Yes, I was there in Cleveland Heights. The process was horrible. The poll workers were slow and clueless. We were made to feel there is a paper trail to our ballot by some whirring noises within the machine - purportedly a paper reel printing data out of sight.

Intersetingly though, several folk asked for a Republican ballot - in a whisper as if deeply embarassed.

Raw Story has an article about a man being arrested in Ohio for breaking an electronic machine while trying to vote. Hmmmm maybe thats the way to go?

Dare I aks...was this in the MSM???

Sorry didn't see your next post. But I still have to say hmmmmmmmmmm

For Big Dan: If the corporate-controlled media were to cover this, the lead story will go about like the following:

"Voters encountered problems in a few scattered locations throughout Ohio yesterday. These were caused by unfamiliarity with new voting machines that were ordered in compliance with the Help America Vote Act.

Election officials report that the machines have functioned well for the most part, and that citizens must educate themselves about the new technology that has been devised for their benefit. Michael Wu, Cuyahoga County election director, offered paper ballots to a number of voters, but says he's certain that most recognize this as a temporary and unsatisfactory solution."

RLM

When did you become a reporter for NBC?

I voted this at 11 this morning in University Hts OH (same schools as Cleveland Hts, same courts as Shaker Hts). No poll workers had actually voted on the machines- they used paper absentee ballots weeks ago. Almost all were retirement age and computer illiterate. I had to show them how to use the machine, a Deibold with no IR port, which would have been hard to fool with, as that (right) side of the machines were up against the wall. The procedure was no big deal if you knew how to scroll to see the entire ballot after you had voted but before finalizing. The printout, under a flap on the right side of the machine, worked fine, though you can only review your vote in segments. Advancing the printed paper was not intuitive until you discover the control's on the screen, not the printer. No going back. If you think you screwed up, you have to start over. After you finalize, the paper advances to a blank spot so nobody can see how you voted. Not a big deal for me, but I'm the go-to guy if your VCR is flashing.
Two thirties women were walking out as I enterd, muttering "torture" about their experience. I'm afraid the seniors in my neighborhood will find this even worse.

Not a reporter, Bluebear. Just a somewhat cynical guy who knows how they operate.

Always present the news with a status-quo bias. That keeps your corporate bosses happy, because it's "non-partisan." Really, it's pro-administration, because they control the status quo...even though 2/3 of the American people can't stand them.

Oops!

"The Sacramento County Elections Office will alert thousands of Sacramento County voters after a printing error omitted a Republican party race, election officials said Friday.

Nearly 60,000 sample ballots sent to area voters inadvertently omitted the Republican Central Committee District 4 contest featuring 12 candidates running for nine committee seats, county registrar of voters Jill LaVine said. District 4 covers northeastern Sacramento county, including Folsom, Citrus Heights, Antelope, Fair Oaks, Gold River and Orangevale."

Mr. Ed said:

a Deibold with no IR port, which would have been hard to fool with, as that (right) side of the machines were up against the wall.

Where were the machines last night? Where were the memory cards over the past month? Was the wireless network card inserted in the PCMCIA slot at any time? If so, was it used to change what was on the memory card? Was the modem ever used to alter the info on the memory card?

All questions that can't be answered...even with the right side of the machine against the wall.

*Precisely* the problem that we now have to deal with. Everywhere.

Americans are so DOG tired of schemes and scams, it's a wonder there's only one incident of a machine being thrown to the ground.

I think it's the poll workers who are going to melt down this year. Maybe it'll be like the librarians going after the patriot act.

Blackwell gets the GOP nomination for Governor! Breaking news, as if we already didn't see that one coming. If he actually becomes Govenor, then it will be news that once again Ohio got shafted by Diebold. If you can call that news.

It is the fault of the Greens and Independents for not stopping this

Why is it that Germany, France, Canada, and Japan, all using paper ballots, can hand count and tally their vote and, relying on exit polls, even announce the winners before the count is complete?
High-tech America has to shake off the mobbed-up voting machine proprietors and the cynical HAVA act before anything will change.

Michelle Mairesse # 14

Bullseye!

America used to know who won before the count was complete too!