Daily Voting News For July 21, 2008
Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org
“I’m concerned about the weak spots,” said Rosemary E. Rodriguez, the chairwoman of the United States Election
Assistance Commission, which oversees voting. “So much depends on whether there will be enough poll workers, whether
they are trained enough and whether their state and county election directors give them contingency plans and resources
to handle the unexpected.” That is, in our opinion, an understatement. Today’s featured article goes on to tell a bit
more of the story. Eleven states will use new voting systems this year, as compared to 2004, moving from DREs to paper
based systems. One more item can be added to what are most certainly concerns of the EAC and that is discussed in our
second featured article. The Brennan Center has produced another excellent paper. This time it is about ballot design;
the issue that gave us the infamous “butterfly ballot” and the recent “Double Bubble Trouble” from Los Angeles Co. By
all reports voter registration is way up this year. Turnout will be huge and problems are going to be rampant unless
election officials are prepared and they have plenty of volunteers....
Featured - National: Influx of Voters Likely to Test New Machines LINK
Featured - National: Better Ballots LINK
National: VA Secretary Peake Urged to Stop Blocking Voter Registration LINK
National: Study: Poor Ballot Designs Still Affect U.S. Election
Ballot Design Could Create Mistakes at the Polls with New Voters in the Mix LINK
National: Officials highlight voting concerns LINK
National: House defeats paper ballot funding LINK
National: Flawed ballots cited in study LINK
National: Press Release - Bad Ballot Design Results in Staggering Numbers of Lost Votes LINK
National: Bad ballot design problems
A reply to the Brennan Center & USA Today LINK
National: How About Starting the Voters' Rights Conversation Before November 3rd? LINK
Alabama: Selma - Candidates call for storing machines at neutral site LINK
Arizona: 'Fixed' AZ Election Detailed in Letter to State AG LINK
Florida: Manual recounts remain elusive
Debate continues on need for a paper trail LINK
Florida: Get Ready For Optical-Scan Voting LINK
Georgia: Photo ID hassle puts one mom's vote on ice LINK
Hawaii: Hawaii Activists Sue to Protect the Vote LINK
North Carolina: Voter registration jumps in NC LINK
North Carolina: Are we ready for Election 2008? LINK
North Carolina: NC voting group says expanded early voting needed LINK
Pennsylvania: Centre County - Voting machines need to be replaced LINK
Utah: Voter drives verboten at V.A. hospital LINK
**"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 Scoop.**
*************
John Gideon
Co-Executive Director
VotersUnite.Org
www.votersunite.org
"To encourage citizen ownership of transparent, participatory
democracy." The Creekside Declaration March 22, 2008