Several days ago, in this space, we recommended that voters who have the ability to vote "straight party" do not exercise that right. Yes, it is easier because all you have to do is mark one box on the ballot for the top-of-the-ticket votes are all taken care of for you. However, consider this. In North Carolina (and South Carolina also) the "straight party" vote does NOT include President.

According to the first "Featured" article, ballots in North Carolina have the following words: "A Straight Party vote is a vote for all candidates of that party in partisan offices. Individual partisan office selections are not necessary if you select a Straight Party below." What the ballot doesn't tell you is that this does not include President. How many thousands of voters will vote straight-party but not for President in North and South Carolina?

In our second "Featured" article we learn another good reason not to vote straight party. New Mexico is one of the states that allows straight party voting, including the presidential race. However, if the ballots are not properly programmed and thorough pre-election testing is not accomplished, there is no telling what may be the result of voting straight party. Voters should not take a chance that the county has tested thoroughly. Voters should not take a chance that their machine may not even register straight party votes for their party while it does for the other party. Don't trust them. Forego the "straight party" selection and pick each candidate individually.

The straight party states are: North Carolina, South Carolina, New Mexico, Utah, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, West Virginia, and Rhode Island. ...

• Featured - NC: Straight-ticket omits presidential race
  http://www.charlotteobse...pinion/story/236903.html
• Featured - NM: Santa Fe County - Officials find, fix glitch in NM voting machine
  http://ap.google.com/art...An4WEALfq0VXc-AD93LJ4H00
• National: Election 2008: Election Law (and How They Break It)
  http://www.washingtonpos.../05/DI2008100502672.html
• National: Hack-a-vote: Students at Rice learn how vulnerable electronic voting really is
  http://esciencenews.com/...electronic.voting.really
• National: Fears over US electronic voting machine fraud
  As the Presidential election nears, Texan students learn how to rig votes
  http://www.techradar.com...ing-machine-fraud-474105
• National: Democratic Election Protection Strategy's Missing Link: Electronic Vote Counts
  http://www.alternet.org/..._electronic_vote_counts/
• National: E-voting issues stir in advance of November elections
  http://www.betanews.com/...ber_elections/1223347775
• National: Voter Rolls Grow As States Help Poor People Register
  http://www.alternet.org/...lp_poor_people_register/
• AZ: Tucson - Disabled vet claims city kept him from voting
  http://www.armytimes.com...10/ap_votingsuit_100708/
• CA: I Just Prevented Thousands of Californians from Having to Vote on Provisional Ballots!
  http://www.opednews.com/...ily-Levy-081006-461.html
• CA: Don't foreclose the vote
  http://www.sfgate.com/cg...008/10/06/EDN613CARI.DTL
• CA: San Francisco County - S.F. turnout on election day to be huge
  http://www.sfgate.com/cg...A3313CAIT.DTL&tsp=1
• CO: Is Colorado the next Florida?
  Watchdogs worry huge turn-out and a new untested voter database could spell disaster on Election Day
  http://coloradoindepende...voter-database-will-tell
• CT: New machines offer voters advantages, challenges
  http://www.zwire.com/sit...;dept_id=7742&rfi=6
• FL: Hillsborough County - Hillsborough elections supervisor's mass mailing criticized
  http://www.tampabay.com/...ctions/article841655.ece
• IA: Carroll County - County approves contract for new voting machines
  http://www.carrollspaper...eID=6822&TM=53237.1
• IN: Lake County - Judge orders opening of early voting sites despite hearing
  http://www.post-trib.com...e/1205956,lcvote.article
• MI: Clerks' offices swamped with voters-to-be
  Registration deadline was Monday
  http://www.freep.com/app...0081007/NEWS15/810070358
• MT: Montana Registration Challenges Are Error-Prone
  http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0810/S00128.htm
• MT: Suit filed to stop vote challenges
  http://www.missoulian.co...07/news/local/news02.txt
• MT: Dems challenge claim that 6,000 Montanans aren't eligible to vote
  http://www.montanakaimin...nt_eligible_to_vote/2974
• MT: GOP registration challenge frustrates voters, officials
  http://www.greatfallstri...0081004/NEWS01/810040302
• NJ: Report on voting machines at issue
  Analyst wants results released to public
  http://www.nj.com/news/l...31205580.xml&coll=1
• NM: Bernalillo County - New voters' ballots could be thrown out
  http://media.www.dailylo...Thrown.Out-3473497.shtml
• OH: Window came as surprise to Ohio GOP
  http://www.wnewsj.com/ma...=169947&TM=31864.27
• OH: Ohio GOP sues over voter ID discrepancies
  http://www.zanesvilletim...81007/UPDATES01/81007015
• OH: Come To Ohio! What We Can Learn From 2004 - And What We Can Do In 2008
  http://www.huffingtonpos...hat-we-can_b_132581.html
• OH: Licking County - Some enjoy convenience of early balloting; others see disadvantages
  http://www.newarkadvocat...0081007/NEWS03/810070303
• OH: Putnam County - Ohio county fires election director
  http://www.ohio.com/news...rticleID=891904&c=y
• PA: Bucks County - Bucks awaits voting figures, machine count
  http://www.phillyburbs.c...13-10072008-1601911.html
• PA: Bucks County - Voting deadline draws last-minute registrations
  http://www.phillyburbs.c...13-10072008-1601921.html
• SC: Beaufort County - Voting machine snafu hits county
  http://www.beaufortgazet.../local/story/577608.html
• SC: Beaufort County - Ballot machines for early voting down again today
  http://www.islandpacket..../front/story/631679.html
• TN: Officials: It's too late to change ballot
  U.S. District Court in Nashville to hear Kurita's case Friday
  http://www.theleafchroni...0081007/NEWS03/810070339
• UT: Salt Lake County needs more poll workers and voting machines
  http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=4456306
• VA: Virginians meet registration deadline in droves
  http://www.myfoxhamptonr...e=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1
• WA: Outdated, Arcane Laws Disenfranchising Voters in Seattle
  http://www.huffingtonpos...-laws-dise_b_132192.html
• WI: Legal Center Opposes Voter Roll Purges in Wisconsin Lawsuit
  http://www.campaignlegal...nter.org/press-3397.html

**"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**

                 

Article Categories: Daily Voting News, North Carolina, New Mexico, South Carolina, Democrats, Republicans