Instead of giving advice similarly to Pennsylvania citizens and voters, our Governor Ed Rendell and Department of State instead issued a report of Debunked Election Myths which included dismissing reports from West Virginia and Tennessee of anecdotal stories of 'vote flipping' evidenced on electronic voting machines during Early Voting and problems envisioned with straight party voting noted in some instances.
To date, nobody has categorically without hesitation been able to determine whether the eye-witness experiences were due to voter error or machine malfunction/s.
Having the doubt that the electronic voting machines might switch votes unobserved should be enough for our Governor and the election officials issue a directive to all electronic machine counties and precincts without any backup emergency paper ballot system or dual paper ballot system to employ emergency paper ballots this election.
Unfortunately, the doubt is as dismissed as are eyewitness accounts of vote-flipping.
How sad the day after the election if even mere handfuls of voters in tight precinct races report they are unsure whether their votes were recorded in the electronic paperless machines as they voted, not at least having a paper ballot 'record' of their votes to review before casting the ballot.
There is still time for Gov. Rendell to do the right thing and issue an executive order for counties to have on hand more than a standard amount of emergency paper ballots.
Pennsylvania Department of State Debunks Myths Associated With Election, VotingUS Newswire
HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To better prepare voters for Election Day, Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro A. Cortes today said it is important to dispel some myths and misinformation about Pennsylvania's electoral process.
"False rumors confuse our citizenry, increase the potential for human error, and create unnecessary fears about Election Day," Cortes said. "It is vital that voters know the truth so they can properly and correctly prepare to have their voices heard."
According to the Department of State, common election- and voting-related myths (see the Editor's Note, below) range from provisional ballots not being counted to the arrest of any would-be elector who attempts to vote while having unpaid parking tickets in his or her name.
The department learned about various myths from a variety of sources, including inquiries from the media and the general public...
http://news.aol.com/article/pennsylvania-department-of-state-debunks/223457
Related
video testimonials
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q9NSVUu8nk&NR=1
Judge to rule on voters' T-shirts, buttons at polls
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Associated Press
HARRISBURG -- A judge says he'll rule quickly in a case that could determine whether counties can let people vote if they're wearing a candidate's T-shirt or button.
Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson said after an hourlong hearing today that a decision will be issued soon in a lawsuit filed by two Pittsburgh area elections officials.
They argue the Pennsylvania Department of State shouldn't have advised counties to allow voters to cast ballots while wearing political attire.
The Department of State said in a memo last month that voters' apparel doesn't matter as along as they don't take additional steps to influence others at the polls.
The memo isn't legally binding.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
First published on October 28, 2008 at 3:16 pm
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/08302/923496-100.stm
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