We’ve been telling you that voter registration issues are going to be important this year. Even voters who have been registered for years and who have voted in recent elections may find out, when they go to the polls in Nov., that they are not eligible to cast ballots. In our “Featured” article Kim Zetter of Wired News has done a great job in gathering information on voter registration data bases and presenting that information. It’s a scary story. Everyone needs to check to ensure they are still registered to vote and that the registration is correct. Do it now while there is still time to make corrections…
- Featured – National: Voter Database Glitches Could Disenfranchise Thousands
http://www.wired.com/politics/onlinerights/news/2008/09/voter_registration - National: Can New Media’s Obsessiveness Redeem the Vote?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-scola/can-new-medias-ocd-redeem_b_126942.html - National: As Key Voting Deadlines Approach, Major Nonpartisan Voter Protection Coalition Launches 2008 General Election Efforts
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/as-key-voting-deadlines-approach,544932.shtml - National: EAC Chair: Contingency Planning More Important than Ever this Year
Expect the Unexpected and Plan Accordingly
http://www.eac.gov/News/eac-chair-contingency-planning-more-important-than-ever-this-year/base_view - National: Report Shows Voting Problems in 10 Swing States
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0809/S00309.htm - National: Congress Urged to Pass Fast-Track “PAPER BALLOT” Legislation
http://newsblaze.com/story/20080917061240zzzz.nb/topstory.html - AZ: Voter-ID ruling appealed by civil-rights group
Proof of citizenship rule also questioned
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2008/09/17/20080917voterID0917.html - CA: Riverside County – Supervisors agree to audit Registrar of Voters Office
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/riverside/20080916-1418-voteaudit.html - CA: Riverside County – Vote process may receive second look
http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080917/NEWS0301/809170318/1026/news12 - CA: After complaints, Riverside County agrees to audit of electoral process
http://www.pe.com/localnews/politics/stories/PE_News_Local_S_vote17.419332e.html - CO: Dept. of State signed contract knowing of conflict
Contractor owns condo where ex-elections director sleeps
http://coloradostatesman.com/content/dept-state-signed-contract-knowing-conflict - CO: Ritter advocates mail, early voting to speed up Colorado’s election results
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/sep/17/ritter-advocates-mail-early-voting-speed-colorados/ - FL: Watchdog says Fla. not ready for Nov. 4
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/politics/content/state/epaper/2008/09/16/a4a_coxvoting_0917.html - FL: Broward County – Operation Big Vote rallies troops to get all eligible voters registered as major election draws near
http://www.thewestsidegazette.com/News/article/article.asp?NewsID=91266&sID=4&ItemSource=L - FL: Palm Beach County – New recount set for PBC judges race
http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=713ab508-93c6-4923-9c72-f2bafaf66c58 - GA: Vote early, nervous election officials urge Georgians
Anticipated turnout may overwhelm polls on Nov. 4
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/stories/2008/09/16/voter_turnout_nov.html - GA: Georgia Gets Poor Marks In Election Study
http://www.insideradvantagegeorgia.com/restricted/2008/September%202008/9-17-08/Election_Study91719642.php - MI: Democrats Sue Michigan G.O.P. on Voter Issue
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/obama-campaign-files-lawsuit-against-republicans-in-michigan/#more-6307 - MO: E-Vote: Missouri Increases Security Checks on Voting Equipment
http://www.govtech.com/gt/412367?topic=117671 - MS: Mississippi Ballot Will Disenfranchise Hundreds
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0809/S00336.htm - MS: Ballot dispute argued in Miss. Supreme Court
http://www.sunherald.com/218/story/823474.html - NY: Voting machine upgrades add up
Cost of changes locally to surpass $3.6 million
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080917/NEWS01/809170318/1006 - NY: Some voters turned away from special voting machines
http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2008/09/17/some-voters-turned-away-from-special-voting-machines/ - NY: Madison County – Few vote on ballot but many curious
Election inspectors’ jitters in using disabled accessible machines prove groundless.
http://www.syracuse.com/madison/index.ssf?/base/news-11/122164192763970.xml&coll=1 - OH: Secretary of state touts optical scan ballots during Akron talk
http://www.auroraadvocate.com/news/article/4402172 - OH: Why hurricane Ike demands paper ballots on November 4
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2008/3204 - OH: Butler County – Ohioans foresee fair election this Nov.
Poll finds Republicans a bit more confident than Democrats
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080917/NEWS0106/809170313 - OH: Columbiana County – Security added to election materials
http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/sep/17/security-added-to-election-materials/ - OH: Columbiana County – Elections board tightens vote equipment security
http://www.salemnews.net/page/content.detail/id/505219.html?nav=5007 - PA: Luzerne County – Piazza: $21K needed for election computer burner
Election bureau director says old burners don’t always work and may be a “fire hazard.”
http://www.timesleader.com/news/Piazza___21K_needed_for_election_computer_burner_09-17-2008.html - TX: Bob Barr Busts Ballot
http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/09/bob-barr-busts-ballot.html - VA: Charlottesville Council Approves Voting Machines Purchase
http://www.nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?S=8981464&nav=menu496_7 - WI: Democrats challenge Van Hollen’s voter registration lawsuit
Appleton clerk concerned about registration rules
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080917/APC0101/809170549/1003/APC01 - WI: Editorial – Quest for zero voter fraud threatens legitimate ballots
http://www.tomahjournal.com/articles/2008/09/16/opinion/01edvoting.txt - WI: Board: AG has conflict in Wis. voting lawsuit
http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/215813-board-ag-has-conflict-in-wis.-voting-lawsuit
**”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**
NATIONAL ‘GUARANTEE YOUR VOTE DAY’
Unbeknownst to them, tens of thousands of voters across the country have had their names purged from voter files. Most will not find out until November 4th, Election Day, when it is too late to do anything about it. Dozens of advocacy groups, organizations, bloggers and elected officials are calling for voters across the county on October 1st to check with their local elections department to make sure they are still registered to vote.
The cornerstone of our democracy is the right to vote, yet millions of Americans may have had that right unknowingly taken from them. Just recently:
—In New Jersey, 300,000 folks who thought that they were registered to vote in this election either have had their names purged, or were never put on the voter rolls in the first place.
—In Michigan, Republican election officials have stated anyone who has had foreclosure proceedings begun on their home, will be dropped from the voting rolls.
—In Virginia, the AFL-CIO has reported that Republican election officials, have deliberately mislead college students as to where they are eligible to register and vote.
—In Wisconsin, the Republican Attorney General has sued the state elections board to drop 20% of the voters from the rolls.
In 2006 in Ohio, 300,000 people were purged from the rolls in three major urban counties and just recently another 600,000 were threatened with being dropped. Measures must be taken that every vote will count on Election Day. Most states have a 14 or 30 day preregistration requirement and that is why our October 1st call to action would give folks time to re-register should they spot problems.
ON OCTOBER 1ST. WE WILL BE ASKING ALL PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS, BLOGGERS AND GROUPS TO SEND OUT AN ‘ALERT’ EMAIL, TEXT OR PHONE MESSAGE ADVISING FOLKS TO CONTACT THEIR LOCAL ELECTIONS OFFICIALS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE REGISTERED AND ABLE TO VOTE ON NOVEMBER 4TH.
How can I help? A growing number of church groups, bloggers, organizations and elected officials are particpating. Bloggers, candidates and media outlets will be contacted to endorse and help spread the word about October 1st being NATIONAL ‘GUARANTEE YOUR VOTE’ DAY.
Let’s not allow 2008 to mirror the widespread voter manipulation that has taken place across the nation these past eight years. Let this election be decided by the people, not dirty tricks or voter witch hunts.
For more information or to schedule an interview please contact:
Todd Iverson (253) 219-8717 todd@americasolidarity.org or
Mike Collier (253) 627-0129 micah.project@yahoo.com
In Solidarity,
Mike Collier and Todd Iverson