Article

2006-11-07

Following the Election Returns

Predictions

Voting Machines Woes Cause Early Delays

Polls: Rendell Maintains Comfortable Lead in PA

Indiana court hearing scheduled to consider extending voting hours

Election fixing charges fly in Utah town

Fort Wayne: Precincts report strong turnout
Some longtime election workers say numbers are biggest theyve seen

San Diego: Some county voters face glitchy machines, resort to voting on paper

Deerfield Beach voters frustrated by bad electronic ballots

Dem lawyers in TN going to court to keep polls open late

Ky. Poll Worker Charged With 'Choking Voter'

Bomb threat closes Madison polling site

S.C. Governor Turned Away by Poll Worker

Posted by Fred 2006-11-07 10:18|| || Front Page|| [11137 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 OK, time to stick my head in the sand until it's all over...I hate treating an election like it's some sort of sports event, and I especially loathe when the media "calls" a race, as if that makes it authoritative.

Posted by gromky 2006-11-07 10:57|| 2006-11-07 10:57|| Front Page Top

#2 From "Voting Machines Woes Cause Early Delays"

In New Mexico, some voters complained they had received phone calls giving them incorrect information about where in vote.

I'm sorry, but this whole process seems VERY easy to me. You go to your local (usually County) Voters Registration Office, register to vote, and they handle manning the polls (with a hard-copy print out of the Voter Registration database) on election day. A few weeks before the election, they mail you a new Voter ID card, which has your polling place (with address) listed. This is how we do it in Georgia (Atlanta area).

You then go to your polling place (after using that handy-dandy Mapquest, if you don't even know your local area), you may or may not even have to show ID (just be listed as registered on THAT polling places Voter Registration database printout), and you go punch/touch screen whom you want to win.

I have NO sympathy for anyone who doesn't put forth a little initiative of their own to find out WHERE to go vote. I'd imagine in (more) rural New Mexico, it's probably even more simple (only a handful of polling places per County vs. hundreds per County here in Atlanta). Voting is a right, and our nanny-state gov't has raised a class of citizens who won't put forth a little initiative of their own to even find out WHERE to go vote. I'm more and more beginning to think (like Neal Boortz here in Atlanta) that there should be some "basic aptitude" test on how our Government works BEFORE you can vote. Incoming immigrants (at least the legal ones) have to take a test, why not citizens who would normally just vote a straight ticket w/o even knowing what they're voting for?

Posted by BA 2006-11-07 11:03|| 2006-11-07 11:03|| Front Page Top

#3 Personally, I thing you ought to have to factor a simple polynomial before they let you take the wheel of America's shiny black sedan in your sweaty little paws, but that's just me.

The brakes are lousy, by the way. Be aware.

Posted by mojo">mojo 2006-11-07 11:12|| 2006-11-07 11:12|| Front Page Top

#4 Indiana has the earliest poll close, 6 pm EST.

Posted by Chuck Simmins">Chuck Simmins 2006-11-07 11:12|| http://northshorejournal.org]">[http://northshorejournal.org] 2006-11-07 11:12|| Front Page Top

#5 I have NO sympathy for anyone who doesn't put forth a little initiative of their own to find out WHERE to go vote.

I am afraid this is a sign of the times. Most people these days (my personal experience) need someone to tell them what to do, think, wear, etc. etc. I run into so many folks that can't think for themselves, can't process information and reach a conclusion. I think humanity is destined to slip back into some dark age for a period of time. These things seem to come in cycles, we seem to be heading into one.

Maybe my mood will be better tomorrow after the election, then, maybe not.

Posted by Mick Dundee 2006-11-07 11:16|| 2006-11-07 11:16|| Front Page Top

#6 Mick, I fear you're right. I can't for the life of me, though, understand WHY (actually, I know why, that nanny-state mentality) it's so hard for people to put for just a little effort just a generation or two from that Greatest Generation who shouldered EVERYTHING for us to remain free. I mean, good grief, you can just hit the internet for 2 minutes and find out where you go to vote (if it's not given to you on your voter registration card). The Republican national party (and, I assume the Donks too) have a "See where you should go to vote" webpage, your local County office should have a webpage, and, if all that fails, look it up in the phonebook. These are the exact same people who'll be whining about not having a "free ride" (literally) to the polls to vote.

When I think about what our Forefathers went through to give us this RIGHT to vote, I p!sses me off when someone takes that for granted. That's why I've really started to consider that there should be some sort of "aptitude test" on how our Gov't works/is set up BEFORE you can vote. Otherwise, you're only seeking betterment of yourself (through welfare, food stamps, local pork projects, etc.), not the "big picture," the entire nation as a whole.

Posted by BA 2006-11-07 11:24|| 2006-11-07 11:24|| Front Page Top

#7 No, it's not too much to ask that people spend a couple of minutes to find out where to vote. But that doesn't make the people who purposely give out false information any less despicable.

Posted by Flomons Omaviling1245 2006-11-07 11:31|| 2006-11-07 11:31|| Front Page Top

#8 We get cards telling us where our place is before the election.

Chaffee alluded he'll finally make the (D) behind his name official when he wins.

Posted by anonymous2u 2006-11-07 12:00|| 2006-11-07 12:00|| Front Page Top

#9 I live in central California and a local radio station has people calling in with voting woes. So far they have had calls from San Jose, Marin, San Francisco, and Oakland about those EVIL voting machines not working. Now ALL of those cities/counties had the SAME machines last year, cant seem to get their act together, and they ALL are in the DEEP BLUE Bay area. I wonder what happens when they make a deposit in their bank account. I bet half the time they cant complete the transaction at an ATM. BTW I live in a rural county and we switched from felt tip pens to Sequoia machines with NO problems.

Posted by Cyber Sarge 2006-11-07 12:09|| 2006-11-07 12:09|| Front Page Top

#10 The CNN website headline is "Glitches Reported in Early Voting." I take that as a good sign.

Posted by Matt 2006-11-07 12:20|| 2006-11-07 12:20|| Front Page Top

#11 If you check out the fever swamp today they are all about a stolen election. Gosh if they are so far ahead in the polls how can the Neocons steal the election? Lots of charges tossed around but nothing of substance. I think they are just laying the ground for a legal battle in the morning.

Posted by Cyber Sarge 2006-11-07 12:40|| 2006-11-07 12:40|| Front Page Top

#12 Cyber Sarge -- the voting machines that "crashed" in Cleveland are also, I believe, in a Democrat-controller area.

My polling station had a single innovation this year: a machine that scanned your ballots to make sure you had properly marked it. The style of ballot was the same as last year. The entire state switched over to the same system for this election, so the Cleveland precincts screwed up a system the elderly election volunteers in my precinct had no problem with.

I have to wonder if the screw-ups in majority-Democrat areas are on purpose. Muddy the waters a bit, claim "irregularities", and count on a compliant press to not report just who was in charge.

Posted by Rob Crawford">Rob Crawford 2006-11-07 12:48|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-11-07 12:48|| Front Page Top

#13 Get ready for the Democraps complaints.

This voting machine crap is complete BS. We use paper ballots here. Any idiot with a pen can vote. Traceable.

Posted by Icerigger 2006-11-07 14:04|| 2006-11-07 14:04|| Front Page Top

#14 I have to wonder if the screw-ups in majority-Democrat areas are on purpose.

Duh!

#6. BA. I hear you. People just don't want to think anymore. Well, the younger set that is. The schools have been teaching kids what to think, instead of how to think. Combine that with the "TV" culture, and people are mindless. I see it all the time.

I have to stop thinking about it, it raises my BP to dangerous levels.

Posted by Mick Dundee 2006-11-07 14:05|| 2006-11-07 14:05|| Front Page Top

#15 #7 FO1245 - I agree. Those that give out false information on polling locations are despicable. I completely agree. However, those sheeple who follow that advice are just as liable in my mind, especially knowing that shenanigans are being played out everywhere (from 2004 on). I wonder how many States send out NEW voting registration cards just before the election, with your polling place/address on it? I know Georgia does, and it sounds like others do to. Now if you fall for "the joke" (a bad one, like Kerry's last week) and listen to someone on a phone call, it's your own dang fault, in my book. People in this country have got to wake up and take RESPONSIBILITY for themselves, for Pete's sake!

Posted by BA 2006-11-07 14:47|| 2006-11-07 14:47|| Front Page Top

#16 I got a Spanish language GOTV call from the local Donks yesterday, with a live person for a change. After the initial spiel, I told him that I prefer to speak English on my own phone. He apologized, told me that he did not speak enough English to do that, and hung up.

Posted by Atomic Conspiracy 2006-11-07 14:57|| 2006-11-07 14:57|| Front Page Top

#17 At our precincts in Anchorage, Alaska, we have the AccuVote machines. You have a 8.5 x 14 piece of card stock. Your choices each have an oval outline next to them, with plenty of space between ovals and choices. Just like standardized tests in elementary school, heh. Fill out both sides of the ballot. Ballot slides into the machine and it reads it. You also have the paper original in the machine. What could be simpler? Paper trail, any glitches and you can have a manual recount. Who would want those POS screen terminals anyway. It is not really that hard to make a user-friendly ballot safe and virtually foolproof.

Posted by Alaska Paul">Alaska Paul 2006-11-07 15:00|| 2006-11-07 15:00|| Front Page Top

#18 heh. My prediction is coming true. The polls radically shifting towards GOP just before the election and claims of voter fraud abound. Things aren't going well for the Dems. And I suspect that they never were.

I can't help myself. I'm going to have to put on waders and go see what's happening on Kos and DU.

Posted by anon 2006-11-07 15:04|| 2006-11-07 15:04|| Front Page Top

#19 ok..here is my report. The Kos Kiddies are not in a cheerful mood. The bottom line is that the world is coming to an end over voting problems and they want vote by mail to be mandated as the solution. Ok. And all republicans and supporters are thugs and *ssholes.

BUT DON'T MISS THIS FROM LAURA INGRAM:
As you already know, the Dems have sent out an army to photograph and report any pereived incident of disenfrancisement, etc.

Laura Ingraham has asked her listeners to call the Dem Voter protection hotline -- and they are now being flooded with calls from crank callers. Please call Laura and tell her what you think about this: 800.876.4123. You can e-mail her here. Apparently, voter intimidation and fraud are a joke to Laura Ingraham. Let's let her know that it is no joke [...]

More on Laura Ingraham: "caller indicated she is running a tape of Bill Clinton over and over saying "call 1-888 Dem Vote to report problems" -- and then making fun of him, thus producing a spike in crank calls to the number" Protecting voter integrity is no joke. And I am not laughing. If anyone has audio of this, I'd love it.

Posted by anon 2006-11-07 15:11|| 2006-11-07 15:11|| Front Page Top

#20 DU is all over the "voting fraud".

Posted by anon 2006-11-07 15:17|| 2006-11-07 15:17|| Front Page Top

#21 Lol, anon -- Reporting from the front lines, not sitting in a Green Zone bar. Thx!

Posted by .com 2006-11-07 15:20|| 2006-11-07 15:20|| Front Page Top

#22 I'd get giddy over what I think I'm seeing, but the elections far from over, and I think the dead vote only comes out at night.

Posted by anon 2006-11-07 15:29|| 2006-11-07 15:29|| Front Page Top

#23 Anyone who is surprised that people don't think for themselves these days hasn't had the glorious opportunity to sit at the main console for your state's Department of Health. No matter how bad you think it may be, I assure you, it's far, far worse than you think.

And the sad part is that most of these idiots are probably voting Democrat . . .

Posted by The Doctor 2006-11-07 15:43|| 2006-11-07 15:43|| Front Page Top

#24 WTG Laura! Fight fire with fire. But not really necessary. Remember in 2004 the BIG voter suppression consisted of a Donk voter getting an "intimidating look" from a republican observer. So I guess if someone looks at a Dhimi voter cross-eyed they run screaming like a little girl. I am sure the Donks have many staged voter suppression action photos that will surface in various papers and websites after they lose today.

Posted by Cyber Sarge 2006-11-07 16:19|| 2006-11-07 16:19|| Front Page Top

#25 Voter fraud my ass. ALL the machines went down in Hawkins County, Tennessee just befor noon so paper ballots are being used. I have tried to vote twice today but the machines in my polling place are not working, either. I live in Greene County. As of 9:30 this morning they had no paper ballots, either. I will be going again (third time) as soon as I get off work. If I still can't vote I'll probably be arrested for creating a hell of a disturbance.

Posted by Deacon Blues 2006-11-07 16:22|| 2006-11-07 16:22|| Front Page Top

#26 if you haven't voted GO VOTE!

And if someone is between you and your vote, run over them. Call your county election board if they dont have ballots or the machiens are down. The Voters Rights Acts says you can demand a paper provisional ballot - and they damn well better have them.

And also call the local newspapers news desk - report FRAUD in the area, you witnessed it, they were telling people to go away, etc.

Finally, call your local Republican Comittee - or contact the national Republican Party if you are getting stonewalled. They should have an election judge nearby or something similar if youa re getting monkeybusiness. And be sure to contact the Federal Department of Justice in the closeset larget town or city, lodge your complaint with your name so you can use that as a basis to sue.

Dont lie there and take it - exercise ALL your rights, and make the bastards give you your vote.

Its the law.

On my local campaign,

Got the vote registers from the outlying precincts. And we now have official records of who has and hasnt voted as of this afternoon. We are going to give evey registered Repub that hasn't voted a phone call in the next 2 hours, offer them a ride, etc. Get them out there to vote (we even have Taxi vouchers and some taxis standing by if there are 2 or more in a place).

I'll be back WAY later if at all.

If we win, I'm drinking.

And if we lose, I'm drinking too, just not as happily.

I'm off to man the phones until the last possible minute.

Wish us luck.

Later all.

Posted by OldSpook 2006-11-07 16:23|| 2006-11-07 16:23|| Front Page Top

#27 #18 I too think that things were never going as well for the donks as the talking heads would have us believe.

I suspect that a larger than average turn out will favor the Republicans.

People who do not think for themselves are not smart enough to be voting; there should be a test to qualify to vote.

Posted by Dreamsmith">Dreamsmith 2006-11-07 16:25|| 2006-11-07 16:25|| Front Page Top

#28 Add this one, Fred:
Philly Fraud

Posted by .com 2006-11-07 16:29|| 2006-11-07 16:29|| Front Page Top

#29 I saw a Newsmax article that the voter turnout in VA is as as 65%. Not sure what that means how about you VA ranters?

Posted by Cyber Sarge 2006-11-07 16:39|| 2006-11-07 16:39|| Front Page Top

#30 Go OS!

Posted by Rex Mundi 2006-11-07 16:42|| 2006-11-07 16:42|| Front Page Top

#31 Take Ace next time Deacon.

Posted by Shipman 2006-11-07 17:02|| 2006-11-07 17:02|| Front Page Top

#32 And dress like a BlueBelly.

Posted by Shipman 2006-11-07 17:03|| 2006-11-07 17:03|| Front Page Top

#33 Be on the look out for this escaped DemoCrap voter!

Posted by RD 2006-11-07 17:04|| 2006-11-07 17:04|| Front Page Top

#34 Rofl, RD!

Posted by .com 2006-11-07 17:10|| 2006-11-07 17:10|| Front Page Top

#35 Hee hee hee

Posted by Shipman 2006-11-07 17:14|| 2006-11-07 17:14|| Front Page Top

#36 Is that Angel Martin on the trike?

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-11-07 17:21|| 2006-11-07 17:21|| Front Page Top

#37 Via a Lucianne poster:

75% turnout reported in Conservative Ozaukee County north of Milwaukee; slow, light turnout in urban Milwaukee county voting polls.

Good news for GOP Mark Green for governor; if it happens you heard it here first--- Republican Perfecto Rivera defeats first term democrat Gwen Moore in Milwaukee, an unexpected pickup for the Fifth Congressional district.

Posted by anonymous2u 2006-11-07 18:10|| 2006-11-07 18:10|| Front Page Top

#38 No, Angel's dead, or better be, he owes me $48736.45 and 50 lbs. of ground chuck.

Posted by Jimmy 2006-11-07 18:42|| 2006-11-07 18:42|| Front Page Top

#39 Spewing juices, RD!!

Posted by Hyper 2006-11-07 19:31|| 2006-11-07 19:31|| Front Page Top

#40 LOL RD - a classic

Posted by Martina Navratirovliva :-)">Martina Navratirovliva :-) 2006-11-07 19:34|| 2006-11-07 19:34|| Front Page Top

#41 that was me, of course...stinking cookies!

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-11-07 19:35|| 2006-11-07 19:35|| Front Page Top

#42 Update on the "Voter Chocking":

Ky. Poll Worker Charged With Assault

The voter told poll worker Jeffery Steitz that he didn't want to vote in a judicial election because he didn't know enough about the candidates, but Steitz told him he had to vote in the race anyway, Yates said.

Steitz, 42, eventually grabbed the man by the neck and threw him out of the polling place, Yates said.

"The poor guy went back in and he threw him out again," Yates said. "At least it wasn't over a Democrat or a Republican being on the ballot."

What's this guy doing reviewing the ballot and claiming everything had to be marked? I just left a whole bunch 'unmarked' because there was no resonable opponent.

Posted by KBK 2006-11-07 19:44|| 2006-11-07 19:44|| Front Page Top

#43 Gotta chock them voters, make sure they don't roll away too soon. Only reasonable.

Posted by KBK 2006-11-07 19:46|| 2006-11-07 19:46|| Front Page Top

#44 all things are calm in KY, last term there would be shootings, not chokings!!!

Posted by 49 Pan">49 Pan 2006-11-07 19:53|| 2006-11-07 19:53|| Front Page Top

#45 Missouri turnout is being estimated at 70 %, my wife and I both waited nearly two hours (she went in mid-afternoon and I went in the evening) The election workers said that it has been the busiest they have seen.

Posted by djh_usmc 2006-11-07 19:59|| 2006-11-07 19:59|| Front Page Top

#46 Missouri turnout is being estimated at 70 %, my wife and I both waited nearly two hours (she went in mid-afternoon and I went in the evening) The election workers said that it has been the busiest they have seen.

Posted by djh_usmc 2006-11-07 20:00|| 2006-11-07 20:00|| Front Page Top

#47 Mods sorry for the double post!

Posted by djh_usmc 2006-11-07 20:12|| 2006-11-07 20:12|| Front Page Top

#48 Lost two senate seats and 1 house seat so far.

Posted by Charles 2006-11-07 20:45|| 2006-11-07 20:45|| Front Page Top

#49 As a Ozzie (and ex-Brit) I find it strange not to have projections based on swing (of those booths reporting) and a winner called already.

Posted by phil_b 2006-11-07 21:12|| 2006-11-07 21:12|| Front Page Top

#50 Phil_b, they tried that in 2000 in Florida before the polls had even closed in parts of the state.

Posted by Abdominal Snowman 2006-11-07 21:49|| 2006-11-07 21:49|| Front Page Top

#51 All you D.C. Rantburgers say hi to our first Muslim congressman. Keith Ellinson from Minnesota. You can keep him.

Posted by Mike N. 2006-11-07 22:02|| 2006-11-07 22:02|| Front Page Top

#52 And from the Thank God Department, Jimmuh's boy Jack Carter is losing to the incumbent Ensign, here in Nevada.

Posted by Vegas Matt 2006-11-07 23:31|| 2006-11-07 23:31|| Front Page Top

#53 We gave it our best shot in the campaign here.

One things for sure: Haster is going to go. Shadegg shoudl be voted into Repub House leadership. Haster and his old pork barrel bullshit cost the Repubs this election.

Posted by OldSpook 2006-11-07 23:58|| 2006-11-07 23:58|| Front Page Top

21:10 newc
20:17 SteveS
18:44 magpie
18:33 Frank G
18:33 badanov
18:26 Hellfish
18:23 Hellfish
17:40 swksvolFF
17:34 Ebbuger Whuque4103
17:30 Ebbuger Whuque4103
17:02 Melancholic
16:27 Gravilet Snanter4154
16:20 Chaise Speaking for Boskone7897
16:02 Skidmark
16:01 Skidmark
15:46 Skidmark
15:41 Skidmark
15:37 swksvolFF
15:36 Skidmark
15:34 Skidmark
15:27 Skidmark
14:48 NoMoreBS
14:31 NoMoreBS
14:16 NoMoreBS