The head of Wisconsin’s Government Accountability Board wants internet voting for the state. The claim is that this would increase voter turnout, but we know better after Honolulu’s recent internet election with 6.5% turnout. Tennessee’s paper ballot law still under threat and may end up back at the legislature. An Texas County proposes reducing polling places by 35% in order to pay for new voting machines. An Ohio county considers closing 14 polling places to help offset costs of accessible voting facilities.
In New York, Howard Stanislevic of the E-Voter Education Project and Teresa Hommel “Where’s the Paper Save the Levers” release comments on New York’s Proposed Election Auditing Regulations.
FL. Gerrymandered District 28 makes for confusion on early voting’s first day
TREASURE COAST — The gerrymandered boundaries for state Senate District 28 caused some confusion as early voting for the Aug. 4 election kicked off Monday.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/jul/27/gerrymandered-district-28-makes-for-confusion-on/
OH. Board may cut 14 voting precincts
FREMONT — The Sandusky County Board of Elections might cut 14 voting precincts to save money and better comply with the American Disabilities Act.
…The board could apply for grant funding to install ramps and make other improvements make precincts comply with the law, she said.
http://www.thenews-messenger.com/article/200907290830/NEWS01/907290303
MA. BlackBerries okay at polling places
Abington advocates of a tax over-ride did not violate election law by having BlackBerries at the polls Saturday… the devices were used to track who voted.
http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/mass_roundup/2009/07/blackberries_okay_at_polling_places.html
NC. North Carolina Board of Elections Will Ask Legislature for Tax Check-Off Liberalization On July 29, Gary Bartlett, Executive Director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, said he will ask the state legislature to change the law on which parties are listed on the state income tax form
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/07/29/north-carolina-board-of-elections-will-ask-legislature-for-tax-check-off-liberalization/
NY. Advocates to State Board of Elections: Audits Won’t Find Wrong Winners of Elections Our Comments on New York’s Proposed Election Auditing Regulations
By E-Voter Education Project and Teresa Hommel Where’s the Paper Save the Levers. Chair, Task Force on Election Integrity,Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist
“… even if the 3% audit did not find a single miscounted vote, the winners of many elections counted by computerized voting systems could still be wrong — and no one would ever know.”
http://e-voter.blogspot.com/2009/07/ny-advocates-to-state-board-of.html
OH. Elections official under scrutiny
Democrat upset at Republican’s failure to share contents of e-mail sent to city council member
http://www.ohio.com/news/51964017.html
TN. Voting machine law in limbo – State and local leaders are pushing lawmakers to delay implementation of a new law that would require each county to buy new voting equipment, a move election officials say will be expensive and nearly impossible by the deadline.
http://mountainpress.southernheadlines.com/app/printstory.cfm?section=38&story=21991
TX Grayson Co. to apply for new countywide voting system
GRAYSON COUNTY, TX — Another controversial topic on the Grayson County Commissioners’ agenda Monday morning was polling locations.
Commissioners voted to apply for a new countywide polling system that would allow voters to cast their ballots anywhere in Grayson County, but the county would have to cut polling locations by about 35% in the first year.
http://www.kxii.com/news/headlines/51818567.html
WA. Eligible to Vote in Washington
On Sunday, Washington became the 20th state in recent years to ease voting restrictions for individuals with criminal convictions.
http://www.washblog.com/story/2009/7/28/171043/885
WI. Five year election plan may include online voting
A five-year plan to update Wisconsin’s election process could include voting by mail, or on the Internet. ..It also explores new things like voting by mail, which is now done only in Oregon and in Washington State outside the Seattle area. …But director Kevin Kennedy of the Government Accountability Board said security is paramount and while the plan’s short on details now, he says the board would use all the tools it has to fight fraud.
http://www.hudsonstarobserver.com/event/article/id/92411/publisher_ID/19/
WI. Voting by mail must precede phone, Internet options, state says
Madison – Wisconsin must first consider legalizing voting by mail, and then explore voting by phone and over the Internet, says the director of the state agency that administers elections.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/51944772.html
WI. Possible instances of voter fraud sent to Brown County District Attorney
Green Bay clerk’s office uncovers 3 suspected cases
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090729/GPG0101/907290571/1207/GPG01/Possible-instances-of-voter-fraud-sent-to-Brown-County-District-Attorney
US. Election Law Bills in Congress Continue Gaining Co-Sponsors July 29th, 2009
public funding for Congressional candidates, bipartisan commissions to draw U.S. House districts, popular vote, outlaw certain voting machine…
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/07/29/election-law-bills-in-congress-continue-gaining-co-sponsors/
US. Amici Briefs Begin to be Filed in U.S. Supreme Court in Citizens United Case July 29th, 2009
The U.S. Supreme Court is holding a rare summer hearing in Citizens United v Federal Election Commission, 08-205, on September 9. Amicus curiae briefs on both sides are due July 31. Already at least two have been filed, both opposed to the McCain-Feingold law.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/07/29/amici-briefs-begin-to-be-filed-in-u-s-supreme-court-in-citizens-united-case/
US. Clerk of U.S. House Publishes 2008 Election Returns July 29th, 2009
Ever since 1920, the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives has published a booklet entitled “Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election” after each presidential election. The Clerk has just published the 2008 booklet. It is 77 pages long and can be seen here.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/07/29/clerk-of-u-s-house-publishes-2008-election-returns/