Centigrade thermometer, Barcelona, Spain.
Voting problems continue in Ohio
The same-day voter-registration window has ended in Ohio, but legal battles persist. The Republican Hamilton County prosecutor Joseph T. Deters subpoenaed the county elections board for the records of 266 new voters who cast absentee ballots during the week-long election-day registration period. Deters claimed there were problems with addresses and identities. A website breach, a state supreme court recusal and gubernatorial accusations of “scare tactics” also have been reported.
Update Wednesday evening: The various disputes over voting in Ohio are turning vicious and ugly, with death threats being lobbed at the Secretary of State’s Office. Luckily, a truce has been declared – for now – in the massive voter-registration flap that would require a double-checking of new registrants. Summitt County is taking matters into its own hands – the election board has reviewed and rejected hundreds of new voter registrations for a variety of reasons.
“Fraud" fight
Democrats and Republicans are accusing one another of encouraging voter fraud. House and Senate Judiciary Committee members – Republican and Democrat – have issued letters demanding investigations into alleged intimidation or fraud. An actual arrest for voter fraud has occurred in California, where a Republican man fraudulently registered in his boyhood home to meet a law requiring signature gatherers in his company were registered in the state.
Early voting; early problems
Many West Virginians were outraged when they attempted to cast an early ballot but found their choice “jumped” to another candidate on the touch-screen, prompting officials to urge voters to re-check their selections before submitting their ballots.
With early voting open in the majority of states, problems and long lines have already begun. In Florida, many waited 30 minutes to an hour to cast a ballot, in part due to mechanical glitches. Poll workers in some spots went out of their way to make sure the waits were comfortable.
Voter deception hits the internet
As deceitful flyers and robocalls have given way to false emails and websites aimed at confusing and intimidating voters, Election Protection and its allies are addressing the issue head on. On Monday a report was released by Common Cause, The Century Foundation and The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, entitled Deceptive Practices 2.0: Legal And Policy Responses. Read more here.
Bucking the trend
Two of Colorado’s biggest counties – Larimer and Jefferson – have been accepting voter registration forms, in opposition to Secretary of State Mike Coffman’s ruling to disqualify them based on the applicants’ failure to check a small box.
Ready, set, vote!
In Texas, early voting has begun. Officials are predicting record turnout and problems for newly- registered voters, due to paperwork backlogs from the influx of new voters.
Feds to watch polls
As part of the Department of Justice’s nationwide Election Day Program, voting in several U.S. districts will be monitored by U.S. Attorneys, as well as special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Northern Florida is one such district, as are both federal districts of Wisconsin and the states of Kentucky, Maryland and Tennessee.
Voter deception 2.0
Fears of internet voter deception have been stoked over the past few months by erroneous emails and website hacks. Virginia is the latest e-victim. as a massive letter-writing campaign crashed e-mail servers in Fairfax County, Richmond and several other jurisdictions. The crash caused a critical, nearly day-long interruption in sending absentee ballots via e-mail to overseas and military voters.
If you encounter problems in casting your vote at the polls, please contact Election Protection at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683).
Scroll down the page for an additional post today.
Why oh why is your voting system so complicated? We just receive a Electorial Roll paper each year that you either update or keep the same. It's so simple.
Posted by: Di Overton | 23 October 2008 at 07:24
Tara,
I have now sent in 2 ballots, 1st an absentee write-in ballot, then upon reception of the official, I sent it along. My husband and daughter did this as well- and the DEM Abroad group advised this procedure as well as the inform in the packet we downloaded- I hope this is not seen or processed as double voting though it states otherwise. Do you know if this has been in question? ps you are close by to Beziers area from Barcelona? Let us know if you are nearby en route !
Posted by: betheanne | 22 October 2008 at 23:43
We have early voting here in TN but to tell you the truth, I don't trust it. I'm going to wait until the 4th and wait as long as it takes. Our country sure does need some change. I mean, this is the United States of America! Voting problems??? Wha?????
Posted by: Rosa | 22 October 2008 at 20:52
Tara, what do you think...it's my impression that if somehow this election gets stolen due to some of the practices you mention here, that there might be an uprising here that makes the French Revolution look punk.
People have finally woken up. The Republicans have no idea how people might get this time around.
Posted by: tangobaby | 22 October 2008 at 19:39
We live in NE Ohio, and problems with election are nothing new.
I do think, though, that the Republicans have dropped their suit.
About time. The current administration sits on the same side of the aisle and is responsible for the travesties that are impacting all of us.
Posted by: debra | 22 October 2008 at 15:00
Temperatures rising? I know mine is. In the 2000 election it was made clear to me that the country I thought I knew was really a stranger I didn't know or like. The attitudes of 'anything to win' legal, illegal makes no difference. I wish the election were over and Obama safely in but I am not hopeful just worried. Having said that, a friend from FL emailed me yesterday to say she and her husband went out to vote yesterday, with this two weeks of early voting in FL, the line went out the door and around 2 corner blocks! She said it was like that the day before until after 9! There was some sort of snag in the process and some people had to wait 6 hours in line but they didn't leave.
Posted by: kris | 22 October 2008 at 14:40