Dalco local politics - thoughts.

I've thought about this some more, because it strikes me as completely insane that the same county who elected Lupe and our Democratic judges also voted for Shrub. 656,722 total voted in the sheriff's race, 686,399 voted in the president's race. Not counting straight party votes.

I have to admit, I just don't get it. The people who voted for Lupe looked at her resume and decided that she was qualified because of what she has done. (I agree). These same people looked at Shrub's resume and decided that he was qualified because of what he has done. Do I even live in the same universe as them.

I'll never believe anything different.

but I've always gotten a good "vibe" off of the Dalco elections office (they have been very open and helpful to me always), and I know that Election Protection had a "technology" committee.

I'd be interested in hearing the reasons for your allegation (perhaps offline?) and maybe we could figure out how we could best address it? I have a list of things I'd like to take up with the office, from my clerking experience, and I'm sure we could give some feedback to Harryette's organization. Maybe we could get a group together and go chat with Bruce about constructive things the office needs to do to make us feel safe & secure, i.e. voter verifiable paper trail?

The key to any fair election is, and always has been, transparency. I voted on an ES&S machine, but got a vacant look from the poll helper when I asked for a paper trail.

I think part of the problem does lie with using black box machines, whether they're built by Diebold, ES&S, or someone else. If you can't review the code, you can't verify that the machines work properly. At least there's a paper trail with optical scanners, plus an easier recount process.

Bubble-in ballots with optical scanners and a BIG FAT PAPER TRAIL. Which had to be loaded up in boxes, sealed, and hand carried to the office. This is why I am kinda skeptical about people claiming that the Dallas election was rigged. They would've have to hack into the central tabulator or something. Not saying it's not POSSIBLE, just saying that my "vibe" off Dallas county is that they are trying to give us a fair election.

Now, in early voting, we voted on the ES&S touchscreens. Which I intend to start nagging the Dalco elections office about, ASAP.

Would anyone care to join me in my nagging? Perhaps we can join together and work with Harryette's group or start our own. Call it "North Texas Fair Elections" and have a coalition of activists who generally make pests of ourselves at our respective county offices.

I have a pretty positive feeling about Dallas county, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to watch them. :D

all of the early voting were on touch screens. All of the end votes were 33 some odd percent to 60 something. We were had. I have no positive feeling whatsoever, you are wrong in your positiveness. Watch closer. It happened in 2000, it happened in 2002 and now 2004.

because I knew they'd be using those infernal machines. :(

Your source, please?

Here's my analyisis of Dalco EV:

EV In person, straight Republican: 113,775
EV In person, straight Democrat: 105,655
Ev In person, straight Lib: 794
Total EV in person straight ticket: 220,224

EV In person, Shrub: 170,288
EV In person, Kerry: 148,457
EV In person, Badnarik: 1,521
Write in: 463
Total EV in person, presidential: 320,729

Total EV Shrub: 284063 (53.3% EV)
Total EV Kerry: 254118 (47.7%)
Total EV, other: 2778
Total EV presidential: 531959

Anyhoo... so are you currently working with Harryette's group? Would you be interested in taking this real-world and seeing what we can do? I am very interested in continuing to pursue dialog with Bruce's office. I don't know if Harryette will be continuing her efforts or not-- I'd like to work with her group if they are -- but I would like to do something in this area locally.

n/t
I'm sorry I did not do more this time. I like your suggestion.

"North Texans for Fair Elections".