The Voting News Daily: On Dept of Justice, Military Vote rumors . Sarasota SoE Dent’s anti-audit ‘timeline’

This week McCreary CO KY considers switching to paper ballot optical scanners…Washington SOS explains “The story behind our military voting waiver request” and r/e FOX News story ‘DOJ Accused of Stalling on MOVE Act for Voters in Military.’ – “Elections officials say it isn’t accurately portraying the Department of Justice or the Federal Voting Assistance Program officials on this issue.”…This year marks the 45th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act…

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

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DC: Some concern over scope of cutting-edge changes in the District voting process
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/01/AR2010080103340.html
Voters are now allowed to vote early without excuse, either in person or by mail; they can register to vote as late as Election Day; and they will use new equipment to cast their ballots.

FL: Kathy Dent, Sarasota SOE, anti-audit timeline (Chart)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/electionreform/attachments/folder/1763064411/item/1865279602/view

FL: League of Women Voters outlines three ways to vote
http://www.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com/page/content.detail/id/518287.html?nav=5011
for the Aug. 24 Florida primary

FL: Florida County Commissioners to Face Big Decisions at Redistricting Time
http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/news/2010/08/02/fl-countie/
Rural counties in Florida are eagerly awaiting the release of the 2010 Census data so they can begin the process of redrawing County Commissioner districts. But when county commissioners download the data early next year, they may be in for an unfortunate surprise. 140,000 Florida residents have been counted in the wrong place

IN: Avon election results will stand, judge says
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20107290405 Avon A Hendricks County judge has ruled that results for two Avon Town Council races in the May 4 primary will stand.
…
“Amazing,” a stunned Allan Yackey, Cox and Kozinski’s attorney, said shortly after hearing the ruling. “The evidence we produced showed that 18 or 19 ballots had been misdistributed. The county even conceded four errors.”

KY: County considers new voting machines
eScans would create paper trail; ease software compatibility
http://mccrearyrecord.com/homepage/x2105968817/County-considers-new-voting-machines
McCreary County Clerk Eric Haynes arranged for a presentation to county officials following the July 13 fiscal court meeting of an eScan machine that would decrease election officials’ reliance on electronics.
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According to Harp, if a ballot is not properly marked for scanning, the eScan “kicks it out” and the voter has another opportunity. Each precinct would need just one machine as voters mark their ballots behind privacy screens, only using the machine to drop the ballot once completed.

KS: Candidate finds it difficult to cast vote for himself
http://www.gardneredge.com/news/2010/07/30/3162-candidate-finds-it-difficult-to-cast-vote-for-himself John Toplikar, an Olathe candidate for the Johnson County Commission Chair, found voting for himself was more difficult than the thought.
…
When Toplikar pressed the screen for his name, it would register a vote for incumbent Annabeth Surbaugh. He deleted the vote and tried again, but with the same results.

MI: Fast facts about Michigan’s primary election
http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/08/fast_facts_about_michigans_pri.html
Michigan’s primary election is on Tuesday, Aug. 3. Here’s some helpful information:

MO: Dead? Your vote won’t count in Missouri
http://www.marshallnews.com/story/1653345.html
The votes of Missouri residents who cast their votes early by absentee ballot, but who die before Election Day, aren’t counted, said Saline County Clerk Ken Bryant

“Missouri is one of only a few states” that don’t allow ballots of the deceased to be processed, Bryant said.