What to expect in the 2008 election…

Ok, so here’s my prediction. At least from a Vote-By Mail perspective, I expect these trends to continue:

Longer and longer vote counts. When elections are conducted by mail it takes more like a month to collect, sort and count ballots than the previous 1 to 2 days that it used to take.
Cases of granny farming [...]

Early Voting Alters Precinct System and Exit Polls

Here’s another editorial on how liberalized absentee voting, or Vote-By Mail is altering our ability to conduct accurate exit polls:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/24/opinion/pollpositions/main4205467.shtml
 

Alabama Absentee Voting Totals Questioned

This case has it all, a guy named Michael Jackson, a mayor’s race up in the air over absentee ballot totals, and a candidate accused of “helping” people vote:
http://www.tidesports.com/article/20080609/NEWS/865620239/-1/RSS04&source=RSS
In Marion, the county seat, the 2004 mayor’s election has still not been settled because of a court challenge over allegations of improper absentee ballots.
District Attorney Michael [...]

NJ Sees Push for Permanent Vote-by Mail Status Absentee Voting

According to the press release, Assemblypersons Conners and Quigley have put forth the ‘VOTE BY MAIL LAW OF 2008′ for New Jersey’s consideration. I guess I’ll have to make some contact in New Jersey this summer.

More Absentee Ballot Problems

http://www.nbc40.net/view_story.php?id=5919
At tonights meeting, Board members questioned why the absentee ballots that were used two weeks ago, could not be read electronically — but that was not their only gripe — Freeholder, Joe McDevitt said that the average voter could not even understand how to fill out the ballot.
Mary Alyse Strother, Chairperson of the County Board [...]

Terminology of the day, Absentee Ballot Problems

I don’t often talk in terms of “absenteee ballots” and instead use the term, Vote-By Mail, frequently throughout this blog. The point for me is to underline the lie in the new terminology. And in fact, this blog is called the No Vote By Mail Project, and not the No Absentee Voting Project, for a [...]

Mr. Postman, Is My Absentee Ballot Safe?

Nothing to see here, move along:
Alabama: absentee records seized in Lowndes County

WSFA 12 News reports: Attorney General Troy King today announced that agents from his office have served subpoenas upon Lowndes County election officials and have taken custody of records relating to the June 3 primary election. — WSFA 12 News Montgomery, AL |Attorney General [...]

Paper Ballot Speech from a Few Years Back

Ed Note: I wrote this to give at a little gathering I was asked to attend in place of Andy Stephenson, to talk about the essentials of voting integrity.  I’m reposting it here to keep track of it….
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203×316579
__________________
What do we need?
What do we want?
If we’re going to call ourselves a Democracy, what is the minimum [...]

Vote-By Mail, Absentee Ballots Slow California Vote Count

 California, we have a problem:
http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci_9511448
Thousands of vote-by-mail ballots that county elections workers have scurried to tally this week show a new name in the runoff for a judge’s seat - and a San Jose City Council race still too close to call.
When the final poll numbers from Tuesday’s election were released earlier this week, prosecutor [...]

As California Heads to Vote-By Mail, Turnout Low and Going Lower?

Riddle me this… as Vote-By Mail percentages increase turnout is decreasing? If the postal voting enthusiasts really had it right, shouldn’t we be seeing the opposite trend? This article says a largely mail vote in California is expecting a low turnout:
http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080603/NEWS03/80603045
The California Association of Clerks and Elections Officials estimated a 31 percent turn out statewide. [...]