The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly May 28 – June 3 2012

Flame – Massive Cyber Threat Uncovered

A Federal judge struck down restrictions on third party voter registration drives that had been signed into law last year on the4 same day that the Justice Department ordered the State to end a controversial purge of the State’s voter rolls. Republican Super PACs plan to spend a record $1 billion this November. Maryland is considering the use of of online ballot marking software in spite of the fact that no such software has been tested and certified to voting system standards. Researchers have identified that highly sophisticated malware, dubbed Flame, designed for cyber espionage has been active since 1010. Two closely watched elections are scheduled for June 5: California’s primary will be the first using a “top two” system that may doom third parties in the State and Wisconsin’s recall election has attracted massive National attention – and funding. After an inconclusive first round, Egypt heads for a divisive run-off pitting an Islamist candidate against a former member of the Mubarak regime, while Lesotho elections were generally peaceful in which ex-foreign minister Tom Thabane forming a coalition government.