The Voting News Daily: Texas elections yesterday a big mess. NM election chief quits.
Texas’ elections were a mess yesterday. There were issues with polling places being moved, some not opening, and some opening late. Voting was delayed at one location where poll workers couldn’t get the voting machines started. There were voting machine software problems and some contests had to be counted manually – where votes could be counted manually. Wrong electronic ballots went out to one polling place but paper ballots were used instead. Some election workers were in over their heads dealing with the electronic voting machines….
All this and much more in today’s voting news below….
AL: Alabama Bill for Proportional Split of Presidential Electors Gets Hearing
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/03/03/alabama-bill-for-proportional-split-of-presidential-electors-gets-hearing/
CO: Boulder County considers all mail-in ballots for primary election
http://www.dailycamera.com/election/ci_14500476#ixzz0hAMwiEoA
…Local election watchdog Al Kolwicz, a trustee with the Colorado Voter Group, said that it’s impossible to prove that mail-in ballots increase turnout, since the character of each election is so different.
“The point is that it’s not the mail-in ballot that creates higher turnout, it’s the contest, it’s the stuff that’s going on,” he said.
And even if mail-in ballots did get more people to vote, the increased turnout would not be worth the increase in security risks associated with mail-in ballots, according to Kolwicz.
HI: Hawaii’s all-mail congressional election set for May 22
http://bit.ly/awB0l6
all registered voters in the 1st Congressional District will receive a ballot by early May. Completed ballots must be returned by 6 p.m. on May 22.
IN: Election officials worry vote centers could be eliminated
http://www.jconline.com/article/20100303/NEWS09/100303017
Phillips said Democratic leadership in the House is looking to trade legislation that extends the vote center pilot program for a “no excuse” version of absentee voting.
NM: New Mexico Elections Chief Quits
http://www.ktsm.com/news/new-mexico-elections-chief-quits
Salazar gave no reason.
NY: New Voting Machines Are on the Way — Probably
http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/governing/20100303/17/3200/
NY: County’s election costs will almost double
http://www.herkimertelegram.com/news/x655498789/Countys-election-costs-will-almost-double
Herkimer County residents casting ballots at their polling places in the next general election will notice two additional election workers posted at their station.
PA: Nader Gets D.C. Court Hearing in Case Over Pennsylvania Challengers Access to Nader Bank Funds
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/03/03/nader-gets-d-c-court-hearing-in-case-over-pennsylvania-challengers-access-to-nader-bank-funds/
TN: Administrator says $22K needed for upcoming election (Dickson County)
http://bit.ly/bpDxm2
TX: Graford precinct receives ballots made for Gordon *
Voting machine error not caught before Tuesday
http://mineralwellsindex.com/local/x1004930298/Graford-precinct-receives-ballots-made-for-Gordon
MINERAL WELLS — Election judges around the county had varying experiences. Judges for Precincts 4, 21 and 29 had a small glitch with one machine, but said the county clerk’s office came and fixed it quickly, according to one judge.
…
“For some reason it wasn’t caught until they started voting (Tuesday) morning,” she said of the Precinct 7 snafu. “We gave them paper ballots and nobody was denied a vote, there’s no big story in this, it happens, mistakes are made.”
TX: Hidalgo County Election Results Finally ‘Final’ *
http://www.krgv.com/news/local/story/Hidalgo-County-Election-Results-Finally-Final/y122EILeMk6FRhrUWC8DEw.cspx
As CHANNEL 5 NEWS first reported, a computer glitch at the election’s office created concern and delays election night. County spokesperson Cari Lambrecht blamed a software malfunction that caused early votes to be counted twice.