Today's Seattle Times reports that "Credibility on the line in Sept. vote". Who knew?
The companion article lists some of the changes to training and procedures that are designed to restore credibility. Some of these even make sense:
Problem: Ballots got lost and were later discovered uncounted.Then there is this one:Response: Holes in absentee-ballot envelopes help ensure that ballots won't be left in envelopes.
Problem: Nearly a thousand more absentee ballots were counted than there were absentee voters.Oops. That wasn't in the article. In fact, the reporter didn't seem to ask about any problems that weren't included in the Elections office's talking points. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at August 29, 2005 01:52 PM | Email ThisResponse: Stonewall public records requests that are intended to help figure out how this could have happened. Refuse to answer critics' questions until after Ron Sims is re-elected.
I believe everyone who doubts the integrity of KCE should head on into town to the KCE office on election day, completed ballot and ID in hand, turn in the ballot there and, most importantly, ask for (demand) a written receipt for their vote.
Even if it's just thinking conservatives that participate, the numbers will be sufficient enough to get their attention.
King County Records, Elections & Licensing Services Division
King County Admin. Bldg., #553
500 Fourth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Hours: Weekdays
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
LOL!
Um, I think that just might negate the "hold 'em accountable" factor we're going for here!
That way, they can just pull ballots out of the hole when they don't want to count them; and they can insert new ballots in others.
Looks like this one is a winner.
Posted by: BananaLand (aka Iguana) on August 29, 2005 03:06 PMI received my voters pamphlet for the upcoming primary election.
Have you guys seen the cover of this pamphlet?
Has it really come down to putting cartoons on the front of a voters pamphlet? What kind of credibility does an office gain by re-using "penny the pen" (cartoon used in last years election debacle) and adding some new creepy fat ballot character. Nothing says bringing back credibility like cartoons! It gives the appearance that voting in King County really isn't taken that seriously and there is some sort of circus or elementary school approach taken by the elections office.
I know there are so many other things to be concerned about regarding the election's office, but wouldn't it be nice to leave out the cartoons that basically amount to an insult on the public's intelligence and put something on the cover that might add a little class and maybe even a little credibility to the voting process and to King County Elections.
Posted by: Joe on August 29, 2005 03:22 PMThe after-action reports on the 2004 elections had the individual write-in responses tablulated.
If, after-the-fact, we find you marked as 'credited with voting' and do _not_ see a vote for yourself for dogcatcher - > time to stop asking for FOIA documents and time to start suing.
Posted by: Al on August 29, 2005 03:47 PMLeave Penny alone. That broad has some moxie.
Besides, after six weeks of observing ballots being counted and recounted for 8-10 hours a day, Penny was the only female contact I'd have for days on end.
Multiple ballots just so you don't run empty?
Posted by: Righton on August 29, 2005 07:17 PMResponse: Stonewall public records requests that are intended to help figure out how this could have happened. Refuse to answer critics' questions until after Ron Sims is re-elected.
Has everyone given up calling the ST and asking why they didn't address problems like this? Wouldn't a large number of calls with specific questions have some effect?
Posted by: Mac on August 29, 2005 07:54 PMTwo reasons, Michele:
1. Ron.
2. Sims.
Too freaking incredible! What's next weeks meeting going to be about? Is Logan going to threaten her - like they did Julie Anne Kempf?
They are actually trying to make Nicole Way the scapegoat for the computer tally problems last fall .....that SHE testified about! They are going to try to relate some lame email examples from her..(that she probably wrote to her employees after she couldn't get help from her superiors) that allegedly show she was complacent with the tally problems........DUH.
Did anyone else see this on the news?
Judge Bridges seemed very protective of Ms. Way while she was on the stand...I wonder what he thinks of this latest BS by the King County machine?
Posted by: Deborah on August 29, 2005 09:07 PMI have no idea what they think they are doing....but I can't wait to read Stefan's take on it!
Posted by: Deborah on August 29, 2005 09:45 PMThe ONLY reason to wait until now to resolve a disciplinary action that could have been wrapped up a long time ago is one reason: Ron Sims' election chances.
This entire thing is coming to a head now after months of delay because Logan is helping Sims to spin it as "holding someone accountable."
If they make a big production number out of firing someone, Ron just might pull the wool over the eyes of the public and squeak out a victory in November.
Of course, the only person being held "accountable" is a low-level supervisor who made the same errors and exhibited the same negligence as her supervisor (Fell), her supervisor's supervisor (Huennekens), and her supervisor's supervisor's supervisor (Logan).
In just one of many examples, they all had the information that the Mail Ballot Report was falsified, they were in on the decision, and yet it is one individual who bears the brunt of the "accountability", while the "Boys Club" gets off scot free. (It's not a coincidence that Logan, Fell, and Huennekens have similar interests, and have developed a friendship out of the office, and Fell and Huennekens are escaping the chopping block...)
Way's malfeasance may have been egregious enough to warrant termination, but she didn't do anything that her immediate supervisors didn't also do. They ignored her pleas for assistance with numbers that weren't adding up early on due to errors in the new software, they allowed and even fostered an atmosphere where the technical staff openly mocked the election staff in absentees when they asked for assistance, and they allowed a knowingly falsified report to be used in certification.
It's disgusting that this termination is so lopsided, unfair, and is being used by Ron Sims to solve his political problems.
Posted by: Sensible Reform on August 30, 2005 12:08 AMNot only are they (King County elections management) making fools out of themselves, they have confirmed Judge Bridges was so very wrong to sanction this "culture" with his ruling, thus making a fool out of him.