[Winona Online Democracy]
Paul, Keep us posted on whether there will be any meetings in Winona. If
we have a consensus, we could pass it on to her. I think we would like
those machines that give the voter an immediate feedback on what they just
did. That would allow them to recognize a mistake and correct it before the
vote is recorded.
Duane M. Peterson
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Double" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2000 3:17 PM
Subject: [Winona] Kiffmeyer Update: Town Hall Election Meetings & Could
Florida's Fiasco Happen In Minnesota?
> I received this and wanted to forward it to the group should some be able
> to attend.
>
> Paul Double
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> >The Kiffmeyer Update
> >The easiest way to get the latest news regarding Mary Kiffmeyer,
> Minnesota's 20th Secretary of State.
> >
> >
> >For Release:
> Contact: Kent Kaiser
> >1 December 2000
> 651-297-8919
> >
> >Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer Holds
> >Town Hall Meetings on Minnesota Elections
> >
> >Public Input Sought on Election Procedures and Integrity
> >
> >SAINT PAUL-Minnesota Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer today announced
> that she is holding a series of statewide town hall meetings concerning
> election integrity. With unprecedented national and state-level interest
> in elections, the gatherings are designed to solicit citizen input and
> share information about the election process.
> >
> >"Following the most remarkable election in modern times, there has been
an
> enormous amount of attention focused on elections," said Kiffmeyer.
"While
> we have a great deal to proud of in Minnesota, we all know there is always
> room for improvement. I believe some of the very best ideas will come
from
> directly from the voters themselves."
> >
> >Town Hall Meeting Schedule:
> >
> >December 4, 2000 December 6, 2000
> >Redwood Community Center Lynnhurst Community
> Center Multipurpose Room
> >100 George Ramseth Drive 1345 W Minnehaha
Parkway
>
> >Redwood Falls Minneapolis
> >6:30-8:00 PM 7:00-8:30
PM
> >
> >December 7, 2000 December 11, 2000
>
> >Austin City Council Chambers Temporary City Council
> Chambers
> >500 4th Ave NE Old Valley
> Elementary School
> >Austin 610
> 2nd Ave NE
> >7:00-8:30 PM East Grand
> Forks
> >
> 7:00-8:30 PM
> >
> >Note: Additional meetings may be scheduled later, according to public
> demand.
> >
> >*****************************************************************
> >
> >
> >For Release:
> Contact: Kent Kaiser
> >4 December 2000
> 651-297-8919
> >
> >Commentary
> >(Radio Actuality Available by calling 651-296-6242)
> >
> >Could Florida's Fiasco Happen In Minnesota?
> >
> >By Mary Kiffmeyer
> >
> >People wonder, "Could what's happening with the election in Florida
happen
> in Minnesota?"
> >
> >Minnesotans can rest assured that certain aspects of the Florida
situation
> simply could not happen in our state. We have no "butterfly" or punch
card
> ballots. We have no chads-hanging, dimpled, pregnant, or otherwise.
> >
> >On the other hand, could we have a close election? Sure. Then, we too
> probably would be looking at a recount or other challenges.
> >
> >Reasons to challenge an election can range from simply disputing the
> number of ballots counted, to identifying irregularities in the conduct of
> the election, to identifying voter fraud.
> >
> >The disputes in Florida have centered around the counting of ballots.
> >
> >Thankfully, for many years Minnesota's policymakers have been very
> effective at making sure that our ballots are easy to understand and that
> they are counted accurately. Consequently, the technical aspects of the
> casting and counting of ballots are not as big a deal here as in some
other
> states.
> >
> >There are some 4000 voting precincts in Minnesota. Over 1300 precincts,
> containing 67 percent of the voters, have ballot-scanning machines for the
> voters to deposit their ballots after voting. If there are mistakes, the
> machine immediately spits out the ballot and allows the voter a chance to
> revote. Ballot-scanning technology eliminates most of the human error
that
> might be associated with the casting and counting of ballots.
> >
> >Unfortunately, about 2700 precincts, containing 33 percent of voters, do
> not have precinct-based ballot scanners. Alas, the cost of the
> ballot-scanning technology often is prohibitive for the local governments
> that must foot the bill.
> >
> >So, even though everyone in Minnesota votes on an easy-to-use ballot,
> there are many-mostly in rural areas-who are at a technological
> disadvantage when it comes to casting their votes and having them counted.
> Voters in these areas are more likely to cast a "defective" ballot without
> knowing it.
> >
> >A ballot is considered defective when a voter either makes a mistake or
> does not vote in a particular race. By the way: a defect in one race does
> not affect the validity of the vote in other races on the ballot.
> >
> >If there were a recount in Minnesota, most of the spotlight probably
would
> be on our defective ballots.
> >
> >It is important to understand that not all defective ballots are cast
> mistakenly. A good number of the 0.70 percent of ballots considered
> defective in this year's Presidential race in Minnesota might very well
> have been submitted by members of the Independence Party, which did not
> field a candidate for President; many of that party's voters may have
> exercised their right simply to skip the Presidential race and move down
> the ballot to the US Senate race in which they had a candidate.
> >
> >Nevertheless, others of these defective ballots may have been
> unintentional "overvotes," where voters marked the ballot for more than
one
> Presidential candidate and election judges could not discern their single
> choice for that office. Some may have had other voter mistakes that
> prevented election judges from being able to understand the voters'
intent.
> A precinct-based ballot scanner could detect these mistakes and give
> voters a second chance.
> >
> >This is a fairness issue that I have been addressing, with some
> significant success, since taking office. I hope the situation in Florida
> will bring attention to the technological improvements that we still
> require to bring equality to voters all across Minnesota.
> >
> >Still, I believe our goal must be not just better ballots and election
> equipment, but a long-term diligence to educate the public about election
> topics generally and thereby to strengthen our democracy overall.
> >
> >In time, we may find that this year's tense and often contentious
> "national civics lesson" has produced an unintended benefit. Indeed, I am
> optimistic that the current focus on how we conduct elections will extend
> into a broader interest in elections and other citizenship activities.
> >
> >Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake Township) is Minnesota's 20th Secretary of
State.
> >
>
>***************************************************************************
> ********
> >The Kiffmeyer Update is sent by James Kiffmeyer, and much of the past
> information sent in Updates can be found at the kiffmeyer.org website.
> Also see the web site for information on contacting Mary, pictures,
> biography, links to news coverage, quality conservative links,and more.
> >
> >Feel free to forward this Update to other lists or individuals, as long
as
> these closing comments are maintained. Anyone can add their e-mail
address
> to the list by going to the website or sending an e-mail to James at
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] (same address to unsubscribe)
> >
> >
> >
> >Attachment Converted: "C:\LUMINET\EUDORA\ATTACH\Kiffmeye"
> >
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