Problems with voting early (absentee) in Missouri

I went to the Plaza Library in KC to vote early yesterday, picture I.D. in hand. I will be away from my regular polling place on election day, which means I am able to vote absentee.

First I had to fill out a form, and immediately there's a problem.

Beneath the signature line it indicated I was supposed to sign just exactly like my registration showed. Now, exactly what did it show on the registration rolls? Did I or did I not use my middle initial, did I use my full middle name, what did I do and I better sign exactly as my name appears on the registration rolls because McCain will challenge every vote after Barack wins in Missouri.

So I ask one of the election judge people to look up my name, and she did. Problem solved, but everyone voting early needs to make sure their signature agrees with their name on the rolls. All you have to do is ask that someone look up your name on the rolls when you go to vote.

So I thought I was ready to vote until another election person asked "Are you familiar with touch screen voting?" I go "I always use a paper ballot because it's much safer. There have already been reports of electronic machines flipping votes in other states." (I'm saying all this, you understand, so that everyone in the place -- there were quite a few other voters -- can hear me.) So the election dude tells me NONE OF THE POLLING PLACES HAVE THE OPTICAL SCAN OPTION EXCEPT FOR THE KC ELECTION BOARD DOWNTOWN. Which is all the more interesting because at my regular polling place I don't think they even have electronic machines. I could be wrong, but when I vote there everyone else uses a paper ballot too.

So the electronic machine dude tells me, "Oh it's perfectly safe. There's a paper trail ... see, there's a paper copy right here ...." or something like that, and I say "Oh, you mean I get a receipt?" His answer is "no," of course.

So I say I choose not to vote today, and instead I will go down to the election board where they have the optical scan because "if I use an electronic machine there is a chance my vote will not be counted." And I left.

BTW, after the '04 election there were suspected nasty things going on at the KC Election Board and it would have cost us hundreds of dollars to get copies of records that are supposed to be public, if I remember correctly, when I went down there to see about possible election fraud/voting irregularities in KC.

So is it true that only the KC election board has the optical scan option for early voting? I will have to find out.

Watch out, Obama staff and volunteers who vote early in Missouri. Be sure the name you sign agrees completely with your name as listed on the registration rolls, and definitely watch out for those electronic machines.

Heads up, Missouri Truth Squad!

{edited to change the subject line}

Robin Carnahan(Democrat) is the SOS in MO---she will be doing her best to make it fair in MO. Let her office know of your concerns, as well.

http://www.sos.mo.gov/contact.asp?id=elec#elec

There are different methods for voting in MO. I believe local jurisdictions decide what they will use.

where you can use a paper ballot (optical scan) if you vote early (absentee) is downtown at the Kansas City Election Board, 1828 Walnut, Kansas City Missouri 64108, 816-842-4820. You can vote absentee at this location until 5 p.m. on November 3.

All the other Kansas City polling places for voting absentee use electronic voting machines.

At least I think I did.

I've been told that, after you vote, you're able to view the paper copy and it shows how you voted.

Now if the electronic machine dude had only explained it that way to me when I went to vote absentee ... or to put it another way, if only I had shut up and listened to him instead of making a wise-ass comment ....