Election Officials Are Vulnerable to Email Attacks, Report Shows

Six jurisdictions used software that Russian spies have targeted in cyberattacks

Source: Election Officials Are Vulnerable to Email Attacks, Report Shows

California Braces for Long Lines at Super Tuesday Primary

Officials in California are bracing for long lines and urging patience as voters cast ballots on “Super Tuesday” in what could be record turnout for a presidential primary election.

Source: California Braces for Long Lines at Super Tuesday Primary

Casting a Vote on Newfangled Voting Equipment

There was a mock election in Los Angeles County this weekend put on by the county registrar-recorder’s office and I voted for the Hollywood sign as the most iconic L.A. landmark.

Source: Casting a Vote on Newfangled Voting Equipment

Text of Congressional Ranked Choice Voting is Now Available on Congressional Web Page

HR 4464, the bill in the U.S. House to require use of ranked choice voting for all congressional primaries and elections, can now be read at the web page for Congress. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this news. See here.

Source: Text of Congressional Ranked Choice Voting is Now Available on Congressional Web Page

Judge asked to stop Georgia’s new touchscreen-and-paper voting system

Voters who want paper ballots filled out by hand asked a federal judge late Friday to prevent Georgia from using the $107 million voting system the state just bought.

Source: Judge asked to stop Georgia’s new touchscreen-and-paper voting system

Ahead Of 2020 Election, Voting Rights Becomes A Key Issue For Democrats

In her response to President Trump’s State of the Union address, Stacey Abrams went through some of the top issues for the Democratic Party. Health care. Climate change. Gun safety.

Source: Ahead Of 2020 Election, Voting Rights Becomes A Key Issue For Democrats

Source:

Mitch McConnell: Democrats' Voting Rights Bill Just A 'Political Power Grab'

McConnell mocked H.R. 1, known as the For The People Act, by dubbing it the “Democrat Politician Protection Act” and said it doesn’t “pass the laugh test.”

Source: Mitch McConnell: Democrats' Voting Rights Bill Just A 'Political Power Grab'

Everything you need to know about voting, but were never told

We’re now in the final week of voting in one of the most consequential elections in years. So it’s even more important to cast an informed ballot – and to make sure it gets counted.

Source: Everything you need to know about voting, but were never told

We Should All Vote by Mail Because I Love Cauliflower Soup

Jessica Levinson - Huffington Post:

"In California, while the Legislature has yet to agree to call a special election in June, Governor Jerry Brown has already floated the idea that were that election to happen, everyone should vote by mail. This would be California's first mail-only election. In support of his proposal Brown has said that 'It's cheaper, easier for people and half the electorate is now used to that.'

While there will be a period of transition, it is hard to argue with a proposal that saves both money (estimates show that it could save counties in California millions) and time. Not to trivialize, but would a counter argument go something like, 'no, I want my state to spend more public funds, and I want to decrease the chance that more people will vote'?"

Related articles

• Charles Feldman: Jerry Brown's Big Gamble (huffingtonpost.com)
• Jerry Brown's big challenge: Will Republicans say "to hell with the people" and block special election? (VIDEO) (sfgate.com)
• June special election may be vote-by-mail only (sfgate.com)

Restoring Ballot Integrity

NOTE: Sorry this posting was a mess earlier. 


From: "Harmer For Congress"
Date: December 14, 2010 11:17:31 AM PST
To:
Subject: Restoring Ballot Integrity

Recommendations from campaign counsel Catharine Baker

Audrey,

As illustrated in my previous message, California's current system of casting and counting votes has gaps that can be exploited by the unscrupulous. Avoidable errors can determine the outcome of close elections. If we want to ensure that only legitimate votes are counted, then we must do the following, without delay:
Secure the right to challenge voter signatures. If we can't challenge missing, mismatched, or invalid signatures on vote-by-mail (VBM) and provisional ballots during the canvass, we have no assurance of ballot integrity. We must secure the right to challenge signatures in every jurisdiction in the state. We must pursue this right on many fronts, including through the current court action pending in Contra Costa County, legislation, and public pressure on the secretary of state and local registrars and other elected officials.

Require voter ID at the polls.
It is time for Californians to require voters at the polls to show identification in order to vote. Several states already implement this requirement in ways that protect the integrity of the votes without disenfranchising voters, and we can accomplish the same here.

Use poll rosters more effectively to prevent fraud.
A voter who votes at the polls must sign a roster, yet, except in rare circumstances, that signature is not compared to the registration card. This leaves an opportunity for fraud by impersonation at the polls. As long as there is no voter ID requirement, registrars should compare roster signatures to the registration card for verification. We also should require those delivering another voter's VBM ballot to sign a roster at the polls to provide another means of accountability and ballot integrity.

Reform permanent absentee voter status.
Permanent absentee voting is increasing, and so are the opportunities for fraud and mistake with it. For example, if a permanent VBM voter moves and does not notify the registrar, a ballot is still sent to the residence, and anyone who obtains it can cast it (albeit under penalty of law). At a minimum, permanent absentee voters should need to re-register periodically, and other reforms deserve consideration.

Determine whether members of unions involved in the election should process ballots.
Most employees at the registrars' offices are members of public-employee unions that endorse candidates, dedicate powerful resources to those candidates, and urge their members to do everything they can to get those candidates elected. For those same union members to handle and process ballots raises a conflict of interest. Imagine the outrage that would result if membership in the Tea Party Patriots or Republican Women Federated were required for a person to count ballots or verify signatures. We should decide whether members of public-employee unions involved in the election should be allowed to process ballots, and if so, with what measures in place to address any conflict of interest.

Secure uniform and clear guidelines for ballot processing and counting.
The processing of ballots varies widely among the counties. As a result, whether and how a ballot might be counted can depend on which county processed it. We must demand of our secretary of state that clear, standard guidelines be provided in order to secure our constitutional right to equal protection.

Update the voter registration records.
The voter registration rolls are inexcusably inaccurate. Volunteers making GOTV calls often reached households where the person registered to vote had moved or, worse, had never resided at the address in the first place. This was particularly a problem in those communities hardest hit by the economy and foreclosures. The secretary of state and registrars must update the rolls. Registrars also should use on-line and other resources to obtain registration signatures from voters so we can put an end to counting VBM and provisional ballots for which there is no registration signature on file to compare the ballot signatures.

Modernize on-line information systems for voters.
Voters must be able to determine on-line if their VBM or provisional ballot was counted or rejected. In some counties, a voter can confirm on-line whether the ballot was received, but cannot determine if it was actually counted and not rejected during the verification process. Voters should have access to this information through a means other than a recount or election contest.

We cannot walk away from this election unwilling to fix the voting problems we identified just because the fixes won't change the outcome of this particular race. Unless we make these and possibly other reforms, and start making them now, we cannot have full confidence in our election outcomes.

Kind regards,

Catharine Baker