Another Election Day, another Diebold election “failure” or two.
And a few other quick Election Integrity items of note as I try to get outta here today to head to Arizona where I’ll be appearing next week at Q&A’s for a couple of Uncounted screenings. (See the “Media Appearances” box on top-right for details, if you’re in Phoenix or Tuscon, or thereabouts!)…
- In Illinois today, they are holding an election to replace Denny Hastert. On the Diebold touch-screen machines used by the hopelessly partisan Republican DuPage County Election Commission, the word “REPUBLICAN” is popping on to the screen, such that some precincts have reportedly taken to placing tape over the screen where that occurs. The DuPage board is extraordinarily slimy, hopelessly corrupt, overtly willing to break the law, have hired Republican operatives to do “PR” for them (both overtly and covertly), and have recently launched an all out effort, with the help of their corrupt friends in the local media, to to swiftboat the non-partisan citizen Election Integrity advocate citizen volunteers of the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project (IBIP).
- Nothing illegal about Republicanists dutifully following Rush’s orders to cross over to the Dem side in order to vote for Hillary in the recent Ohio Primary. Or is there?
- Diebold op-scan machines cause more trouble than they’re worth. Again. This time in Vermont. And perhaps to the advantage of a Democrat over a Republican for a change. Someone needs to be fired for that.
- 0 Republican votes recorded in 21 Texas counties during last week’s Primaries? Yes. But here’s why.
Backatcha from the road (see below if you feel like helping us with some gas money! We could much use it!)…
UPDATE FROM THE ROAD, FROM SOME MOTEL 6 SOMEWHERE… The Democratic candidate, Bill Foster has been announced as the winner of Hastert’s once formidable seat (yes, pun intended.) Good. Now it’s time to impound those machines and memory cards from DuPage County immediately. Both the machines that flashed “REPUBLICAN” and those that didn’t need to be impounded by the AG, so they can be tested to find out what happened and why it happened.
And because the Dem candidate won, Election Integrity advocates can’t be labeled as “sore losers” for taking this action immediately. Hopefully the good folks at IBIP will take swift action. Lord knows the DuPage County Election Commission won’t.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Related. It looks like Foster’s Democratic Primary Election opponent, John Laesch is asking for a recount of the February primary. Haven’t gotten to speak to him or his camp, so not familiar with what the issues of concern are yet, but thought I’d drop a quick link here to put it on your radar. The BRAD BLOG, of course, supports any and all recount requests deemed necessary by any candidates or their supporters who feel they need to find confidence in any given election results, particularly as we currently — and absurdly — use so many non-transparent, wholly faith-based voting systems which have robbed the country of the ability to have the oversight needed to ensure confidence in our democratic system.
The Diebold optical scan machines in Vermont are programmed and administered by LHS Associates. You may remember that these are the same folks who handled the New Hampshire primary fiasco. They are also involved in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Hillary,the establishment candidate and, as far as we know,the recipient of the LHS irregularities,managed to win in Massachusetts despite Obama being endorsed by Kerry,the Kennedys,and Gov. Patrick.
Hillary felt that she didn’t need to game Connecticut because of her big lead there directly before the primary. She was surprised when the exit polls and the actual vote went to Obama by 4%.
I guess that the point I am making is that LHS is paid for and connected to establishment Democrats and,therefore,any shenanigans that surface in their spheres of influence will definitely favor Democrats and not Republicans.
By the way, I haven’t heard much lately about the New Hampshire recount. Does anyone have the latest?
This proves that the intelligence inside these machines is artificial …
There is more to come in the late great Amurka electronic voting machine revolution.
The republican electronic machine industry is locked and loaded to present the truth straight from BIG BROTHER to an electronic voting machine near you.
After you enter the booth and pull the curtains, these messages may appear:
(HuffPo).
Foster just took IL-14…
Amazing!!
‘REPUBLICAN’ Flashes on Diebold Screens in Illinois Special Election to Replace Hastert…
I simply will not pass on your important story until
you correct the grammar.
their?
Fix it
re: the Vermont scanner reject of ballots as unreadable. It sounds fine to me.
A possible explanation would be that they have an old scanner with an infrared light reader. Translated, it can’t recognize many kinds of pens — only 4, actually. Wrong pen? No vote shows up when scanned.
If the machine were set up to accept unreadable/blank ballots, I would be far more concerned. The procedure where I vote is to place the ballots in an auxiliary bin for hand counting when the polls close.
I would also be concerned if a test deck were run through the machine and a bunch of votes for Joe Blow showed up under Jack Frost. That didn’t happen, either.
Or am I missing something? I’m real happy when machine mistakes are this transparent and understandable. What’s scary is when you audit them and there are more votes than ballots, e.g.
Anyone have more info on this situation?
… Orangutan said…
“Amazing!!”
While Brad tries to keep the blog clear of political entanglements…
… which task is made quite diffilcult by the unending capers of the GOP’s dedicated (and much documented) election fraud operatives…
… this does serve as an indication that the IL voter turnout was sufficient to override any potential Republican gaming.
Steve B (#1)–
Thanks for asking!~Yes: On Feb. 15th, with assistance from the incredible Black Box Voting crew and supporters, Albert Howard successfully filed a RECOUNT APPEAL with the Ballot Law Commission of NH. If you have not read the appeal, worked on under duress by these ladies with little time left to meet yet another unexpected State Deadline–
Oh, it. just. sings.
http://www.democracyfornewhamps...node/view/5454
Incredible compilation of evidence acquired in BBV’s ongoing NH investigation; eloquently written, informative, compelling. It strikes just the right proactive, yet non-confrontational, tone. Mr. Howard and those ladies sure do me proud. The BLC DID grant us a hearing/ scheduled for sometime at the end of this month.
Also, I would LOVE any feedback from BRADBLOGGERS re: this groundbreaking report from BOB SCHULZ: 2008 NH PRIMARY REPUBLICAN RECOUNT RESULTS/ FAILURE and ACCURACY RATE OF MACHINE vs HAND COUNTS, if you have not taken a look:
http://www.wethepeoplefoundatio...t-Feb-2008.htm
Among Mr. Schulz’s incredible findings:
As I just happened to be observing/ even signed off on WARD 5 (I know–odd twist of Serendipity) and though I understand the STATE’s standard explanation of what happened in that ward to produce negative vote totals for ALL CANDIDATES (the VP totals were accidentally added to the machine count by the…wait for it…YUP! Bad
poll workers); but after seeing that beautifully designed, perfectly clear, super-duper-voter-intent-friendly, instantly verifiable NH ballot–I just don’t understand how that mistake could be made…TWICE.
Any one? Theories/ further info much appreciated.
Also, Steve–FANTASTIC NEW BBV video featuring some stunning/ jaw-dropping NH chain of custody whoppers are on the way! I understand BEV HARRIS is putting the finishing touches on as we blog!~
(Stunning report, Brad, as always.)
I’m not sure what you are talking about when you say optical scan flashed Republican or flashed any word. We in Ok have have problem free optical scan for decades (the one thing Ok seems to have done right). Each voter is given a ballot after signing in. If their name isn’t listed in the roll book a quick call to the county election office can find the name and the correct precinct if they are registered, but anyone can fill out a provisional ballot which will not be counted, ie put through optical scan, but sent in separate envelope with the other ballots to the county office the same evening. After the ballot has been marked he/she puts it through the scan machine and it is counted,no words, only the number comes up. If there is a mark other than on the small box by the name the scan refuses it, the voter tears up his ballot and is given a new one. The votes are tallied by the machine after the polls close and a copy of that talley is placed on the door of the polling place. The whole process is quick and efficient, no waiting in lines, no breakdown of machines, no need to explain to voters how to use a machine.
I think all this hullabaloo about trying to get poll workers and voters trained to use those complicated computer machines is simply a red herring to hide voting manipulation and skew an election, plus allow private firms to make a bunch of money. Shame on all of us for allowing this to happen to our system.
Thanks for the great update Jeannie!
Is DKos’ AnonymousArmy In Fact Steven Hertzberg of ESI?
Please check out what I found. I believe there is a reason why the Bev bashers have backed off. I think it has to do with their scam being revealed. Maybe they can confess their sins at scamdy.com.
You’re so very welcome, Ancient!~Mmmm’WA!
… Elisabeth Ham, Tulsa, Ok. wondered…
“I’m not sure what you are talking about when you say optical scan flashed Republican or flashed any word.”
Er… perhaps because no one said that? 🙂
The news you seem to be referring to is about DRE “touchscreens” in IL-14… which can flash most anything they feel like on their screens… while at the same time doing whatever they feel like with your vote…
BTW… opscans are not a panacea for voting problems… and they are not immune to the sort of games that can be played with DRE’s..
It’s simply that opscans, perforce, leave behind a voter-marked paper ballot that can be recounted… that’s their only real advantage over DRE’s
His royal
dennisduhness andkinglydingy line of descendants bit the dust today. Quite rightly.Never send a neoCon to hack a machine, you will have to send an intellectual if you want it properly conducted.
So like the dinosaurs, the greatest turd makers of the last 100 million years, turd blossom’s bullshitistan tactics did not prevail.
Duhnis Hasturd was so well known that a long time fascist seat was converted back to reality.
American flag waved, Amurkan flag waived.
That is where the “i” belongs brothers and sisters.
Scott Horton leaves us another excellent piece from Alabamie.
Alice Martin’s War
What a festering cesspool, my God
So Long
SuckerFuckerer Tucker . . .A couple of years ago I couldn’t tell MSNBC from the MSPCA.
Maybe the Clueless News Network will . . . . . Glenn
BeckDreck . . .Backatcha Jeannie!
On another note watching Private Armies on LinkTV. Its jaw dropping, gut wrenching, just out and out fucking disgusting what they’ve done to our country.
Jeremy Scahill is doing OUTSTANDING Journalism!
Hmmm… Heat carbon & mASS there my be diamonds in hastert’s seat ?
Stories like this are exactly why I have taken an extended hiatus, they literally piss me off so bad that they effect my health. (Go ahead psyops laugh now you fucking pieces of shit, one day you won’t be so young and dumb and you’ll be pissed off)
I really wish all the people fighting the corruption “all the best” , but the way I see it now, is that unless these corrupt fucks finally start to fear mortally for their life for breaking their oath, and their illegal deeds nothing is going to change.
Why not just pass a law that says…
Government office in the United States is very serious business, if you break your sworn oath of office the penalty is a 25 cent round to your forehead? Fuck all these trials and subpoenas that take years while the corruption spreads like a cancer. Our justice system CAN NOT keep up.
I mean really, you swore to protect the constitution. What went wrong. greed?
I know lot’s of you here have me convinced this offense should be simply “life in prison.” (e.g. Hell on Earth) But at this point I am looking at the greater good for the people. These people are wrecking everything! And why the fuck are all those fuck-up’s (no offense to the band) from the 1970’s suddenly back in powerful positions again?
Add the fascist media (MOST ALL OF IT) in to this mix, and we have a failed country.
The money is next. Just watch.
(I bet 1/2 our money has now been stolen invisibly)
Who would even want to start working for the Government now?!
For example:
The Thrift Savings Plan FRTIB’s DECISION TO LIMIT TSP TRADES. Hmm, nice huh? In a volatile market with the ups and DOWNS lately tell me who the fuck out there can trade stocks twice a fucking month and make money? And not in REAL time either. Older government employees actually have a retirement, not just this plan, but for ALL the new people–this is the plan. Oh and did I mention the top TSP guy wore two hats and was a…….wait for it……..
Bush appointee that’s right..
and then add to that the question of if he even had (in the past where he screwed traders) or has (currently) the power to make changes.
It’s all a big nasty mess, and I doubt too many federal employees know about it yet. Most people don’t give a fuck about retirement. And as usual the reporting about it is biased, and there’s a question as to the truthfulness of the reasoning.
a 25 cent shell can buy accountability -IMO
(and I ain’t saying to do anything illegal here — DON’T!!!)
Sounds like a feeble attempt at subliminal advertising to me.
I know your not suggesting I said anything wrong.
I’ll clarify and say specifically “DON’T DO ANYTHING ILLEGAL!!!”
Does anyone know how big the word “Republican” was? What color was it? Did it flash? Were there kinetic arrows pointing to the Republican candidates? Did it really matter that the screens read “Republican” since Diebold machines like to flip votes internally anyway?
Seriously. Democracy is a Joke.
Here’s my take on this story