'Daily Voting News' For October 29, 2008 – Morning Edition

 

6 days until Election Day.

 

A blind voter in Dane Co Wisconsin went to the polls hoping to finally be able to vote without assistance from another person. She ended up having to call over an election worker to assist her because the ES&S AutoMark machine only gave her an error message. Then when that was fixed her ballot would not print-out because the machine was out of ink. She had to have someone help her to mark a paper ballot. And, this was in the Madison City Clerks office not an out-of-the-way polling site. Federal law says there must be an accessible voting machine at each polling place. I guess congress should have pointed out the obvious: That machine has to work.

 

This morning, along with the rest of the news, we also have reports of vote flipping on ES&S iVotronic machines in Jefferson Co Texas. And also from Texas there are reports of ill treatment of voters at some polls in the state. Poll workers are taking it upon themselves to demand photo ID even though state law does not require it. They are also not offering provisional ballots in instances where they are required to offer them.

 

Featured - WI: Dane County - Madison area blind woman could not fill out her own ballot because of malfunctioning machine

http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9255798&nav=menu1362_2

 

National: Law Center Sends Letter to States About Vote-Flipping Machines

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/law-center-send.html

 

National: Mounting Evidence of Voter Suppression for Election Day 2008

http://www.utne.com/2008-10-28/Politics/Mounting-Evidence-of-Voter-Suppression-for-Election-Day-2008.aspx?blogid=30

 

National: E-voting fears run high as election day looms

'Flipped' votes reported in three states

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/28/evoting_fears/

 

National: Citizens face major problems when polling machines malfunction

http://www.elon.edu/pendulum/Story.aspx?id=1198

 

National: Pen And Paper Vs. Electronic Voting Machine

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0810/S00400.htm

 

National: Opinion - Land of the free, home of messy elections

http://www.baltimoreexaminer.com/opinion/Land_of_the_free_home_of_messy_elections.html

 

National: Bracing for the Ballot Battle

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081029_bracing_for_the_ballot_battle/

 

National: Voting equipment changes could get messy on Nov. 4

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-28-votingequipment_N.htm

 

National: Voter Suppression Hits The Web

E-Mails Sow Disinformation As Voting Groups Prepare To Monitor Polls With Web Apps, Twitter And Mobile Video

http://www.nationaljournal.com/njonline/no_20081027_9705.php

 

National: Legal Fights, Policy Debates Deepen Over Voting Problems and Solutions

http://www.alternet.org/democracy/105136/legal_fights,_policy_debates_deepen_over_voting_problems_and_solutions/

 

AZ: AZ Secretary of State Brewer blasts Pima County vote count plans

http://www.fox11az.com/news/topstories/stories/tucson-20081028-brewer-blasts-pima-county-vote.15aca6115.html

 

CA: Early voting gets off to strong start in Inland counties

http://www.pe.com/localnews/politics/stories/PE_News_Local_S_vote29.37cd2c2.html

 

CA: Flood of absentees may delay election night results

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1351906.html

 

CO: Voter Reinstated After State Purges Her Registration

Colorado Voters Fight For Their Voices This Election Cycle

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/17824470/detail.html

 

CO: Election Watchdog Group Warns of Ballot Shortage

http://www.myfoxcolorado.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7743482&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

 

DE: Opinion - Rumor about election malfunctions sparks extra inspections

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081029/DW02/810290363/-1/DW

 

FL: Lengthening poll hours does Crist proud

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/5min/story/745726.html

 

FL: Florida polls to open earlier, close later

Crist orders extended early-voting hours

http://www.news-press.com/article/20081029/NEWS0107/810290407/1075

 

FL: Brevard County - Ensuring the vote

Despite overblown claims of fraud, simple steps can counter problems at polls

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20081029/OPINION/810290308/1006/news01

 

GA: Massive voter turnout, system kinks in Georgia

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/29/massive-voter-turnout-system-kinks-in-georgia/

 

GA: Flagged voters can cast ballots

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/2008/10/28/voters.html

 

GA: Voters back in line; voting days won’t be extended

Secretary of state says it’s not necessary or possible to open polls on Saturday

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/stories/2008/10/29/early_vote_georgia.html

 

LA: Democrats allege voter purge

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/33486504.html

 

MD: Officials urge off-peak voting

More than 50,000 absentee ballots expected; voters can request one in person through Election Day

http://www.gazette.net/stories/10292008/montnew185421_32477.shtml

 

ME: Mainers Not Worried About Hanging Chads, Voting Machine Glitches

http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/425734

 

NC: Guilford County - Extra voting time unlikely

http://hpe.southernheadlines.com/index.cfm?section=6&story=5570

 

NC: Guilford County - Effort fails to extend voting hours

http://www.news-record.com/content/2008/10/28/article/effort_fails_to_extend_voting_hours

 

NV: Washoe County -  County Registrar says to leave the worrying to them

http://www.krnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9255982&nav=menu113_2

 

OH: Ohio homeless must be allowed to vote, federal judge says

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/10/court_says_homeless_must_be_al.html

 

PA: U.S judge hears Pa. ballot lawsuit

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20081029_U_S_judge_hears_Pa__ballot_lawsuit.html

 

PA: Bucks County - County's voting machines pass test

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/113-10292008-1612729.html

 

PA: Union County - 11 voting machines, 10 poll workers added in Union County

Election officials say they're ready for Tuesday

http://www.dailyitem.com/0100_news/local_story_303001518.html

 

TX: Early voters report obstacles at polls

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/local/stories/102908dnpolvoterproblems.3e529d6.html

 

TX: Harris County - Critics dislike eSlate voting, but officials praise it

County clerk says the system has far fewer problems than ‘touch-screen’

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/6083023.html

 

TX: Jefferson County - Texas county's machines causing concern for some voters

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/28/tx-countys-machines-causing-concern-for-some-voters/

 

VA: Kaine: Expect lines at polls

But he says Virginia is well-prepared to handle turnout on Election Day

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-10-29-0132.html

 

WI: Dane County - Madison area blind woman could not fill out her own ballot because of malfunctioning machine

http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9255798&nav=menu1362_2

 

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