Mail in Ballots

I'm not real familiar with the electronic voting, never used it before. Sounds like something that would be directly submitted though, rather than handled by candidates and deputies, which definitely sounds iffy. I guess there's always a chance for computer error or something, but I'll take my chances with that.

Does anyone recall the name of the movie that had to do with a company that created software for electronic voting. It was discovered that an error in the algorithm caused the wrong candidate to win? Someone died in the movie for threatening to blow the whistle.

I guess "programming error" or "intentional obstruction" could cause an issue. But then again, with Park County Ballot boxes on the floor and deputies carting boxes off, the electronic method is no worse.

SOLUTION: ALL ballot boxes must be displayed in public view with a locking system only acessible by private vendor. At which time of tabulation, the boxes are delivered via private carrier and opened in the presence of "poll watchers" observing the actions of the ballot tabulators.

I'm going to do some research and repost, but it does sound like it is automatic and can't be tampered with. If so, I'll be voting this way, I hate to take the time off to do so, but I don't trust some of what I've heard directly from Park County - dupties handling ballots, FW handling ballots, inconsistencies relating to when/how/where ballots will be accepted.

AV8OR wrote: Does anyone recall the name of the movie that had to do with a company that created software for electronic voting. It was discovered that an error in the algorithm caused the wrong candidate to win? Someone died in the movie for threatening to blow the whistle.

I guess "programming error" or "intentional obstruction" could cause an issue. But then again, with Park County Ballot boxes on the floor and deputies carting boxes off, the electronic method is no worse.

SOLUTION: ALL ballot boxes must be displayed in public view with a locking system only acessible by private vendor. At which time of tabulation, the boxes are delivered via private carrier and opened in the presence of "poll watchers" observing the actions of the ballot tabulators.

Correct, but the "solution" isn't happening.

Everyone just a little FYI:
Be sure to read both sides of the "sleeve" that you put your ballot into, (if you so choose to take the risk of mailing in your ballot, or dropping it in the unsecured box on the floor). There are a lot of "instructions" that should NOT be skipped or taken for granted that you just fill it out, then place it in this sleeve then mail it or drop it off. They will throw your ballot out if ANY tiny mistake is made. I read something interesting on the "sleeve" last night:

If you are a first time voter who registered to vote in the State of Colorado by "mail", you must enclose a photocopy of your identification in the Official Return Envelope. DO NOT place your ID photocopy in the Secrecy Sleeve with your voted ballot".

Then at the bottom it lists all the different types of "identification" they will accept. It does not have to be a photocopy of your drivers license. It can be a copy of your passport, employee ID card, bank statement, payroll check stub (I'd white-out the dollar amounts or wages) military ID, medicare, medicaid, student ID card, etc. The list is long.

Also, when signing your name to the back before delivering, BE SURE you sign the very same name (Affidavit of Voter) that the envelope is addressed to. (ie: Robert, Bob,... James, Jim) If you do not sign it EXACTLY as your name appears on the "Registered" list, it will be thrown out.

Please read the sleeve in it's entirety before mailing or dropping off. Also, write down the numbers that are around your "name" and address label. I don't know exactly which number is reported to the Secretary of States office, that you indeed voted, so just write them all down just to be sure. Then at a later date, you can go to the SOS website to verify that your vote was counted, AND the Parkco website at [url=http://www.parkvotes.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]www.parkvotes.com[/url]. I am planning on checking on both web-sites.

VOTE for the CHANGE we so desperately NEED!!!!

I just voted and it sure felt good!

The clerk voided my mail-in ballot. I was then given my election key and I sat down to cast my electronic ballot. Great screen colors, large buttons and words were easy to see. It was not the questionable etch-a-sketch interface we saw during early 2000s.

The clerk said I was the first electronic voter for today. As I cast my ballot a line of voters began to form.

I like to vote in person at a polling place for several reasons. When I was 3 or my grandpa carried me into a voting booth. He let me pull down levers and he then canceled my votes and cast his own explaining election rules to me. He and his parents were refugees from a dictatorship so he did not take the election rules for granted.

Reason two was I that know that the polling place is an American tradition our Revolutionary War patriots shed their blood for. This was one aspect of the original teas parties were all about. “No … without representation was a battle cry in our war for independence.

Reason three is the social aspect of going to the poll. Unlike marking a mail-in ballot in isolation and placing it in a rather insecure mailbox the polling place is where traditional voters meet their neighbors. In person voting is a community event!

I cast my own first ballot on a huge mechanical monster. The local political “machine” had been dismembered and extra steps were taken to prevent tampering. The incumbent dynasty ended and most of the leaders voted in were of the same party without being puppets.

In school I learned that in some American voting districts people voted on ballots and then dropped into a box. It was easy to stuff the box and “lose” ballots. The “Southern Democrats” were the worst offenders.

Since the 2000 “Hanging Chad” fiasco in Volusia, Orange and Broward counties of
Florida, in the early and mid 2000s there was little confidence in the difficult to etch-a-sketch voting machines. Today’s electronic voting is easier and much more secure. If there is an attempt election tampering multiple redundant electronic and one paper audit trails allow forensics to determine fraud. My electronic ballot will not be handled by a fallible human as the mail-in ballots will.

Early voting continues through Friday. If you still have a mail-in ballot I suggest that you bring it to an early voting center. You’ll leave with a sense of satisfaction and security that you will get from a mail-box.
On August 10th you can either turn in your Mail-in ballot to have it counted or you can void it and cast a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot is almost as insecure as the paper ballot dropped into a ballot box.

Casting a vote at the poll is another American value threatened with extinction.

AV8OR wrote: Does anyone recall the name of the movie that had to do with a company that created software for electronic voting.

This one?

UNCOUNTED: The New Math Of American Elections

Uncounted is an explosive documentary that shows how the election fraud that changed the outcome of the 2004 election led to even greater fraud in 2006 and now looms as an unbridled threat to the outcome of future elections. The controversial feature-length film by Emmy award-winning director David Earnhardt examines in factual, logical, and yet startling terms how easy it is to change election outcomes and undermine election integrity across the U.S. Uncounted will change how you feel about the way votes are counted in America.
http://uncountedthemovie.com/about-the-film.html

Or this one?

Murder, Spies & Voting Lies (the Clint Curtis story) (2008)

Journalist Brad Friedman (Bradblog.com) pokes at the seamy side of American democracy in this beautifully filmed documentary. Whistle-blower Clint Curtis, a computer programmer by trade, sticks to his claims that he was asked to make vote-rigging software for electronic voting machines by former US Congressman and loyal Bushite,Tom Feeney (R-Fl). Tension rises when the vote-rigging scandal dips into a murder mystery. While Clint Curtis testified to a Congressional Judiciary committee caucus in December 2004, and passed a lie detector test shortly thereafter, mainstream media has paid scant attention to his story. Independent filmaking is filling that gap. Memorable personalities emerge in the documentary: attorney Bob Fitrakis who sued for a recount in Ohio, social critic Gore Vidal, former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, and researcher Richard Hayes Phillips. Security expert Harri Hursti explains the shocking internal shortcomings of problem voting machines. Not to be missed.

http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Spies-Voting-Clint-Curtis/dp/B001FCLQ78

Great info and stories Renaud!

Couple of questions for you - are you in Park County? When you say the clerk voided your ballot, how did they do it? (i.e. did they shred it, black it out in some way, etc.?) I ask only because I have visions of the "voided" ballots somehow still being able to be used after they've supposedly been "voided"...Thanks for the info!

Interesting.
I still don't believe the 5-1 commissioner victories in 2008.