Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Sunday 11/06/05

[Mnemosyne]

All members welcome and encouraged to participate.

Please post Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News on this thread.

If you can:

1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web.



2. Post stories using the "Election Fraud and Reform News Sources" listed here:



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x371233



3. Re-post stories and announcements you find on DU, providing a link to the original thread with thanks to the Original Poster, too.



4. Start a discussion thread by re-posting a story you see on this thread.







If you want to know how post "News Banners" or other images, go here:



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=371233#371391

Link to previous Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News thread:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x400010

All previous daily threads are available here:


http://www.independentmediasource.com/DU_archives/du_2004erd_el_ref_fr_thr_calenders.htm











Please "Recommend" for the Greatest Page (it's the link just below).

[Mnemosyne]

1. Prospects Appear Dim for Initiatives In California Race

Response Reflects Governor's Woes; Ohio Votes on Redistricting Proposal

By John Pomfret and David S. Broder
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, November 6, 2005; Page A04

LOS ANGELES -- Two years after he roared to power promising Californians he would "fix the broken system," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) faces an angry electorate Tuesday in a special election that a majority of voters in this state do not seem to want, filled with measures many oppose.

Schwarzenegger is backing four out of eight initiatives on the ballot Tuesday in a state that since 1911 has used initiatives as an end-run around its legislature. If approved, the measures would give Schwarzenegger an enormous boost, granting him the power to cut the state's budget unilaterally and hobbling his biggest foe, organized labor.


Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), greeted by nonunion workers at a helicopter manufacturing plant in Torrance, has alienated public employee unions.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), greeted by nonunion workers at a helicopter manufacturing plant in Torrance, has alienated public employee unions. (By Damian Dovarganes -- Associated Press)

But three recent polls, by the Public Policy Institute of California, the Field Research Corporation and the Los Angeles Times, seem to suggest that the governor is headed for a political Judgment Day. Of the four ballot measures Schwarzenegger is backing, only one -- the weakest in terms of policy consequences -- seems primed to pass, according to the polls.

more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/05/AR2005110501343.html

Discussion here thanks to Judi Lynn:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1904339

[Mnemosyne]

2. CA -County's e-vote machines will produce paper record

Andrew Silva, Staff Writer

Paper is back.

After the voting debacle in Florida five years ago sent officials nationwide scrambling for a better way to cast ballots, electronic voting seemed a good way to ensure "hanging chads" would not taint a future election.

On Tuesday, San Bernardino County will become California's first large county to use electronic voting machines that simultaneously produce a paper record of each ballot cast.

Observers from Washington state, Chicago and the California Secretary of State's Office will be on hand to see how the system works.

Tacking printers onto the electronic machines to produce hard copies of ballots is the culmination of much debate and controversy that began with the infamous 2000 election.



more:
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_3184463

[Mnemosyne]

3. Calif. GOP Seeks Religious Push

Sacramento, Calif., November 5, 2005
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigns for proposition 73. (AP)


(AP) Republicans promoting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's four ballot initiatives on Tuesday's special election are hoping a push by religious conservatives to promote the abortion measure could translate into support for the governor's "year of reform" agenda.

With support from religious groups and churches, backers of Schwarzenegger's abortion initiative plan a substantial push this weekend to motivate millions of Christian voters to the polls, as recent surveys indicate a majority of California voters are unlikely to support the governor for re-election next year.

The abortion initiative, Proposition 73, is a proposed constitutional amendment that would require doctors to notify the parent or guardian of a minor seeking an abortion, although girls could seek a waiver from a judge. The measure provides an exception if delay would create a life-threatening risk.

more:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/05/politics/main1015813.shtml

Discussion here thanks to Democat:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1904317

[Mnemosyne]

4. Mich. Democrats Blast Nominating Process

AP National News

By Associated Press

November 6, 2005, 12:32 AM EST

SAGINAW, Mich. -- The Michigan Democratic Party took a shot at Iowa and New Hampshire's "monopoly" on the first steps of the presidential nominating process, adopting a resolution Saturday calling for fairness, equity and diversity ahead of future elections.

Potential 2008 presidential candidates are already stopping through Iowa -- at least eight of them in the last half of October.

"Michigan Democrats renew their call for a fairer and more diverse presidential nominating process for the Democratic Party," state party Chairman Mark Brewer said Saturday.

"We urge the Commission on Presidential Nomination Timing and Scheduling to recommend changes to end the monopoly of Iowa and New Hampshire," he said.

more here:
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-presidential-nomination,0,375336.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

Discussion here thanks to Judi Lynn:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1904309

[Mnemosyne]

5. Azeri parties cry foul ahead of polls

By Jonathan Gorvett in Baku, Azerbaijan

Sunday 06 November 2005, 1:26 Makka Time, 22:26 GMT



Azeris head to the polls to vote in parliamentary elections amidst allegations of intimidation and media bias from opposition leaders and international organisations.

The elections on Sunday will see the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) of President Ilhan Aliyev take on a wide range of opposition candidates, with some 1550 registered candidates to compete for just 125 seats in parliament.

Aliyev is the son of former President Haydar Aliyev, who died in 2003, and who had been a powerful force in Azeri politics since the late 1960s, when the country had been part of the Soviet Union.

The main opposition block Azadlig, a coalition of three parties, has already cried foul in the run-up to balloting.

more here:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3928B410-D122-4F58-8F6D-73CA4A9883D6.htm

Discussion here thanks to TexasLawyer:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1904045

[Mnemosyne]

6. Voter Anger Might Mean an Electoral Shift in '06

Public Voices Dissatisfaction Over Iraq War, Economy

By Dan Balz, Shailagh Murray and Peter Slevin
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, November 6, 2005; Page A01

One year before the 2006 midterm elections, Republicans are facing the most adverse political conditions of the 11 years since they vaulted to power in Congress in 1994. Powerful currents of voter unrest -- including unhappiness over the war in Iraq and dissatisfaction with the leadership of President Bush -- have undermined confidence in government and are stirring fears among GOP candidates of a backlash.

Interviews with voters, politicians and strategists in four battleground states, supplemented by a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, found significant discontent with the performance of both political parties. Frustration has not reached the level that existed before the 1994 earthquake, but many strategists say that if the public mood further darkens, Republican majorities in the House and Senate could be at risk.


Ed Perlmutter, right, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for a Colorado congressional race, says the current climate favors Democrats.
Ed Perlmutter, right, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for a Colorado congressional race, says the current climate favors Democrats. (By Glen Martin -- Denver Post)


One bright spot for the Republicans is the low regard in which many Americans hold the Democrats. The public sees the Democrats as disorganized, lacking in clear ideas or a positive alternative to the GOP agenda, and bereft of appealing leaders. In the Post-ABC News poll, voters gave Washington low grades without favor: Just 35 percent said they approved of the job Republicans in Congress were doing, while only 41 percent gave a positive rating to the Democrats.

more here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/05/AR2005110501514.html

Discussion here thanks to Pirate Smile:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1903884

[Mnemosyne]

7. A Bush Democrat May Lose His Way

By Peter Slevin and Chris Cillizza

Sunday, November 6, 2005; Page A05

It was just one little endorsement of the president of the United States by the mayor of a heartland city. The year was 2004 and the race was close. The mayor embraced President Bush and even did a little campaigning for him.

Trouble was, Mayor Randy Kelly was the Democratic mayor of overwhelmingly Democratic St. Paul, Minn. And has it caused problems for his reelection campaign.


Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), left, campaigned recently with Chris Coleman, a Democrat running against the mayor of St. Paul, Minn. Other national party figures have also supported Coleman.
Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), left, campaigned recently with Chris Coleman, a Democrat running against the mayor of St. Paul, Minn. Other national party figures have also supported Coleman. (By Elizabeth Flores -- Star Tribune Via Associated Press)


One national Democratic politician after another has waved a flag for his opponent, fellow Democrat and former city council member Chris Coleman. Several flew to St. Paul to deliver the defeat-Kelly message in person, among them Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), who carried Minnesota but lost the nation last year.

"Obviously, Senator Kerry had something of a score to settle," said Andrew O'Leary, executive director of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

more here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/05/AR2005110501174.html

discussion here thanks to Pirate smile:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1903857

[Mnemosyne]

8. Azerbaijan Votes for New Parliament

By JUDITH INGRAM, Associated Press Writer 8 minutes ago

BAKU, Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan's president pledged that Sunday's parliamentary elections would be followed by further democratic reform of the oil-rich former Soviet republic, but his political opponents alleged there already had been violations in the voting.

The parliamentary election is an uneven contest in a country where President Ilham Aliev's word is law and where a weak opposition has been shrunk by arrests and many campaign rallies broken up with police beatings.

Yet some argue the ballot could signal progress in a former Soviet republic where the West's hopes of kindling democracy come up hard against economics and the need to keep a toehold in the strategically important Caspian Sea region which sits on a critical axis between Russia and
Iran.

U.S. Ambassador Reno Harnish says that even if the election falls short of democratic standards, it may at least produce a more representative parliament to deal with corruption and the sharing of oil wealth. Harnish told the Associated Press the United States has "significant" oil, economic and security interests here, but also has a genuine interest in seeing political reform.

more here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051106/ap_on_re_eu/azerbaijan_s_vote;_ylt=Ass58xr2lLC_L7opl5zuuDms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

[Mnemosyne]

9. Azerbaijan votes amid fears

By Margarita Antidze 2 hours, 26 minutes ago

BAKU (Reuters) - Azerbaijan was voting on Sunday in a parliamentary election expected to give the ruling party a big majority, with Western governments hungry for the country's oil hoping vote fraud and violence would not wreck the ballot.

Opposition parties promised rallies this week in protest against what they predicted would be widespread election fraud, although analysts say there is unlikely to be a repeat of the popular revolts that followed disputed polls in fellow ex-Soviet states Ukraine and Georgia.

The threat of violence hung over the election, with the interior minister saying radical elements in the opposition might try to provoke the police and warning any illegal protests would be stamped out.

"The campaign was successful. Equal conditions were created for all candidates and that gives me hope the election will be democratic and transparent," President Ilham Aliyev said as he voted at a polling station in Baku's School No. 6.

more here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051106/wl_nm/azerbaijan_dc;_ylt=ArxN1NZZvHggSILTCTWYrk1bbBAF;_ylu=X3oDMTA4NTMzazIyBHNlYwMxNjk2

[Mnemosyne]

10. N.J., Va. Governor Campaigns Get Nasty

By ROBERT TANNER, AP National Writer Sun Nov 6, 1:28 AM ET

In an off-year election, campaigns for governor in New Jersey and Virginia have turned especially nasty, dragging in Adolf Hitler and an ex-wife's claim of betrayal in negative ads that pollsters say have turned off the public.

And that's not all. A paralyzed teen in a wheelchair criticized one candidate's stem-cell research stance in New Jersey, records have been distorted in both states, and a $470,000 loan to a politically connected ex-lover sparked accusations of wrongdoing in New Jersey. Spending records were broken in both states, while polls show voters are unenthusiastic.

"It's awful," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "These two races are the worst possible combination — nasty and dull. It doesn't get any worse."

Still, those contests top the bill Tuesday, when mayors will be selected in New York, Detroit, Boston, Atlanta and several other cities. Ballot questions also go before voters in seven states, including several in California that are seen as a referendum on the sagging popularity of Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger.

more here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051106/ap_on_el_gu/elections_rdp;_ylt=AlnWpOspEPnC_Z4ty5KYjr.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OXIzMDMzBHNlYwM3MDM-

[Mnemosyne]

11. Beatty Tries to Crash Schwarzenegger Rally (LOL)

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 27 minutes ago

SAN DIEGO - Actors Warren Beatty and wife Annette Bening tried to crash a campaign appearance Saturday by Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger as the governor sought to drum up last-minute support for a group of statewide ballot measures.

The Hollywood couple strode side-by-side to the entrance of an airport hangar where several hundred of the governor's supporters had gathered.

A Schwarzenegger aide told the "Bulworth" star he was not on the guest list and did not have the appropriate wristband to get inside.

"You have to have a wristband to listen to the governor?" Bening asked. "He represents all of us, right?"

more here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051106/ap_on_el_st_lo/special_election;_ylt=AneHy18Cd8CUeg6FuGsM7CZp24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[Mnemosyne]

12. Young Detroit Mayor at Risk of Defeat

By DAVID RUNK, Associated Press Writer Sat Nov 5, 6:35 PM ET

DETROIT - Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick runs the risk of becoming the first Detroit mayor since 1961 to be defeated in a re-election bid, four years after becoming one of the city's youngest leaders.

Kilpatrick's quest for another term comes as the nation's 11th-largest city struggles with poverty and decades of population decline. He and his challenger clash over where Detroit stands — on the brink of revival or the edge of collapse.

Kilpatrick sees himself at the helm of a city dealing with its problems and heading in the right direction.

"I was building the plane while flying it in the first term," Kilpatrick said while shaking hands at an auto engine plant.

more here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051105/ap_on_el_st_lo/detroit_mayor;_ylt=ApIav1CG1X0KIfiTrc7ohPFp24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[Mnemosyne]

13. Conservatives Eye Calif. Churches in Vote

By TOM CHORNEAU, Associated Press Writer Sat Nov 5, 5:09 AM ET

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - With support from religious groups and megachurches, backers of the abortion initiative on Tuesday's ballot plan a substantial push this weekend to motivate millions of Christian voters to the polls.

Republicans promoting the four initiatives pushed by Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger are hoping a surge of religious conservatives could translate into support for the governor's "year of reform" agenda and provide the margin of victory for at least some of his measures.

"We've had tremendous encouragement in recent weeks — 30 churches a day are signing up to have bulletin inserts to get out the vote and remind their congregations to vote," said Gary Marx, a consultant who specializes in organizing Christian conservatives. He was hired by the California Republican Party to help pass the abortion initiative, Proposition 73.

"We're focusing our efforts on churches that can have the most impact, a lot of the megachurches," he said.

more here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051105/ap_on_re_us/special_election_churches;_ylt=AqIyZSj073_KVT9zXQfK.MZp24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[Mnemosyne]

14. Immigration Issue Emerges in Va. Gov. Race

By DIONNE WALKER, Associated Press Writer Sat Nov 5, 4:33 AM ET

RICHMOND, Va. - Clustered largely in northern Virginia, illegal immigrants barely mustered a response among voters just a few years ago.

Yet this election season, they have taken center stage, with Republicans vowing to cut off state benefits to illegal immigrants, while activists urge an end to divisive politics.

"Illegal immigration affects state budget, it affects our public safety in Virginia — that's why it's a big issue in this campaign," Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore said Friday. "I'm the only candidate that will say no benefits for those illegally in this country, no in-state tuition."

Democrat Tim Kaine says the topic should be addressed by the federal government, not state leaders.

more here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051105/ap_on_el_se/virginia_immigrants;_ylt=Amzhe37T9wZ0ELiP8MaZscBp24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[Mnemosyne]

15. Eligible to Vote in Arizona? Prove It

# A new law requires evidence of citizenship. Thousands of legal residents are in a bind.

By Nicholas Riccardi, Times Staff Writer

PHOENIX — A stringent new voter identification law being put into effect in Arizona — designed to keep illegal immigrants from voting — will also prevent thousands of legitimate voters from casting ballots Tuesday, election officials say.

Proposition 200, which voters approved last year, requires Arizonans to prove U.S. citizenship to register to vote and to show a photo ID at the polls.

The law put this border state at the edge of a nationwide push to tighten screening at the polls: fifteen states now require ID at polling places, but no other state requires documentation of citizenship in order to register.

It's a movement that advocates say is long overdue to prevent election fraud, but which critics say will decrease voter turnout and has already disenfranchised thousands of Arizona voters.

more here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-arizona5nov05,0,1430736.story

[Mnemosyne]

22. Discussion here thanks to Rose Siding!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1902727

[Mnemosyne]

16. Democrats intensify efforts against GOP

Minority party seek to exploit potential vulnerability in 2006 elections


WASHINGTON - Democrats are intensifying efforts to hold President Bush and his fellow Republicans accountable for missteps in the Iraq war, as they seek to exploit a potential GOP vulnerability heading into Congress’ midterm election year.

Outnumbered on Capitol Hill, Democrats are embracing the little power they have in the GOP-controlled House and Senate by using procedural techniques to highlight Iraq troubles and issue blistering critiques of Bush’s war policies.

At the same time, increasing numbers of Democrats are calling for the president to start withdrawing U.S. troops by year’s end and are laying out their own timetables for pulling out of the war-battered country.

“What the Democrats are saying essentially is, enough is enough. It’s time to determine the facts and to hold the president accountable for the miscalculations, misjudgments and misrepresentations,” said Steve McMahon, a Democratic consultant.

more here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9935175/

[Mnemosyne]

17. Butler Co.'s new voting machines ready

By Janice Morse
Enquirer staff writer


• Elections special section

HAMILTON - Butler County's new touch-screen voting machines are ready for use in Tuesday's election, after performing flawlessly during a public test Friday.

One skeptic remained unconvinced.

A random sampling of the 1,280 machines to be used Tuesday were tested by having pairs of elections employees - one Democrat, one Republican - watch each other vote.

They made their choices on the screen, then verified that a paper record inside the machine accurately printed their choices. They also watched to ensure that a tabulation computer properly counted the votes.

more:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051105/NEWS01/511050434/1056

[Mnemosyne]

18. IL - Villages to keep early voting stations

Saturday, November 5, 2005

By Jonathan Lipman
Staff writerVillages and townships in suburban Cook County will keep their early voting stations after state legislators shot down a proposal to move the polling places to the county's five suburban courthouses.

County Clerk David Orr wanted to do away with the in-person absentee voting at so many municipal locations and replace it with "early voting" at fewer locations.

But the plan riled suburban Republican politicians who said voters would be disenfranchised. The Republican leadership shot down the proposal in the House earlier this week, Orr said.

"I think the bottom line is many Republicans are very nervous about early voting to begin with," said Orr, a Democrat. "But we already passed it last spring. ... I think they just didn't understand what we were trying to do here."

more:
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsnews/056nd2.htm

[Mnemosyne]

19. Voters in 3 counties to touch, not punch

Saturday, November 05, 2005
Rena A. Koontz
Plain Dealer Reporter

You may have hung your last chad.

Punch-card ballots are gone this year in three Northeast Ohio counties. Lorain, Medina and Portage are among 44 counties in Ohio that will use electronic touch-screen voting machines on Tuesday.

The new machines, plus the verbose state issues on the ballot, raise the potential for confusion, long lines and hot tempers at polling places.

So give yourself extra time. Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is.

Blackwell has advised elections officials not to enforce a little-known five-minute limit for each voter.

more:
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/medina/1131187273295080.xml&coll=2

[philb]

25. Touch screen swtiching in Ohio and over 20 states in 2004

http://www.flcv.com/ohiosum.html
http://www.flcv.com/ussumall.html

[Mnemosyne]

20. VA: Kaine 49% Kilgore 46%

Survey of 500 Likely Voters

November 2, 2005

Election 2005

Virginia Governor
Jerry Kilgore (R) 46%
Tim Kaine (D) 49%
Russell Potts (I) 2%

RasmussenReports.com



November 4, 2005--Heading into the final weekend of Election 2005, Democrat Tim Kaine has a narrow lead over Republican Jerry Kilgore in the race to be Virginia's next Governor.

The latest Rasmussen Reports election poll shows Kaine with 49% of the vote while Kilgore attracts 46%. This is the first time all year that either candidate has reached 49% in a Rasmussen Reports poll.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted November 2. The survey's margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points, with a 95% level of confidence. Demographic Details are available for Premium Members.

State Senator Russell Potts, a Republican running as an independent, currently earns just 2% of the statewide vote.

more:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2005/Virginia%20Governor_November%204.htm


discussion here thanks to Mark E. Smith:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1904502

[philb]

23. You're monitoring the wrong poll; the ones that are counted are not

not like the polls; whats important is who controls the vote counting
Do you know who controls the vote counting in Virginia?
are there monitors for all precincts; and a big Electon Incident Reporting system?

Virginia had Touch Screen Switching in 2004 and lots of other problems


Fairfax County (Touch screen switching from Kerry to Bush, touch screen default to blank on presidential race, machine problems/long lines, intimidation, registration problems, voter suppression, malfeasance)

Halifax County
Broken machines/long lines/voters not allowed to vote

Prince William
Machine problems/misfeasance/suppression

Richmond
Improper purging of vote roles/registration problem with DMV registrations

Statewide( Student vote problems)
http://www.flcv.com/virginia.html

[philb]

21. most states had touch screen switching and lots of manipulation,

fraud, illegal dirty tricks, and minority voter suppression in 2004

http://www.flcv.com/ohiosum.html
http://www.flcv.com/summary.html
http://www.flcv.com/ussumall.html
http://www.flcv.com/studentv.html
http://www.flcv.com/fraudpat.html

(EIRS)

[Mnemosyne]

24. Thanks for your help philb!

We need all we can get. :hi: :yourock:

Peace
V

[MelissaB]

26. DEAR SEN KERRY: One Year Later

Dear Sen. Kerry,

A year and a half ago you came to the great state of Ohio to ask voters for their support in electing you the next president of the United States. You witnessed the birth of a grassroots effort never before seen in the history of our nation. People from every walk of life mobilized in neighborhoods rich and poor to register, educate and get out the vote. Senator Kerry, you and Senator Edwards promised that this election would be different- that you would make sure that every vote would count. This statement was heard the loudest in poor neighborhoods with those whose voice carry the least power. You energized voters who had little faith in the system, especially after so many were disenfranchised by unscrupulous techniques in 2000. I know because I canvassed on the near east side of Columbus, OH in the fall of 2004. I spoke with hundreds of people, registered dozens of first time voters in these neighborhoods. I promised them, as you so eloquently told your followers, that every vote would count. These determined voters came out to support you in record numbers. They stood in that bone chilling November rain for hours to cast their vote in support for you and the hope for a better future.



After the election when we cried foul, we were ignored and defamed. When the media failed to do their job, citizens stepped up to the plate. We have documented the election problems with videos, provided sworn affidavits, investigated the numerous complaints with our own time and money. NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS GONE UNDER OATH TO SAY THE ELECTION WAS NOT STOLEN. The person in charge of the vote count in Ohio, Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, was the Co-Chair of Bush/Cheney ‘04 in Ohio. He has repeatedly refused to answer any questions, even when posed by members of the House Judiciary Committee. When the election was contested in Ohio, the Ohio Attorney General’s office stated under no circumstances would Blackwell testify under oath.

Senator Kerry, I am not a politician-I am simply a person who stands behind what I promise. I will not rest until those votes of the good people who persevered in those long lines are counted. I will not be silent until a full investigation of just what happened during the ‘04 election occurs. We were told by our own party to simply “move on”. When a crime has been committed, that is exactly what the criminal hopes one will do-move on. Moving on did not change the fairness of the election after 2000, and it will not change by simply moving on after 2004. There is a strong movement of progressives who, like me will not relent until the truth is told.

Those in Washington have allowed the privatization of our vote to partisan proprietors. We now have a voting system in which a recent GAO Report says the voting machines are not secure, not accountable, not recountable, not transparent and not adequately monitored or certified by anyone. We are in a fight for the soul of our democracy. All we ask is for every vote to count. We demand fair, transparent and verifiable elections. Now is the time to rise up and demand justice. To paraphrase Dr Martin Luther King Jr: “it is not the actions of bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” Please Senator Kerry, now is the time to join our effort. Please join in our fight for fair, transparent, and verifiable elections!

Sincerely,

Dorri Steinhoff
Citizens' Alliance for Secure Elections


Thanks to mod mom here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5278109

[Mnemosyne]

27. Just because it's a great post:

Thanks so much skids!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5278758

[CelticWinter]

28. way to go girlfriend

im proud of ya :)

[Mnemosyne]

39. I'm so glad I can help with this!

:hi:

[sepia_steel]

29. Thanks for this excellent thread

the articles about CA and OH are especially reassuring.

[Mnemosyne]

42. Thank you sepia! We aim to please here! :) n/t

[Algorem]

30. interesting comment by Sherrod Brown's wife about Diebold,Ohio,etc.-

"Feldman: "So Ohio is the new Florida, basically."

Schultz: "No! No, no, Michael. First of all, we have better weather. In terms of electoral importance, I hope we count ballots better than Florida, although there has been some question about this…the big contributor to the Bush campaign is also the maker of the machines. I don't know about you, but I have a little problem with that."-

from PBS's "Whad'Ya Know", September 17, 2005

Michael interviewed guest Connie Schultz, Pulitzer-prize-winning columnist of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

http://www.kssmallbiz.com/articles/article_413.asp (sorry,right-winger's site,I heard the interview when it was on but just now went googling for a transcript,gonna look for something better)

can listen to that show here-

http://www.notmuch.com/Show/Archive.pl?s_id=367

"...:05 - Guest interview with Pulitzer-prize-winning columnist Connie Schultz from the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Connie and Michael cover everything from single parenting and the joys of a strong-willed teenager to the state of American journalism. Now which one is a babe and which one is hot?..."

Anyway,Sherrod Brown used to hold Ken Blackwell's present job,so he's GOT TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT-

"...In 1982, he won a four-way Democratic primary that included Dennis Kucinich, now a Cleveland Congressman, then defeated Republican Virgil E. Brown in the general election for the office of Ohio Secretary of State, succeeding Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr.. In 1986, Brown won re-election as secretary of state, defeating Vincent C. Campanella. In 1990, Brown lost when trying for a third term as secretary of state to Republican Bob Taft..."-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherrod_Brown

[Algorem]

38. "And you think it's a pain to vote" By Connie Schultz

http://www.girlposse.com/talk_talk_talk/privilege_of_voting_0904.html

A Short History Lesson on the Privilege of Voting

Originally published Thursday, February 19, 2004

The women were innocent and defenseless. And by the end of the night, they were barely alive.

Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 helpless women wrongly convicted of "obstructing sidewalk traffic."

They beat Lucy Burn, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack...

[Algorem]

31. OHIO-44 counties adopt touch-screen voting; problems predicted

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-20/1131305043303020.xml&storylist=cleveland

11/6/2005, 2:18 p.m. ET
The Associated Press

(AP) — Voters in 44 counties will use touch-screen machines for the first time in Tuesday's election, and veteran poll workers are anticipating some confusion.

Complicating matters is a ballot featuring five lengthy statewide measures. The potential for confusion prompted Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell to ask volunteers not to enforce a rule that limits voters to five minutes in the booth.

Poll workers and 400 service technicians have been trained on operating the new machines, and Blackwell posted a practice program online so voters will know what to expect. But some poll workers worry that technical problems could come easily and old habits could die hard.

"I think there'll be mass confusion," said longtime poll worker Lee Walters of Lancaster...

[Algorem]

32. Blackwell unfazed by Colorado fiscal switch

http://www.cleveland.com/ohio/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1131273314101501.xml&coll=2

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Columbus- Last week, Coloradans voted themselves out from under strict government spending limits once hailed by conservatives as a model of fiscal restraint.

Passage of Colorado's Referendum C - which suspended the state's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, or TABOR, for five years - could cost taxpayers an estimated $3.7 billion in scheduled tax refunds that will be kept by government state programs.

It could also diminish the momentum of TABOR-style limits under consideration in other states, including Ohio, both liberal and conservative state-budget watchers say.

The Colorado vote won't dissuade Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, a Cincinnati Republican and gubernatorial hopeful, in his plans to push spending restrictions on the 2006 ballot here, said spokesman Gene Pierce...

[Algorem]

33. OHIO-This much is clear: Voters are confused

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1131273398101500.xml&coll=2&thispage=2

Sunday, November 06, 2005

-- The Reform Ohio Now commercial says voting yes Tuesday on Issues 2, 3, 4 and 5 will "hold politicians accountable."

An Ohio First television spot says voting no on the four election reform issues will "keep politicians accountable."

How can that be? Two opposing campaigns begging for different actions from voters yet promising the same outcome? Predictably, confused voters are stuck in the crosshairs of mud-slinging campaigns. "Nobody understands this -- it sounds like they are saying the same things in different ads," said Frank DeCosta, 74, a retired beer and potato chip salesman from Columbia Township.

DeCosta and about 100 others from his Huff-n-Puffers senior citizens softball league met Thursday to discuss Issues 2 through 5 and came away frustrated...

[Algorem]

34. OHIO-Issue 4 returns power to people, Schwarzenegger says

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1131273302101500.xml&coll=2

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Columbus - Once known as a behemoth basher of Democratic "girlie men," California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger lent his celebrity to a Democratic-leaning group that hopes to inject more competition into Ohio's legislative and congressional contests.

He endorsed State Issue 4, which appears on Tuesday's ballot, and will take part in automated phone calls that campaign strategists say will target voters considered potentially most receptive to a message from the Republican former body-building champion.

California voters on Tuesday face a similar measure, called Proposition 77.

Both measures "will take the power away from the politicians," Schwarzenegger said during a conference call Saturday with Ohio reporters...

[Algorem]

35. Blackwell looks in his wallet, sees forgiveness

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/sandy_theis/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1131186760295080.xml&coll=2

Sunday, November 06, 2005
Sandy Theis
Plain Dealer Columnist

Meet two of the strangest of strange bedfellows: Secretary of State Ken Black well, who wants to be governor, and his new fund-raiser, Scottie May.

Just 19 months ago, Blackwell sicced the FBI and IRS on May's husband, Brett Buerck, after an anonymous memo surfaced accusing Buerck and his then-boss, Speaker Larry Householder, of skimming money from House Republican campaign accounts.

The investigation continues to grind on.

Blackwell also tangled with Buerck after learning that he helped craft a 109-page plan that outlined how to "dismantle" Blackwell and end his political career...

[Algorem]

36. OHIO-Some areas using touch-screen voting

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051106/NEWS09/511060359/-1/NEWS

On Tuesday, many area voters will cast their ballot by using touch screens for the first time.


It's an unfamiliar process, but it has many advantages compared to older voting machines, said Jill Kelly, director of the Lucas County Board of Elections.

"It think it gives every voter the opportunity to vote unassisted," said Ms. Kelly, referring to the Diebold electonic voting machine's voice-over feature and adjustable heights for handicapped citizens.

Each voter be given an access card after signing in at his or her polling location. There will be at least two machines at each location...

[Algorem]

37. OHIO-Election-reform admendments draw definite battle lines in state

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051106/NEWS09/511060315/-1/NEWS

Article published Sunday, November 6, 2005

BY JIM PROVANCE
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU

COLUMBUS - Four far-reaching proposed constitutional amendments on Tuesday's ballot are portrayed by supporters at every opportunity as a referendum on Gov. Bob Taft and what they characterize as a pay-to-play atmosphere in the Republican-controlled Statehouse.


Opponents portray it as a power play by largely out-of-state interests seeking to use the Ohio Constitution to get Democrats back into a game voters have repeatedly decided they should sit out.

Either way, the ballot issues represent the most sweeping changes to Ohio election law in decades, affecting congressional and legislative redistricting, election oversight, absentee ballots, and campaign contributions.

As of Oct. 19, both sides have reported raising more than $5 million for the petition campaign that put the questions on the ballot in the first place and the ad wars that have followed...

[Mnemosyne]

40. Thanks! :) n/t

[Mnemosyne]

41. OH - Voting precincts might move

Sunday, November 6, 2005


By Mike Rutledge
Enquirer staff writer

More than one in five Campbell County voting precincts may have to move next year because buildings are not completely accessible to the handicapped.

In Kenton County, 14 percent of precincts might move, almost all because of access. County Clerk Bill Aylor predicts some voters won't be pleased.

In Boone County, it's possible none of the 58 precincts will have to move, said Rick Riddell, director of voter registration in the county clerk's office.

But Riddell isn't certain yet. Instead, his and many other counties across the state are waiting for the Kentucky Disabilities Coalition's review of surveys that were performed earlier this year.

more:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051106/NEWS0103/511060421/1059/news01


Thank goodness the electrics back on at my place! Whoo Hoo!