This morning the Seattle Times, the King County Journal, and the Seattle P-I ran stories on the vote-by-mail debate at the King County council meeting yesterday afternoon.
One interesting point mentioned by Keith Ervin of the Times: "A council staff report said 10 of about 50 staff positions remain unfilled by permanent employees, including superintendent, a job vacant since former Superintendent Bill Huennekens was demoted in the face of plummeting morale and ballot-counting mistakes in the 2004 governor's election."
Besides all the other reasons why King County isn't ready for a switch to vote-by-mail, now we find out that one-fifth of the essential staff positions remain empty. I question whether the Elections office can efficiently run its six elections a year, let alone massively changing the system at the same time.
I commend the council for delaying this important decision for two weeks, and I fervently hope that at that time they don't just take Dean Logan's word that vote-by-mail will be secure and accurate. Such claims need to be proven in the absentee ballot handling in subsequent large elections. Also, as yesterday's meeting showed, this isn't just about the nuts and bolts of ballot handling, it's also about public confidence. It's a bad idea to ramrod this ordinance through on a party-line vote, when citizens all over the political spectrum think it will reduce election integrity.
Jason had a good description of the council meeting, so I won't rehash the details. I do believe kudos are due to Councilmember Kathy Lambert, however, both for her wise comments on Councilmember Patterson's concerns, and for her diligence in drafting amendments that may help to offset some of the ill effects of this ordinance, or may even succeed in putting it to a vote of the people.
Posted by Jonathan Bechtle at June 06, 2006 09:02 AM | Email This. . . an all-mail-ballot vote no doubt.
Posted by: Amused by liberals on June 6, 2006 09:06 AMGet real.
Posted by: Willis on June 6, 2006 09:35 AMWe are ready, says deanron, build it and we shall do you PROUD!!! This is all BS..... He doesnt even have the staff support to run it the way it has always been ran.
I feel sorry for you people living in KC. But I also feel sorry for all other Voters in this state, as KC dictates the entire state, with it's voting base.
BTW ..I can't seem to find on KCTV the meeting of yesterday, does anyone have it?
Posted by: Chris on June 6, 2006 09:39 AMThanks for your deep and insightful comments. It's always so nice to see grown-ups who can discuss facts and debate ideas..and then to have people like you come in and confirm what we are saying about our opponents' lack of substance is just a bonus! As I tell my children, some people's only reason for being is to set a bad example!
Posted by: suzihomemaker on June 6, 2006 09:40 AM"If King County adopts all-mail elections, a plan that would include several regional voting centers where voters could still cast poll ballots, it would be the largest local government jurisdiction in the country to go to such a system.
Only Los Angeles County processes more mailed ballots, but it also has regular voting at polling places."
Lets see, and to do this with a 20% reduction in it staff????
HA HA HA HA
And Willis.... I hope you never "try" to speak in a public meeting.....Ms Lambert was just pointing out that the council must allow a citizen to speak, without ridicule....You should use this as an example....
If folks were steamed yesterday, imagine how steamed they will be when they find out the Spokane Conference doesn't start until late TODAY!! Even worse is that many of the auditors and election officials are driving or flying over TODAY!!!
Logan clearly used this conference as cover to duck out of his responsibility to publicly defend his position on FORCED Vote-By-Mail!!!
Logan should be FIRED for ducking that Public Hearing and making up a BOGUS excuse!!!!!!!!!!!
LIAR, LIAR PANTS ON FIRE...NOSE IS AS LONG AS A TELEPHONE WIRE!!!!!!
SECTION 6 BALLOT.
All elections shall be by ballot. The legislature shall provide for such method of voting as will secure to every elector absolute secrecy in preparing and depositing his ballot.
It seems to me that, until the outer envelope is opened and the inner envelope is set in a different pile, the "absolute secrecy" of my ballot is not too secure. For that matter, whenever anyone receives "assistance" in filling out their ballots, it seems as if this section is technically being violated.
I know that we have had absentee ballots for a long time. Does anyone know if the actual wording of this section of the Constitution has ever been ruled upon in court as it would relate to absentee ballots?
Even if it was a "show hearing", at least a little pretense was given to obtaining public comment. Here in Snohomish County, they didn't bother.
If I remember correctly, wasn't Ms. Patterson the KC council member that currently has two active voter registrations? Maybe that was why she was so touchy about SP.
On Huennekens account -- having over-ruled my objections by acquiescence -- changed almost nothing, and the rules were openly violated through the remaining days' duration of the counting. Those very same rules that were openly violated at the Sheriff's recount, had been strictly enforced at the 2004 Gubernatorial election recount. I worked there as well and know it to be true. How arrogant of a mere Republican like me to question Bill Huennekens authority?
Bill Huennekens should have been fired for that alone, but nothing came of it. Why publish written rules on a reader board for everyone to see, I ask? Huennekens obviously believes rules are little things that exist to break whenever it pleases him, and what he says goes. I couldn’t care less of Bill respects me personally, but on pain of firing and even legal sanctions, he must respect the voters of King County, and he does not.
Don't worry, the same culture of corruption exists, it is more experienced, intentionally obtuse, and arrogantly unfazed by indecency. Wait until they get ballots in a room all by themselves without any challenges from mere Republican observers like me. That’ll be a hoot for Bill Huennekens.
Typical liberal petty criminal Democrats all.
Posted by: Amused by liberals on June 6, 2006 10:05 AMSECTION 6 BALLOT.
All elections shall be by ballot. The legislature shall provide for such method of voting as will secure to every elector absolute secrecy in preparing and depositing his ballot.
I guess this means that "all-male" balloting is Constitutional.
Posted by: SouthernRoots on June 6, 2006 10:06 AMHere is the reference that Logan's "alibi Conference" actually starts TODAY!!!
LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!
Proper consideration should be given to the many public and private analysts who have brought out important counter arguments to VBM. And the election methods of a large sample of cities and states in the US should be considered when making a decision for such a large urban area. There are many places to get honest and accurate input, but only if the council is willing to do so.
Posted by: Jeff B. on June 6, 2006 11:55 AM