2008 election biggest e-vah

Looks like those get out the vote campaign worked to the tune of 130 million, or about 64% of the electorate.

Next goal for 2010? 75%.

Instructions for new voters – Avoid ghosts!

Suppose you’re a new voter – how do you get it done? Ms. Sarah Walker takes on that challenge with her handy instruction guide.

How to get your vote back

Between Rolling Stone’s article about how your right to vote is denied, there’s a new website that gives a documentary about how to fight for your right to vote.

it even comes in a cool comic book format! And if you don’t know – GO VOTE ALREADY!

How’s Voting Going?

I voted on Monday at the local Riverview Library. Took me almost 50 minutes from standing in the back of the line of 30 people, until I got to vote. I didn’t get in until 5:50 – 10 minutes before the polls were suppose to close.

I got in, voted, stepped out – and the line was now 40 people long. The poll workers had their own guy in the back of the line as the cut off point – once 6 PM hit, that was going to be it – anyone else who showed up wouldn’t get to stand in line.

Here’s another story told by a Florida voter James Shaw that came into my inbox:

Report from South Florida: My parents called me from Deerfield Beach (Broward County between Boca and Ft. Lauderdale) to tell me that they waited in line for an hour and a half because the line was so long, but no one left the line. They said everyone in line was talking about Obama and there was an empowering carnival atmosphere to it. Fears of elderly Jewish voters being afraid of Barack Obama are also turning out to have been unfounded. Not only were the elderly Jewish voters all excited about Obama, a number of them were taking it upon themselves to look around for the young voters who looked like they hadn’t ever voted before and explain to them how to vote Democrat all the way down the ballot and vote No on 2. It’s a beautiful thing that’s happening.

Still 12 days to go – go vote, peoples!

Who’s to blame when voting machines go bad?

More stories of voting machines accused of switching votes has come to light, which leads to the important question, who’s to blame?

Is this bad programming that’s causing people to have their votes shifted? Is it a bad user interface that’s confusing people, or if these are touch screens, can we lay the blame on faulty hardware that’s translating button pushes on the screen inches in the wrong direction?

Or is it, as election officials are saying, user error? People unused to technology (like, say, my grandfather when he was alive was) unable to work the machines?

Personally, whenever there’s a problem, I’m usually the one to lay the blame on the designer and the interface before the user.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist: Voter fraud exaggerated

When you can’t get the Republican governor of a major swing state to think that groups like ACORN are going to destroy democracy, you know your argument isn’t working.

Massive voter registration fraud – by 2006 GOP staffers

There’s been plenty of screaming about the voter registration issues stemming from ACORN, but it turns out, this isn’t the first time this has happened.

Evidently, back in 2006, the Califonia GOP had issues with accusations of voter registration fraud, to the point that they were investigated by state and local authorities.

So the point is: voter registration fraud, or mistakes, or problems, happen. It’s not a conspiracy – no matter how much you wish it would be when things aren’t going your way.

Early voting shocking results

Typically, Republicans outvote Democrats in early voting – that was true in 2000 and 2004. But right now, based on new poll research, Democrats are leading by an average of 23% in states that allow early voting.

It’s something I’ve been seeing on the ground level out there in Tampa – the Democrats, and more specifically, the Obama campaign, have been very active in every town they can, going door to door and asking “Who are you voting for? Are you registered to vote? Here’s the forms. Do you know about early voting and where to go? Need absentee ballots? Need a ride to the voting both?”

So far, it that strategy may be winning.

Virginia officials ban campaign clothing?

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia voters won’t be allowed to wear clothing featuring John McCain or Barack Obama when they head to the polls on Nov. 4.

The State Board of Elections on Tuesday voted to ban clothing and hats as well as buttons and other paraphernalia that directly advocate the election or defeat of a specific candidate or issue.

The American Civil Liberties Union argued that the ban violates the First Amendment’s right to free speech. The board, however, said it has to weigh that against the right to vote free of undue influence or the tension that candidate advocacy might create.  (MORE)

WAIT… QUESTION

They have targeted the VOTERS walking in wearing a campaign shirt?  What if I suddenly get the irresistible urge to write in “Nike” now?  I do have ONE request of my great state of Virginia.  What about  the people standing around handing out fliers, pens, pads, refrigerator magnets, while trying to sway your vote as you walk in?  I don’t even know what they are called. (I only know what I call them).   What ARE they called? They aren’t poll workers, or security.  Loiterers?  Seriously.  If I don’t know who I’m voting for when I get there, and need to depend on some overweight, “too much time on their hands” zealot standing outside of the polling place shoving papers at me, to TELL me who to vote for, I don’t deserve to vote.

I am forced to put my hand up firmly with my “back off, I carry pepper spray” look as I walk briskly in.  When I come out I STILL have to do the same thing.   I consider it harassment.  I call it annoying.  Pressure?  No.  The only pressure  I feel is to get the hell in and out as quickly as possible without being charged with assault.