November 16, 2006
Is vote-by-mail in 2007 a fait accompli?

Republican elections observer Tim Borders tells me that senior Elections staff informed workers at the canvassing facility today that King County would transition to all vote-by-mail for the 2007 Primary. The announcement was made by Interim Elections Director Jim Buck (Jimron) and Assistant Sherril Huff Menees (She-ron), accompanied by Garth Fell and Bill Huennekens

Huennekens, who as Superintendent of Elections, screwed up the canvassing and certification of the 2004 election so badly that Deanron demoted him, has been assigned the task of overseeing the vote-by-mail transition.

The County Council voted in June that this transition won't happen until a permanent Elections Director is hired. No serious candidate has appeared yet, although this recent P-I column hints that She-ron might have the nod.

Be afraid. Mail ballot processing is hideously complicated and error-prone.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at November 16, 2006 11:28 AM | Email This
Comments
1. It's not suprising that they'll simply ignore the rules of transition that the council laid down. Does someone have the video from the Council Testimony in June? Someone should youtube the video, and edit together some key confrontations.

Posted by: Gentry on November 16, 2006 11:52 AM
2. If you ever want to come face to face with incompetence, then you should try to meet Bill "we should not have counted those" Huennekens. I met him in 2004 during the recounts, and if there is one single person that is responsible for the 2004 absentee ballot fiasco more than any other, it's Huennekens. I'm sure he has a fine future in government.

Posted by: Jeff B. on November 16, 2006 12:22 PM
3. Are you trying to say in an off-hand way that in '08 Gregoire can make up a 5000 vote difference as compared to '04 when she made up a 2000 vote difference? Is this why we should be afraid?

Posted by: swatter on November 16, 2006 12:30 PM
4. Hmmm, Menees thinks the public has confidence in KCE again.

Recent poll: Do you think the problems of 2004 have been solved? 71%--NO

Keep trying.

Posted by: Michele on November 16, 2006 01:19 PM
5. Tim is correct, earlier today Jim Buck (and team) visited all sections of the Elections division to inform staff that we will begin to lay the transitional groundwork for the move to an entirely vote-by-mail system, with the goal of implementing in 2007 or 2008.

In June 2006, the King County Council approved the move to vote-by-mail "once the infrastructure and management are in place to accomplish it." Clearly we will meet these provisions before the transition is complete, including filling the top two positions in the Elections division and insuring that the infrastructure is in place for a smooth transition.

Posted by: Megan Coppersmith on November 16, 2006 05:12 PM
6. Yes, As could have been predicted, somehow
my mail in balot has not been counted as yet.
Kinda doubt it will be. Thanks to mail in voting.

Posted by: cindy on November 19, 2006 11:13 AM
Post a comment
Name:


Email Address:


URL:


Comments:


Remember info?