The Voting News Daily: Food for Votes Debate in SD, Mail-only balloting possible for county – SignOnSanDiego.com

CA: Mail-only balloting possible for county – SignOnSanDiego.com

Elections in San Diego County could be conducted entirely by mail under legislation introduced Monday by state Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego. All-mail balloting would save local governments millions of dollars and increase voter participation, according to the senator. The legislation, SB 304, would create a five-year pilot program. At the conclusion of the program, the county would be required to issue a report to the Legislature and the Secretary of State’s Office on costs and voter turnout. The law, if approved, would apply to local, state and federal races on San Diego County ballots. Individual jurisdictions, such as cities, would have the option of using the system. Read More

CO: Council, mayor to decide changes to Aspen election code | AspenTimes.com

A public hearing is scheduled near the end of Monday’s Aspen City Council meeting on an ordinance that amends the city’s Municipal Election Code, including the official repeal of instant runoff voting, also known as IRV. The meeting at City Hall starts at 5 p.m., and it is expected to be the last regular meeting for Councilman Dwayne Romero, who is stepping down to become Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper’s director of economic development. In November, city voters repealed IRV, a system that generated controversy following the May 2009 city council and mayoral elections. The ordinance before councilmen today will finalize its repeal, officially striking the system from the election code. Read More

SC: Voting machines at issue: James Island PSD board debates critical statement | The Post and Courier

Consideration of a proposed resolution urging replacement of the computerized voting machines now used statewide was put off for at least two weeks after a debate among James Island Public Service commissioners. Commissioner Eugene Platt asked the commission to become the first elected panel in the state to go on record expressing what he said is a lack of voter confidence in the “electronic touch type” machines. His guest at the Monday night commission meeting was Charleston County Councilman Victor Rawl, who last June very surprisingly lost a two-candidate Democratic Party primary contest for a U.S. Senate seat nomination. Read More

SD: Changes Proposed For Food For Votes Law – KELOLAND.com

South Dakota lawmakers are taking aim at voter bribery. A bill in Pierre would make it illegal to feed voters and then take them to vote absentee at a local polling place. It’s an issue that came up during last year’s hotly-contested U.S. House race when there was a lot of confusion over how far campaigns were pushing the law. “Sometimes in campaigns, candidates and campaigns and their staff they get so focused on trying to get one more vote, or ten more votes, or 100 more votes that sometimes they’ll push the law a little too far and so that’s what we’re really trying to get accomplished with Senate Bill 88,” South Dakota Senator Bob Gray of Pierre said. Republicans criticized then Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin for holding early voting rallies on South Dakota reservations during her last campaign.

National: Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS) Introduces Bill to Terminate EAC | Yall Politics

Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Elections Chairman Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss., introduced legislation to eliminate the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and save taxpayers approximately $14 million dollars a year.

“The Election Assistance Commission is a prime example of an unnecessary government organization developed with good intentions that has outlived its usefulness. By eliminating the EAC, we are furthering our commitment to eradicate wasteful spending and inefficiencies in government operations.”

Iowa: Iowa county elections officials oppose bill to require photo ID to vote | Des Moines Register

A proposed requirement that Iowans show a photo identification in order to vote would be expensive, would pinch voter turnout — and is unnecessary, several county election officials said Monday.

“We already have a very secure elections process. It doesn’t seem to make good sense in tough economic times to increase the costs and make it more difficult to vote,” said Tom Slockett, Johnson County’s 34-year elections chief. “It could be a chilling factor to people who aren’t real motivated to vote anyway.”

Alabama: AL: Election Center director Granger resigns, will take federal court job | Montgomery Advertiser

A Montgomery official who has headed the county’s emerging election center since its inception has accepted a job with the federal court system, but his absence is not expected to affect the two upcoming city elections. Trey Granger has been director of the Montgomery Election Center since the office was created in 2005, but he notified county officials on Thursday that he would be leaving his post to become deputy chief clerk for the Middle District of Alabama. Granger said he would likely begin his new job by the first of March. He will report to Clerk of Court Debra Hackett, who did not return a call seeking comment Thursday.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20110211/NEWS01/102110314/Election Center director Granger resigns will take federal court job