Daily Voting News For March 5, 2008

There have been no media reports of any huge meltdowns in yesterday’s primaries. The reports may still come but so far all of the reports have been of minor problems. The one major issue is that after all of the previous primaries and caucuses it seems as if the four states who held primaries yesterday were all surprised that turnout was going to be high. How can any jurisdiction be caught without enough paper ballots? How can voters be sent home without voting because there was not enough paper to go around? Listen up Mississippi and Pennsylvania…turnout is going to be high. Prepare for it.

One of the issues we heard from the Ohio media is the reports that very few voters asked to use paper ballots even though they were there to be used. Instead they chose to use the touch-screen machines. Of course, the reports don’t mention if the voters were offered a paper ballot as a choice or if the ballots were kept hidden unless a voter specifically asked for one. The reports come from county election officials who were not happy about having to provide paper ballots so any news may be slanted.

Meanwhile legislation is moving in Colorado that will force counties to use paper ballots in November. Iowa is another step closer to paper ballots and away from touch-screen voting. Franklin Co Ohio has announced that they are seriously considering scrapping their touch-screens for optical-scan and paper ballots....

NAtional: Diebold chair blasts United Tech offer LINK
National: Diebold chairman criticizes takeover bid in new letter LINK
National: Defense Contractor Seeks to Buy Diebold LINK
Arkansas: White County - Early voting options needed LINK
Arizona: Voting Review Pima County prepares to address election challenges and make changes LINK
California: San Mateo County - Vote turnout totals 59.3 percent, county says LINK
Colorado: E-voting machines get OK LINK
Colorado: Coffman certifies the last of electronic voting machines LINK
Colorado: E-voting machines regain certification, clerks prefer mail ballots LINK
Colorado: State finishes recertifying voting machines for 2008 County clerks are pleased, but legislators are still weighing a bill to require a mostly paper-ballot system. LINK
Colorado: State lawmakers set to vote on paper ballot election LINK
Colorado: Paper Ballots Pass First Hurdle LINK
Colorado: Morgan County – Editorial - Paper ballot too expensive LINK
Iowa: Panel backs ballot scanners in elections throughout Iowa LINK
Mississippi: Mississippi election officials have paper problem LINK
New Mexico: KKOB Radio News Anchor Laura MacCallum Quits After Station Pulls Stories About Alleged Republican Vote-Buying Efforts LINK
New Mexico: Rep. Heather Wilson Accused of Felony Vote-Buying in New Mexico; Reporter Quits After News Director Scrubs Story LINK
New York: Less Restrictive Absentee Ballot Rules Called For LINK
New York: The Necessary Component: Paper Ballots LINK
Ohio: Ballot Problems Slow Cleveland Count LINK
Ohio: Ballot Shortages Plague Ohio Primary Amid Unusually Heavy Voter Turnout LINK
Ohio: Democratic 'surprise' overwhelms LINK
Ohio: Editorial - Voters have done Ohio proud LINK
Ohio: Shortage of ballots leads to extended voting hours in Ohio LINK
Ohio: Crossovers use all the ballots Some are told to wait - or come back later LINK
Ohio: Ballots cast with few minor problems reported LINK
Ohio: Cuyahoga County - Optical scan voting works in Ohio LINK
Ohio: Franklin County - County could spend millions to scrap touch-screens for paper ballots LINK
Ohio: Montgomery County - Few problems with Montgomery County voting LINK
Ohio: Sandusky Co. Polls Delay State Results Until 9 p.m. LINK
Ohio: Stark County - Results delayed by optical scan ballots LINK
Ohio: Warren County - Demand for Democratic ballots swells with voter turnout LINK
Pennsylvania: Bucks County - Voting machine official defends reliability to unhappy constituents LINK
Pennsylvania: Bucks County - County to stick to voting machines Bucks commissioners show no signs of switching to scannable ballots LINK
Pennsylvania: Lackawanna County - County scraps e-voting plans LINK
Rhode Island: Some voters hit snags LINK
Texas: Angelina County officials blame machine errors on delay in election results LINK
Texas: Angelina County - Late-night vote-tally snafus 'probably set some records' LINK
Texas: Clermont County - Massive Crossover Voting In Clermont County LINK
Texas: Dallas County - Voters gripe about delays, confusion at polls LINK
Texas: Harris County - Investigation Launched Into Vote Stealing LINK
Texas: Travis County - Problem machines cause voting delay Technicians out all day Tuesday, but not all problems reported LINK
Virginia: Senate passes bill to extend election polling in emergencies LINK

**"Daily Voting News" is meant as a comprehensive listing of reports each day concerning issues related to election and voting news around the country regardless of quality or political slant. Therefore, items listed in "Daily Voting News" may not reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or Scoop.**

John Gideon Co-Director and Information Manager VotersUnite.Org http://www.votersunite.org

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