Corporations in Democracy: “…Proposition 16 on California’s June ballot was “written and bankrolled by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. for the benefit of PG&E.” ~ George Skelton of LA Times. Anchorage split precinct balloting mixup affects 160 votes…No one tells Sarasota Election Sup Kathy Dent what to do? …Montgomery Co KY switching to paper ballots in time for the primary election May 18. “That way there is no doubt about how a ballot was cast and who won or lost,” said Joe Harp of Harp Election Services in Lexington…Pot calling kettle black? “Electronic polling can be foiled.” writes the Philadelphia Inquirer about Israel’s e-voting plan. The Inquirer should know since much of PA has paperless e-voting….
All this and more in today’s voting news below….
AK: Traini leads Clary in final election results*
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12325208
The city clerk’s office announced more vote-counting mistakes in the race Friday,… On April 7 the clerk found 160 votes had been improperly cast for the Midtown race in a split precinct at the Anchorage Senior Center.
CA: “Plugging in a Monopoly”
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/015735.html
George Skelton’s LA Times column begins: “The most important thing to know about Proposition 16 on California’s June ballot is that it was written and bankrolled by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. for the benefit of PG&E.”
CA: Third Time a Charm for Ranked Choice Voting?
http://www.sanleandrobytes.com/archives/010497.html
…San Leandro City Council…will attempt for a third time to approve an RCV ordinance at its April 19, 2010, meeting.
FL: Voters should voice ire over Dent’s, county’s actions
http://pelicanpress.org/content/2004_1.php
It was unconscionable that the Sarasota County supervisor of elections made plans to sue the county and the state because she doesn’t want to comply with a charter amendment voters approved to require extra audits of election returns.
With that threat, Kathy Dent might as well have found herself a big stool, climbed atop it at Five Points with a megaphone and proclaimed for all to hear, “No one tells me what to do! No one!”
FL: SB900 contains no pre-emption language giving the state power to govern all procedures and processes regarding elections
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/electionreform/message/13371
FL: Lawsuit settlement to lead to bilingual ballots in 2012
Volusia County settles federal suit for nearly $100,000
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-04-16/news/os-lawsuit-settlement-bilingual-ballot-20100416_1_bilingual-ballots-puerto-rican-residents-spanish-language-assistance
FL: Loser of Haines City Commission Election Alethea Pugh Files Lawsuit, Claims Fraud
http://www.theledger.com/article/20100416/NEWS/4165041/1410?Title=Loser-of-Haines-City-Commission-Election-Alethea-Pugh-Files-Lawsuit-Claims-Fraud
But the lawsuit charges West or his campaign workers “secured enough absentee ballots through fraudulent procedures to change the results of the elections which would otherwise have been won by Pugh.”
FL: U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Florida Case on Petitioning at the Polls
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/04/19/u-s-supreme-court-refuses-to-hear-florida-case-on-petitioning-at-the-polls/
IL: Thanks to a Great Staff (Champaign Co IL Clerk running un-opposed)
http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2010/04/19/thanks-to-a-great-staff/
IN: Huntington Clerk didn’t commit fraud
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/huntington-clerk-investigated-for-fraud
Felts was accused of altering a candidates paperwork, so he could meet the filing deadline. The election board determined there was no proof fraud occured.
KY: Paper ballots are back for upcoming primary election (Montgomery County)
http://www.msadvocate.com/morestory.aspx?storiesID=897
The move to paper ballots is a national movement to bring more accountability to the voting process.
“That way there is no doubt about how a ballot was cast and who won or lost,” said Joe Harp of Harp Election Services in Lexington.
MI: Bay City officials look to consolidate voting precincts (by 2011)
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2010/04/bay_city_officials_look_to_con.html
City Clerk Dana Muscott is proposing the city consolidate its 27 voting precincts, and 21 polling sites, down to nine.
MO: Voter photo ID returns along with other election proposals
http://www.missourinet.com/2010/04/18/voter-photo-id-returns-along-with-other-election-proposals/ The voters would decide the issue. HJR 64 is proposed amendment to the state constitution. If it passes the legislature, it goes to a vote of the people.
NC: SEIU Backs Efforts to Qualify a New Political Party in North Carolina
http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/04/19/seiu-backs-efforts-to-qualify-a-new-political-party-in-north-carolina/ If North Carolina had reasonable requirements for independent candidates for district office, it is likely that the SEIU would have chosen to sponsor independent candidates in each of the three U.S. House districts…no one has ever qualified as an independent candidate for U.S. House
NY: State senators approve absentee ballot paring
Bill eliminates additional queries on voters’ absence
http://www.thedailymail.net/articles/2010/04/18/news/
doc4bca3e608e03f389269728.txt
http://bit.ly/csSvHO
PA: Not every vote counts
Electronic polling can be foiled http://www.philly.com/inquirer/health_science/weekly/
20100419 _Not_every_vote_counts.html
http://bit.ly/b1ZWb9
SC: Councilwoman’s Request for New Election Granted (Greenwood)
http://www.gwdtoday.com/print_this_story.asp?smenu=1&sdetail=19559
Turnburke contested the validity of the results in a letter to the Municipal Election Commission citing that seven unqualified voters were allowed to vote in the election.
TN: Dead man elected mayor of Tracy City
http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/dead-man-elected-mayor-tracy-city-3468963
Carl Robin Geary Sr died of a heart attack on March 10, but on Wednesday, the late Geary defeated incumbent Barbara Brock 268 votes to 85, according to the Chattanooga Times.
TN: Probe goes on after elections administrator’s exit
http://www.waaytv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12331006
Tennessee Election Administrator Mark Goins said the issues before the election commission include alleged falsifying of documents and improper election worker payments
TX: Court of Appeals agrees with district court’s decision on Andrews County election case
http://www.mywesttexas.com/articles/2010/04/16 /news/top_
stories/andrews_county_lawsuit_update_waste_control_specialists.txt
http://bit.ly/cBmJtC The lawsuit initially was filed by Andrews sisters Meloyde and Peggy Pryor after the $75 million bond issue was passed by a three-vote margin — 642 to 639. The Pryors argued there were several irregularities among the votes cast and the results of the election should therefore be invalid.
WI: Modernizing Voter Registration, the Wisconsin Way http://bit.ly/94gG0y
National
Citizens United and the Culture of Corporate Deference
http://electls.blogs.wm.edu/2010/04/19/citizens-united-and-the-culture-of-corporate-deference/
Elections Assistance Commission
http://www.eac.gov/blog-postings/comment-deadline-for-draft-maintenance-of-expenditure-policy-quickly-approaches
Comment deadline for draft Maintenance of Expenditure policy nears – The deadline for submitting comments is Monday, April 19.
International
Comelec lapses?
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=9233
The P700-million contract for over-specified secrecy folders is just the latest in a string of Commission on Elections’ lapses
Voting News by Joyce McCloy.
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