The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – May 7-13 2012

Electronic Voting in 2012

Marketplace notes that for the most part, that in 2012 Americans will vote on the same electronic voting machines that have caused problems over the past decades. With a dramatic speech in a late night Congressional session, civil rights icon John Lewis shamed his fellow Georgia Congressman into pulling a proposed amendment to defund enforcement of the Voting Rights Act. The New York State and City Boards of Elections and ES&S released reports showing that a defect in the DS200 digital scanner – and not voter error – had been responsible for unusually high rates of  overvotes in the South Bronx in 2010. In an ongoing series on election issues, the Palm Beach Post examines the ineffectiveness of State oversight in ensuring the integrity of Florida’s elections. Having cancelled two internet voting caucuses for lack of interest, serious questions have emerged regarding the viability of Americans Elect. Following Stephen Colbert’s example, several watchdog groups are forming SuperPACs to fight SuperPACs. The Economist described the cynicism leading up to Algeria’s elections this week and Forbes considered the ramifications the elections held in several European countries last weekend.