Mail-in vote in (Calif) primary possible: other counties join Alameda

[Peace Patriot]

Friday, January 13, 2006

Title: "Mail-only vote in primary possible: Sonoma, Mendocino, other counties join Alameda's request to Legislature

"By BLEYS W. ROSE - THE PRESS DEMOCRAT (Santa Rosa, CA)

"The June primary in Sonoma, Mendocino and other counties could be conducted entirely by mail - with no polling places open - if the Legislature approves a plan gathering steam across the state.

"The idea for emergency legislation allowing counties to conduct absentee-only balloting stems from Alameda County, where officials are concerned their new electronic voting machines aren't working well enough to use in June.

"Because of those concerns, Alameda has asked the Legislature for special permission to substitute mail-only balloting for the traditional system of polling places.

"Now Sonoma County and others that long have supported mail balloting because they believe it is more efficient want to be added to the legislation.

"'At this point it may be a shot in the dark, but of course we are interested because over half our voters vote by mail and the benefit is always increased turnout,' said Sonoma County Clerk Eeve Lewis.

"Marsha Wharff, Mendocino County's registrar of voters, delivered an emphatic 'absolutely' when asked whether Mendocino would like to switch to all-mail balloting in June. (MORE)

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060113/NEWS/601130304/1265

[Peace Patriot]

1. This is a very important development in the movement to restore

democracy in the United States, where the very mechanism of our sovereignty as a people--our right to vote--is in extreme jeopardy from non-transparent electronic voting systems controlled by Bushite corporations.

For further discussion of this article, of the counties' request for legislation to permit all mail-in voting, and State Senator Debra Bowen's leadership of the effort in the state legislature, see my original OP in the DU Election Reform forum, go to:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x408918

[Peace Patriot]

2. Note on cost of e-voting, and potential perils of mail-in voting:

The sheer cost of these electronic election theft machines--billions pouring into the pockets of Bushite corporations--in both the initial outlays, and all the upgrades and on-going servicing requirements, is a major issue. Simple, easy to mail-in, REAL ballots is an excellent, TEMPORARY solution, to achieve better election transparency in the near term (critically needed). However, the WAY votes are recorded and tabulated (what they do with the mail-in ballots once they get them--results probably scanned into a computer and sent to DIEBOLD central tabulators)--remains a serious issue, as well as the removal of vote counting from local precincts to centralized facilities that may be harder for people to monitor. Paper ballots, hand-counted at the precinct level (with results POSTED at the precinct level) is the most reliable system of voting.

But I still think that this movement toward mail-in voting is a significant positive step toward restoring our right to vote.

As a rural resident, I have felt very attached to going to vote at my local precinct--as a basic patriotic act, and a confirmation of the grass roots basis of democracy. I enjoy seeing the familiar faces who volunteer every year to oversee the polling place in our small community. It feels like there is a rope that attaches this little community all the way to Washington DC, through this local polling station. However, last year I switched to absentee ballot voting--which, in California, you can easily do, and which also allows becoming a permanent absentee ballot voter (so you don't have to re-apply every time), and further permits you to deliver the absentee ballot to your polling place in person, rather than mail it in. The reason I switched is Diebold/ES&S and electronic voting machines that are very hackable, and are furthermore controlled by major Bush supporters. Absentee and other paper ballots have provided critically important data in several studies of paper vs. electronic results, and may provide critical data for election challenges in the future. And it appears that paper ballots act as a deterrent, even in situations where electronic central tabulators are used.

But I will gladly give up the democratic intimacy and good feeling of voting at my local precinct--temporarily--in order to help restore election transparency as soon as possible. Long term, I think we must return to the paper ballot/precinct system. That's Canada's system, and it works very well. They generally get results in a day. Germany also has such a system. They are very serious about democracy in Canada and Germany. And the scandal of electronic voting in the US in 2002 and 2004 is the biggest mess we have ever faced. These election theft machines need to be thrown into 'Boston Harbor'! Enough! Fini!

[musiclawyer]

3. I work with elections coordinators

They agree....And I've ben saying this for a long time: All mail, all the time, local tabulation is the future. The right wingers want us to devolve, but you can't fight evolution, you can't fight nature.

[Rainscents]

4. We just did this in State of Washington!!!

[ronnykmarshall]

7. and it works great !!

Everything I've read has been positive.

[lies and propaganda]

5. ahah, Im in Sonoma

and a sure thing measure didnt pass up here, much to EVERYONES surprise. Its been widely circulated up here that this was likely the reason, because its still rural up here and getting mail/not having it stolen is a feat.

[Peace Patriot]

6. Not sure what you saying, "lies and propaganda." Are you saying your

mail-in votes were stolen in the mail? Because it's rural mail delivery?

[lies and propaganda]

8. that combined with tons of p.o boxes

with the shittiest service ever.

Theres just a lot of speculation why the genetically engineered food bill that appeared to be the biggest of shoe ins, failed like shit.
And there was obviously no Diebold to blame.

grasping at straws.

[stop the bleeding]

9. That is how crooks work, for every law created there are 3 new loopholes

for criminals to exploit.

Or put this way "times and methods change but people and the crimes they commit don't"