Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Tuesday, 4/3/07

[Melissa G]

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Tuesday, 4/3/07



The rise of electronic voting has created new ways to disenfranchise African-American voters—through high-tech ethnic profiling, inequitable allocation of equipment, and discrimination against non-computer-users and the elderly.

The solution? Prohibit the use of electronic voting systems, and replace them with voter-marked paper ballots, optical scanners, and stringent audits — a combination that provides the most secure safeguards available today and in the foreseeable future.

The opportunity to ban electronic voting is before Congress now. HR 811, the “Voter
Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007,” does not prohibit electronic voting but must be amended to do so, in order to protect the voting rights of African-Americans.

“Many national organizations are pushing electronic voting machines, in spite of evidence that the machines are disenfranchising African-Americans and other minorities. Everyone must take a closer look at this — and soon.”
~ Velmanette Montgomery, New York State Senator
http://www.votersunite.org/info/E-ballotsDisenfranchiseAfricanAmericans.pdf

PS. I will post more stories in a bit but just got swamped at work. Feel free to put some stories of your own up!

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 new Spring 2006 Edition of "Election Fraud and Reform News Directory" listed here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407240

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.




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

[Stevepol]

1. voting Machines impact minorities more.

April 1, 2007 at 00:15:51

HAVA and HR 811 - Voting Machines' Impact on Minority Communities

by Teresa Hommel

snip

HAVA spurred a nationwide grassroots election integrity movement to fight the use of DREs because DREs conceal vote-handling, insider tampering, outsider hacking, as well as innocent errors. DREs shut out the community and prevent citizens from participating in election procedures. No one can witness, understand, or attest to the honesty of vote-handling and vote-counting that take place inside DREs.

Problems with DREs have had a greater impact on minorities. For example, when New Mexico switched from DREs to paper ballots in 2006, minority undervote rates plummeted as much as 85%.<1>

1. Evidence now shows that DREs are capable of ethnic profiling when voters select a non-English language for the display of their ballot on the touchscreen, and DREs may lose the votes intended to be cast on such ballots.<2>

2, DREs have proven to be unmanageable for many poll workers, voters, and elections staff, which means that voters can’t vote because no one can make the DRE voting machines work.<3>

3.This is in addition to disenfranchisement caused by malfunctions, failures, and long waiting lines due to insufficient equipment. Federal standards allow DREs to have a 9.2% failure rate.<4>

4. DREs are intimidating and confusing for the elderly and non-computer-users.

5. With or without a voter-verified paper trail, DREs prevent voters from knowing whether their votes have been correctly recorded and counted. This is because the touchscreen display and the paper trail, both of which voters can verify, can be different from the invisible, unverifiable votes electronically-recorded inside the computer, which are used to determine election tallies.<5> Thus, DREs increase voter cynicism and discourage people from voting.




Link:

http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/page.php?a=32829

[Stevepol]

2. Congress finally considers aggressive e-voting overhaul

Congress finally considers aggressive e-voting overhaul
By Timothy B. Lee | Published: April 01, 2007 - 11:35PM CT

In the wake of last year's e-voting debacle in Florida's Sarasota county and the widespread publicity regarding serious security flaws in computerized voting machines, there is considerable political momentum for e-voting reform. We've previously reported on a reform proposal by California's secretary of state. Congress is also getting in on the action.

Related StoriesE-voting machines: NIST to decertify, Ohio to scrap
Primary and early e-voting problems point to gathering storm
Florida to scrap touchscreens; convictions in Ohio recount-rigging
Don't touch the Diebold touchscreen machines
Rep Rush Holt (D-NJ) has emerged as the leader of the e-voting reform movement in Congress. He is the lead sponsor of HR 811, the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act, which has garnered dozens of co-sponsors.

HR 811 features several requirements that will warm the hearts of geek activists. It bans the use of computerized voting machines that lack a voter-verified paper trail. It mandates that the paper records be the authoritative source in any recounts, and requires prominent notices reminding voters to double-check the paper record before leaving the polling place. It mandates automatic audits of at least three percent of all votes cast to detect discrepancies between the paper and electronic records. It bans voting machines that contain wireless networking hardware and prohibits connecting voting machines to the Internet. Finally, it requires that the source code for e-voting machines be made publicly available.

snip...

The concerns about problems with printing and voter-verification are also worth taking seriously, but here states have a simple solution: they can decline to use computerized voting machines entirely. The Holt bill gives states the option of using old-fashioned optical-scan paper ballots, which have been used with few problems for decades. Although some activists have argued for a formal ban on computerized voting machines, the approach of Holt's legislation gives states more flexibility while avoiding the most serious pitfalls of computerized voting.

snip...

A lot of good things in this article and well worth reading but not much about the reservations about DRE's in general, wanting to do away with the touchscreens entirely.


Link:

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070401-congress-finally-considers-aggressive-e-voting-overhaul.html

[Stevepol]

3. FL 13 election still echoing across the nation

District 13 election still echoing across nation
Lawmakers from across the nation are rethinking electronic voting.

By JEREMY WALLACE


H-T POLITICAL WRITER


What started as a Sarasota County election controversy is becoming more far flung nationally, stirring the political waters from coast to coast.

Instead of just being a tussle between Sarasota County residents Vern Buchanan and Christine Jennings, the battle has spilled over, pulling in members of Congress from around the country who are unfamiliar to area residents.

An example came last week when a Democrat from San Antonio, Texas, got into a showdown with a Republican from Grand Rapids, Mich., over just how to interpret instructions from a Democrat from Los Angeles charged with looking into the election dispute.

The national cast shows that the controversy has become more than whether Buchanan or Jennings is in Congress.

"It is important to voters in Florida and all over the country that the results of each election reflect the voters' will, and that the results can be proven and verified independently," said Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., who is pushing national legislation to force all voting systems to have a verifiable paper record of each vote.

snip...

"The news was almost immediate," said Gonzalez, the chairman of the newly created task force studying the Sarasota election.

Besides the obvious interest in knowing whether Jennings or Buchanan won the seat, Gonzalez said he was drawn to the news because of his own questions about how the touch-screen machines performed. San Antonio uses the same iVotronic system, made by Election Systems and Software, as Sarasota does.

snip...

Slowly I think we're getting there and people are going to wake up to the obvious: that secret vote counting without verification is undemocratic.
Link:

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070402/NEWS/704020449

[Melissa G]

13. Thanks for the Help, Stevepol! You Rock!

:yourock:

[Stevepol]

14. Glad to help when I have a few minutes. Many kudos for all you do!

[Melissa G]

4. Steve Freeman- Election Integrity newsletter

2007 Western U.S. Speaking Tour
Steven Freeman and Paul Lehto recently returned from a very successful 8-city speaking tour of the Western United States. Thank you to all those who made this tremendous opportunity possible. For more information, please see our 2007 Western U.S. Speaking Tour Highlights.
http://www.electionintegrity.org/WesternTour.htm

Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory
by Steve Freeman, Director of Election Integrity, March 29, 2007

On many issues, the election integrity community is, amazingly enough, winning: On the need to verify votes and on affirming values, it's no contest. More generally, vast segments of our nation are waking up, showing an appropriate skepticism for official pronouncements. And let's not forget that there now IS an election integrity community, one that almost certainly helped restrain corruption in the 2006 election.

Unfortunately, that momentum is endangered. The Holt bill now faces a "fast track" vote in Congress. It's difficult to overstate just how poorly framed the congressional discussion on election reform has been. Democracy is in critical condition - bleeding, bankrupt, obese, and suffering from a malnutrition-induced dementia. And for our treatment, we're debating whether we to substitute saccharin for sugar in our soft drinks. Continue on to "Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory: Successes of the Election Integrity Community and Congressional Discussion on the Holt Bill."

http://www.electionintegrity.org/SnatchingDefeat.htm

[Melissa G]

5. Is The EAC Being Appropriately Cautious or Cowardly on Voter Identification Research?

http://electionlawblog.org/
Is The EAC Being Appropriately Cautious or Cowardly on Voter Identification Research?
March 30, 2007
Is The EAC Being Appropriately Cautious or Cowardly on Voter Identification Research?
Today the EAC issued a press release, "EAC to Launch Comprehensive Study of Voter ID Laws." The release begins: "The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has voted unanimously to launch a comprehensive study focused on voter identification laws after concluding that initial research it received in a report, which focused on only one election cycle, was not sufficient to draw any conclusions. The Commission declined to adopt the report, but is releasing all of the data to the public. The report and the research, conducted by Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, through its Eagleton Institute of Politics, are available at www.eac.gov. The Commission's statement regarding its decision is attached. 'After careful consideration of the initial research, the Commission decided this important issue deserves a more in-depth research approach, and that it should be examined beyond only one election cycle,' said EAC Chair Donetta Davidson. 'The Commission and our contractor agree that the research conducted for EAC raises more questions than provides answers.'"

The earlier report for the EAC got some extensive news coverage because it showed a decline in turnout, especially among minority voters, caused by voter identification laws.

There's nothing to quarrel with the EAC about concerning a need for additional research. But why did the EAC go so far as to disown the initial report? Project Vote accuses the EAC of playing politics.

What we can say here is that the EAC's actions follow a familiar and disturbing pattern. There are two unanswered sets of empirical questions on voter identification. One question involves the extent to which voter identification laws disenfranchise eligible voters. That's what at stake in these studies. The other involves the extent to which there is voter fraud that a voter id law could be said to prevent or deter. The EAC commissioned a report on vote fraud, too, and it disowned that report also, creating some controversy.

http://electionlawblog.org/archives/008175.html

[Melissa G]

6. Cleveland's elections mess

Cleveland's elections mess


WRESTLING with the Cuyahoga County board of elections - the 800-pound gorilla of Cleveland politics - has been no small challenge for generations of state officials, so we have to applaud Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner for taking on this thankless task.

Ms. Brunner, part of last November's near-sweep of Democratic state offices, is preparing to fire all four members of the elections board, which has over the years become a particularly vivid symbol of how political hacks can impede efforts to run efficient elections.

Elections in Cleveland are, as usual, in a mess. In last May's primary, the board presided over an administrative meltdown that delayed voting results for nearly a week.

Earlier this month, two members of the elections staff were convicted and sent to prison on criminal charges stemming from the 2004 presidential recount.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070401/OPINION02/703310319

[Melissa G]

7. McNerney Election Protection Task Force Releases Election Report with 36 Recommendations

BLOGGED BY Brad Friedman ON 3/30/2007 3:01PM
McNerney Election Protection Task Force Releases Election Report with 36 Recommendations
Poorly Performing DREs, Lack of Oversight and Transparency Leads to Conclusion of 'Not Acceptable' by WINNER of Last November's CA-11 U.S. House Election...
Congrats to Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney's (CA-11) team of Election Integrity advocates, who did a great job with their election protection analysis and report from his election last November. His Election Protection Task Force has just released their report on how it all went, including 36 specific and detailed recommendations for improving the election system used in the four counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, and Santa Clara) that make up California's 11th Congressional district.

"The McNerney Election Protection Task Force Report" illustrates, among other things, that DRE touch-screen systems made by Diebold, specifically as used in San Joaquin County under the oversight (or lack thereof) of Registrar of Voters Debbie Hench, did not fare well in the election. Broken-down machines caused long lines, there were not enough paper ballots for backup, plus various problems with chain of custody and lousy post-election audit and reporting systems were all accompanied by an embarrassing lack of transparency for the entire system.

The report's overall conclusion: "The current electoral system is not acceptable."

And before you electronic voting apologists haul out your tired old "sore loser" lines, McNerney won his race over the Republican long-time incumbent, Richard Pombo!

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4339

[Melissa G]

8. EAC Finally Releases Previously Withheld, 9 Month Old Report on 'Voter ID' Concerns After Congressio

EAC Finally Releases Previously Withheld, 9 Month Old Report on 'Voter ID' Concerns After Congressional Prodding
One of Several Reports 'Buried' by EAC, Shows Drop in Voter Participation in Wake of Poll Restrictions, Is Shamelessly Described as 'Draft'
Election Law Professor Warns: 'Chance for EAC to be an Honest Broker Above Politics Are Fading'...
After recent Congressional oversight questioning by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission's Bush-appointed chairwoman, Donetta Davidson, has finally relented and agreed to release the commission's bi-partisan report on "Voter ID" issues which has been held back for months. That report, and another not yet released on claims of "Voter Fraud" have been withheld by the EAC, as we reported here and here and in a guest blog by Tova Andrea Wang, one of the two original lead researchers of the still-withheld "Voter Fraud" report.

Hinchey's statement on today's release, including a call for the release of the other related reports, is posted here.

Finally having released the June 28, 2006, report today, in the wake of Congressional pressure, and shamefully titling it as a "Draft Voter ID Report" (since it didn't show what they had wanted it to show), the EAC today announced the following:

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4341

[Melissa G]

9. Electronic voting has come to France

Electronic voting has come to France
By Elaine Sciolino Published: April 3, 2007

PARIS: Could the French presidential election have a problem like Florida had last year?

Electronic voting was supposed to be a symbol of France's modernity, the first time that some voters would have the chance to choose a president by touching a computer screen or pressing a button.

But as Election Day approaches, opposition to electronic voting machines has swelled, in part because a small percentage of them are made by the same American company involved in a disputed congressional election in Florida last November.

"We have doubts about the reliability of these machines," Gilles Savary, a spokesman for Ségolène Royal, the Socialist candidate, said in an interview. "I don't want to lecture America. But we don't want France to fall into the same Kafkaesque balloting as happened in the United States."

Last week, the Socialist Party called for a moratorium on the machines until their reliability could be determined. The party also wants a debate in Parliament.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/03/business/paris.php

[Melissa G]

10. New Delhi, April 3: For the first time in MCD polls, around 10,000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)

Enter the EVM, at all booths

Abhay Mishra

New Delhi, April 3: For the first time in MCD polls, around 10,000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be used at all 9,649 polling booths on April 5. The ward where the number of candidates is more than 16 will be given an additional EVM, said State Election Commission officials.

The counting of votes will be done at 17 centers on April 7 and the result is expected to be out the same day by noon.

Speaking to reporters today, State Election Commissioner S P Marwah said that the polling day has been declared public holiday under the Negotiable Instrument Act. "Delhi government offices, local bodies and PSUs, as well as industrial and commercial establishments would remain closed on April 5." As for the Central government employees, they are entitled to get short leave to cast their votes, Marwah added.

To prevent any untoward incident and ensure "free and fair polls", the election commission has sought elaborate security arrangements and asked the Department of Excise for enforcement of dry day from 5 pm, April 3 to 7 pm, April 7. Around 50,546 Delhi police personnel -- 61 DCPs and Additional DCP, 208 ACPs, 984 Inspectors, 14,503 Head Constables, and 27,672 constables -- and 34 companies of paramilitary forces and 4,403 Home Guards will guard the polling booths on April 5. In order to facilitate the movement of officials on election duty, DTC buses and Delhi Metro will start running from 3 pm on April 5.

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=229885

[Melissa G]

11. NAACP Honors Congressman Conyers with 92nd Spingarn Medal

NAACP Honors Congressman Conyers with 92nd Spingarn Medal



The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Board of Directors named Michigan Congressman John Conyers Jr. the 92nd recipient of the Spingarn Medal, the NAACP’s highest honor. Conyers will receive the award during the 98th NAACP National Convention in Detroit, Mich. July 12 at the annual Spingarn Dinner.



“John Conyers’ record of service is unparalleled and speaks volumes,” said NAACP Board Chairman Julian Bond. “He has been an extraordinary advocate and consistent supporter of civil rights and civil liberties and a major ally of the NAACP’s agenda. He has suffered and survived many attacks from extremists, but has always stood strong in the cause of equality for all Americans. He is one of the legislative giants of our time.”



Conyers, chosen chairman of the influential House Judiciary Committee in January, has served longer in Congress than any other African-American. He has been reelected 20 times, never facing serious opposition. He is one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and is considered the dean of the group. Formed in 1969, the CBC was founded to strengthen African-American lawmakers' ability to address the legislative concerns of Black and minority citizens.



After serving in the National Guard and U.S, Army Corps of Engineers during the Korean War, Conyers earned degrees from Wayne State University.

http://www.naacp.org/news/press/2007-04-03/

[Melissa G]

12. I Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

I Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself
READ MORE: Henry Waxman, Jane Smiley, California, U.S. Congress, U.S. Senate, China, Iraq, New Orleans
This is what I wrote: "All wounds, in a democracy, are ultimately self-inflicted."

This is what Sheila replied:


"I'm sorry, but this is almost the only time I've ever disagreed with you. I am a huge fan of personal accountability, civic activism and the causality inherent in most decisions. I have (and have always supported) the world's best congressperson, Henry Waxman, who is the smartest, toughest, most righteous member of the House and Senate combined.
Does that mean that most people in my area have clean air, affordable housing, healthy food, good schools, access to healthcare and plenty of clean water? FAR from it!!

For one thing, global issues are just that -- global. Apparently most of the air pollution in the UK originates in China. How will my vote change that? I always knew the war in Iraq was a horrible idea and so did Henry Waxman. Does that exempt everyone in his area from paying for it? I was in favor of immediately rebuilding New Orleans, and vehemently opposed to the rapacious "free trade" pacts with our southern neighbors that guarantee their poverty, desperate (and often illegal) immigration, and ecological destruction. Ditto on my vote's impacts.

Everything I believe in has been crushed by so-called "democracy" because the system has been gamed. Greed, revenge, pettiness, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, you name it -- it was used to "market" the Bush plans, so we got the double whammy of destructive Bush policies and a drastic increase in hatred, ignorance and all the baser human instincts.

As long as "marketing" (read "propaganda") that preys on insecurity, greed and weakness is the driving force behind democracy, it will always be a race to the bottom. As long as corporations, industries and yes, unions, dictate the voting patterns of our representatives instead of "one man, one vote," democracy will also remain a pyramid scheme with the richest at the top.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-smiley/i-couldnt-have-said-it-b_b_44905.html