The END of the Democratic Party as an opposition party...? The Diebold vote FIX is IN for 2006....
So Virginia Senate Democratic candidate JAMES WEBB had his last name CUT OFF in the review portion of some of Virginia's electronic voting machines this week, in "A GLITCH" that "election officials assured votes and candidates would NOT AFFECT the vote-totalling outcome. And the WASHINGTON POST story says:
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U.S. Senate candidate James Webb's last name has been cut off on part of the electronic ballot used by voters in Alexandria, Falls Church and Charlottesville because of a computer glitch that also affects other candidates with long names, city officials said yesterday. >>
BUT "JAMES WEBB" IS_NOT a "long name"!
WHAT GIVES, Washington Post?! HOW can you write "the computer glitch CUTS OFF LONG NAMES, when one of the most prominent candidates in America has a last name WITH JUST FOUR LETTERS???
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We stopped in to visit early voting in Florida, and were faced with dozens of earnest voting volunteers... who were all assisting in the use in voting machines, machines with NO, ZERO, NONE, ZIP, ZILCH, NADA verification or paper-trail to assure voters their votes had been counted correctly.
SIX YEARS after the voting debacle of Florida in 2000, and TWO WHOLE YEARS after the voting debacle in Ohio in 2004, Democratic leaders HAVE BARELY MADE A FUSS about the state of America's corrupt, inherently suspicious voting machines.
The operative concept here is that EVERY STATE IN AMERICA which allows "SLOT" gambling machines, RIGOROUSLY INSPECT _EVERY_SINGLE_LINE of _COMPUTER_CODE that operates those machines, in order to prevent someone from inserting a few lines of code "TO SKIM" any of the money inserted into the machine.
As is today typical of America, WE PLACE A HIGHER PRIORITY on the legality and verification of our ENTERTAINMENT (gambling machines, a subsidiary of America's entertainment industry), THAN WE DEVOTE to our VOTING and political leadership.
"Political leadership" that can grant or rob us of Social Security, health care programs, day care, public schools, higher education, jobs, national security... EVERYTHING that we take for granted as "the fabric of America."
Not every American has the time to take on Diebold and other Republican owned and run corporations, that make MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars producing these SUBSTANDARD, LAUGHABLY SUSPECT voting machines.
One WOULD THINK that Democratic leaders - those with the most resources and the most experience - would be LEADING the FIGHT to ASSURE American voters that OUR VOTES ARE BEING COUNTED FAIRLY and ACCURATELY.
But instead, HILLARY CLINTON is trying to criminalize the almost non-existent 'sin' of FLAG-BURNING, and now she has joined the Bush administration in ADVOCATING TORTURE. And Joe Leiberman has JOINED the Bush-Republican agenda of ONE PARTY RULE and DICTATORIAL POWERS in everything but name, and he will probably join the Republican Party (because of the benefits of being on the majority party) if he wins election to the Senate as an "independent."
JOE LIEBERMAN and HILLARY CLINTON: AWOL on the issue of VOTING SECURITY and verification; PRO-BUSH on the issue of TORTURE, MERCENARIES in war, and other actions that, in the mid-1940s, the victorious Allies prosecuted at the Nuremberg trials.
==================================
Some Voting Machines Chop Off Candidates' Names
Computer Glitch Affects Voters in 3 Jurisdictions; Error Cannot Be Fixed by Nov. 7
By Leef Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 24, 2006; B04
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102301178_pf.html
U.S. Senate candidate James Webb's last name has been cut off on part of the electronic ballot used by voters in Alexandria, Falls Church and Charlottesville because of a computer glitch that also affects other candidates with long names, city officials said yesterday.
Although the problem creates some voter confusion, it will not cause votes to be cast incorrectly, election officials emphasized. The error shows up only on the summary page, where voters are asked to review their selections before hitting the button to cast their votes. Webb's full name appears on the page where voters choose for whom to vote.
Election officials attribute the mistake to an increase in the type size on the ballot. Although the larger type is easier to read, it also unintentionally shortens the longer names on the summary page of the ballot.
Thus, Democratic candidate Webb will appear with his first name and nickname only -- or "James H. 'Jim' " -- on summary pages in Alexandria, Falls Church and Charlottesville, the only jurisdictions in Virginia that use balloting machines manufactured by Hart InterCivic of Austin.
"We're not happy about it," Webb spokeswoman Kristian Denny Todd said last night, adding that the campaign learned about the problem a week ago and has since been in touch with state election officials. "I don't think it can be remedied by Election Day. Obviously, that's a concern."
Every candidate on Alexandria's summary page has been affected in some way by the glitch. Even if candidates' full names appear, as is the case with Webb's Republican opponent, incumbent Sen. George F. Allen, their party affiliations have been cut off.
Jean Jensen, secretary of the Virginia State Board of Elections, who said yesterday she only recently became aware of the problem, pledged to have it fixed by the 2007 statewide elections.
"You better believe it," Jensen said. "If I have to personally get on a plane and bring Hart InterCivic people here myself, it'll be corrected."
Absentee voters casting ballots in advance of the Nov. 7 election first noticed the problem. Election officials have been forced to post signs in voting booths and instruct poll workers to explain why some longer names appear cut-off.
Election officials in Alexandria said they have been vexed by the problem since they purchased the voting machines in 2003. Although the problem has raised eyebrows among confused voters, elections officials said they are confident that the trouble has not led voters to cast ballots incorrectly.
"This is not the kind of problem that has either shaken our confidence in the system overall or that of the vote," said Alexandria Registrar Tom Parkins. "There have been far worse problems around the country."
James T. "Jim" Hurysz, an independent candidate who's running to unseat incumbent Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.), sees it somewhat differently. His name has been shortened on the summary page to "James T. 'Jim.' "
Moran is the one lucky James in Alexandria whose last name made the summary page, although without the "Jr."
"That situation is not acceptable," Hurysz said. "There's enough voter confusion as it is."
Jensen said Hart InterCivic has created an upgrade for their firmware and recently applied for state certification to apply the fix. That process, she said, can be time-consuming because of security measures in place .
Hart InterCivic officials yesterday said they hoped to correct the problem by next fall.
"The newer voting systems will not be certified and installed before the Nov. 7 election," said company Vice President Phillip Braithwaite. Hart InterCivic "does intend to install the newer system version before the next major election in 2007, assuming certification from the commonwealth."
In the meantime, Jensen said, the three affected jurisdictions have begun educating voters to prevent confusion on Election Day and will place notices in each of the polling booths that explain the summary page problem.
"We have a very conspicuous posting in the booths and if [voters] say, 'Hey I don't like what I'm seeing on the summary page,' we can refer them to the chart," Parkins said.
Three years ago, Alexandria purchased about 225 Hart InterCivic machines for $750,000. "We're not comfortable with [this problem] in the long term . . . but we have every reason to expect it will be rectified before the next election," Parkins said.
Sheri Iachetta, general registrar for Charlottesville, said the city purchased 72 machines in 2002. Election officials have had trouble displaying long names ever since.
"We do have people complain and say they don't get it," Iachetta said. "I completely understand what they're saying, but it's not something I can control. We do a pretty good proactive job getting the word out. . . . We've tried to let the voters know that their vote will count even if they can't see the entire name on the summary page."
<<
U.S. Senate candidate James Webb's last name has been cut off on part of the electronic ballot used by voters in Alexandria, Falls Church and Charlottesville because of a computer glitch that also affects other candidates with long names, city officials said yesterday. >>
BUT "JAMES WEBB" IS_NOT a "long name"!
WHAT GIVES, Washington Post?! HOW can you write "the computer glitch CUTS OFF LONG NAMES, when one of the most prominent candidates in America has a last name WITH JUST FOUR LETTERS???
-----------------------------------------------------
We stopped in to visit early voting in Florida, and were faced with dozens of earnest voting volunteers... who were all assisting in the use in voting machines, machines with NO, ZERO, NONE, ZIP, ZILCH, NADA verification or paper-trail to assure voters their votes had been counted correctly.
SIX YEARS after the voting debacle of Florida in 2000, and TWO WHOLE YEARS after the voting debacle in Ohio in 2004, Democratic leaders HAVE BARELY MADE A FUSS about the state of America's corrupt, inherently suspicious voting machines.
The operative concept here is that EVERY STATE IN AMERICA which allows "SLOT" gambling machines, RIGOROUSLY INSPECT _EVERY_SINGLE_LINE of _COMPUTER_CODE that operates those machines, in order to prevent someone from inserting a few lines of code "TO SKIM" any of the money inserted into the machine.
As is today typical of America, WE PLACE A HIGHER PRIORITY on the legality and verification of our ENTERTAINMENT (gambling machines, a subsidiary of America's entertainment industry), THAN WE DEVOTE to our VOTING and political leadership.
"Political leadership" that can grant or rob us of Social Security, health care programs, day care, public schools, higher education, jobs, national security... EVERYTHING that we take for granted as "the fabric of America."
Not every American has the time to take on Diebold and other Republican owned and run corporations, that make MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars producing these SUBSTANDARD, LAUGHABLY SUSPECT voting machines.
One WOULD THINK that Democratic leaders - those with the most resources and the most experience - would be LEADING the FIGHT to ASSURE American voters that OUR VOTES ARE BEING COUNTED FAIRLY and ACCURATELY.
But instead, HILLARY CLINTON is trying to criminalize the almost non-existent 'sin' of FLAG-BURNING, and now she has joined the Bush administration in ADVOCATING TORTURE. And Joe Leiberman has JOINED the Bush-Republican agenda of ONE PARTY RULE and DICTATORIAL POWERS in everything but name, and he will probably join the Republican Party (because of the benefits of being on the majority party) if he wins election to the Senate as an "independent."
JOE LIEBERMAN and HILLARY CLINTON: AWOL on the issue of VOTING SECURITY and verification; PRO-BUSH on the issue of TORTURE, MERCENARIES in war, and other actions that, in the mid-1940s, the victorious Allies prosecuted at the Nuremberg trials.
==================================
Some Voting Machines Chop Off Candidates' Names
Computer Glitch Affects Voters in 3 Jurisdictions; Error Cannot Be Fixed by Nov. 7
By Leef Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 24, 2006; B04
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102301178_pf.html
U.S. Senate candidate James Webb's last name has been cut off on part of the electronic ballot used by voters in Alexandria, Falls Church and Charlottesville because of a computer glitch that also affects other candidates with long names, city officials said yesterday.
Although the problem creates some voter confusion, it will not cause votes to be cast incorrectly, election officials emphasized. The error shows up only on the summary page, where voters are asked to review their selections before hitting the button to cast their votes. Webb's full name appears on the page where voters choose for whom to vote.
Election officials attribute the mistake to an increase in the type size on the ballot. Although the larger type is easier to read, it also unintentionally shortens the longer names on the summary page of the ballot.
Thus, Democratic candidate Webb will appear with his first name and nickname only -- or "James H. 'Jim' " -- on summary pages in Alexandria, Falls Church and Charlottesville, the only jurisdictions in Virginia that use balloting machines manufactured by Hart InterCivic of Austin.
"We're not happy about it," Webb spokeswoman Kristian Denny Todd said last night, adding that the campaign learned about the problem a week ago and has since been in touch with state election officials. "I don't think it can be remedied by Election Day. Obviously, that's a concern."
Every candidate on Alexandria's summary page has been affected in some way by the glitch. Even if candidates' full names appear, as is the case with Webb's Republican opponent, incumbent Sen. George F. Allen, their party affiliations have been cut off.
Jean Jensen, secretary of the Virginia State Board of Elections, who said yesterday she only recently became aware of the problem, pledged to have it fixed by the 2007 statewide elections.
"You better believe it," Jensen said. "If I have to personally get on a plane and bring Hart InterCivic people here myself, it'll be corrected."
Absentee voters casting ballots in advance of the Nov. 7 election first noticed the problem. Election officials have been forced to post signs in voting booths and instruct poll workers to explain why some longer names appear cut-off.
Election officials in Alexandria said they have been vexed by the problem since they purchased the voting machines in 2003. Although the problem has raised eyebrows among confused voters, elections officials said they are confident that the trouble has not led voters to cast ballots incorrectly.
"This is not the kind of problem that has either shaken our confidence in the system overall or that of the vote," said Alexandria Registrar Tom Parkins. "There have been far worse problems around the country."
James T. "Jim" Hurysz, an independent candidate who's running to unseat incumbent Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.), sees it somewhat differently. His name has been shortened on the summary page to "James T. 'Jim.' "
Moran is the one lucky James in Alexandria whose last name made the summary page, although without the "Jr."
"That situation is not acceptable," Hurysz said. "There's enough voter confusion as it is."
Jensen said Hart InterCivic has created an upgrade for their firmware and recently applied for state certification to apply the fix. That process, she said, can be time-consuming because of security measures in place .
Hart InterCivic officials yesterday said they hoped to correct the problem by next fall.
"The newer voting systems will not be certified and installed before the Nov. 7 election," said company Vice President Phillip Braithwaite. Hart InterCivic "does intend to install the newer system version before the next major election in 2007, assuming certification from the commonwealth."
In the meantime, Jensen said, the three affected jurisdictions have begun educating voters to prevent confusion on Election Day and will place notices in each of the polling booths that explain the summary page problem.
"We have a very conspicuous posting in the booths and if [voters] say, 'Hey I don't like what I'm seeing on the summary page,' we can refer them to the chart," Parkins said.
Three years ago, Alexandria purchased about 225 Hart InterCivic machines for $750,000. "We're not comfortable with [this problem] in the long term . . . but we have every reason to expect it will be rectified before the next election," Parkins said.
Sheri Iachetta, general registrar for Charlottesville, said the city purchased 72 machines in 2002. Election officials have had trouble displaying long names ever since.
"We do have people complain and say they don't get it," Iachetta said. "I completely understand what they're saying, but it's not something I can control. We do a pretty good proactive job getting the word out. . . . We've tried to let the voters know that their vote will count even if they can't see the entire name on the summary page."
posted by verifi at 6:04 PM
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