tax evasion. They allegedly took the money between 2004 and 2006 using the secretary of state’s contract with Gutierrez by falsifying invoices.
NY: Senate working to avoid voting problems in 2010
http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-c-2009-12-21-64421.113122_Senate_working_to_avoid_voting_problems_in_2010.html
December 21, 2009 The Senate Elections Committee heard testimony last month from county officials on how to best implement optical scan voting statewide for the 2010 elections.