The 2010 Primaries: More Recounts than Recountable Elections…Doug Jones on the erosion of the secret ballot: “If we allow a weakened right to a secret ballot, how can we ask other countries to set higher standards, and what will we do if the crooks do end up in control of our elections?”…FFEC Urges Crist to Veto Elections Bill HB 131…Absentee Vote Fraud in Charleston, WV? Need Forensics!…A voting system needs 3 elements to be considered credible: Transparency, Verifiability & Accountability says Narasimha Rao, a leading election analyst in India…
All this and more in today’s voting news below…
AZ: Emergency Relief Requested from U.S. Supreme Court in Arizona Public Financing “Matching Funds” Case
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016060.html
CA: SF returns diligently monitored following mail-in ballot mistake
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/SF-returns-diligently-monitored-following-mail-in-ballot-mistake-94801649.html
CT: Candidate Leaves Name On Ballot: Causing Unnecessary Primary Vote
http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=3232
Rob Simmons has ended his campaign, yet is leaving his name on the ballot.
FL: FFEC Urges Crist to Veto Elections Bill HB 131
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/electionreform/message/13548 FFEC’s letter to the Governor cites the bill’s delay of equitable treatment for disabled voters, its encroachment on local control of elections, and its provisions for insecure, unreliable Internet and FAX voting and communications for military and overseas voters.
FL: ACLU urges you to take action (HB 131)
http://fl.aclu.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=67921.0
FL: Groups file suit on redistricting ballot measure
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100522/article/5221041?p=all&tc=pgall
GA: Civil rights coalition targets voter verification
http://www.ajc.com/news/civil-rights-coalition-targets-534504.html
Citing Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act, Morales’ attorneys argued the regulation mandates those states with a history of racial discrimination in voting rights obtain federal approval prior to enacting changes that affect voting.
ID: County Hopes New Ballot Will Make Voting Less Frustrating (Bingham County)
http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=12536040 …This new form of voting is called Optical Scan Voting. It is much different and much faster than the traditional punch ballot system for the voters and the poll workers.
IL: Young Voters
http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2010/05/25/young-voters/ Champaign County Clerk. I’m preparing to go back to Springfield today to testify against yet another attempt to force Champaign County to open an early voting site on campus.
KY: Officials: Primary election one of best *
(Calloway County uses Danaher 1242 and Hart Intercivic e-Slate)
http://www.murrayledger.com/articles/2010/05/24/top_story/news01.txt
Other problems reported included temporary polling machine malfunctions and errors on the part of voters in machine operation; primarily due to unfamiliarity.
…
Machine malfunctions included some push buttons “sticking,” some buttons not “lighting up” and other errors which Coursey said were corrected by election officers at the scene when possible or other accommodations made…
Machines by county:http://elect.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/4384AC60-AD8F-497F-B62E-EA3E4625618F/225556/VotingEquipmentbyCounty1.pdf
MN: City council actions :: Korbel confirmed
The continuing cost of RCV: $244,000
http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.php?publication=downtown&page=65&story=15355
Barring a change in available technologies, Minneapolis municipal elections could cost almost $250,000 extra every year that ranked-choice voting is in place.
OH: Lorain County Board of Elections director alleges man committed voter fraud
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2010/05/25/news/mj2788390.txt
Adams said the man filed an absentee ballot on April 5 at the Lorain County Board of Elections, 1985 North Ridge Road, and then showed up to his polling location on May 4. This was the only violation of election laws that occurred during this election, Adams said.
