'Daily Voting News' For October 30, 2008 – Evening Edition

 

5 days until Election Day.

 

The Brennan Center, Common Cause and Verified Voting are reminding election officials from Diebold/Premier jurisdictions about a problem with Premier Election Solutions' vote tabulating software that could cause the system to lose votes. I hope this reminder and their recommended actions are not too late and that officials will listen and pay heed.

 

CNN did a pretty good article on straight-party voting. There was one quote that is good for a chuckle and shake of the head. One of the voting systems that has had reported vote-flipping in straight-party voting is manufactured by Hart Intercivic. The vendor’s spokesman, Peter Lichtenheld, actually pointed at the voters for making the error and then said the problem stems from habits formed when doing punch-card voting. Yes, the voters just can’t tell the difference between a punch card and the Hart eSlate. He claimed, “In that system, you didn't know if the chad separated or not, so people would punch each candidate after punching the [straight-ticket] part, just to be sure.” It is amazing at what lengths the vendors will go to blame the voters for all of the problems with the vendor’s machines.

 

Featured - National: Groups Warn Election Officials About Diebold Voting Machine Flaw

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/voting-groups-w.html

 

Featured - National: Straight-ticket voting not straightforward

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/30/straight.ticket/

 

National: Are design issues to blame for vote 'flipping' in touch-screen machines?

Vendors say no, but critics say e-voting devices aren't designed for most voters

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=IT+in+Government&articleId=9118642&taxonomyId=69&pageNumber=1

 

National: Tool Developed to Detect Possible Fraud in Election Tabulating Software

Pima County EI Creates Software to Analyze GEMS Databases, Wants to Share Capability With Others

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6587

 

National: Voting machines could bring Election Day glitches

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/10/30/voting.machines/?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail

 

National: eTRICK or reTREAT? Nightmare of Elections Future

http://www.ctvoterscount.org/?p=910

 

National: Voting machines could bring Election Day glitches

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/10/29/voting.machines/

 

National: Concern Mounts Over Expected Voting Surge

The Early Show: Experts Weigh In Over Whether Unusually High Turnout Would Impact Accuracy Of Counting

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/30/earlyshow/main4557962.shtml

 

National: Rising Tide of Suits Filed in Search of Political Edge

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122532888316282651.html

 

National: Schneier on Voting Machine Security

http://blogs.cioinsight.com/knowitall/content001/bruce_schneier/schneier_on_voting_machine_security.html

 

National: Undervotes - The Scary Canary

http://www.opednews.com/articles/UndervotesThe-Scary-Can-by-Mary-Mancini-081029-783.html

 

National: Lab may lose accreditation to test voting machines

Denver lab that tests voting machines may lose accreditation, but Nov. 4 elections unaffected

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/57e9bb0307a5210955e6e1fbfedf8e30.htm

 

National: Electronic voting machine lab suspended by feds over performance concerns

http://coloradoindependent.com/13317/electronic-voting-machine-lab-suspended-by-feds-over-performance-concerns

 

National: Lab will seek reaccreditation to test voting gear

http://www.9news.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=102893&catid=346

 

National: Voting Machines Flipping Votes at Many Early Voting Sites: Where Are the Election Protection Attorneys?

http://tinyurl.com/5g965k

 

National: Can the System Handle Huge Voter Turnout?

Long Lines, Close Race Will Trigger Legal Challenges on Election Day

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/Vote2008/story?id=6147679&page=1

 

National: Mr. Rogers Has a Voting Machine Mishap

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/mr-rogers-has-a.html

 

National: Voters Who Registered But Received No Confirmation Should Still Vote

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/know-your-votin.html

 

National: Special report: Issues in electronic voting machine security

http://www.scmagazineus.com/Special-report-Issues-in-electronic-voting-machine-security/article/120219/

 

CA: Los Angeles County - Mail ballot backlog poses problems for L.A. County voters

Thousands may not receive their ballots soon enough to mail them back and will have to them off in person instead.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-vote30-2008oct30,0,506897.story

 

CO: Purged voters can cast provisional ballots in Colorado

http://coloradoindependent.com/13332/some-hope-for-purged-voters-in-court-settlement

 

CO: Voter Purge Rejected in Colorado

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/us/politics/31colorado.html?_r=1&ref=politics&oref=slogin

 

CO: Adams County - Vote-Flipping Diebold Machine Removed, Quarantined in CO

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6592

 

FL: Opinion - 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

 

FL: Early Voting Extended Hours Cause Problems

http://www.panhandleparade.com/index.php/mbb/article/early_voting_extended_hours_cause_problems/mbb7711455/

 

FL: Dems file lawsuit against GOP to avert voter challenges

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/floridapolitics/entries/2008/10/30/dems_file_lawsuit_against_gop.html

 

FL: Palm Beach County - Early voting sets another record

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/10/30/1030voting.html

 

FL: Palm Beach County - Voting machine changes don't ease concerns

Analysts say no system is perfect

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081029/NEWS0206/810290443/1001/RSS6001

 

FL: Volusia County switches to stickier tape to secure election

http://www.beacononlinenews.com/news/daily/1228

 

IA: Dementia patient allegedly pressured to cast ballot

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20081030/NEWS09/810300395/0/NEWS12

 

IN: Marion Co. GOP seeks ballot scrutiny

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081030/NEWS0502/81030041

 

NJ: NJ voting machines vulnerable, report says

http://www.montclairtimes.com/NC/0/882.html

 

OH: Jennifer Brunner cancels cross-checking of Ohio's new voters

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2008/10/brunner_says_voter_registratio.html

 

OH: In Ohio, Provisional Ballots May Prove Pivotal

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/us/politics/31ohio.html?hp

 

PA: Judge widens backup paper ballots provision in Pa.

http://www.examiner.com/x-1082-Philadelphia-News-Examiner~y2008m10d29-Breaking-Judge-rules-for-plaintiffs-in-Pa-paper-ballots-suit

 

TX: Texas Voters Urged to Avoid Straight-Party Option, After Vote-Flip Complaints

http://sacurrent.com/blog/default.asp?perm=69255

 

VA: Kaine says he has no authority to extend hours

http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/dp-vaelectionsuit-kain1030oct30,0,3425391.story

 

VA: NAACP hearing on Election Day prep canceled

http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/dp-vaelectionsuit1030oct30,0,5929550.story

 

VA: NAACP stands down over Virginia election prep

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/30/naacp-stands-down-over-virginia-election-prep/

 

VA: Absentee Ballot Voting Soars in Virginia

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/30/AR2008103003011.html

 

WI: Wisconsin AG to dispatch agents to supervise election

http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/216995-wisconsin-ag-to-dispatch-agents-to-supervise-election

 

WV: Alleged vote flipping video false, defamitory, WVSOS says

http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=5766

 

WV: Campaigns express concern about voting machines

http://www.dailymail.com/News/election08/200810300207

 

Washington DC: Washington, D.C., Suffers Headaches as Early Voters Show Up at Election Board HQ

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/30/washington-experiences-voting-headaches/

 

**Articles and commentary included in “Daily Voting News” may not all reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or its allied organizations. The articles are all included for the information of the subscribers of “Daily Voting News” though we realize that the subscribers may not agree with the opinions given in all articles or in the commentary**

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