Yearly Archives: 2011

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.

North Carolina: North Carolina Voter ID bill moves to House Appropriations Committee | wdtv

A lot of statistics are being presented and there’s still a lot of confusion about how necessary the voter ID bill is and whether it would make voting difficult for some.

But that hasn’t stopped Republicans from pushing the bill through. Wednesday afternoon the back and forth between right and left continued in committee.

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.

Verified Voting Blog: Losing Democracy in Cyberspace

It has been nothing short of astonishing that, within a few weeks, the brave people of Tunisia and Egypt toppled corrupt dictators who ruled for decades. One of the protesters' key demands was for democratic elections — the right to choose a government that is responsive to the people's needs. That is also what protesters in Bahrain, Yemen, Iran, Jordan and Libya are demanding as they call for the dissolution of their autocratic and oppressive governments. As the protesters know all too well, voting does not mean that one's vote will be counted. In Egypt's 2005 elections, Hosni Mubarak was reelected with 88.6 percent of the vote. In 2009, Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was reelected with an 89.6 percent landslide victory. In both cases allegations of fraud and corruption surrounded the elections.

What nobody is talking about is how votes will be cast in emerging democracies. For elections to be legitimate in such countries, it is critical to use voting technology that counts votes accurately. In the 21st century, chances are high that computers will be used in some form in the coming elections in Egypt and Tunisia. But voting computers, like heads of state, must be held accountable to the people they serve. It is a tenet of computer science that computers can be programmed to do anything, including play "Jeopardy!" and steal votes.

The Voting News Daily: Wisconsin court election courts disaster, New Montana bill ending Election Day voter registration might hurt state GOP

WI: Opinion: Wisconsin court election courts disaster – Richard L. Hasen – POLITICO.com

With a razor-thin 204-vote lead, Democratic state assistant attorney general JoAnne Kloppenburg has declared victoryover Republican incumbent David Prosser in the race for Wisconsin state Supreme Court justice. A recount in this race, which some view as a referendum on Gov. Scott Walker’s anti-union policies, seems inevitable, and it is not clear who will ultimately take the seat on the Wisconsin bench. But if this expensive and nasty race ends up in protracted litigation, it could undermine public confidence in both the judiciary and Wisconsin’s electoral process, especially if, as I expect, supporters of Prosser raise ugly allegations of voter fraud. To begin with, these days any statewide election within a few hundred votes will likely be within the margin of litigation. Since the 2000 election and dispute over the razor-thin margin separating George W. Bush and Al Gore for the Florida vote, and therefore the U.S. presidency, litigating the outcome of close elections has become a regular feature of U.S. political life. Whether the 2004 governor’s race in Washington State between Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire, the 2008 Senate race in Minnesota pitching Al Franken against Norm Coleman or the 2010 Senate race in Alaska between Lisa Murkowski and Joe Miller, close elections bring out intense partisan fighting and, often from the Republican side, allegations of fraud or voting irregularities. While the fraud allegations remain stuck in the public’s mind, no proof of any systemic fraud has been unearthed. Instead, close examination of elections show, time and again, that our election systems are not perfect – but this is due to human error and not fraud. Full Article

MT: New Montana bill ending Election Day voter registration might hurt state GOP – KBZK.com

The state legislature has passed a bill ending Election Day voter registration. The last day voters could now register is the Friday before an election. The Republican sponsored House Bill 180 passed largely on party lines Monday. Long held political thought says blocking same day registration benefits the G.O.P. But new research calls that into question. The general argument put forth around the issue goes like this: Republicans say allowing voters to register on Election Day can lead to fraud; Democrats argue we should be trying to get as many citizens as possible to vote–and same day voter registration helps. This issue, though, is often seen as having a deeper partisan motive. “Anything you do to try to make it easier for people to turn out, theoretically the conventional wisdom states it should help Democrats,” said MSU Political Science Professor, Dr. David Parker. Conversely anything making the process more difficult should help Republicans. But Parker said a study released last year by the University of Wisconsin found a different conclusion. Full Article
Read the University of Wisconsin Report (pdf)

Wisconsin: Wisconsin Supreme Court Race May Hinge On ‘Undervotes’ | shorewood Patch

Hundreds, if not thousands, of Milwaukee-area voters went to the polls Tuesday but did not vote in the hotly contested state Supreme Court race, according to local voting results. And the issue of whether those people actually intended to vote for the high court could be a key factor in a looming recount that one expert says could bring back memories of Florida in the 2000 presidential election.

More than 900 people in 16 southeastern Wisconsin communities cast ballots in Tuesday’s election between Justice David Prosser and Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg, but did not register a vote in the final tally. With Kloppenburg leading Prosser by 204 votes, these “undervotes” and hundreds more in communities around the state will be an important part of the likely recount of the race’s more than 1.4 million votes.

Wisconsin: Wisconsin: Only a few provisional ballots out there | JSOnline

Some voters have questioned whether provisional ballots could change the thin lead Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg holds over Justice David Prosser in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Calls to a few of the state’s more populous voting jurisdictions indicate that’s unlikely.

Three provisional ballots were cast in the City of Milwaukee, according to an employee with the city’s election commission. So far, one of the three voters have provided the information needed to count the ballot. In Dane County, two voters cast provisional ballots, according to an employee in the county clerk’s office.

Tennessee: Tennessee House panel passes mandate for photo ID for voters » Knoxville News Sentinel

Democratic legislators argued Tuesday that if Republicans are going to mandate a photo identification for voting, the state should provide free identification cards to those who cannot afford them.

The argument did not work – at least for now -with the GOP majority on the House State and Local Government Committee, which proceeded to approve the “voter ID” bill, HB007, on a voice vote. The bill has already passed the Senate on a 21-11 party-line vote. Tuesday’s action effectively clears the measure for a House floor vote.

Montana: New Montana bill ending Election Day voter registration might hurt state GOP | KBZK.com

The general argument put forth around the issue goes like this: Republicans say allowing voters to register on Election Day can lead to fraud; Democrats argue we should be trying to get as many citizens as possible to vote–and same day voter registration helps. This issue, though, is often seen as having a deeper partisan motive. “

Mississippi: Harrison County Mississippi voter rolls soon will be electronic | Sun Herald

Circuit Clerk Gayle Parker plans to replace the large, bulky, polling books at each voting precinct with machines that resemble laptop computers. Parker is getting estimates from two companies. She plans to use the electronic poll books in the November elections.

“It will make the voter lines move faster, and we won’t need as many poll workers,” Parker said. “All the information will be in the poll book. It’s like a laptop.” Right now, when voters go to a precinct and give their names, a poll worker has to look up the name and address in a large book.

Michigan: Legislation introduced to allow Michigan residents to vote absentee for any reason | annarbor.com

Jeff Irwin

In a move aimed at increasing voter participation, state Rep. Jeff Irwin has announced a plan to allow any Michigan resident to vote by absentee ballot without giving a reason. “Increasing voter turnout is crucial to maintaining a healthy democracy,” Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, said in a statement.

“We should do everything we can to ensure that every voter who wants to vote has that opportunity to exercise their rights and hold lawmakers accountable. This plan has strong bipartisan support and will simply make it easier for people to vote.”

Illinois: Voting machine screens missing Hammond Illinois city council candidate’s name | Post-Tribune

A glitch inadvertently left a Hammond City Council candidate’s name from showing on the screen of a Lake County voting machine on Monday. Another candidate running against Matthew Kolanowski in the Democratic Primary for the 1st District notified election staff around 11:30 a.m. of the problem. Monday was the first day of early voting for the May 3 primary.

Election Board Attorney Jim Wieser said the glitch occurred when staff members adjusted the machine to leave a space in case Hammond Republican mayoral hopeful George Janiec makes it back on the ballot. Janiec, a School City of Hammond board member, is appealing Lake Superior Court Judge Jesse Villalpando’s decision to keep him off the ballot. Election staff didn’t know of the glitch because it only impacted what showed on the screen.

Wisconsin: Polls run out of ballots in Wisconsin | Fond du Lac Reporter

Voters headed to the polls after work could expect a wait. A larger-than-normal voter turnout locally and statewide has caused most polling places to run out of ballots. By the end of the night, turnout could run as high as 40 percent, said Fond du Lac City Clerk Sue Strands.

“By late afternoon, we were at 30 percent, and typically, it’s between 16 and 18 percent,” she said. In the city of Fond du Lac’s 40 wards, long lines are forming at many of the polling locations. “Voters will now have to use the handicapped accessible touch screen voting machine and there is only one at each location,” Strands said.

India: India: Security cameras to man counting centres post-voting| Times of India

With the counting of votes slated for May 13, a month after the state goes to poll, the district election office has decided to install web cameras in the counting centres.

The 234 strong rooms, where electronic voting machines (EVMs) are stored, will be monitored live for a month via camera till counting of votes starts. In Chennai, the strong rooms at Loyola College in Nungambakkam, Queen Mary’s College for Women off Marina and Anna University will be under video surveillance.

The Voting News Daily: DoJ Clears GA Voter ID Law, Egypt Looks to India for Voting Machines

GA: Secretary of State Georgia’s voter ID requirement cleared by DoJ – Rome News-Tribune

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced today that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) precleared Georgia’s law and related regulations which require new voter registration applicants to provide evidence of United States citizenship with their voter registration applications. The law is Act 143 of the 2009 Georgia General Assembly, also known as Senate Bill 86. “This law is a common sense enhancement to our voter registration process that will prevent non-citizens from voting in Georgia’s elections,” Kemp said. “Every ballot cast by a non-citizen erases a ballot cast by an eligible Georgia voter. The voter roll protections in Act 143, our photo ID requirement for in-person voting, and our triple-signature verification procedure for mail-in ballots make Georgia a national model for election security and integrity.” Act 143 was signed into law by Governor Sonny Perdue on May 5, 2009 and requires those registering to vote to submit evidence of United States citizenship with their applications. There are many forms of acceptable identification, including a Georgia driver’s license number or identification card number, birth certificate, U.S. passport, U.S. naturalization documents or alien registration number, and a copy of a driver’s license or identification card from any state whose cards comply with the requirements of the federal REAL ID Act of 2005. Full Article

Egypt: Envoy seeks Inia’s chief election commissione’s help in conducting polls – The Times of India

Egypt’s ambassador to India Khaled el Bakly met chief election commissioner (CEC) S Y Quraishi recently, seeking assistance in conducting elections after Hosni Mubarak’s ouster. Parliamentary elections will be held in Egypt in September, followed by presidential polls in November. During the meeting with Quraishi, Bakly wanted to know about various aspects of election management and electronic voting machines (EVMs). “He asked how fast we can provide EVMs in case they decide to use them,” said a senior election commission (EC) official. The EC has sent Bakly documents on skills, experience and technical know-how in conducting elections in India. Bakly also wanted to know about Indian Institute of Democrat and Election Management (IIDEM), which the Commission proposes to set up.IIDEM will offer assistance and support, training and educational materials and consultancy service in election management. “We get a lot of requests from various countries to train their poll officials,” said Quraishi. Full Article

Montana: Montana Lawmakers end same-day voter registration | New Times

The Montana Legislature has passed a bill that would end same-day voter registration and moving the last day voters could register to the Friday before Election Day.

The Senate gave final approval to House Bill 180 with a 28-22 vote on Friday. The House had passed it 67-33 in February. Republican sponsor Rep. Champ Edmunds of Missoula argued the current system of allowing people to register on Election Day opens the system to fraud.

Kazakhstan: Observers slam Kazakh leader’s 95% election romp | Agence France Presse

President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Monday extended his rule over Kazakhstan into a third decade with a crushing 95 percent victory in elections that observers said fell well short of democratic standards.

The Central Election Commission said the first official results showed the incumbent had won 95.5 percent of the vote on mass turnout of 89.9 percent — both figures beating Nazarbayev’s performance in his last re-election in 2005. The victory gives the 70-year-old — who has ruled Kazakhstan since even before the collapse of the Soviet Union — a third decade of power and keep any uncertainty over who will one day succeed him on the backburner.

Minnesota: St. Louis County Minnesota Board to debate need for voter ID cards | Duluth News Tribune

St. Louis County Board Chairman Steve O'Neil

St. Louis County commissioners will weigh in on the national battle of voter identification cards today when they consider a resolution opposing a proposed state law requiring photo voter ID cards. Legislation has advanced in St. Paul this session that would require anyone voting in Minnesota to have a special voter ID card if they don’t have a valid driver’s license with their current address.

The issue hits home for the County Board because counties, towns and cities could have to foot the bill under the state proposal, board chairman Steve O’Neil said. The Duluth City Council last month passed a similar resolution opposing the voter card legislation. O’Neil, who introduced the resolution, said the card requirement will disenfranchise poor voters and cost county property taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars “to solve an imaginary problem.”

South Carolina: South Carolina voting machines to get closer probe | The Sun News

Photo by Robert Behre. Since 2004, South Carolina voters have used this type of iVotronic touch-screen voting machine.

A few dozen of the Lowcountry’s elected officials appear concerned enough about South Carolina’s voting machines to urge the legislature to look into them.

Frank Heindel, a Charleston businessman, has spent months investigating the machines’ performance, and outlined his findings Monday to the board of the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments. Board members agreed to prepare a resolution asking the General Assembly to have the Legislative Audit Council probe the machines.

Egypt: Egypt envoy seeks India’s help in conducting polls | The Times of India

During the meeting with Quraishi, Bakly wanted to know about various aspects of election management and electronic voting machines (EVMs). “He asked how fast we can provide EVMs in case they decide to use them,” said a senior election commission (EC) official. The EC has sent Bakly documents on skills, experience and technical know-how in conducting elections in India.

North Carolina: Photo requirement scrapped in North Carolina voter ID bill | ncnn.com

North Carolina Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett)

Republican state lawmakers say they have removed the photo requirement from a bill that would make voters show ID in order to cast a ballot. The latest draft eliminates language that would require a photo ID. Instead, individuals would now be allowed to use a county-issued voter registration card or documents such as a utility bill or bank statement. Bill co-sponsor Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, said lawmakers have made great progress in working with all of the interested parties. “

We’ve tried to address those concerns to make sure that we can increase the amount of progress voters have in the elections process while at the same time making sure that everyone entitled to vote gets to vote.”

Colorado: Voting bill targeting alleged illegal immigrant votes faces outcry in Colorado | American Independent