New Jersey: Malfunctioning Voting Machines Delay Primary Results in Somerset County NJ | Basking Ridge, NJ Patch

Somerset County’s primary election polls may have closed Tuesday night at 8 p.m., but the results were not posted online until Wednesday morning.

With several county districts experiencing malfunctioning machines and a few close races (including a nine-vote difference in a Branchburg race), County Clerk Brett Radi explained, “I didn’t post them because we still had some ballots that needed to be added. I didn’t want to have results that didn’t reflect what was really going on.”

“We just didn’t do a final update, because we didn’t have the ‘emergencies’ [emergency ballots used when machines malfunction],” he noted.

New Jersey: Faulty parts delay election results in Middlesex County NJ | MyCentralJersey.com

It was late Tuesday night — hours after the polls closed for the primary elections — and some candidates still had yet to learn the final vote tally. That’s because municipal clerks in Monroe, Plainsboro, South River and Woodbridge, many of whom started their day at 5 a.m., clocked out without ever learning the unofficial results because of an issue with some of the voting machines.

“To work those kind of hours and not be able to give the candidates their results is frustrating,” Monroe Township Clerk Sharon Doerfler said.

In Monroe, four of the voting machines were printing illegible numbers that ran over the top of one another. Like every other municipality, Monroe’s poll workers received an emergency number to call in the event of a malfunctioning voter machine.

West Virginia: Commission president demands proof of fraud in Kanawha County election challenge | Charleston Daily Mail

Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper is asking that failed Democratic mayoral candidate Janet “J.T” Thompson bring evidence to the commission regarding her allegations of voter fraud by the county clerk.

Carper had a strongly worded letter hand-delivered to Thompson Wednesday. In the letter, Carper asks Thompson to publicly present evidence of her claims.

“If you do not have proof of these allegations through evidence, I would recommend you withdraw your contestation and apologize,” he wrote in the letter. “I’ll call a special meeting for her to come in if I have to,” he said when reached by phone Wednesday.

Bangladesh: BNP won’t join Bangladesh election commission dialogue | The Daily Star

In a crucial meeting of party policymakers, the main opposition BNP last night decided not to join dialogue with the election commission (EC) on June 13. Sources said the party will inform the EC of their decision through a letter.

The party high command also decided to declare an agitation programme against the government move to bring amendments to the country’s constitution.

The formal announcement regarding hartal may come on Friday, said party insiders after the closed-door standing committee meeting at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office.

Texas: So Many Elections, So Little Time | The Austin Chronicle

And now for some completely different election news: A seemingly innocuous Texas Senate bill, passed and awaiting the governor’s signature, may drastically affect Austin’s local elections, even extending the terms of the mayor and three City Council members by six months.

Senate Bill 100, legislation from San Antonio Dem Leticia Van de Putte, was drafted to bring the state in line with federal law requiring that federal ballots be delivered to military and overseas voters at least 45 days before an election. It preserves Texas’ current March primary date, while postponing potential primary run-offs to the fourth Tuesday in May, so as to meet the 45-day requirement.

New Jersey: Troublesome voting machine cartridge from East Hanover New Jersey likely to decide Morris freeholder race – Sequoia Advantage DRE | dailyrecord.com

A vote cartridge from East Hanover that is expected to be read today may reveal whether Republican Freeholder incumbent Margaret Nordstrom or challenger William “Hank” Lyon won the primary nomination Tuesday night.

As of this morning Lyon, a resident of the Towaco section of Montville who works for his familys restaurant business, Qdoba Mexican Grill, had a six-vote lead over Nordstrom, a freeholder since 1999.

The unofficial tallies are Lyon with 12,234 votes and Nordstrom with 12, 228 votes. But one vote cartridge in East Hanover could not be read last night so county election officials today got a court order from Superior Court Assignment Judge Thomas Weisenbeck to have the cartridge removed from the voting machine and brought to the Morris County Clerks office where it will be read and recorded by witnesses.

Bangladesh: Samyabadi Dal says yes, Janata League no to electronic voting in Bangladesh | The Daily Star

Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal ML yesterday supported introduction of electronic voting e-voting system in upcoming general election while Krishak Sramik Janata League opposed it saying the system is not enough to prevent vote rigging.

Leaders of the two parties expressed their opinions in seperate dialogues with Election Commission EC at its secretariat in the city as part of its ongoing dialogue with 38 registered political parties till July 14.

EC launched the dialogues on Tuesday for opinions on key issues like use of e-voting machine; Representation of the People Order; laws on demarcation of constituencies and appointment of election commissioners. Both parties stressed on the need for establishing a free and powerful EC to conduct a neutral election.

National: Clemson University research team to lead accessible voting technology project | Clemson Newsroom

A Clemson University research team has been chosen by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to lead a national effort to make voting systems more accessible.

Juan Gilbert, a professor and chairman of the Human-Centered Computing Division in Clemson’s School of Computing, will direct a three-year, $4.5 million project funded by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to increase the accessibility of “new, existing and emerging technological solutions” in the design of voting systems.

Bangladesh: Election Commission begins dialogue with Bangladesh political parties | The Daily Star

The Election Commission yesterday kicked off their elaborate dialogue process for reforms in the EC with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Jatiya Party (JP) expressing their support for introduction of an electronic voting system (EVS) in the next general polls.

As the main opposition BNP continued to shun it, both LDP and JP expressed their satisfaction with the electronic system at talks that lasted for over three hours.

… One of the main questions raised by the political parties was if there was any scopes to manipulate the casting of votes or cast fake votes using this system which the BUET professor said was not possible.

The EVS has been prepared locally under the joint collaboration of BUET and Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory.

Bangladesh: E-voting in next election says Bangladesh Prime Minister – opposition parties object | bdnews24.com

Electronic voting will be started from next general elections, says the prime minister. Speaking at a discussion at Bangabandhu Conference Centre on Tuesday, Sheikh Hasina said, “The Election Commission will be strengthened to return the people’s power to the people.”

“It is people who will decide as to whom they’ll hand over the reins of power,” she added. Hasina also noted that most of the South Asian countries use e-voting system in elections.

Bangladesh: BSD favours e-voting for Bangladesh | bdnews24.com

The Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal has said the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) will bring a revolutionary change to the country’s electoral system.

“The system will play a vital role in conducting fair elections,” the party’s general secretary Dilip Barua said, while talking to the Election Commission on the EVM dialogue on Wednesday.

“We favour EVM. It is an epoch-making system. Bangladesh has to march forward with the pace of modern technology.”

Editorials: Electronic voting offers possibility of “cloud democracy” | Novaya Gazeta

For us in Russia, democracy in and of itself is a miracle: the simplest and most understandable democracy, based on the most average European templates, where no one pressures anyone else, there is no irreplaceable leader, and there is an independent court. One would think that if one were to dream, then it would be only of this: when the time comes, for this desired end to come!

Meanwhile, all the rest of progressive humanity continues to move forward, and while we are admiring the facades of classical democracy, an incredible transformation is being readied behind them, and in some places is already happening.

India: India, Nepal Ink Pact to Boost Election Management | outlookindia.com

Amid efforts by Kathmandu to establish a multi-party democracy, India and Nepal today inked a key pact to deepen cooperation in the field of election management and boost voters participation.

India’s Chief Election Commissioner Dr. S.Y. Quraishi, who is on an official three-day visit to Nepal, and his Nepalese counterpart Neel Kantha Uprety signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for exchange of knowledge, experience and expertise relating to the electoral process and systems.

India: Indian Election Commission shares polls expertise with Nepal |The Himalayan Times

Preventing the misuse of money to influence voters during elections is one of the biggest impediment to holding free and fair polls, the chief of India’s Election Commission said today.

Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, who is in Kathmandu on the invitation of his Nepali counterpart, Neel Kantha Upreti, shared his experience of conducting Indian elections at a programme organised by Indian Embassy and BP Koirala foundation, titled ‘Managing Indian Election: Sharing experience and prospectus for Co-operation’.

Bangladesh: Prime Minister of Bangladesh for strong Electoral Commission and e-voting | The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday reiterated her government’s plans to further strengthen the Election Commission (EC) and introducing electronic voting system in the country to hold free, fair and neutral elections in future.

“None would be able to cast more than one vote and snatch ballot boxes with the introduction of new digital system in polling process. Apart from Bangladesh and Pakistan, the electronic voting system has already been introduced in all countries of the subcontinent,” she said.

West Virginia: Candidate alleges election fraud in Charleston West Virginia Mayoral contest | Charleston Daily Mail

Janet “J.T.” Thompson, who waged an unsuccessful bid for mayor of Charleston, has alleged that officials tampered with election equipment to guarantee incumbent Danny Jones’ victory. Thompson filed a complaint with the city clerk’s office Friday. She didn’t return calls Monday seeking comment.

Thompson alleges that officials in the Kanawha County Clerk’s office allowed “certain persons to manipulate the Electronic Voting System in the general election of May 17, 2011,” according to the complaint on file at the city clerk’s office.

Bangladesh: Election Commission dialogue: LDP against e-voting in Bangladesh | bdnews24.com

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) at a meeting with the Election Commission has said they do not favour electronic voting system.

“The voting machine is useless without fingerprint. We urge not to waste public money by introducing this system,” LDP president Oli Ahmed said on Tuesday.

The EC started dialogue with 38 registered political parties on the issue with LDP being the first to join the talks at 10:15am on Tuesday.

Bangladesh: Election Commission opens dialogue with Bangladesh parties from today | Financial Express

The Election Commission (EC) starts dialogue with the registered political parties from today (Tuesday) to collect their views to make the election laws time befitting, reports UNB.

During the dialogue with the political parties, the commission will discuss various issues including delimitation of constituencies, state funding for political parties and constitution process of the commission, use of electronic voting machine (EVM) and also amendment to the Representation of People’s Order (RPO).

India: Activist goes to court for no-vote option | The Times of India

An activist has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay high court seeking directions to include a new panel for the negative vote on Electronic Voting Machines ( EVMs).

Dr Mahesh Bedekar feels this will allow voters to voice their dissent about the candidate or the party through the ballot. “Under the present election rules, a voter who does not want to cast his ballot to the listed candidates can do so by filling up form 17 A of the Election Commission. The presiding officer has to be requested to issue the said form and the voter can record his negative vote in the presence of the election staff. It is contrary to rules which provide for absolute secrecy in voting,” Dr Bedekar said.

India: Plea to make provision for ‘negative vote’ in Indian Electronic Voting Machines | Business Line

A [Public Interest Litigation] PIL has urged the Bombay High Court to direct the Election Commission to introduce electoral reforms by making a provision for “negative vote” in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) during elections.

The PIL filed by Thane resident Mahesh Bedekar also urged the court to ensure that secrecy of the “negative vote” is maintained during elections as it is not being done under the existing rules.

National: Most Security Measures Easy to Breach, Expert Says | NBC Chicago

When things go really, really wrong, Roger Johnston has a really, really good day. After all, he’s usually the man who made them go wrong.

Johnston has a PhD, 10 patents to his name, and what every 10 year old kid would think is a dream job. As chief of the Vulnerability Assessment Team at Argonne National Laboratory outside Chicago, he has made it is his mission to crack into every security system labeled as foolproof by their creators.

… One of the most frightening examples Johnston has turned up is in one of the nation’s most treasured franchises: the right to vote. He said he’s found that most voting machines have almost no security to reveal tampering. Thus, he said, it’s a fairly simple matter to tinker with the electronics while machines are in storage or being transported by the truckload. He has even demonstrated how he can turn cheating mechanisms in voting machines on and off by remote control.

“It’s much easier to steal the election, right at the electronic voting machine,” said Johnston. “In many cases, we see security devices or electronic voting machines where we really have to wonder, ‘Did anybody spend 60 seconds figuring out the security issues?”

Texas: Floor Amendment to Texas SB 100 Preserves May Uniform Election Date in Limited Circumstances | The Austin Chronicle/Texas Municipal League

It’s slow going at City Hall. No City Council meeting, and a Public Health committee meeting on nonprofits has been postponed to next week. It’s worth looking outside City Hall for action – and luckily, action obliged, as a state senate bill looks to throw local elections into chaos.

S.B. 100 from San Antonio Dem Leticia Van de Putte, brings the state in line with federal law requiring federal ballots be delivered to military and overseas voters at least 45 days before the election. It preserves Texas’ current March primary date, while lengthening any primary run-off by the 45 day requirement, to the fourth Tuesday in May.

Puerto Rico: Governor signs Puerto Rico electoral code changes | caribbeanbusiness.pr

Gov. Luis Fortuño on Wednesday signed a new electoral code legislation that will shorten political campaign periods and implement an electronic voting and ballot verification system.

The governor’s signature on the new electoral law came after the House of Representatives, in a divided vote on Wednesday evening, concurred with Senate amendments to House Bill 1863. The legislation “adjusts the electoral law to reflect past experiences and avoid wrong interpretations.”

New York: Technology changes way votes are tallied, reported in Wyoming County New York | The Daily News

Something very unusual was afoot Tuesday night at the Wyoming County Board of Elections. The ritual has always been the same — a flurry of phone calls about 9:10 p.m. after the polls close. Lots of chatter as elections officials transcribe the results, entering the numbers into the computer system.

But on Tuesday? The phones were silent. New technology has changed the way county elections are conducted.

“What we did differently was instead of doing it over the phone and calling in the results, we decided (the polling site coordinators) would bring the data card in with them, which they do anyhow,” said Republican Election Commissioner James Schlick. “I think it worked out so much better. The poll site coordinators are more comfortable and they’re not having to read the results over the phone.”

Bangladesh: Bangladesh opposition calls strike, seeks to keep caretaker system | M&C

The opposition Wednesday called a daylong general strike at the weekend to protest the government’s scrapping of Bangladesh’s system of holding elections under neutral caretaker administrations in a country prone to polling violence. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir – acting secretary general of the Nationalist Party, which leads an opposition alliance – announced the nationwide strike for Sunday, saying the party had resolved to go all-out against the government plan.

The central standing committee of the Nationalist Party said earlier that the party would not join elections unless there is a caretaker government system for holding free and fair polls. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, a Nationalist Party ally, also called a strike Sunday.

India: Electronic Voting Machine with paper trail to be tested in 200 places in India | The Times of India

A prototype of an Electronic Voting Machine with a verifiable paper trail has been developed and will be tested in 200 places across the country by the middle of July.

Election Commission sources say the new EVM will be tested in extreme conditions — from the freezing climate of Ladakh to the high temperature of Jaisalmer and the humid sea coast. The testing process will get over by the end of August. The sources said the EC is likely to approach political parties to witness the testing process across the country. “Once we get the results, the Commission would decide if such EVMs can be used in elections,” a source said.

India: Bar association polls: status quo ordered on Indian Electronic Voting Machines | The Hindu

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Election Committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association to maintain status quo in respect of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used in the May 11 election of office-bearers for 2011-12.

… It is thus imperative that the EVMs used in the election of SCBA be sealed and kept intact, they said and sought a direction that the sealing of EVMs be held in their presence.

Bangladesh: Moudud Ahmed says BNP to boycott e-voting in Bangladesh | bdnews24.com

A [Bangladesh Nationalist Party] BNP policymaker has said they will not take part in elections if the government introduces e-voting, as it will be ‘a tool of vote rigging’.

“We won’t accept e-voting and take part in elections. Elections must be held under the existing voting system,” Moudud Ahmed said at a human chain programme at the South Plaza of the parliament building on Saturday morning.