Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News, Thursday 12/22/05

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News

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TRO Filed Against Counties in New Mexico Purchasing Sequoia AVC Edge Voting Machines

19 NM counties agree that Sequoia DREs should not be used by their voters

Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VoteTrustUSA.org

Last month BradBlog reported that there was an important lawsuit happening in New Mexico. We can now report that a TRO has been filed and that plaintiffs have been added to the suit.

Today, attorneys for Patricia Rosas Lopategui, et al. and against Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron, et al. filed a temporary restraining order asking District Judge Eugenio Mathis for an emergency order blocking the Secretary of State from spending millions of dollars on Sequoia AVC Edge touch screen voting machines for use in Bernalillo, Dona Ana, Santa Fe and 11 other counties.

snip

The work done by these attorneys has already begun to reap benefits outside of the state of New Mexico as attorneys in other states have begun asking for advice and assistance. VoterAction has a copy of the filing and all attached exhibits posted on their website.

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002187.htm

Not Just Diebold That Has Weak Voting Machine Security

(Mis)Uses of Technology Contributed by Mike on Wednesday, December 21st, 2005 @ 10:36AM

from the easy-to-hack dept.

With the recent attention given to Diebold optical scanners for voting ballots in Florida, it's worth remembering that many competing machines may be vulnerable to similar flaws.

snip

And, while Diebold cracks jokes about how something like this could never happen in a real election, wasn't it just a month ago that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger discovered that the e-voting machines he planned to vote on hadn't actually been zeroed out before the election?

http://techdirt.com/articles/20051221/1035228_F.shtml

California Refuses To Certify Diebold Voting Machines

(Mis)Uses of Technology Contributed by Carlo on Wednesday, December 21st, 2005 @ 01:58PM

from the denied dept.

The California Secretary of State has refused to certify Diebold voting machines used in 17 counties there, citing "unresolved significant security concerns" with the memory cards that store votes.

snip

The Secretary of State's office wants Diebold to turn over its source code for examination, and the company says it's "always willing to participate in responsible testing" -- which is odd, seeing as how it said earlier it would rather pull out of North Carolina than submit its code for review there (but, of course, got certified anyway).

Diebold doesn't do much to instill confidence that its machines are secure, and enough questions remain around other machines as well to make it clear that the testing and certification process needs to be greatly improved.

While Diebold thinks only secrecy can deliver security, it's really transparency that's needed most.

http://techdirt.com/articles/20051221/1355229_F.shtml

December 21, 2005

Diebold Denied California Once Again

California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson has denied Diebold's request for voting machine certification. In a letter sent to Diebold on Tuesday, McPherson's office cited "unresolved significant security concerns" related to Diebold's memory cards.

snip

Diebold divestiture has been an activist strategy for quite a while, most notably organized by VelvetRevolution.us. Also circulating through various listserves today courtesy of Phyllis at CountPaperBallots.com was a list of mutual funds with Diebold as a Top 10 holding:

snip

http://guvwurld.blogspot.com/2005/12/diebold-denied-california-once-again.html

December 21, 2005

Sims seeks all-mail vote
System could be in place next year

By NEIL MODIE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Possibly as early as next fall, King County would go to an all-mail voting system -- the nation's largest -- under a plan announced by County Executive Ron Sims Tuesday.

"The public has spoken: They like the convenience of all-mail balloting," said Sims, noting that more than 70 percent of the county's voters now cast absentee ballots.

The executive said he has directed elections director Dean Logan to prepare by Jan. 31 a comprehensive plan and timetable for an all-mail ballot system for King County's 1.2 million registered voters. He said it would be in place for the primary election in either 2006 or 2007.

Sims announced his proposal at a news conference with County Council members Julia Patterson of SeaTac and Bob Ferguson of Seattle, whom the executive praised effusively. Among the council's majority Democrats, the two have been the strongest critics of the Democratic executive's elections department, which was beset by mistakes in the 2004 general election.

snip

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/252894_election21.html

GD Discussion:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5662615&mesg_id=5662615

December 21, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM

The Northwest seems to be a leader in the vote-by-mail trend

By Jim Brunner

Seattle Times staff reporter

In proposing Tuesday to make local elections an entirely vote-by-mail affair, King County Executive Ron Sims was following a Northwest trend toward making polling places a relic of the past.

Oregon in 2000 became the only state to agree to entirely abandon voting at the polls. Washington has gradually followed, with 33 of 39 counties now committed to voting by mail, not including King County.

But not everyone is following the Northwest's lead. Many states cling to the definition of the absentee voter as someone who had better have a darn good excuse for not showing up at the polls.

"On the East Coast they still view us as being very weird," said Secretary of State Sam Reed, a longtime advocate of voting by mail.

snip

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002695426_votingside21m.html

Wednesday, December 21, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM

Shift in power probably means all-mail voting

By Christopher Schwarzen

Times Snohomish County Bureau

After working for months on a 10-year comprehensive-plan update, Snohomish County Council members say they're ready for newer topics.

But they'll return to an old issue first: all-mail elections.

With control of the council switching from the Republicans to the Democrats next year, what has been rejected more than once — most recently by a 3-2 vote Monday — is now almost a sure thing.

Currently, 32 of the state's 39 counties have moved to all-mail voting. By January, about 60 percent of Snohomish County's registered voters will have chosen to vote by mail, according to the county Auditor's Office. It's expected that figure will rise to 80 percent by fall 2008 if the council doesn't make a change.

snip

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snohomishcountynews/2002694700_county21n.html

19 States to Miss Fair Vote Law Deadline

Wed Dec 21, 4:50 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Nineteen states will miss the Jan. 1 deadline for complying with the federal law ensuring accurate and honest elections, but most should be ready when votes are cast in 2006.

The National Association of Secretaries of State surveyed the states on compliance with the 2002 law that helps or requires states to replace outdated voting equipment, establish statewide voter registration databases, require better voter identification and provide provisional ballots so qualified voters can make their choices.

The association received responses from 43 states and released the results Wednesday. The organization provided only numbers and did not identify the specific states, part of the agreement to ensure that states participated in the survey.

However, during a conference call with reporters, association officials said California and Illinois won't have voter registration databases ready for the elections. Vermont would be in compliance; Washington would miss the Jan. 1 deadline but be ready for voting.

snip

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051221/ap_on_go_ot/fair_elections

LBN Discussion:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2000776

"Times don't get more serious than this; it is time for the most serious of measures." - Granny D.

http://impeachthesonofabitch.com

Happy Birthday Granny D! ... please sign her virtual "birthday card"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5661310

John Kerry on the Ed Schultz Show 12/21/05 - Talks Election Fraud

http://www.thedemocraticdaily.com/122105SenatorKerry.mp3

Discussion:
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Dec. 21, 2005

Audit finds $3.8 million in election funds improperly spent

JENNIFER COLEMAN

Associated Press

SACRAMENTO - More than $3.8 million in federal election money was spent improperly or without required documentation by former Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, federal auditors said in a report released Wednesday.

The audit, commissioned by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, confirms an earlier state audit of Shelley's handling of money given to California under the Help America Vote Act. It examined spending through 2004.

Auditors said about $3 million in spending lacked documentation, such as paying salaries for people who didn't submit time sheets, or was improperly awarded to consultants through no-bid contracts.

The audit, conducted by the Department of the Interior's inspector general, also found another $777,502 was improperly spent on salaries, promotional memorabilia and other items that were unrelated to the Help America Vote Act.

snip

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/13458667.htm

Discussion:
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Posted on Thu, Dec. 22, 2005

Audit finds $3.8 million in election funds improperly spent

JENNIFER COLEMAN

Associated Press

snip

The commission will review the audit and issue a final report to the state within 60 days, commission spokeswoman Jeannie Layson said Wednesday. She said it is premature to speculate about possible remedies or penalties the state could face.

But the current secretary of state, Bruce McPherson, said California could be required to repay the money.

"In order to argue against a particular reimbursement, the secretary of state's office must show proof of reasons why those funds should not be reimbursed," said Jennifer Kerns, a spokeswoman for McPherson.

snip

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/13460222.htm

CA State Senator Debra Bowen on KXRA 12/21/05 about Diebold

December 21, 2005

California State Senator Debra Bowen

On the Peter B. Collins Radio Show, broadcast on KRXA 540-AM in Monterey, to talk about Diebold and the Secretary of State's latest action.

http://krxa540.com

No Discussion:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x406177


Good show, though. ;)

Dec 22, 1:31 AM EST

Democrats keep up legal fight against voter ID law

By CHARLES WILSON
Associated Press Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)

snip

All of this, they argued, is required to combat a problem that the state has no solid evidence exists.

The law that took effect July 1 does not apply to absentee voting, where fraud is well established, Groth and Lohman wrote.

There are no studies showing either rampant voter fraud or rampant voter suppression in states with ID requirements, according to Electionline.org, a nonpartisan Washington-based group that studies election law.

Indiana is one of six states with a voter ID law currently in force. A judge suspended Georgia's voter ID law last month.

snip

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IN_VOTER_IDENTIFICATION_INOL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-12-22-01-31-52

LBN Discussion:

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As the Year Ends, Some Silver Linings

Ernest Partridge, Co-Editor

The Crisis Papers

December 20, 2005

snip

The Election fraud issue is finally getting attention. Despite abundant statistical, anecdotal and circumstantial evidence of fraud in the 2000, 2002 and 2004 elections, the mainstream media has placed a near-total embargo on any mention whatever of the issue of electoral integrity. Amazingly, and disgracefully, most Democratic politicians and liberal publications have joined this silence. Apparently the expectation and hope of all concerned is that the issue, if ignored, would simply go away. Well, it hasn’t. A determined few independent publications and many dedicated internet web sites have kept the issue alive, as public opinion polls have disclosed that a significant minority of voters believe that their votes no longer count – that the election results are simply what the Republican manufacturers and code writers of the e-voting machines want them to be.

Now, at long last, the issue of voting fraud is grabbing public and even media attention. Reports of the unreliability of Diebold’s voting machines have seriously impacted the company’s stock value, leading to the resignation of CEO Walden O’Dell and several other officers. In Florida, Diebold machines failed a “hack test,” wherein the results of a hypothetical election were reversed leaving no evidence that the hack had taken place. An anonymous whistleblower employee of Diebold, dubbed “Dieb-Throat,” has revealed that through an undisclosed “back door” to the machines one person strategically situated can reverse the results of an election. Finally, a report from the respected and non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirms the critics’ accusation that electronic voting equipment has severe security and reliability flaws.

As public dissatisfaction with the Bush regime increases and the 2006 election approaches, the public may become every more receptive to the idea that, due to fraud in the past elections, the Bush Administration and even the Republican Congress, have no legitimate claim to power.

snip

http://www.crisispapers.org/essays-p/silverlinings.htm