Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org

There have been no media reports of any huge meltdowns in yesterday’s primaries. The reports may still come but so far all of the reports have been of minor problems. The one major issue is that after all of the previous primaries and caucuses it seems as if the four states that held primaries yesterday were all surprised that turnout was going to be high. How can any jurisdiction be caught without enough paper ballots? How can voters be sent home without voting because there was not enough paper to go around? Listen up Mississippi and Pennsylvania…turnout is going to be high. Prepare for it.

One of the issues we heard from the Ohio media is the reports that very few voters asked to use paper ballots even though they were there to be used. Instead they chose to use the touch-screen machines. Of course, the reports don’t mention if the voters were offered paper ballots as a choice or if the ballots were kept hidden unless a voter specifically asked for one. The reports come from county election officials who were not happy about having to provide paper ballots so any news may be slanted.

Meanwhile legislation is moving in Colorado that will force counties to use paper ballots in November. Iowa is another step closer to paper ballots and away from touch-screen voting. Franklin Co Ohio has announced that they are seriously considering scrapping their touch-screens for optical-scan and paper ballots....

• NAtional: Diebold chair blasts United Tech offer
  http://www.forbes.com/ma...08/03/05/afx4734528.html
• NAtional: Diebold chairman criticizes takeover bid in new letter
  http://www.ohio.com/news...break_news/16256006.html
• NAtional: Defense Contractor Seeks to Buy Diebold
  http://blog.wired.com/27.../03/defense-contrac.html
• AR: White County - Early voting options needed
  http://www.thedailycitiz...ws/top_stories/top01.txt
• AZ: Voting Review
  Pima County prepares to address election challenges and make changes
  http://www.tucsonweekly....s/Content?oid=oid:107536
• CA: San Mateo County - Vote turnout totals 59.3 percent, county says
  http://www.almanacnews.c...s/show_story.php?id=1759
• CO: E-voting machines get OK
  http://www.rockymountain...-voting-machines-get-ok/
• CO: Coffman certifies the last of electronic voting machines
  http://www.summitdaily.c.../20080304/NEWS/328832066
• CO: E-voting machines regain certification, clerks prefer mail ballots
  http://www.ouraynews.com...prefer_mail_ballots.html
• CO: State finishes recertifying voting machines for 2008
  County clerks are pleased, but legislators are still weighing a bill to require a mostly paper-ballot system.
  http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_8454311
• CO: State lawmakers set to vote on paper ballot election
  http://www.krdo.com/Global/story.asp?S=7968709
• CO: Paper Ballots Pass First Hurdle
  http://www.myfoxcolorado...e=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1
• CO: Morgan County – Editorial - Paper ballot too expensive
  http://www.fortmorgantim...s/voting%20editorial.txt
• IA: Panel backs ballot scanners in elections throughout Iowa
  http://www.desmoinesregi...WS10/803050371/1001/NEWS
• MS: Mississippi election officials have paper problem
  http://www.wreg.com/Glob...1838&nav=menu93_1_2
• NM: KKOB Radio News Anchor Laura MacCallum Quits After Station Pulls Stories About Alleged Republican Vote-Buying Efforts
  http://f-brilliant.blogs...hor-laura-maccallum.html
• NM: Rep. Heather Wilson Accused of Felony Vote-Buying in New Mexico; Reporter Quits After News Director Scrubs Story
  https://bradblog.com/?p=5766
• NY: Less Restrictive Absentee Ballot Rules Called For
  http://www.zwire.com/sit...;dept_id=6363&rfi=6
• NY: The Necessary Component: Paper Ballots
  http://www.opednews.com/...the_necessary_compon.htm
• OH: Ballot Problems Slow Cleveland Count
  http://blogs.wsj.com/was...ount/?mod=googlenews_wsj
• OH: Ballot Shortages Plague Ohio Primary Amid Unusually Heavy Voter Turnout
  http://www.nytimes.com/2...05vote.html?ref=politics
• OH: Democratic 'surprise' overwhelms
  http://news.cincinnati.c...EWS01/303050007/-1/CINCI
• OH: Editorial - Voters have done Ohio proud
  http://www.cantonrep.com...ry=3&subCategoryID=
• OH: Shortage of ballots leads to extended voting hours in Ohio
  http://toledoblade.com/a...0080305/NEWS09/803050442
• OH: Crossovers use all the ballots
  Some are told to wait - or come back later
  http://news.enquirer.com...0080305/NEWS01/803050380
• OH: Ballots cast with few minor problems reported
  http://zanesvilletimesre...03/803050348/1002/NEWS01
• OH: Cuyahoga County - Optical scan voting works in Ohio
  http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/45924-1.html
• OH: Franklin County - County could spend millions to scrap touch-screens for paper ballots
  http://www.columbusdispa...BOEmachines.html?sid=101
• OH: Montgomery County - Few problems with Montgomery County voting
  http://www.daytondailyne.../ddn030408votingweb.html
• OH: Sandusky Co. Polls Delay State Results Until 9 p.m.
  http://www.myfoxtoledo.c...e=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1
• OH: Stark County - Results delayed by optical scan ballots
  http://www.cantonrep.com...89&subCategoryID=31
• OH: Warren County - Demand for Democratic ballots swells with voter turnout
  http://www.western-star....ws030408turnoutweb2.html
• PA: Bucks County - Voting machine official defends reliability to unhappy constituents
  http://www.phillyburbs.c...13-03052008-1498392.html
• PA: Bucks County - County to stick to voting machines
  Bucks commissioners show no signs of switching to scannable ballots
  http://www.mcall.com/new...178mar05,0,6148816.story
• PA: Lackawanna County - County scraps e-voting plans
  http://www.thetimes-trib...ept_id=415898&rfi=6
• RI: Some voters hit snags
  http://www.projo.com/new..._8O98I6E_v8.37341ee.html
• TX: Angelina County officials blame machine errors on delay in election results
  http://www.lufkindailyne...2008/03/05/election.html
• TX: Angelina County - Late-night vote-tally snafus 'probably set some records'
  http://www.lufkindailyne...6/Counting_Problems.html
• TX: Clermont County - Massive Crossover Voting In Clermont County
  http://www.wcpo.com/news...8-4de0-86fe-d74e97777cfe
• TX: Dallas County - Voters gripe about delays, confusion at polls
  http://www.wfaa.com/shar...complaints.25b5044e.html
• TX: Harris County - Investigation Launched Into Vote Stealing
  http://www.click2houston...tes/15492166/detail.html
• TX: Travis County - Problem machines cause voting delay
  Technicians out all day Tuesday, but not all problems reported
  http://media.www.dailyte...ting.Delay-3252663.shtml
• VA: Senate passes bill to extend election polling in emergencies
  http://www.insidenova.co...ing_in_emergencies/5179/

**"Daily Voting News" is meant as a comprehensive listing of reports each day concerning issues related to election and voting news around the country regardless of quality or political slant. Therefore, items listed in "Daily Voting News" may not reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or BradBlog.Com**

                 

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