The Voting News Daily: Wisconsin State Supreme Court race headed for likely recount, Internet Voting rejected in Australia

WI: State Supreme Court race headed for likely recount – JSOnline

A recount is all but certain in the race for state Supreme Court, which would pose a host of legal questions, raise the political stakes in efforts to recall state senators, ignite a new bout of political fundraising and further fuel Wisconsin’s ongoing battle over union bargaining. On Wednesday, nearly 20 hours after the polls closed, Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg claimed victory over Justice David Prosser after an unofficial tally showed her holding the thinnest of leads. According to an unofficial tally by The Associated Press, she was up 204 votes out of nearly 1.5 million cast – a margin of 1/100th of a percent. “Wisconsin voters have spoken, and I am grateful for, and humbled by, their confidence and trust,” she said in a statement. Wisconsin is already a focus of national attention because of the fight over Gov. Scott Walker’s collective bargaining measure, and now the state’s election system will likely get unprecedented scrutiny under the first statewide recount in more than 20 years. Read More

Australia: Queensland legislation holds e-voting at bay – Computerworld

The Electoral Commission of Queensland will forgo electronic voting for the next state election, sidelining plans to develop a system as a result of legislative restrictions in the state. The commission allocated $960,000 in funding late last year for research into technology to assist voting for the blind and vision impaired, following similar projects in NSW and Victoria ahead of their respective elections. However, the funding has so far remained unused. Electoral Commissioner for Queensland, David Kerslake, told Computerworld Australia that the project was dependent on changes in state legislation which, even if made this year, would not provide enough time for system development ahead of the next election sometime early in 2012. Full Article

Nigeria: Botched Election Exposed PDP Rigging Strategies in Nigeria | thisdaylive.com

Former Head of State and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change,[CPC], Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) said the postponement of the rescheduled National Assembly Elections has exposed the very sophisticated rigging strategies of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP].

Addressing newsmen at the Benin Airport on his way to Onitsha in Anambra State in continuation of his nation-wide campaign, Buhari said the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega to postpone the general elections is a blessing in disguise as it shows that the PDP had arranged to rig the elections in favour of its candidates.

South Carolina: South Carolina House rejects early voting, pushes ID bill | thestate.com

House Republicans squashed a Senate plan Wednesday to let voters cast ballots early and sent back to the Senate a bill requiring voters to present a photo ID at the polls.

Under the bill approved by the Republican-controlled House, voters must bring a driver’s license, passport, military ID or other photo ID to the polls in order to cast a ballot. Under current law, voters only have to present a voter registration card that does not include a photo. About 178,000 voters in South Carolina don’t have driver’s licenses or DMV-issued photo IDs, according to the State Election Commission.

Texas: Texas Voter ID bill goes to Conference Committee | texasobserver.org

After passing both the House and Senate, the contentious Senate voter ID bill returned to the upper chamber with a variety of House amendments. Rather than accept the House’s tweaks to the measure, the Senate sent the bill to conference committee, where five members of each chamber will iron out the differences between the versions.

Despite the differences, either version would give Texas one of the toughest voter ID laws in the country. While there was little debate, the bill’s author, Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay,said afterwards that he wasn’t happy with some of the changes. “There were things on the bill that we would want to potentially take off,” Fraser said.

Turkey: Is digital voting possible in Turkey? | Hurriyet Dailt News

With election day approaching, it is the right time to discuss digital voting. Traditionally, millions of Turkish citizens go to a physical location where they stamp their votes on paper, enclose it within an envelope and drop it in a closed box, which is later opened and counted by previously assigned people.

They also get their fingers painted with a permanent ink and go around with a stain for days. This type of voting causes hours of lost time, a nationwide expenditure on gasoline that is more than usual, a stain for a week and suspicion as to whether the ballots are really being counted correctly or not. It is a customary sight to find uncounted ballots in the garbage. Ideally, electronic voting would end all of these troubles if you trust your government.

Australia: Queensland legislation holds e-voting at bay | Computerworld.au

The Electoral Commission of Queensland will forgo electronic voting for the next state election, sidelining plans to develop a system as a result of legislative restrictions in the state.

The commission allocated $960,000 in funding late last year for research into technology to assist voting for the blind and vision impaired, following similar projects in NSW and Victoria ahead of their respective elections.

Wisconsin: Conservative judge behind in Wisconsin | Politico

A recount and possibly a lengthy legal battle may be necessary to decide the closely watched Wisconsin Supreme Court race in which an incumbent conservative judge trails a liberal challenger, but the fight over what it all means has already begun.

Democrats hailed unofficial counts showing JoAnne Kloppenburg with a razor-thin 204-vote edge over Justice David Prosser as a repudiation of Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s attempt to reduce union collective bargaining power – and a pivot point that could fuel their party’s efforts heading into the 2012 elections.

Wisconsin: Wisconsin State Supreme Court race headed for likely recount | JSOnline

A recount is all but certain in the race for state Supreme Court, which would pose a host of legal questions, raise the political stakes in efforts to recall state senators, ignite a new bout of political fundraising and further fuel Wisconsin’s ongoing battle over union bargaining.

On Wednesday, nearly 20 hours after the polls closed, Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg claimed victory over Justice David Prosser after an unofficial tally showed her holding the thinnest of leads. According to an unofficial tally by The Associated Press, she was up 204 votes out of nearly 1.5 million cast – a margin of 1/100th of a percent.

Colorado: Saguache County Colorado clerk tells court ballots should be kept secret, even from state | Denver Post

Voted ballots should be kept secret, secure and off-limits for public inspection — even if the person asking is Colorado’s top election official, the Saguache County clerk and recorder has argued in a court filing.

Melinda Myers said Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler doesn’t have the authority to conduct a “hand review” of voted ballots from the county’s 2010 general election. Allowing such a review “would violate the confidentiality historically afforded a voted ballot in Colorado,” Saguache County attorney Benjamin Gibbons wrote in response to a lawsuit filed against Myers by Gessler’s office last month.

Indiana: Judge to decide Indiana Secretary of State White’s status Thursday | WISHTV.com

A Marion County judge will decide Thursday if Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White’s election was unqualified to have his name on the ballot last November. Indiana Democrats have sued, seeking to have White removed from his post and replaced by Democrat Vop Osili, who lost to White in November’s election.

Attorneys for the Democrats went to court Wednesday to argue that White lied on his voter registration form and therefore was ineligible to run for secretary of state. White’s attorney, Jim Bopp, argued that White met requirements to be on the ballot because he was registered to vote. There is no requirement to be “legally” registered, he said.

Illinois: Your vote cost about $10 in Rockford and Winnebago County Illinois | rrstar.com

A single vote Tuesday cost taxpayers about $10 in Rockford and Winnebago County. That’s roughly the price of a movie ticket and, thanks to low voter turnout, substantially higher than the cost per vote of previous elections dating back to at least 1987.

Election costs include judges’ pay, polling place rental, truck rental, equipment, publications, support service and other miscellaneous expenses. “No matter what the turnout, good, bad or otherwise, we still have the expense to pay for all the extras that go along with the election,” said Winnebago County Clerk Margie Mullins.

Colorado: Fort Collins Colorado voters say no to ranked voting | The Coloradoan

Fort Collins voters are not interested in changing how the city runs its elections. Voters on Tuesday rejected a ballot proposal that would have had the city adopt a ranked-choice voting system in municipal elections designed to ensure that winning candidates enjoy the support of a majority of those casting ballots.

The proposal, which was endorsed by several local politicians and political organizations, fell well short of getting a majority of support, failing with 38.63 percent of voters in favor and 61.37 percent opposed.

Wisconsin: How A Recount Works In Wisconsin | The UpTake

A recount petition may be filed no earlier than the time of completion of the canvass and no later than 5:00 p.m. on the third business day following the last meeting day of the municipal or county board of canvassers determining the election for the office or referendum question or, if more than one board of canvassers makes a determination, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the third business day following the last meeting day of the board of canvassers which makes a determination.

If the Board of State Canvassers makes the determination, the petitioner may file the petition no earlier than the last meeting day of the last county board of canvassers to make a statement in the election or referendum and no later than 5:00 p.m. on the third business day following the day on which the Elections Board receives the last statement from the county board of canvassers for the election or referendum.