Several counties in PA have a dual system, a mix of electronic DRE machines and paper ballots with optical scanner.
One county may offer the handicapped accessible paper ballot system.
All others rely on only the electronic DRE machines.
It is unacceptable that the counties do not have to provide uniformity in access to a paper ballot. A voter in one county without the dual system has as much right as a voter in another county to a paper ballot.
In our opinion, it is unconstitutional to not provide access to an equal system of voting to all voters. that's not to say the handicapped should be treated any differently, and with the two systems available there is a choice for all.
We shouldn't have to see evidence of electronic machine malfunctioning as a condition of providing paper ballots with use of optical scans.
all should have the same access. We're adamant, however, that a provision for use of paper ballots is access to precinct optical scanners by the voter, not a central tabulation of paper ballots after the precinct polls close.
HAVA does require states to comply with accessibility laws, and that can still be fulfilled by use of at least one compliant accessible voting system in each precinct.
That doesn't mean every voter should be forced to use the electronic machine because counties can't 'afford' to provide both systems for all voters.
Voters should have a choice of system for uniformity.
Plus, doubt has now been currently created that there is a potential for vote flipping on electronic (touchscreen) DRE voting machines. Maybe one voter will experience this in PA in one county, but the doubt is still there for others who are forced to use a DRE voting machine without access to paper ballot optical scanner.
It's the doubt that forces the necessity for local election officials to provide paper ballots with optical scanners as a choice.
The lines go up, you wait, according to this Philadelphia official... come back later?... people will get disenfranchised, it happens every election...
Interview
Thursday, October 23, 2008 by American News Project
Voters Sue Pennsylvania, Election Official Scoffs
by Danielle Ivory
PHILADELPHIA, PA
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/10/23-12
Really now.
Net the Truth Online
West Virginia vote flipping touchscreen machines
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=west+virginia+vote+flipping&btnG=Search
republicans affected too TN
Machine Problems Frustrate Early Voters
by Jennifer Clendenion
10/22/08
Several Decatur County voters are concerned about problems with the voting machines at the Election Commission Office. Voters claim they tried to vote for McCain for President but the machine checked Obama instead.
At least three voters encountered the problem when casting their early ballot on Saturday morning. Franklin Boroughs says he intended to vote for Republican but rather the computer had checked the Democratic candidate instead.
http://www.decaturcountyonline.com/article.asp?art=1244
Vote flipping merry go round
Wednesday, October 22. 2008
Voting machines switching votes from GOP to Dem - can we stop now???
Ok, last week's news was that touchscreens in West Virginia were flipping votes from Barack Obama to John McCain. And they couldn't stop it. Today, Brad Freidman of Brad Blog reports that in Tennessee, there are machines flipping votes the other way, from John McCain to Barack Obama. And vote flipping has been reported in South Carolina as well. Now that we have both sides pissed of, can we get off this Merry-Go-Round? Please!
Brad reports:
Votes Reportedly Flipping from Repub to Dem in TN! October 22, 2008 by Brad Friedman
So NOW Can We Impound These Machines, Take Them Out of Service and Give Every Voter a PAPER BALLOT, Please?!
Several Decatur County voters are concerned about problems with the voting machines at the Election Commission Office. Voters claim they tried to vote for McCain for President but the machine checked Obama instead....
http://blackboxvoting.com/s9/index.php?/plugin/tag/vote+flipping
In addition, non-touchscreen systems such as hart Intercivic's eSlate may not be infallible. We just don't know for sure, do we?
http://accurate-voting.org/2008/10/22/vote-flipping-on-hart-intercivic-eslate-systems/
Same with the AutoMark paper ballot DRE marking system. What happens when de-selecting a straight party ticket? We are not quite sure, are we?
AutoMark concerns
problems with "highlighting," doesn't mean candidate is "selected" and highlighting and a double tap, and noted problem with the straight party selection and "de-selecting" candidates in that system. More...
http://www.hava.state.pa.us/hava/lib/hava/votingsystemexamination/automark_tech-automark_ballot.pdf
http://www.hava.state.pa.us/hava/lib/hava/votingsystemexamination/automark_tech-automark_ballot.pdf
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VotePA/message/3584
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VotePA/message/3580
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VotePA/message/3577
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VotePA/msearch?query=automark&pos=20&cnt=10
Net the Truth Online
October 18, 2008
More W.Va. voters say machines are switching votes
In six cases, Democratic votes flipped to GOP
WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Three Putnam County voters say electronic voting machines changed their votes from Democrats to Republicans when they cast early ballots last week. This is the second West Virginia county where voters have reported this problem. Last week, three voters in Jackson County told The Charleston Gazette their electronic vote for "Barack Obama" kept flipping to "John McCain".
By Paul J. Nyden
Staff writer
WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Three Putnam County voters say electronic voting machines changed their votes from Democrats to Republicans when they cast early ballots last week.
This is the second West Virginia county where voters have reported this problem. Last week, three voters in Jackson County told The Charleston Gazette their electronic vote for "Barack Obama" kept flipping to "John McCain".
In both counties, Republicans are responsible for overseeing elections. Both county clerks said the problem is isolated.
They also blamed voters for not being more careful....
..."I asked them for a printout of my votes," Ketchum said. "But they said it was in the machine and I could not get it. I did not feel right when I left the courthouse. My son felt the same way...
http://www.wvgazette.com/News/200810180251
COALITION OF VOTERS AND CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS FILE FEDERAL LAWSUIT IN PENNSYLVANIA SEEKING EMERGENCY PAPER BALLOTS
Oct 23 2008 | PLAINTIFFS CLAIM VOTING MACHINE BREAKDOWNS AND LONG LINES WILL DISENFRANCHISE VOTERS ‘A PERFECT STORM’ IMPACTING THE RIGHT TO VOTE PHILADELPHIA, PA – A coalition of Pennsylvania voters and civil rights groups, led by the NAACP State Conference of Pennsylvania, filed a lawsuit today in federal court in Philadelphia seeking to ensure that voters receive emergency paper ballots on Election Day when 50% or more voting machines become inoperable at any polling site in the state.
http://www.voteraction.org/press-release/2008/coalition-of-voters-and-civil-
rights-groups-file-federal-lawsuit-in-pennsylvania-
Coalition of Voters and Civil Rights Groups File Federal Lawsuit in Pennsylvania Seeking Emergency Paper Ballots
Posted : Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:30:43 GMT
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/coalition-of-voters-and-civil,592349.shtml
PA Needs Uniform Rules on Emergency Paper Ballots
Emergency Ballots A Lifeline for Voters When Machines Break Down
Act Now
A coalition of voting rights groups is spearheading a drive in Pennsylvania to ensure that all voters have an equal right to emergency ballots if/when machines malfunction. As things stand, there are no mandatory standards for when to issue emergency ballots and how they should be distinguished from provisional ballots (which are often not counted). This needs to be fixed for election day, Nov. 4.
With the unprecedented numbers of voters registering all over the state, and the high turnout expected in November, our statewide coalition is calling on the Pennsylvania Secretary of State to issue a directive to all Pennsylvania counties to address this gap in election day procedures. Take a moment now to send a strong message to protect our elections...
http://www.electionreformnetwork.us/node/76
Proper Use of Paper emergency ballots
http://74.125.113.104/search?q=cache:vY8zL9S21zwJ:www.dos.state.pa.us/elections/lib/elections/090_election_administration_tools/emergency_paper_ballots.pdf+pennsylvania+paper+ballots+emergency+requirements&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us
Lawsuit: Paper ballots should be on hand in Pa.
By MARYCLAIRE DALE Associated Press Writer
Article Last Updated: 10/23/2008 12:13:48 PM EDT
PHILADELPHIA—Several voter-rights groups filed suit Thursday to seek emergency paper ballots for Pennsylvania voters in the event that electronic machines break down.
The groups want paper ballots to be available on Election Day if more than half of the voting machines at a given polling place malfunction. Otherwise, voters are often left to endure long lines, they said.
"People should be able to exercise their right to vote without waiting in line for hours or being told to go home and come back later," said John Bonifaz, legal director of Voter Action, a national voter advocacy group that is one of several plaintiffs.
The groups focused on Pennsylvania because of problems reported in the spring primary and a recent state directive that, according to the groups, say paper ballots should only be used if all machines in a polling place fail.
"We're quite concerned, in light of the confluence of high voter turnout and these voting machine breakdowns, that there will be even longer lines and more voter disenfranchisement," Bonifaz said Thursday.
The suit was filed in federal court in Philadelphia against Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortes.
http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_10794336
Friday, August 29, 2008
Group Calls for Paper Ballot Backup in PA
A coalition of 21 voter rights groups is pushing the Department of State to issue paper ballots to ensure fair access for all voters on Election Day. Our intern David Spett reports:
Some precincts in Philadelphia and Montgomery counties told voters in the April primary to leave the polling place and return later because of technical difficulties, said Kathy Boockvar, a senior attorney for the Advancement Project, one of the coalition members.
Turning away voters because of technical difficulties is illegal, she said. In such instances, poll workers are supposed to fix the machines as quickly as possible. Some counties require distribution of emergency paper ballots, but others do not.
“Literally precinct to precinct, policies vary,” Boockvar said. “Then what happens is they don’t teach the poll workers what the standard is.”
Boockvar said the coalition wants to ensure mistakes do not happen again. The Pennsylvania Department of State should order emergency paper ballots to be distributed if at least half of a precinct’s voting machines stop functioning, the coalition said in a statement. The emergency ballots should be better marked and treated differently from other paper ballots and poll workers statewide should be trained in emergency ballot procedure, the group said.
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/harrisburg_politics/Group_Calls_for_Paper_Ballots.html
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