Monthly Archives: April 2010

The Voting News Daily: Shes baack..Crist last on FL ballot. Illegal tweet of UK vote

She’s back. Election Sup. Kathy Dent still fighting Sarasota’s 2006 charter ordered election audits. Dent has taken on the voters, the FL Supreme Court & lawmakers. Now Dent wants the Circuit Ct to explain the Sup.Court ruling…Florida Gov Crist name is last on ballot…Possible vote buying in Bladen Co NC…Columbia Co. NY fights to keep lever machines…Tennessee passes bill to block voter purge for form errors…UK Gordon Brown twitter czar Kerry McCarthy tweeted election results before May 6 count…

All this and more in today’s voting news below…

AZ: Coconino Co. voters told of wrong polling places for May 18 election
http://www.azdailysun.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/article_21ed9ee4-53d9-11df-8b65-001cc4c002e0.html

CA: Open primary offers pluses and minuses
http://www.contracostatimes.com/politics-government/ci_14986304?nclick_check=1
The open primary initiative on the June 8 ballot would produce scores of Democrat-vs.-Democrat showdowns in California, drive up campaign costs and increase nonpartisan voters’ influence, according to an analysis from the Center for Governmental Studies

CO: Election Commission to Hear Zimet Complaint Alleging Unconstiutional Election
http://aspenelectionreview.blogspot.com/2010/04/election-commission-to-hear-zimet.html The complaint update details how he determined Mayor Mick Ireland’s likely voting data from cast vote records improperly collected in order of poll book entries, and then publicly released by the city.

CT: Bills Waiting For Action In Last Days Of Session
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3145
Currently there are two election bills we are aware of waiting for passage in one house, both of which deserve passage, in our opinion:

FL: Clarification sought on an election ruling
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100430/ARTICLE/4301067?Title=Clarification-sought-on-an-election-ruling SARASOTA COUNTY – Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent will ask the Circuit Court to clarify a recent Florida Supreme Court decision regarding whether she must hire an independent auditor to verify election results.

FL: Crist to be Listed Last in a List of Nine Candidates
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/04/30/crist-to-be-listed-last-in-a-list-of-nine-candidates/ Charlie Crist will be listed ninth (i.e, last) on the November 2008 ballot for the U.S. Senate race in Florida.

FL: Crist gets Florida election law changes (HB 131)
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/29/1604964/crist-gets-florida-election-law.html
Crist vetoed a bill with the same provisions as the one that passed Thursday in the House because he opposed another section creating special campaign funds for legislative leaders.

KS: Proposal would preserve voting rights for residents with mental illness
http://www.fox4kc.com/news/sns-ap-ks-xgr–voting-mentalillness,0,3012771.story

KS: Should mentally ill get to vote?
http://www.ksn.com/news/local/story/Should-the-mentally-ill-get-to-vote/2_tdl-rUdUaCqgd4F-iJyQ.cspx

MD: NEW VTP WORKING PAPER ON SCANTEGRITY II’S USE IN TACOMA PARK *
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=3181
Despite some glitches, the use of Scantegrity II was a success
http://vote.caltech.edu/drupal/files/working_paper/
carbacketal_scantegrityiimunicipalelectionattakoma_4bd89dd02d.pdf
http://bit.ly/axy36r (pdf)
The First E2E Binding Governmental Election with Ballot Privacy
“About fifteen scanned ballots, scanned in a time period of about seventy-five minutes by the same scanner, had lines on them that caused the scanner to be unable to read votes. Images of all scanned ballots were saved, and those not readable by the scanner were marked, so we were able to manually enter in these votes.”

MO: Woman who wants to be on ballot as D. Crystal to be deposed
http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/22170
Did a Kansas City woman essentially make up a name, as a lawsuit contends, to confuse voters to the benefit of an incumbent on the Jackson County Legislator?

NC: State investigating Bladen Co. vote buying allegations
http://www.wwaytv3.com/node/22511

The Voting News Daily: Imposter on Florida ballot. Why the Disclose Act matters. Birther Bills

“I’ve learned over the last 9 years that there are basically three types of oversight of election in our country; one is Candidate, the 2nd is Party and the 3rd is Public oversight. I’ve learned that the first two suck, because the issue becomes political and partisan.” ~ John Brakey of AuditAZ…Does the Disclose ACT fix Citizens United? “Only a constitutional amendment or new ruling can truly ‘fix’ Citizens United, but the DISCLOSE Act goes far in mitigating its corrosive effect on our democracy…” ~ People For the American Way Pres…There’s an imposter on Florida ballot…Birther bills – AZ kills theirs, TX mulls one…

All this and more in today’s voting news below…

AZ: When It Comes To Election Integrity In Arizona There’s Nothing Like Having An
“Elephant in the Room” Or At Least A “Big Donkey”
http://audit-az.blogspot.com/2010/04/when-it-comes-to-election-integrity-in.html
It is important to examine the two-billion-dollar Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) ballot initiative investigation by the Attorney General for what it teaches us about election security in the future….

AZ: Ariz. bill on birth certificates set aside
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hm
Y0QbztBYUfvaCiGkFPJ-enKz_wD9FCU2O00 http://bit.ly/cbCG5m

AZ: Arizona Moves to Adopt Strange Lieutenant Governor Selection Rules
http://ballotbox.governing.com/2010/04/arizona-moves-to-adopt-strange-lieutenant-governor-selection-rules.html

CT: Ensuring voter privacy at the poll (HB5441 addresses several election procedures)
http://blog.ctnews.com/kantrowitz/2010/04/29/ensuring-voter-privacy-at-the-poll/

DE: Delware Expands Innovative Paperless Voter Registration Program …
http://www.projectvote.org/blog/?p=425
The state of Delaware is taking another step towards fully paperless voter registration by expanding its “E-Signature” program to its Health and Social Services

FL: Lawmakers move to stymie redistricting reform by trying to slip an imposter on the ballot http://www.news-journalonline.com/opinion/editorials/2010/04/28/lawmakers-move-to-stymie-redistricting-reform-by-trying-to-slip-an-imposter-on-the-ballot.html

FL: Viewpoint: Fair districts? It’s about re-election
http://www.pnj.com/article/20100428/OPINION/4280318/1020/Viewpoint–Fair-districts?-It-s-about-re-election

IA: Sec. of State Mauro: Unveils web-based absentee ballot tracking feature
http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=194747

IN: Oh where, oh where do I vote?
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20100428/BLOGS39/100429362
This is the third time since I’ve been a resident of Indiana that my polling place has changed. No, I have not moved. I have lived in the same place since I got here.

KY: Leaders Hold Voter Fraud Conference in Frankfort
http://www.wkyt.com/wymtnews/headlines/92378234.html Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway and Secretary of State Trey Grayson may be on opposite sides of the political aisle, but both are coming together to help stop voter fraud in Kentucky.

NJ: Candidate’s brother and sister-in-law, Paramus cop among 7 charged in Park Ridge voter fraud case
http://www.northjersey.com/news/politics/elections/042910_Candidates_
brother_and_sister-in-law_Paramus_cop_among_7_charged_in_Park_Ridge_voter_fraud_case.html
http://bit.ly/bNujbL The investigation determined that the seven violated the criminal election statute when they voted in Park Ridge, although they were no longer lived there.

NC: Board: Hege’s Name to Remain on Ballot
http://www.myfox8.com/wghp-story-hege-ballot-100426,0,571236.story
A group filed a petition on Tuesday to get Hege’s name removed from the ballot. The group said because he is a convicted felon and cannot carry a gun, he doesn’t meet the constitutional requirements to seek re-election to the office of sheriff.

NC: No new information on $111,000 North Carolina lobbying fine
http://politicalactivitylaw.com/2010/04/29/no-new-information-on-111000-north-carolina-lobbying-fine/

NM: ECOSYSTEM STUDY OF ELECTION ADMINISTRATION IN NEW MEXICO
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=3178

OR: State orders Clackamas Counyt to reprint ballots
http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2010/04/court_
hearing_set_today_for_cl.html http://bit.ly/aD035J

TX: Texas bill would require birthplace proof for presidential candidates
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/20100429texas_bill_
would_require_birthplace_proof_for_presidential_candidates/srvc=home
&position=recent http://bit.ly/ai1rra

Citizens United

DISCLOSE Act Introduced To Respond To Citizens United Ruling
http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2010/04/disclose-act-introduced-to-respond-to-citizens-united-ruling.html

The Voting News Daily: Hacking India’s Voting Machines, A voting rights case to watch, Internet voting spreads

“Our research proved something which we really never doubted: with some preparation anyone with even momentary access to paperless voting machines can own the country.” ~ Rop Gonggrijp after examining e-voting machines used in India…Investigators to monitor KY polls…TN House Leader Odom solicits probe of Benton voter purge …Supreme Court Weighs Petition-Signers’ Anonymity…Is section 5 of Voting Rights Act at risk?…More Canadian municipalities trade their secretly cast, openly counted, paper ballots for a pin number and elections that can’t be validated

All this and more in today’s voting news below…

AL: A Voting-Rights Case to Watch [Hans A. von Spakovsky]
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NjdkZTIwZDU3NjNhMzNhNjk1Zjg0MWU4YjMyYmNiYTA=
Both the Kinston case and the Shelby County case stand a good chance of ending up before the Supreme Court. Given the evidence, it will be very difficult for the Court to uphold the constitutionality of this law.

AZ: Crunch time for the Arizona birther bill
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-now/2010/04/crunch_time_for_the_arizona_bi.html
…bill requiring more proof of citizenship from presidential candidates

CA: Schwarzenegger won’t consolidate elections
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest
/2010/04/schwarzenegger-165.html http://bit.ly/cHJyuy

CO: Tipton wants change in law
http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/
04/28/Tipton_wants_change_in_law/ http://bit.ly/d3PKyk
The Hatch Act prohibits partisan political activity by government employees who oversee the spending of federal dollars. The law has caused havoc …

CT: Bysiewicz: “Optical scanners were remarkably accurate”
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3135 Remarkable? We do NOT agree that phoning election officials and getting them to agree that they counted inaccurately provides much confidence in the audit, least of all proof that the machines counted accurately. Nor does disregarding incomplete reports create credibility.

GA: Ballot misprint found, corrected
http://times-journal.com/story.lasso?ewcd=7d59ff31ec7fd802
A misprint on the Democratic primary ballot for DeKalb County won’t affect the absentee voting process, according to DeKalb County Probate Judge Ronnie Osborn.

HI: Lawsuit challenges English-only congressional ballot
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20100427/
BREAKING01/100427061/Lawsuit+challenges+English-only+congressional+ballot
http://bit.ly/cKWgSU The state is required by federal law to provide bilingual ballots in Honolulu County in the Chinese, Japanese and Ilocano languages and in Ilocano in Maui county, the suit alleged.

HI: Legislature approves moving Hawaii election date up in 2012
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100427/BREAKING01/100427057
The measure would move the primary to the second Saturday of August starting in 2012

HI: Lawmakers allocate $390000 for 2010 Hawaii elections
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20100427/BREAKING
01/100427043/+Lawmakers+allocate++390+000+for+2010+Hawaii+elections
http://bit.ly/aRbHfz

HI: Hawaii Legislature Votes to Ignore Birther Requests
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/hawaii-legislature-votes-to-ignore-birther-requests/19457343

KY: Authorities to be on the lookout for voter fraud
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/04/28/1242530/officials-to-outline-plans-to.html
Investigators will be monitoring polling places on Election Day across Kentucky, a state that has seen its share of voting irregularities in recent years
…
Investigators routinely hear accusations of elections being tainted by people trading cash or even whiskey for votes.

NC: Poll workers told to take more care identifying voters who may need help
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2010/apr/27/poll-workers-told-take-more-care-identifying-voter/ Poll workers are being told to be more careful in identifying voters who need help voting, after elections officials received complaints about candidates or their supporters helping people cast ballots.

NM: Court challenge means ballots not yet printed
http://www.gallupindependent.com/2010/04April/042610ballots.html
Absentee balloting begins May 4, but McKinley County election officials still have not given a complete list of the candidates to the printers..

NY: Term Limits, Party Politics On Bloomberg Charter Panel’s Menu
http://www.citylimits.org/news/articles/3963/term-limits-party-politics-on-bloomberg-charter-panel

The Voting News Daily: John Gideon remembered. New Voting Rights Act challenge. Internet Voting update

Today marks one year since the passing of John Gideon, editor of the original Daily Voting News. Ellen Theisen describes John: “I would say he was a watchdog in the truest sense. He watched Congress, the EAC, WA state legislature and SoS, as well as election related events around the country. Then when he sensed something wrong, he announced it loud and strong to anyone who would listen, and often to those who would rather he quit barking.”… Brad Friedman has a special blog about John today – “Has Anybody Here Seen My Old Friend John?”…On the news front: Another challenge to Sect 5 of Voting Rights Act, this time from Alabama…Unilect lawsuit in PA…Hushed money…Key Canadian official tells House of Commons that the integrity of internet voting cannot be assured…

All this and much more in today’s voting news below…

Has Anybody Here Seen My Old Friend John?…
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7814

Tributes to John Gideon, RIP National Election Integrity Hero
http://ncvoters.blogspot.com/2009/04/tributes-to-john-gideon-rip-national.html

AL: Alabama county to sue DOJ over Section 5 constitutionality
http://www.votelaw.com/blog/archives/006368.html
…(Shelby) County attorney Butch Ellis said Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act forbids cities and towns in nine states, including Alabama, from making changes in voting practices or procedures without approval from the federal government.

CA: Merced County seeks removal from Federal Voting Rights Act’s restrictions
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2010/04/27/1401088/merced-county-seeks-removal-from.html
Merced is one of only four counties in state subject to rules of section of voting law

CA: Rally Tuesday: Voters Say Lancaster Election Should Be Dumped *
http://newsblaze.com/story/20100426173412zzzz.nb/topstory.html
…an ineligible candidate, Victoria Zavala, was not properly vetted (she lived in Quartz Hill, not Lancaster) and appeared on the ballot. She received more than 2,000 votes.

CO: Colorado Town Debates Mandatory Voting Law
http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/colorado-pub-owner-proposes-mandatory-voting/story?id=10481451 Citing Poor Turnout, Brewer and Pub Owner Pushes for Mandatory Voting in His Small Town

CO: Bill letting parolees vote moves
http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=8209

CT: Updated: Candidate Withdraws Bounty On Republican Registrations
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3121

CT: Nov 09 Election Audit Reports – Part 2 – Inadequate Counting, Reporting, and Transparency Continue http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3101
…closed counting of ballots leaves an opening for fraud and error to go undetected and defeats the purpose and integrity of the audit…

CT: Nov 09 Election Audit Reports – Part 1 – Problems Continue and Some Good News
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3092

NY: County Sues to Retain Lever Voting Machines
http://www.nytowns.org/web/2010/04/county_
sues_to_retain_lever_voti.aspx http://bit.ly/bn39L1
Nassau County has filed a lawsuit against the New York State Board of Elections in an attempt to block the use of optical scan voting machines.

OH: Man Sentenced For Lying About Levy Vote *
http://www.whiotv.com/news/23277860/detail.html
SIDNEY, Ohio — A Sidney man, who recanted his claim that he was paid $2,500 to vote for the Sidney School Levy last November, was sentenced Tuesday morning.

OR: Online Registration
http://kohd.com/news/local/171497 New voters can register at www.oregonvotes.org and those already registered can update information.

PA: Pennsylvania Military and Overseas Voters, Request your Ballot for the May 18, 2010 State Primary Now! http://www.fvap.gov/global/news/nr9-2010.html

PA: Appeals court sets Unilect argument
http://sharonherald.com/local/x563633118/Appeals-court-sets-Unilect-argument
MERCER COUNTY — U.S. Court of Appeal for the Third Circuit has set argument for May 19 in Pittsburgh in the case of Mercer County suing the company that provided a former voting machine system.

The Voting News Daily: Risk limit audits for CA? Judge halts MI voter purge. Benton TN purge contd.

California bill to pilot risk limiting audits has bi partisan support…Should bounty on party registrations be illegal?…Proposal to make voting mandatory riles up tiny Ridgway,CO…Maryland now has $ to run fall elections…Judge’s ruling stops voter purge programs that illegally purge about 77K eligible Michigan voters a year… GOP to file suit for N.Y. 29th special election…Almost 1 in 5 of Benton Co. TN voters told their voter registration was invalid…US Chamber vows to fight Corp campaign cash reform…Puerto Rico considers DRE/touchscreens for 2010…Concerned Filipinos push for manual counting…Iraq post election candidate purge may change results…

All this and more in today’s voting news below….

AZ: May 18 polling places may be consolidated
http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=80248
Ana Wayman-Trujillo, the Yavapai County recorder, reminds voters that polling places may be consolidated for the May 18 election

CA: California Assembly committee endorses UC Berkeley statistician’s election auditing method (AB 2023 risk limiting election audit pilot hearing in June)
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2010/04/26_canvass.shtml
BERKELEY — One day last November, after the 2009 elections, Philip Stark found himself in the back room of the Yolo County Administration Building doing something statisticians seldom do – testing a theory in the real world.
…
Stark’s technique passed the test and five others, impressing California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, the state’s chief elections officer, and spurring her to sponsor a bill, AB 2023, to conduct in 2011 a statewide experiment of this kind of “risk-limiting audit.”

CO: Proposal to make voting mandatory riles up tiny Ridgway
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14958536
The Town Council agreed to put the matter on the ballot for a recent town election as a nonbinding opinion question

CO: Colorado bill would require business campaign backers to register
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2010/04/26/daily10.html

CT: Should Bounty On Party Registrations Be Illegal?
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3121 State House Majority Leader Denise Merrill (D-Mansfield, Chaplin) said Monday that she would immediately seek legislation banning bounties or other payments in exchange for the registration of new voters.

CT: Bill would allow towns to reduce polling places for primaries: cost-cutting vs. potential confusion http://www.ctmirror.org/story/5604/number-polls-coming-primary-elections-may-be-reduced-save-money

FL: VOTER PROTECTIONS NEWSLETTER VOLUME 5 ISSUE 3
http://www.advancementproject.org/news/newsletters/april-26-2010/florida
Jacksonville – Traci Collier, Director of Education at the Duval County Supervisor of Elections office, has requested 3,000 additional copies of Advancement Project’s “10 Things Duval County Poll Workers Should Know” palm cards.

HI: Ballots Go Out Next Week (first all mail election)
http://www.khon2.com/news/local/story/Ballots-Go-Out-Next-Week/dlEkDdivU0uQio3vyK6coQ.cspx
IL: Too many voter registration cards* (Kaine County)
http://www.kcchronicle.com/blogs/entries/2010/04/26/73223023/index.xml
I just received in the mail another voter registration card that is only six months older than the last one I received in October 2009. The new one is dated March 2010.

IN: Snafu puts new St. John voters on island *
RESIDENTS OF ANNEXED AREAS CAN’T CAST PRIMARY BALLOTS IN TOWN BECAUSE OF MIX-UP
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/article_be17f3ad-4693-5085-991d-dc383849e4c5.html

KY: Sentences cut for Clay vote-buying testimony
Prosecutors in Clay case sought reductions for five who cooperated
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/04/24/1236807/federal-judge-reduces-sentences.html

MD: Money restored, fall elections can go on
http://www.marylandreporter.com/page550410.aspx
A last-minute budget move helped secure enough cash for Maryland’s November election, nearly $10 million of which had been previously uncertain.

MI: VOTER PROTECTIONS NEWSLETTER VOLUME 5 ISSUE 3
http://www.advancementproject.org/news/newsletters/april-26-2010/michigan

The Voting News Daily: GA AG wont sue over citizenship checks. Lucas Co OH poll workers intimidated. Internet vote comments due 4-30

Georgia AG refuses to file suit over voter citizenship checks…Provision to kill Home Rule from Florida law was defeated in legislature. This protects hard fought, highly touted Sarasota County chartered election audits…About 450 Republicans in Clermont County will have to re-vote…Lucas Co. Ohio BOE investigating poll worker intimidation…The DISCLOSE Act-the legislative response to Citizens United and what’s next…New deadline for comments on UOCAVA Pilot Program Testing Requirements is April 30, 2010…

The Voting News Daily: AZ ease of cheating. Map of US internet voting. Philippines ghost polling centers exposed

If fraud or error occurs in Arizona elections, there’s very little that can be done: “The ease-of-cheating problem becomes magnified when combined with the impossibility of challenging any computerized rigged election in Arizona.” ~ Bill Risner, chair of advocacy group AUDIT AZ…Aspen,CO Election Commission to review May 2009 election complaints in May 2010…SC House to debate voter id…Voting vendor Smartmatic exposes Philippines ghost polling centers – precincts listed but that do not exist…Internet voting continues to spread in Canadian munis…Verified Voting maps state usage of i-voting…

All this and more in today’s voting news below…

AZ: Guest Opinion. The elections-integrity fight isn’t about the RTA vote; it’s about future rigged elections
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/guest-opinion/Content?oid=1931618
Court testimony from several Pima County Elections Department workers established that our county’s computer operator regularly took home copies of election data during elections.

AZ: Clean elections may go to ballot
http://www.yumasun.com/news/ballot-57937-clean-elections.html
PHOENIX — Arizona voters are likely going to get a chance to decide if they want to keep public funding of elections

AZ: Arizona House OKs Bill To Check Candidates’ Citizenship (goes to senate next)
http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/91830889.html?ref=889
A bill that passed in the Arizona House would require President Barack Obama and any other candidate to produce a birth certificate to qualify for the state’s election ballot.

CA: DA to team with Secretary of State on voter registration probe
http://taxdollars.freedomblogging.com/2010/04/22/da-to-team-with-secretary-of-state-on-voter-registration-probe/55723/

CA: Let voters decide on election system, committee says
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14934230?nclick_check=1
San Mateo County voters should get another chance to choose whether they want to start electing supervisors by district rather than at large, the county’s charter review committee said Wednesday.

CO: Provocative bill to take Colorado to a universal mail-in ballot will not be introduced http://aspenelectionreview.blogspot.com/2010/04/provocative-bill-to-take-colorado-to.html

CO: Commission sets deadline for election complaints
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/140270
— Keys in the ballot box. The ballot boxes in the city clerk’s office used for absentee voting, where for two weeks prior to the election citizens could come in and cast their ballots, were observed with keys inserted into a lock.

CO: Harvie Branscomb comments on news about Aspen Election Commission
http://aspenelectionreview.blogspot.com/2010/04/harvies-comments-on-aspen-daily-news.html …The lock the key was left in unlocks a small door on the ballot box that allows access to two buttons that if simultaneously pressed will activate the override function that causes the voting machine to accept any ballot with any …

IN: Names left off Carroll ballots *
http://www.newsbug.info/articles/2010/04/22/monticello
_herald_journal/local_news/doc4bcd206388323919953853.txt
http://bit.ly/cH5Xba A Carroll County election snafu was caught in time to be corrected and, luckily, only eight ballots will have to be recast.
…
“The clerk’s office did not give the right information to the election vendor to produce our names on the ballot.”

MI: Granholm signs absentee ballot bill for military personnel
http://www.detnews.com/article/20100422/METRO/4220456/1361/Granholm-signs-absentee-ballot-bill-for-military-personnel
The measures, recently approved by unanimous votes in the Legislature, permit voters living out of the country to download absentee ballots via electronic mail and then mail them back.

NC: State employees group petitioning to put North Carolina First Party on the ballot
http://www.examiner.com/x-31749-Raleigh-Libertarian-Examiner~y2010m4d22-State-employees-group-petitioning-to-put-North-Carolina-First-Party-on-the-ballot
…“They may have the necessary financial resources to get the approximately 120,000 raw signatures they will need to meet North Carolina’s signature requirement.”

The Voting News Daily: AZ may repeal clean elections. TX AG probe Dallas mail ballot fraud. Citizens United bill gains support

AZ House panel OKs Clean Elections repeal…Students registered to vote in Alamance County run into trouble at polling stations…TN Rep Odom calls for investigation into Benton Co voter purge: “I know firsthand that some of these voters have been registered to vote in Tennessee for more than 48 years,” wrote Rep. Odom… TX Atty Gen to investigate Dallas Co absentee ballot fraud ..In Defense of Caroline Hunter…Fed campaign finance bill to address Citizens United gains bi partisan support…the Disappearing Poll Workers…Internet voting on the rise in Canadian municipalities….

All this and more in today’s voting news below…

AZ: House panel OKs Clean Elections repeal
http://azcapitoltimes.com/blog/2010/04/21/house-panel-oks-clean-elections-repeal/
The effort to end public campaign financing is backed primarily by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Government for Arizona’s Second Century, the lobbying arm of the O’Connor House Project, a group spearheaded by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

CO: City proposes task force for November IRV vote
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/140257

CO: How will Aspen be asked to vote on how Aspen votes?
Commission charged with creating scenarios to retain, revise or replace IRV
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100421/
NEWS/100429970/1077&ParentProfile=1058
http://bit.ly/9zD949

CO: For a return to traditional elections (LTE)
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/letter-editor/140250
…Ballots are found in the trash in post offices. Can we really expect that signatures can be absolutely verified?

GUAM: Law limits use of electronic voting terminals
http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12345476

IA: Superviser candidate challenges uncounted absentee ballot
http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=280139
Julia Clark defeated Dwight Nelson by one vote, 54-53. A recount request by Nelson found an absentee ballot cast for Nelson was not allowed because the ballot was not initialed by the Platteville City Clerk’s office.

IN: Absentee ballots probed *
http://www.therepublic.com/view/local_story/
Absentee_ballots_probed_4_20_2010/
http://bit.ly/9tVh7v VERNON …On April 12, Republican sheriff’s candidate and former sheriff Earl Taggart reportedly dropped off two absentee ballots at Jennings County Election Office.

The envelopes Taggart delivered had been sealed and re-opened, and the ballots inside were voided, according to Jennings County Clerk Ron Bloemer.

MA: Town opts to have four polling places
http://www.salemnews.com/local/x993507234/Town-opts-to-have-four-polling-places
Selectmen have been grappling with a single polling location after the town consolidated its eight precincts’ polls to Danvers High starting with the February 2008 Super Tuesday presidential primary.

NC: Students registered to vote in Alamance County run into trouble at polling stations
http://www.elon.edu/pendulum/Story.aspx?id=3733
…students who had moved housing assignments on campus were no longer able to vote. Early voting, which ends May 1, is the last chance for students to re-register who want to vote in the primary.
…
According to Harwell, many of the students who changed their registration to vote in Alamance County do not realize they have to update it every year.

NV: Independent American Party Senate Nominee Will Appeal Tea Party Ballot Access Ruling http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/04/21/independent-american-party-senate-nominee-will-appeal-tea-party-ballot-access-ruling/

PA: Philadelphia poll workers getting IOU’s
http://whyy.org/cms/news/uncategorized/2010/04/20/philadelphia-poll-workers-getting-ious/36276 The agency that runs elections in Philadelphia is having a hard time paying poll workers

TN: Tennessee: Odom calls for TBI to probe voter ‘purge’
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/apr/20/tennessee-odom-calls-tbi-probe-voter-purge/?breakingnews …Rep. Odom said he has been told 70,000 Memphis voters and 50,000 Nashville voters have been purged.

TX: Dallas County Judge: Texas Attorney General is investigating local voter fraud allegations (mail in ballots)
http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/04/dallas-county-judge-texas-atto.html

The Voting News Daily: DC Voting Rights bill killed. New Albany MS vote buying scheme. NY violates Voting Rights Act Sec 5

Arapahoe County, CO man gets 12 mail-in ballots…Gun control proposal kills DC voting rights bill…Update on Clay Co KY vote buying scheme…New Albany, MS man sentenced in vote buying scheme, 7 others pled guilty, 7 await trial….NY State Board of Elections violates section 5 of the Voting Rights Act due to changes in overvote notification…TN Lawmakers Spar Over Benton County Voter Registry: “The new administrator of elections has gone back as far as 45 to 50 years, identified over 2,000 voters, and sent them a letter suggesting that somehow their voter registration is not in order.” ~ House Dem. Leader Gary Odom…Baghdad Recount Could Change Election Results, Raising Fears Of Violence…Paying our respects: Civil Rights Legend Dr. Dorothy I. Height Dies at 98..

All this and more in today’s voting news below…

CA: S.F. instant-runoff voting upheld
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/20/BAN41D1700.DTL
Seeborg agreed that the system gives less weight to some votes than others in selecting a winner but said it doesn’t violate voters’ rights.

CA: San Leandro, California, Will Use Instant Runoff Voting This Year
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/04/20/san-leandro-california-will-use-instant-runoff-voting-this-year/

CO: Man gets 12 mail-in ballots from Arapahoe County
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=137255&catid=339
…9NEWS took the question to the Arapahoe and Douglas County May Election Official Duane Tinsley. He says what you receive in the mail is determined by where you live.

Tinsley says there is an area that overlaps in jurisdiction and receives both water and sewer ballots. Ellis lives in one of those areas

CO: Vail Daily LTE: Registration deadline Teak Simonton,Eagle Co. Clerk & Recorder
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100420/LETTER/
100429962/1022&ParentProfile=1065
http://tiny.cc/zlvq9 The point is that these two issues — fraud and registration deadlines — are separate, and one does not influence the other…

CT: Inadequate Election Day Registration Pilot Nixed
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3056

DC: House Dumps Bill Giving D.C. Vote in Congress
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/20/politics/main6414586.shtml
Voting Rights Bill’s Linkage to Gun Control Provision Apparently Derails Plans to Take Up Legislation

GA: Secretary of State Kemp Hails Latest Court Order Upholding Georgia’s Photo ID Law http://www.theweekly.com/news/2010/April/20/Photo_ID.html

KY: 3 get light sentences in Clay case, but judge says others won’t
Judge says 3 deserve break others won’t get
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/04/19/1230372/clay-county-school-employee-sentenced.html
LONDON — A judge gave sentencing breaks Monday to three men who helped in an investigation of vote-buying in Clay County but made clear that some prominent people convicted in the case can’t expect the same.

MS: New Albany man gets 5 years for conspiracy to commit voter fraud *
http://www.wreg.com/news/sns-ap-ms–voterfraud,0,3512446.story
He had pleaded guilty in 2008 to his role in an alleged vote-buying scheme. He was among 16 people arrested in the case involving 2007 elections.

So far, two defendants have been convicted by a jury and sentenced. Seven others have pleaded guilty, but are awaiting sentencing. The remaining seven are awaiting trial.

NC: Davidson County Board Of Election To Reconsider Protestors’ Affidavits
http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=140751&catid=57
The group is trying to keep Hege from running for Sheriff. Hege, a former Davidson County Sheriff, gave up his post when he pleaded guilty to Felony Obstruction of Justice six years ago. Under North Carolina law, a convicted felon can be elected as Sheriff without the ability to carry a firearm.

The Voting News Daily: Philly Enq: Electronic voting can be foiled. Voters should voice ire over Dents, countys actions

Corporations in Democracy: “…Proposition 16 on California’s June ballot was “written and bankrolled by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. for the benefit of PG&E.” ~ George Skelton of LA Times. Anchorage split precinct balloting mixup affects 160 votes…No one tells Sarasota Election Sup Kathy Dent what to do? …Montgomery Co KY switching to paper ballots in time for the primary election May 18. “That way there is no doubt about how a ballot was cast and who won or lost,” said Joe Harp of Harp Election Services in Lexington…Pot calling kettle black? “Electronic polling can be foiled.” writes the Philadelphia Inquirer about Israel’s e-voting plan. The Inquirer should know since much of PA has paperless e-voting….

All this and more in today’s voting news below….

AK: Traini leads Clary in final election results*
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12325208
The city clerk’s office announced more vote-counting mistakes in the race Friday,… On April 7 the clerk found 160 votes had been improperly cast for the Midtown race in a split precinct at the Anchorage Senior Center.

CA: “Plugging in a Monopoly”
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015735.html
George Skelton’s LA Times column begins: “The most important thing to know about Proposition 16 on California’s June ballot is that it was written and bankrolled by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. for the benefit of PG&E.”

CA: Third Time a Charm for Ranked Choice Voting?
http://www.sanleandrobytes.com/archives/010497.html
…San Leandro City Council…will attempt for a third time to approve an RCV ordinance at its April 19, 2010, meeting.

FL: Voters should voice ire over Dent’s, county’s actions
http://pelicanpress.org/content/2004_1.php
It was unconscionable that the Sarasota County supervisor of elections made plans to sue the county and the state because she doesn’t want to comply with a charter amendment voters approved to require extra audits of election returns.

With that threat, Kathy Dent might as well have found herself a big stool, climbed atop it at Five Points with a megaphone and proclaimed for all to hear, “No one tells me what to do! No one!”

FL: SB900 contains no pre-emption language giving the state power to govern all procedures and processes regarding elections
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/electionreform/message/13371

FL: Lawsuit settlement to lead to bilingual ballots in 2012
Volusia County settles federal suit for nearly $100,000
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-04-16/news/os-lawsuit-settlement-bilingual-ballot-20100416_1_bilingual-ballots-puerto-rican-residents-spanish-language-assistance

FL: Loser of Haines City Commission Election Alethea Pugh Files Lawsuit, Claims Fraud
http://www.theledger.com/article/20100416/NEWS/4165041/1410?Title=Loser-of-Haines-City-Commission-Election-Alethea-Pugh-Files-Lawsuit-Claims-Fraud
But the lawsuit charges West or his campaign workers “secured enough absentee ballots through fraudulent procedures to change the results of the elections which would otherwise have been won by Pugh.”

FL: U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Florida Case on Petitioning at the Polls
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/04/19/u-s-supreme-court-refuses-to-hear-florida-case-on-petitioning-at-the-polls/

IL: Thanks to a Great Staff (Champaign Co IL Clerk running un-opposed)
http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2010/04/19/thanks-to-a-great-staff/

IN: Huntington Clerk didn’t commit fraud
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/huntington-clerk-investigated-for-fraud
Felts was accused of altering a candidates paperwork, so he could meet the filing deadline. The election board determined there was no proof fraud occured.

KY: Paper ballots are back for upcoming primary election (Montgomery County)
http://www.msadvocate.com/morestory.aspx?storiesID=897
The move to paper ballots is a national movement to bring more accountability to the voting process.

The Voting News Daily: WVA 1st in military internet voting. Boise U internet election voided. DC voting rights. ACORN epitaph

A bill has been revived that would give District of Columbia representation in Congress…Will there or won’t there be a special election NY’s 29th?…The economy is causing cuts in elections in Tennessee…West Virginia will be first state to hold internet election for overseas military. What could possibly go wrong? Boise State University’s internet election was voided after a “glitch” resulted in 109 blank ballots. Boise can hold a new election but what happens when internet votes are lost in a state or federal election?……Epitaph for ACORN: Done In by Its Friends?

All this and more in today’s voting news below….

CA: Citywide: Oakland council may reach compromise on campaign contributions, spending http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_14893761 Their rationale: With Oakland’s switch to ranked-choice voting, which precludes the need for separate runoff elections, the city is essentially folding two elections into one. They also argued candidates should be allowed to raise and spend more money to help educate voters on the new voting system.

CA: Officials begin shipping election ballots to military and overseas voters
http://www.simivalleyacorn.com/news/2010-04-16/Community/Officials_begin_shipping_election_ballots_to_milit.html
California military and overseas voters may use a Federal Post Card Application to register to vote and simultaneously request a vote-bymail ballot.

CA: UPDATE: 641 Votes Remain In Santa Clarita City Council Race
http://hometownstation.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19957:city-council-showdown-continues-as-exact-number-of-uncounted-votes-still-unknown&catid=26:local-news&Itemid=97

CA: More than 2,000 ballots still uncounted in Long Beach election
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_14891894
…With two incumbent write-in candidates, plus a third lesser known write-in candidate, ballot tallying was slow Tuesday night, but Herrera said the count was accurate and had few problems.

Herrera added that the slow pace at which results were posted was also due to his decision to check by hand every over-vote

CT: Columnist Calls for Elimination of the Secretary of the State
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3045

DC: Is Congress Getting Closer to Granting D.C. Voting Rights?
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20002733-503544.html
The bill changed dramatically when the Senate added an amendment to its D.C. Voting Rights bill sponsored by Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) that would force the District of Columbia to weaken its gun control laws. It stated that the District of Columbia could not “unduly burden” residents from owning guns.
…Since the Senate passed the bill last year, House Democrats have lost a key Republican ally in Utah, Sen. Orrin Hatch, over a provision in the House bill that would make the new Utah congressman represent the entire state instead of allowing the Utah state government to draw a new district.

FL: Changes Proposed To Voting Precincts
Eleven Precincts Will Be Moved Or Combined
http://www.news4jax.com/news/23165984/detail.html

KY: Kentucky plan to amend campaign finance law dashed
http://politicalactivitylaw.com/2010/04/16/kentucky-plan-to-amend-campaign-finance-law-dashed/
added language to House Bill 152 — a routine elections bill — to increase the sums that candidates and political parties can collect; let the parties take money from corporations; and let legislators take donations from lobbyists

MA: Petitioners make last pitch before Town Meeting (finances prevent adoption of electronic voting)
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wayland/topstories/x998220748/Petitioners-make-last-pitch-before-Town-Meeting Finally, Alan Reiss, lead petitioner for Article 20 on electronic voting, made his presentation.
…
The Finance Committee voted unanimously against Article 20. For more information on this article go to “ www.electronicvoting.info

The Voting News Daily: Vendor certifies Aspen election. Does EAC really want comments on internet voting?

Outsourcing democracy – The voting vendor TrueBallot Inc certified Aspen Colorado’s May 5, 2009 election as “fair and accurate” on April 12, 2010 according to FOIA request…Jim Crow makes a comeback in Virginia…Voter Action charged the Election Assistance Commission with shortchanging comment period on Internet Voting. The EAC then quickly issued a “correction” adding a miserly 15 more days…Is it worth $1 M for special election to fill NY 29th seat for just a few months?…Jeremy Epstein to give talk in UK “Internet Voting: Threat or Menace”…Philipines optical scanners 10% failure rate….

All this and more in today’s voting news below….

CO: TrueBallot certifies Aspen May 5, 2009 election “fair and accurate” on April 12, 2010
http://aspenelectionreview.blogspot.com/2010/04/trueballot-certifies-aspen-may-5-2009.html The following was produced as a response to a Colorado Open Records request for the certification called for in the agreement between TrueBallot, Inc. and the City of Aspen.

CO: Online Voter Registration Now Available in Colorado
http://www.telluridewatch.com/view/full_story/7085118/article-Online-Voter-Registration-Now-Available-in-Colorado?instance=secondary_stories_left_column
“Colorado is one of only two states that allow voters to register online,” Nerlin says. “Democracy has never been more accessible.”

CT: Bysiewicz testifies in lawsuit against her own office, party
http://www.rep-am.com/news/elections/478349.txt

FL: Legislature considers a ‘poison pill’ to nullify citizen petitions
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/legislature-considers-a-poison-pill-to-nullify-citizen-petitions/1087460#
I suppose there is no point in saying that the Legislature is doing something stinky. It sort of goes without saying.

IA: Iowa Passes Corporate Governance Fixes to Citizens United
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015709.html

NM: County clerks review old voter registration cards
http://www.newswest9.com/Global/story.asp?S=12319978
The clerks received the old forms this week from the secretary of state’s office. It’s not clear where the cards have been since 2008 or who decided to mail them to the clerks.

NY: Massa Mess – Can the 29th Afford an Election?
http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/Massa-Mess-Can-the-29th-Afford-an-Election/zd0-cj9ugk6Ik304Qk-5Cg.cspx
A special election could cost taxpayers up to $1 million, according to Monroe County Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Tom Ferrarese. He said that even if a special election were held, by the time the winner is sworn in, it could be a few months at most, before the seat is open once again.

TX: Judge orders mail-in votes impounded in Pct. 2 Commissioner race
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/-110978–.html
According to Peña, his poll watchers saw irregularities in the mail-in votes. “Some of the signatures on the applications did not appear to match the return ballot. Numerous mail-in ballots had the signature of the same politiquera who obtained the voters’ signature and ballot,” Peña’s petition states.

UT: Federal Court Hears Argument in Utah Case on Whether Petition Signers’ Names are Public http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/04/15/federal-court-hears-argument-in-utah-case-on-whether-petition-signers-names-are-public/

VA: Jim Crow makes a comeback in Virginia
http://www.brennancenter.org/blog/archives/jim_crow_makes_a_comeback_in_virginia/

Internet Voting Watch

UK: Internet Voting: Threat or Menace
http://talks.cam.ac.uk/talk/index/24354
Jeremy Epstein. Tuesday 27 April 2010, 16:15-17:15 University of Cambridge
How do we (and should we) answer the frequently asked question ‘if I can bank online and shop online, why can’t I vote online’?

Voter Action charges EAC with violating the federal Administrative Procedure Act
http://www.voteraction.org/news-article/2010/voter-action-charges-eac-violating-federal-administrative-procedure-act-0
Fifteen days notice simply is not adequate to permit the public to comment on the proposed requirements and implementing manual to govern voting systems to be used by U.S.

The Voting News Daily: 1 in 10 Cuyahoga voting machines fail. GA troops i-voting guinea pigs. Violence fears for Sudan, Philippines elections

Georgia passed bill to use overseas military as guinea pigs in an internet voting experiment…MO. House approves voter ID’s, early voting…10 percent of Cuyahoga County Ohio’s ES&S DS200 voting machines fail pre-election tests…200+ letters already sent to ex-felons in Virginia telling them to write a “personal letter to the Governor” to get their voting rights restored. Gov spokesperson says letters were sent in error…Lawyers’ Committee Objects to Felon Restoration Rules in Virginia: Says Section 5 Preclearance is Necessary…Violence & fraud expected in Sudan and Philippines elections…

All this and more in today’s voting news below…

CO: Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald, April 11, on maintaining easier voting participation while preventing voter fraud:
http://www.reporterherald.com/Opinion-story.asp?ID27668
The challenge is to strike a balance between practices that make it easier to vote with those practices that ensure an accurate vote.

CO: Second Meeting of Aspen 2010 Election Commission- comments
http://aspenelectionreview.blogspot.com/2010/04/second-meeting-of-aspen-2010-election.html

GA: Voting measure awaits governor’s signature (internet voting experiment)
http://www.forsythnews.com/news/article/4898/
If Gov. Sonny Perdue signs House Bill 665, overseas voters will participate in a pilot program that allows them to vote electronically, instead of mailing paper ballots.

GA: Kemp: No politics in pre-clearance moves
http://onlineathens.com/stories/041410/let_606811761.shtml

MD: “Maryland enacts law to count incarcerated people at their home addresses; First-in-nation law will improve fairness and accuracy of the Census data used for redistricting”
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015693.html

MO: Mo. House approves voter ID’s, early voting (goes to senate next)
http://www.koamtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12312375

N.M. county clerks receive old voter registration cards
http://www.koat.com/news/23142862/detail.html
County clerks around the state are in limbo Tuesday night wondering what they’re supposed to do with completed voter registration cards that dated to the 2008 election.

NY: What Do You Do With Old Voting Machines?
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20100401/DCO01/304019907
MASSENA – Now that St. Lawrence County’s 115 lever-style voting machines can no longer be used for official elections, the Board of Elections is trying to decide what to do with them.

OH: 10 percent of Cuyahoga County’s voting machines fail pre-election tests*
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/04/some_cuyahoga_countys_voting_m.html
With just weeks until the May 4 primary election, the system’s manufacturer, Election Systems & Software Inc., has been unable to find what is causing the machines to arbitrarily power down and lock up during a test.
…
But it is hard to tell how pervasive the problem is. Board members were told at their meeting Tuesday that some machines that first passed the test, later failed when the procedure was repeated.

Employees stopped the test after 19 of the 279 machines had problems. Those 19 were put aside, and the staff started the tests on the others all over again. By the time they had retested 200 machines, nine of those that initially passed had failed the second time around.

TX: Commissioner candidate alleges voter fraud
http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=443784
The Precinct 2 Commissioner candidate alleged that mail-in ballot numbers were “blatantly discrepant” with regular in-person voting.

TX: Runoff Voting Underway; Voters Mistakenly Turned Away
http://www.kbtx.com/local/headlines/90748844.html
There was an issue at Aldersgate Methodist Church in College Station Tuesday morning, which acts as Precinct 40. According to county officials, six voters were mistakenly turned away by election workers because they had not voted in the primary.

The Voting News Daily: Diebold ATMs hacked. Buying Justice in PA. Voting machines stoke Filipinos fears.

Is a Colorado election bill trying to do too much?…Buying of Pa. judicial elections troubling…Fort Bend County TX Reports Problems With Electronic Poll List…The ACLU of Virginia accused Gov. Bob McDonnell of reinstating a “literacy test” in Virginia for non violent ex-felons…New Voting Machines Stoke Filipinos’ Fears…Diebold ATMs are hackable too – BofA Insider to Plead Guilty to Hacking (Diebold) ATMs…

All this and more in today’s voting news below….

AK: Sec. Daniels Announces New Mobile Application for Arkansans to Verify Voter Registration Information
http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/newsroom/index.php?do:newsDetail=1&news_id=126

CA: “Don’t Put Away Those Clipboards Yet”
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015683.html
Don’t use your iPad to sign a digital petition in CA and expect it to count.

CO: Colorado may need rescuing from voting bill
http://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/articles/colorado_may_need_rescuing_fro/
The bill is still under construction and presently weighs in at roughly 69 pages
…
Allowing third-party organizations to collect and deliver votes to polling stations

Co: Bayfield town election results change
http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/04/13
/Bayfield_town_election_results_change/
or http://tinyurl.com/y77h9u8 The recount was requested after Mayor Rick Smith and Town Clerk Marianne Jones examined the election results and found the election judge’s tally of votes did not match the final results presented to the board.

CO: County Clerk candidate Dr. Charles Corry discussing Voting, electronic voting, voting systems and Colorado voting records. (video)
http://politics.ifoday.com/?p=8361

CO: Questions have not been answered
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/letter-editor/140148

IL: Swansea, Illinois Man and East St. Louis Precinct Committeeman Arraigned on Federal Tax and Election Offenses
http://springfield.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/si040910.htm

MD: Maryland Assembly backs voter registration at 16
http://wjz.com/wireapnewsmd/Md.Assembly.backs.2.1628042.html

NC: BofA Insider to Plead Guilty to Hacking ATMs (Diebold ATM)
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7798
Any guess which company supplies Bank of America’s hackable ATM systems?…

NV: Secretary of state, treasurer accused of ethical violations
http://www.recordcourier.com/article/20100412/
NEWS/100419977/1062&ParentProfile=1049 or
http://tinyurl.com/y7xu45w A Republican candidate for attorney general is claiming advertisements for the census featuring Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller appear to be in violation of state law.

NY: LETTER: Transition to new machines this year
http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2010/04/13/opinion/
doc4bbb791c94077530704249.txt
http://tinyurl.com/yb3z446

PA: EDITORIAL: Buying of Pa. judicial elections troubling
http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2010/04/12/opinion/
doc4bc261e2f346b246460312.txt or
http://tinyurl.com/yyttpus …in two-thirds of the cases (67 percent) before that same court in 2008 and 2009, at least one of the litigants, lawyers, or law firms had contributed to the election campaign of at least one justice. In nearly half of the cases (46 percent), a single litigant, lawyer, or law firm had contributed to at least four of the six elected justices’ election campaigns.

TX: Fort Bend County Reports Problems With Electronic Poll List, Glitch Forces Manual Verification Of Voters *
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/04/13/45138
…Because of the glitch, poll workers are having to manually record the voter’s name and address on the poll book and then manually issue a code that allows them to cast their ballot, Oldham said.

VA: Opposition builds to McDonnell’s changes to felon voting rights restoration process
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/04

/opposition_builds_to_mcdonnell.html
http://tinyurl.com/y6lrfy8
“For persons with a limited education, the governor’s requirement that they write an essay explaining their past and present actions and the rationale for why their rights should be restored is a nearly insurmountable obstacle,” said ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Kent Willis on Monday…

WI: Six voters cast two ballots in spring election mistake* (wrong ballot style)
http://www.weau.com/news/headlines/90678984.html

The Voting News Daily: VA Gov plans literacy test for ex-felons. TN to fix retroactive voter purge.

Illinois SBE open source campaign finance reporting software will save state money and is flexible…Will Sarasota voters ever get what audits audits they voted for 4 yrs ago?… Tennessee -Proposes Bill to fix voter purge that impacted long registered voters…VA Gov McDonnell in hot water over nonviolent felons’ rights…Two Problems with the New Challenge to Section 5 of Voting Rights Act…The comment period for UOCAVA Pilot Program Testing Reqs (online voting) ends April 15…Facebook joins in UK’s voter registration drive…Sudan has 2nd day of voting for first election in nearly 25 years…

CA: San Mateo County, California, Ponders Alternate Voting Systems
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/04/08/san-mateo-county-california-ponders-alternate-voting-systems/

CO: Election reform mishap
http://www.eptrail.com/ci_14846219?
Election reform may be coming next year, but let`s get more input from the county clerks charged with implementing the law. That way, no one can accuse the Speaker of a last-minute election manipulation

FL: THE ELECTION AUDIT- Vs. THE AUDITED (Elections)Video
http://www.blip.tv/file/3465010/
Augi talks about the Sarasota Florida Election Audit process, will the voters ever get what they voted on and passed.. 4 years and running..

FL: Two elderly women allege voter fraud in Haines City (absentee ballot fraud)
http://www.newschief.com/article/20100411/NEWS/100419996/1021

GA: Walker County Board of Elections unanimously votes to consolidate voting precincts; opponents vow fight (18 precincts down to 11)
http://romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/7031626/article-Walker-County-Board-of-Elections-unanimously-votes-to-consolidate-voting-precincts–opponents-vow-fight-?instance=home_news_lead_story

GA: Lobbyist disclosure the focus of Georgia ethics reform
http://politicalactivitylaw.com/2010/04/11/lobbyist-disclosure-the-focus-of-georgia-ethics-reform/

IL: Good News from the SBE (r/e their campaign disclosure software project)
http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2010/04/12/good-news-from-the-sbe/
…Most important, the code belongs to the government, can be changed as desired, and will have no licensing costs in the future. A great example of how software development in house can be a win-win for everyone.

MN: Charter wants another perspective
http://www.republican-eagle.com/event/article/id/65806/
Before dancing any closer toward endorsing ranked-choice voting the Red Wing Charter Commission wants to hear from an opponent of the alternative voting system.

NC: Burke County elections director resigns
http://www2.morganton.com/content/2010/apr/11/burke-county-elections-director-resigns/
Beam said the elections office is a shoestring operation, but it’s gotten to the place where the shoestring is going to break.

NY: ‘Illegal’ raise for elections board commissioners returned
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20100411/NEWS01/4110342
In 2008, the Republican and Democratic commissioners of the Dutchess County Board of Elections gave themselves what County Executive William Steinhaus called “illegal” raises of $4,827 each — which they ultimately had to give back. Then, in 2009, according to county documents, they tried to do it again but were unsuccessful.

OH: Voting glitch sparks complaint *
Programming error blamed for wrong ballots
http://www.tdn-net.com/main.asp?SectionID=152&SubSectionID=255&ArticleID=105787
…the error occurred due to a programming irregularity on the master encoder.
…
Quillen said he discovered that when elections workers encoded the individual voter card and selected precinct first, then party affiliation, the card was encoded accurately with a ballot that contained both state issues and candidates.

But, when elections workers encoded the individual voter card and selected party affiliation first, then precinct, the encoder defaulted to a non-partisan selection for party affiliation, which resulted in a ballot that listed only state issues, but no candidates.

OH: Brunner calls for open primary system
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/04/10/brunner-calls-for-open-primary-system.html?sid=101

MT: Absentee ballots grow in popularity in Montana
http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/government-and-politics/elections/article_995e80f6-4394-11df-af3a-001cc4c03286.html

The Voting News Daily: Sarasota Election Sup wastes taxpayer $ to block audits. GA Gov wants suit for citizenship checks

Did mail-in voting enhance turnout in Dallas TX the wrong way?…Election 2010: Why is everything digital except the voting system?…Arrogance and pride in action: Sarasota Florida Elections Supervisor Kathy Dent is wasting the taxpayers’ dollars and time suing the county and state to fight the charter ordered, court upheld post election audits. Now Dent claims she just needs “clarification”….NY – Voting machine flap: Dog ate my ballot…von Spakovsky Responds to TPM on Foreign Language Voting Materials Controversy…

The news is brief today but fascinating….

FL: Elections supervisor sues county, state
http://www.pelicannews.com/content/1988_1.php
Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent is going back to court to fight a voter-approved charter amendment she cannot abide.

GA: Perdue: AG should sue feds over Ga. voting checks
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/ap/perdue-ag-should-sue-over-voting-checks-in-ga-90275132.html … Gov. Sonny Perdue has directed Thurbert Baker to sue the Obama administration to implement citizenship checks for newly-registering voters.

IA: Iowa: first out of the gate for Citizens United legislative response?
http://politicalactivitylaw.com/2010/04/09/iowa-first-out-of-the-gate-for-citizens-united-legislative-response/

KY: The corruption business model (Clay County)
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/04/08/1215079.html
With the list of the convicted now past a dozen and the extensive evidence of an organized, ongoing vote-buying machine, there’s reason to believe this was not a conspiracy hidden under a bushel basket.

NY: Voting machine flap: Dog ate my ballot
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/24652/voting-machine-flap-dog-ate-my-ballot/ But there are some would be holdouts such as in Nassau County whose leaders are in court arguing they won’t have time to replace the machines by the upcoming election cycle.

TX: How Not To Increase “Voter” Participation
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3033
Now there is new evidence of a more orchestrated campaign by so-called “vote harvesters” allegedly tampering with mail-in ballots.

TX: District Attorney will Protect Ballot Boxes (Webb County)
http://www.laredosun.us/notas.asp?id=5976
“The ballot boxes are being placed at the elections offices in a special room to which only an investigator from the District Attorney’s office has a key to,”

VA: von Spakovsky Responds to TPM on Foreign Language Voting Materials Controversy
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015664.html
…The claim by TPM that the Electoral Board voted to end the distribution of foreign language voting materials is flat-out wrong: Fairfax County has never provided any voting materials of any kind in any language other than English.

OR: Guest Column: Peter Wagner on Felons, Redistricting, and the Urban/Rural Divide
This from Peter Wagner of the Prison Policy Initiative:
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=3157

National

I’ve added a new link to transparencydata.com for campaign finance data
http://politicalactivitylaw.com/2010/04/09/ive-added-a-new-link-to-transparencydata-com-for-campaign-finance-data/ Sunlight Foundation Blog notes the introduction of TransparencyData.com. The site bills itself as the “central source for all federal and state campaign contributions made in the last twenty years

Elections Assistance Commission
On-demand webcast of April 8 public meeting is available
http://www.eac.gov/blog-postings/on-demand-webcast-of-april-8-eac-public-meeting-is-available

Internet voting watch

Canada: UPDATED: Online voting hits a snag in Sarnia
http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2527886
…It would cost taxpayers $258,000 to create Internet and mail-in voting options in addition to regular polls. The staff report also cites concerns about the security of the polls and requests more time to investigate

UK: Election 2010: Why is everything digital except the voting system?
http://www.thedrum.co.uk/news/2010/04/09/13362-election-2010-why-is-everything-digital-except-the-voting-system– “…Because it is digital, there is no guarantee that someone could not manipulate the process by replicating the process to produce the voting vouchers or replicate the system in some way that delivered more votes.”

The Voting News Daily: Fairfax VA now English only voting forms. Webb Co TX disabled denied secret ballot? Online Voter Reg Debate.

Aspen Transparency Litigation: What’s being hidden and why?…Kinston, North Carolina voters challenge Section 5 of Voting Rights Act….von Spakovsky Votes to End Fairfax County Distribution of Voting Materials in Languages other than English…An advocacy group filed a complaint against Webb County,Texas saying voters with disabilities do not have access to a secret ballot…Advocates and Legislators Debate the Promise (and Potential Problems) of Online Voter Registration…British democracy: no better than Uzbekistan’s…

Correction: Yesterday we mistakenly said that 89 Maryland voters may have voted twice in 2008, but prosecutor’s office can’t afford to investigate.The correct number was 189. Our apologies.

All this and more in today’s voting news below…

AK: Poll mistake complicates Midtown Assembly election *
http://www.adn.com/2010/04/07/1216620/poll-mistake-complicates-midtown.html
The tight Midtown Assembly race took an odd twist Wednesday when the city clerk said she’ll have to throw out as many as 175 votes in the race between former Assemblyman Dick Traini and conservative Andy Clary because of a mix-up at a downtown precinct.

AR: Pope Co. election commission considers purchases (iVotronics)
http://www.couriernews.com/story.php?ID=24372
Commission decides no new computers for voting
The Pope County Election Commission won’t be buying any new voting machines to use in the upcoming election because no company had any in stock as of Tuesday’s meeting.

CA: Electronic Signature Not Valid
http://warrenslocum.blogspot.com/2010/04/electronic-signature-not-valid.html
AN ELECTRONIC signature that was submitted on a statewide initiative petition does not comply with California’s election code, San Mateo County Superior Court Judge George Miram’s ruled on April 2.

CA: California Legislative Committee Passes Election-Day Voter Registration
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/04/08/california-legislative-committee-passes-election-day-voter-registration/

CO: What’s being hidden, and why? (Letter to Editor by Al Kolwicz) Aspen Transparency Litigation
http://aspenelectionreview.blogspot.com/2010/04/whats-being-hidden-and-why-letter-to.html
Does anybody know why the City of Aspen is fighting so desperately to prevent public review of the May 2009 election files?

CO: Wrongly denied, again. Public seeks scanned ballot image files from HART InterCivic system.
http://coloradovotergroup.blogspot.com/2010/04/wrongly-denied-again-public-seeks.html

CO: Carroll announces bipartisan team to weigh election-reform legislation
http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_14841228

FL: Is Fla. Gov. Crist’s Veto of an Election Bill Tied to a Possible Independent Run for U.S. Senate?
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015658.html

IL: Clerk addressing audit concerns (Iroquois County)
http://newsbug.info/articles/2010/04/07/watseka_times_republic
/local_news/doc4bbc08d5b0f7d352844176.txt
http://tinyurl.com/yjy2dmt
…the state’s election board is auditing all counties that purchased something with grant monies.

MD: General Assembly bills could impact election officials
http://times-news.com/local/x552034904/General-Assembly-bills-could-impact-election-officials

MD: Election integrity
Our view: Irregularities unlikely serious but deserve state prosecutor’s scrutiny
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-0409-voting-20100408,0,1135907.story

ME: Man accused of voting twice pleads not guilty
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/140742.html …He allegedly voted in Dixmont on Nov. 3, then, registered and voted in nearby Newburgh.

NC: New challenge to Sec. 5
http://www.scotusblog.com/2010/04/new-challenge-to-sec-5/
Voters in the town of about 23,000 people had approved a ballot measure that would end city elections based on party candidates, and switch to non-partisan elections. The measure could not go into effect, however, because Kinston is a part of Lenoir County, North Carolina, and that county is covered by Section 5.

NC: Local citizens’ group sues in federal court for nonpartisan voting
http://www.enctoday.com/news/voting-64557-kfpress-citizens-local.html
Five Kinston citizens have banded together in an effort to challenge the constitutionality of Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act and bring nonpartisan voting to local municipal elections.

The Voting News Daily: Double voting in MD unprosecuted. ACORN not dead yet.US Cyber Insecurity

NYT Concedes They Were Wrong? Paper Loses ‘Pimp’ Language Entirely in Latest ACORN Report. Also: ACORN not dead yet!…Florida Gov Crist vetos legislative money grab bill…189 MD voters may have voted twice in 2008, but prosecutor’s office can’t afford to investigate…Secret Funding of US Chamber’s Political Ads May Change…Although the United States likely has the best cyberwar capabilities in the world, “that offensive prowess cannot make up for the weaknesses in our defensive position,” one-time presidential advisor Richard Clarke…

all this and more in today’s voting news below…

CA: Ranked-choice voting in San Leandro hits a snag
San Leandro to revisit the item on April 19
http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyreview/localnews/ci_14832251
…her (Councilwoman Diana Souza)constituents felt ranked-choice was confusing and would discourage voters, and they doubted cost-savings estimates.

CO: Aspen deserves answers
http://tiny.cc/20icr
Looking forward, Aspen voters should take a hard look at what is being said by experts nationally about IRV and about Aspen’s unusual system in particular. They should demand straight answers from city officials, and decide for themselves…

CO: Carroll responds to attacks on voting reform proposal
http://tiny.cc/1bc37
…the legislation was originally drafted at the urging of the county clerks to help reduce their administrative burden and to save taxpayer monies.

CO: UNDERSTANDING WHAT “SECRET BALLOT” MEANS IN COLORADO – an illustrative chart http://aspenelectionreview.blogspot.com/2010/04/understanding-what-secret-ballot-means.html

CO: Public seeks scanned ballot image files from HART InterCivic system.
http://coloradovotergroup.blogspot.com/2010/04/public-seeks-scanned-ballot-image-files.html

FL: Gov. Charlie Crist spares his party with a timely veto
http://tiny.cc/04p4a The governor simply couldn’t stomach the legislative money grab that came in the form of CS/HB 1207, which would have authorized the creation of “affiliated party committees.”

FL: Sheriff, others warn of devastating budget cuts
http://tiny.cc/lqtbj …Another round of budget cuts in Broward County could lead to the closure of another jail, less early voting in fall elections and fewer inspections of homes to set the property tax roll.

GA: Training now required for voter drives
http://www.rockdalecitizen.com/news/headlines/90050117.html

GA: Son of NAMUDNO: A Case that Should Make Section 5 Supporters Nervous
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015648.html
I had been thinking that a Georgia suit to fight the DOJ’s denial of preclearance of its “voter verification” program could provide the vehicle for a constitutional challenge to section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.

MD: Prosecutor’s office hasn’t pursued cases of dual voting
http://www.explorebaltimorecounty.com/news/105504/prosecutors-office-hasnt-pursued-cases-dual-voting/
Nearly 200 people thought to have voted twice in 2008

SC: Precinct division causes confusion for voters
http://www.thestate.com/2010/04/06/1232331/precinct-division-causes-confusion.html
More than half the voters who showed up at the Polo Road precinct for today’s City of Columbia elections had been turned away by mid-afternoon, poll workers said.

WI: Green Bay officials look into suspected voter fraud
http://tiny.cc/mp4qv

WI: Update: Voter fraud investigated; power outage didn’t affect polls
http://tiny.cc/xus7p
Last night’s outage did not affect voters at the polls last night, officials said.

Internet voting

MI: Computer glitch causes ASMSU elections to end 8 hours early
http://tiny.cc/vakks
The first year of online-only voting for MSU’s various student governments’ spring elections hit a snag Monday when a missing zero caused polls to close early.

Internet Voting Beyond Technology (report)
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/32226461/Internet-Voting-Beyond-Technology

The Voting News Daily: WV Coal,corruption and campaign finance. Clay KY vote buying-more arrests?

Ezra Klein of the Washington Post writes about coal, corruption, campaign finance reform and yesterday’s mining tragedy in West Virginia. Klein says Blankenship, leader of the Massey coal mine “has more or less purchased the state’s government. He’s certainly bought the state Supreme Court….” Klein says that some sort of reform is needed in this case…Citizens in Clay County Kentucky are waiting to see who is arrested next in the long running vote buying scheme that has corrupted local government. At least another dozen high profile arrests are expected. The federal action to clean up the vote buying has increased public confidence in elections….

All this and more in today’s voting news below….

AL: Elections bill now goes to voters
http://times-journal.com/story.lasso?ewcd=64ec37c3d8bd31a6
A constitutional amendment that would give voters the chance to elect candidates to fill vacancies in DeKalb offices rather than an appointment by the governor has passed the Legislature and will appear on the November ballot for voter consideration

CA: Saturday Voting Initiative – Intended to Increase Voter Participation
http://tiny.cc/jiiel An election reform measure being proposed for the November ballot in San Francisco would add the Saturday before the traditional Tuesday election day as an alternate day for voters to cast their ballots

CA: Voting really isn’t that hard (LTE in San Francisco)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/05/ED831CP7UN.DTL

CA: San Leandro Council Deadlocks on Ranked Choice Voting Ordinance
http://www.sanleandrobytes.com/archives/010311.html

CO: All Briefs Now Filed in Colorado Lawsuit Over Independent Candidate Ballot Access http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/04/06/all-briefs-now-filed-in-colorado-lawsuit-over-independent-candidate-ballot-access/

CO: Web-based voter registration unveiled
http://www.gazette.com/articles/-96702–.html
Citizens with a Colorado driver’s license or identification card can surf to GoVoteColorado.com on the Internet to get registered for the ballot.

CO: Lawmakers consider election reform (video available)
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=136033&catid=339
House Speaker Terrance Carroll (D-Denver) has submitted what he calls a “first draft” of proposals that among other things, give counties more flexibility in holding mail-ballot elections during even years. The proposals would also eventually allow for voter registration on Election Day.

FL: Obscure political committees nudge Legislature’s agenda
http://tiny.cc/enuuw Little-known political committees benefit from industries trying to influence legislation.

FL: Call Crist to Veto HB 1207. Why Leadership Funds are Bad.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/electionreform/message/13299
…the bill which would legalize leadership funds by creating a new type of shady political committee which would be controlled by those legislators already in leadership and could raise an unlimited amount of money year round, even during legislative session, which is currently prohibited for lawmakers.

GA: Voter fraud website launched
http://tiny.cc/c9nux Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp today launched a new website to prevent election and voter fraud in Georgia elections.

KY: In Clay, residents wonder: “Who’s next?”
http://tiny.cc/zxfq7 In the past five years, more than a dozen local officials have been convicted of crimes that included extorting kickbacks from a contractor, laundering money for a drug dealer and buying votes on a grand and pernicious scale.

What has people holding their breath, though, is that more than a dozen other current or former public officials also allegedly took part in vote fraud, according to witnesses, prosecutors and court documents.

The Voting News Daily: Benton TN voter purge to hit seniors. NY election law redux. Outsourcing Philippines elections?

Many long time voters in Benton County Tennessee may be purged from the voter rolls simply because they did not check off a box on their voter registration form that says they are a US Citizen. …The Dept of Justice had to instruct Alamance County DSS to comply with the 17 year old National Voter Registration Act… Several articles about New York’s paper ballot law and efforts to repeal it….A Philippines group is not happy with the switch to computer counting of the vote: “The outsourcing of the nation’s electoral process to a foreign firm is causing widespread anxiety among concerned citizens and various sectors” ~ CAAEF-FAEL…Ireland unable to unload its paperless voting machines as other countries ditch e-voting or adopt paper based systems…

All this and more in today’s voting news below….

CO: Aspen Daily News and Aspen Times poll regarding Marilyn Marks’
transparency suit http://tiny.cc/pva4a

CT: One Way Connecticut Could Empower Military and Overseas Voters
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3025
One key to truly empowering military and overseas voters is accessible, timely information to speed the process of meeting the requirements of obtaining, completing, and returning absentee ballots and applications.

NC: DSS, state elections board still at odds
http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/elections-32795-forms-county.html
the DSS offices in Alamance, Burke and Johnston counties “have consistently and substantially failed to comply with the requirements of Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act.”

NC: Voter appeals registration removal, claims violation of constitutional rights
http://tiny.cc/l3er3

NC: Cary may back campaign bill
Town will discuss the use of public funds for local political campaigns.
http://www.carynews.com/2010/04/03/16971/cary-may-back-campaign-bill.html
“Money doesn’t buy you love,” he said. Frantz spent $8,000 on his winning Town Council campaign, less than his two opponents.

NJ: Flood Soaks 300 Volumes of County Voter Registration Documents
http://tiny.cc/twrz9

NY: Nassau County – The Dog Ate My Homework
http://www.bolipari.com/boblog/2010/04/nassau-county-the-dog-ate-my-homework/
First and foremost, the state’s transition to the new systems has been long been ordered and overseen by United States District Court Judge Gary Sharpe. The state Supreme Court cannot and will not counter that higher power.

NY: Optical scan voting machines not welcomed by all Mid-Hudson counties
http://tiny.cc/sqw27 Tyner, D-Clinton, said…he will introduce a resolution in the county (Duchess) Legislature, urging it to allow the county Board of Elections to join Nassau’s lawsuit, which he said could be done at no cost to taxpayers.

NY: Walton village election results in *
http://www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_091040005.html
WALTON _ The snafu with the Walton village election results that didn’t add up was resolved Wednesday when the voting machines were rechecked, an error was discovered and a trustee resigned.

NY: New voting machines still cause concerns
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20420134&BRD=2731&PAG=461&dept_id=574908&rfi=6

OH: Touch-screen voting machines sit, long after vote probe
http://tiny.cc/c485t
Thirty-four touch-screen voting machines are kept locked up as evidence from the November 2007 election, in which fraud was alleged.

OR: Guest Column: Spencer on felons and redistricting
http://electionupdates.caltech.edu/?p=3153

TN: Thousands Of Valid Voters May Be Purged (Benton County TN includes video)
Voter Registrations Show Deficiencies
http://www.wsmv.com/politics/23056611/detail.html
Thousands of law abiding U.S. citizens are in danger of being purged from Tennessee’s voter rolls in one county.

The Voting News Daily: Nassau Co NY sues to undo election law, keep levers. Wal-Mart a top political donor. NC Ballot access challenge

Are Colorado Election officials making decisions behind closed doors?…They want to keep the lever machines: Nassau County wants the New York Election Reform and Modernization Act of 2005 declared unconstitutional, and wants the DS200 system decertified in New York State…Wal-Mart, UBS and Other Groups Added to OpenSecrets.org List of Top Political Givers…Too late the CA Atty Gen says ACORN did not violate the law….

All this and more in today’s voting news below…

AK: Senate passes campaign finance bill
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12245818
The bill, which found bipartisan support, would require notice of who or what is funding political ads on television or in the newspaper.

AZ: Arizona Bill, Removing Presidential Elector Names from Ballot, Advances
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/04/02/arizona-bill-removing-presidential-elector-names-from-ballot-advances/
If the Arizona bill is signed into law, the only states that will still print the names of presidential electors on their ballots will be Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, Louisiana, and Idaho.

AZ: Citizens United sparks changes to Arizona campaign finance law
http://bit.ly/a8W5GI

CA: CA A.G. FINDS ‘NO VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL LAW’ IN ‘SEVERELY EDITED’ ACORN
‘PIMP’ VIDEOS; UNEDITED TAPES RELEASED
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7780
The Attorney General also confirms that O’Keefe never appeared in any of the offices “dressed as a 1970s Superfly pimp,” as he had been edited to appear at the beginning and end of each of the videos. Neither did he ever claim to be a pimp…

CA: Judge hears challenge to city’s instant runoff voting system
http://tinyurl.com/yen2hzs SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge said at a court hearing Thursday* he is inclined to reject a citizens’ challenge* to San Francisco’s instant
runoff voting system, but made no final decision.

CO: COMPLAINT: Urgent – ongoing violation of Open Meetings Laws (ltr to Atty Gen)
http://bit.ly/cobxZ7 There is a meeting of Colorado election officials underway today in Westminster. These same officials are interfering with the Public’s right to observe. Your immediate intervention is requested.

MI: Barrow to ask court to order new Detroit mayoral election
http://www.detnews.com/article/20100401/METRO/4010468/1024/POLITICS03/Barrow-to-ask-court-to-order-new-Detroit-mayoral-election#ixzz0jxO8NEVP
Barrow requested a recount, but upon discovering problems with security seals on some absentee container boxes, the Wayne County Board of Canvassers ruled that none of the 41,485 absentee ballots would be recounted and the board reverted to the original election night results.

MI: Barrow seeks to nullify mayoral election
http://bit.ly/9wqRcl In his filing, Barrow, 61, alleges Bing “usurped and wrongfully holds title to the office of mayor” because of tainted ballots.

MS: Mississippi: DOJ objects to law requiring runoffs in some school board
elections http://www.votelaw.com/blog/archives/006365.html

NC: North Carolina Ballot Access Hearing Set for May 20
http://bit.ly/canrYR A Superior court in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, will hear oral arguments in Brody v North Carolina Board of Elections on May 20. This is the case in which an independent candidate for the legislature argues that he should not need any petition to be on the November ballot this year, because …

NY: County Challenges Electronic Voting System
http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/04/01/26056.htm
MINEOLA, N.Y. (CN) – Nassau County and its Republican and Democratic Elections Commissioners sued New York State for requiring that pull-lever voting machines “trusted” for more than a century be replaced with “computerized voting technology that is notoriously vulnerable to systemic hacking, tampering, manipulation and malfunction.”

The Voting News Daily: Another e-voting suit in Webb Co TX. Avi Rubin -Taking back American Idol!

Tano Tijerina has filed a lawsuit to block e-voting in the Webb Co TX runoff election. Atty Balli says the machines always create many problems in Webb County elections and his client wants to make sure each vote counts. Balli was successful in blocking use of e-voting in Webb Co’s Democratic primary. Avi Rubin on Taking back American Idol! The news is light today but we’ll be back tomorrow.

All this and more in today’s voting news below….

MA: State urged to pick up election tab
http://bit.ly/a939Ca
Massachusetts communities spent $7.8 million to hold the special election in January that elected Scott Brown as a US senator.

MI: DOJ objects to law requiring runoffs in some school board elections
http://www.votelaw.com/blog/archives/006365.html

NH: Voting machines cannot be trusted (presentation April 7)
http://sentinelsource.com/articles/2010/04/01/opinion/letters_editor/free/id_396093.txt

NY: New voting machines still cause concerns
http://tinyurl.com/ygv2ykw

NY: Fate of old voting machines being mulled
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20100401/NEWS05/304019927
MASSENA — Now that St. Lawrence County’s 115 lever-style voting machines can no longer be used, the Board of Elections is trying to decide what to do with them.

OH: Ohio Supreme Court Puts Constitution Party Candidate on Primary Ballot, Sets Valuable Precedent
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/03/31/ohio-supreme-court-puts-constitution-party-candidate-on-primary-ballot-sets-valuable-precedent/

OK: Election Fraud Bill Moves Forward (voter registration fraud)
Bill Seeks To Increase Fines For Violators
http://www.koco.com/politics/23019598/detail.html
The measure also adds fraudulent use of an absentee and making a false application to an absentee ballot a felony.

PA: Redistricting and Judicial Elections in Pennsylvania
http://electls.blogs.wm.edu/2010/03/31/redistricting-and-judicial-elections-in-pennsylvania/

SC: ACLU Urges Department Of Justice To Object To Changes In County Board Elections In South Carolina http://tinyurl.com/ygkw7qy

TX: Suit filed to ban electronic voting machines in run-offs
http://www.pro8news.com/news/local/89653532.html
Balli recently represented Louis Bruni, who was also successful in making sure electronic voting machines were not used in the democratic primaries

National

Taking Back American Idol
Avi Rubin.
http://avi-rubin.blogspot.com/2010/04/taking-back-american-idol.html
A couple of years ago, I noted in my blog a vulnerability in the American Idol voting system. There is a memory leak in the server that they use to tally votes, and the phone system they have implemented is vulnerable to dialer spoofing and scripted dialing

Happy Census Day! Here’s what’s at stake.
http://bit.ly/aac8Ri

New law allows military spouses to keep residency for voting purposes
http://www.eielson.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123197327

ElectionlineWeekly — April 1, 2010 (pdf newsletter)
http://bit.ly/9fOdXa

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Disclaimer: Articles and commentary included in “Voting News” do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of Voting News,or its allied organizations. Articles are selected for inclusion to inform subscribers’ability to draw their own conclusions based on noteworthy and credible news,research, legislation, and debate bearing on the integrity of elections.