As you read these first reports of election problems such as precincts where no machines work, and precincts that have only 2 machines in the Philadelphia area, and you compare that to 4 people being able to vote at once in my tiny precinct where only about 47 people vote, and other rural areas where 8 people are able to vote at once, you have to wonder why I have no wait and the people in Philly wait over an hour or can't vote at all. And there is a paper record of my vote that could be verified and recounted, and no record of the votes in Philly. Is this a coincidence or a plan? It reminds me of OH - _www.witnesstoacrime.com_ (http://www.witnesstoacrime.com/) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA PRIMARY ELECTION PROB WIRE: Machine malfunctions, long lines, registration probs reported across Keystone State.. BRAD BLOG ALERT April 22, 2008 Pennsylvania Primary: Polling Place, E-Voting Problem Wire...
Problem reports from polling places in PA, including voting machine malfunctions, long lines, registration problems and more having been coming in all across the state (particularly in and around Philly), all morning. We've been doing our best to keep up, with a running wire of notable reports, which we continue to update throughout the day. See our report yesterday detailing concerns about e-voting equipment (though not from officials, who weren't concerned at all) and whether there would be enough machines to go around (presuming they work at all) across Pennsylvania... ELECTION PROB WIRE: _http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5918_ (http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5918) If you missed it yesterday, we tried to warn you... The Pennsylvania Primary: Democracy of the Gods Tuesday's Election Will be 'Unrecountable, Unverifiable, and Unauditable'... FULL STORY: _http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5916_ (http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5916) Go to _http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5918_ (http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5918) and scroll down to entire list of reported problems. I included some below. :24pm ET: Fox "News" confirms e-voting problems. While MSNBC was said to have reported earlier that PA's SoS claimed there were no reports of problems today (see the 6:34pm ET update below), it was Fox "News" of all outlets who bothered to confirm and briefly report the problems. Just after the polls closed tonight, as the Exit Polls were "too close to call", and too important to share with us mere mortals, the cable news nets were beside themselves with the prospect of having to actually wait for votes to be "counted". In truth, very few of them can actually be counted because, _as we explained yesterday_ (http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5916) , most of PA uses e-voting machines on which it's strictly impossible to determine if even a single vote was recorded as any voter actually intended. It was Fox then, who confirmed some of the problems we've been reporting all day here. "Some of those electronic voting machines did not work," says the Fox reporter in the clip below, describing the process of "cartridges" being brought in for counting. She mentions that there were paper ballots where machine broke down (though as we noted in earlier reports below, provisional ballots were only handed out if both machines in voting precincts broke down), which, she said, would have to be counted "the old fashioned way". Cue (literally) Fox eye roll. Fox "News" confirms e-voting problems. While MSNBC was said to have reported earlier that PA's SoS claimed there were no reports of problems today (see the 6:34pm ET update below), it was Fox "News" of all outlets who bothered to confirm and briefly report the problems. Just after the polls closed tonight, as the Exit Polls were "too close to call", and too important to share with us mere mortals, the cable news nets were beside themselves with the prospect of having to actually wait for votes to be "counted". In truth, very few of them can actually be counted because, _as we explained yesterday_ (http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5916) , most :24pm ET: Fox "News" confirms e-voting problems. While MSNBC was said to have reported earlier that PA's SoS claimed there were no reports of problems today (see the 6:34pm ET update below), it was Fox "News" of all outlets who bothered to confirm and briefly report the problems. Just after the polls closed tonight, as the Exit Polls were "too close to call", and too important to share with us mere mortals, the cable news nets were beside themselves with the prospect of having to actually wait for votes to be "counted". In truth, very few of them can actually be counted because, _as we explained yesterday_ (http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5916) , most of PA uses e-voting machines on which it's strictly impossible to determine if even a single vote was recorded as any voter actually intended. It was Fox then, who confirmed some of the problems we've been reporting all day here. "Some of those electronic voting machines did not work," says the Fox reporter in the clip below, describing the process of "cartridges" being brought in for counting. She mentions that there were paper ballots where machine broke down (though as we noted in earlier reports below, provisional ballots were only handed out if both machines in voting precincts broke down), which, she said, would have to be counted "the old fashioned way". Cue (literally) Fox eye roll. of PA uses e-voting machines on which it's strictly impossible to determine if even a single vote was recorded as any voter actually intended. It was Fox then, who confirmed some of the problems we've been reporting all day here. "Some of those electronic voting machines did not work," says the Fox reporter in the clip below, describing the process of "cartridges" being brought in for counting. She mentions that there were paper ballots where machine broke down (though as we noted in earlier reports below, provisional ballots were only handed out if both machines in voting precincts broke down), which, she said, would have to be counted "the old fashioned way". Cue (literally) Fox eye roll. One volunteer called in to report that one of the voting machines does not seem to be recording votes properly: the count is off by three people. In one precinct, voting equipment was not working and had not been working for over two hours. This problem had been reported throughout Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania and has the potential to disenfranchise thousands of voters by the time the polls close. One caller was confused by a fake ballot at polling location. Election Protection sent a legal team which was able to clear up the confusion - the ballot was being used as an "electioneering" tactic to confuse the voter. The person distributing the fake ballots was told to remain the appropriate distance from the polling place. Poll workers at Ward 53 Division 12 learned this morning that they had been delivered the machine intended for Ward 55 Division 14; down-ticket candidates inaccurate. _Machine Failure_ (http://www.electionjournal.org/?p=130) 29th Ward, 4th Division. One of the two machines at the polling place has malfunctioned. Election officials scrambling to repair before turnout picks up. Polling place at 2340 Fulton Way _Court Appointed Machine Inspector Denied Entrance to Poll_ (http://www.electionjournal.org/?p=129) In the the 3rd Ward State Representative Ron Waters refused to allow a court appointed machine inspector to enter the polling place. Although Rep Waters is an influential Philly pol, he in fact holds no official election position. Waters insisted that only one machine inspector was allowed into the polling place. After election officials informed Rep Waters that his legal interpretation was incorrect, he stated “well, that’s not the way we do things” UPDATE: Representative Ward relented, and the inspector was permitted to enter the polling location. Voters waited in long lines Tuesday morning at the Village of Pennbrook in Falls while poll workers spent an hour and a half working to get two downed machines up and running. On one of the malfunctioning machines, a voter worried that her vote was not tallied, according to Falls Republican Committeeman Kennan Haley. She was asked to cast a provisional ballot, he said. ... In another instance, a voter casting a write-in vote failed to close the write-in door and caused the other machine to jam up, he said. Voters reported problems with a polling place near 12th and Grange Streets in the Olney section of Philadelphia in the early morning hours. Both machines were reportedly down as a long line of voters waited to cast their ballot. Some voters said they were told the power went down and a technician was needed to get the machines to function. ... Many voters reportedly left the location in order to get to work on time NOTE FROM _VOTERSUNITE.ORG'S_ (http://www.votersunite.org/) JOHN GIDEON: I find it amazing that only two machines are in each Philadelphia precinct and voters can only get a paper ballot, no matter how long the lines get, if both machines are broken. Then, the paper ballots are provisional ballots and won't be counted until after the initial count is made this evening and tomorrow. Channel 6 (ABC News, Philadelphia) was reporting at lunchtime that voting machines were down in the Fern Rock section of the city (which happens to be a heavily African-American area) and at least 50 people apparently left without voting. I don't know why they weren't given emergency ballots to use (maybe they didn't have any there). We continue to hear reports of broken machines. This tale was reported to the Daily News by a very patient voter: "I just came from voting. Finally got my vote in at 49 ward, 07 division....after waiting for (the only) 2 voting machines to be repaired. "I was able to cast my vote for Obama after waiting 1 and 1/2 hours. During that time at least 100 voters left without voting.....possibly not to return. "I immediately called every News channel I could get through to. Persons who answered at the stations informed me that my ward was not the only one with broken machines and 'Paper ballots (as an alternative) without Obama's name on it. These provisional ballots did have Hiliary's [sic] name on them." Poll workers think a short power outage may have caused an early issue for about two-dozen voters in Green Tree. According to Debbie Moskala, some voters had to use paper ballots to cast their vote because of a glitch with one of the machines at the Marian Manor senior living facility. "When we first started voting this morning, one machine wouldn't work," Moskala told KDKA, "…. so we did paper ballots. We had about 20 people go through with paper ballots and vote that way." continued at _http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5918_ (http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5918) 10:44am ET: Machine breakdowns in Delaware County and South Philly. _From Philly Inquirer/Daily News PA Primary Blog..._ (http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/politics/18002279.html) Readers and Inquirer reporters attempting to cast ballots this morning found long lines across the region created by broken machines. One of two machines was down at a busy Delaware County polling site. About 50 people already had voted by 9:15 a.m. at the Temple Israel on Spruce and Bywood Avenue in Upper Darby, which is heavily populated by immigrant and first time voters. Many of those freshly-minted voters had difficulties using the one machine that still functioned. "Hell of a day for one of the machines to be down," said one poll worker. In South Philadelphia, both voting machines were broken at 4th and Ritner ... One reader wrote: I got to my polling place before 7 a.m.; 2nd ward, 27th division: as the polls were opening, one of two machines for my division was malfunctioning: electrical problem. ... In the city's Spring Garden section, home to State Sen. Vincent Fumo, both machines were down at St. Andrews Lithuananian Church at 19th and Wallace. Voters grumbled when they learned their provisional ballots would not be counted tonight. ____________________________________ 9:45am ET: Ballot design probs in Palmer Township (Northhampton County). Delegates not listed under candidates. _From Lehigh Valley Live..._ (http://blog.pennlive.com/lvbreakingnews/2008/04/palmer_township_voter_reports.html) Palmer Township resident Ritann Tosto wants to warn voters to read the fine print beneath the delegate candidates' names. Tosto, 59, said she assumed the delegates listed beneath Sen. Barack Obama's name were his supporters, and the delegates beneath Sen. Hillary Clinton's name were hers. That's not the case, she reports after voting at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church. "Fortunately, I put my rather thick reading glasses on," Tosto said. "In the lightest italic, smallest print under the delegates .... It states who they are committed to. And it is the tiniest print in the whole space, and they're mixed." She admits she has trouble with her eyes, but believes the setup is "incredibly misleading." "Had I not read the sample ballot, I wouldn't have known. I would've voted for all the wrong people," Tosto said. When she returned home she called the Northampton County election office to inquire about the reason for the setup, but got no answer. ... She said no one else who was voting while she was there seemed confused, so they either understood or made the same assumption she did at first, and voted for the wrong delegates. (_Graphic of the ballot in question here._ (http://blog.pennlive.com/lvbreakingnews/2008/04/palmer_township_voter_reports.html) ) _http://blog.pennlive.com/lvbreakingnews/2008/04/palmer_township_voter_reports.html_ (http://blog.pennlive.com/lvbreakingnews/2008/04/palmer_township_voter_reports.html) ____________________________________ 9:43am ET: Fewer machines in Northhampton County this year. _From Lehigh Valley Live..._ (http://blog.pennlive.com/lvbreakingnews/2008/04/voters_might_need_to_wait_in_l.html) Retired Rabbi Jonathan Gerard, 60, of Easton, was concerned --- as were many voters --- that there was just one electronic voting machine [made by Sequoia] in the polling place, where for years there had been two mechanical machines. Poll workers said it was because Northampton County went from 600 uncertified machines to 300 machines from a different vendor. ____________________________________ 6:15am PT: Machines "on fritz" as Philly polls opened, voters given provisionals. _From Philly Inquirer/Daily News PA Primary Blog..._ (http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/politics/Grumbling_at_the_provisional_ballots.html) Both machines were on the fritz as polls opened at St. Andrew’s Lithuanian Church, 19th & Wallace Streets, in the city’s Spring Garden neighborhood. The polls, five blocks from outgoing state senator Vince Fumo home, are in the 16th division, 15th ward. Early voters were asked to fill out provisional ballots. More than 20 people did so and left grumbling when they learned their ballots wouldn’t be counted tonight. By 7:30 a.m. election workers got the two machines up and running on batteries. ____________________________________ 9:14am ET: Voting machines malfunctioned, votes lost in Bethlehem. _From Morning Call..._ (http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-n-l-voters-042208-cn,0,4187550,full.story) In Bethlehem...When judge of elections Craig Hynes swung open the doors, 15 people rushed in, including some that had been their since 6:40 a.m....Hynes said. "This is going to be a long day." Moments later he realized how long it could be when one of his three voting machines malfunctioned. After four people had voted, he realized that it had only registered one voter. He had to reset machine. "We lost three voters and there's no getting them back," explained Hynes, "and at this point we don't even know who they were." (http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm) **************Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used car listings at AOL Autos. 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