Voters in Island County, whose polling places were taken away from them so they could enjoy the security and convenience of mail-only voting, are now enjoying a post office screw-up that has delayed delivery of their ballots:
"A lot of people became concerned when a spouse, for example, got a ballot and they did not."One affected voter concludes:The problem has happened before, [Island County Auditor Sheilah] Crider said, and it wasn't isolated to Island County. Ballots in Chelan and Pierce counties were delayed because of problems at postal processing centers there, she said.
"I hate this mail-in thing," Caceres said. "I see so many opportunities for problems."Meanwhile, Secretary of State Sam Reed has an exciting new plan to help voters whose ballots are delayed by the post office: No matter how early you mail back your voted ballot, if the post office fails to deliver it by Election Day, your vote won't be counted! Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at October 25, 2008 03:16 PM | Email This
The count will be slowed by the fact that King County still has polling sites and has installed safeguards to guard against some of the mistakes that plagued the 2004 count.
Posted by: TrueSoldier on October 26, 2008 05:35 AMSo George you never got a voter panphlet prior to vote by mail?
Posted by: TrueSoldier on October 26, 2008 05:37 AMSam Reed should be doing a lot more to protect the integrity of our votes, but Jason Osgood would be a step backward.
What we need is a Republican or Independent to run for the position, if we want another option. Clearly we won't get another option from the Democrats.
One of the critical aspects of the secret ballot is that it is not possible for anyone to prove how a person voted--not even the voter himself. Someone might take a person to the polls and give him $500 to vote a certain way, but when the person is actually in the booth he can vote as he wishes with the person who paid him being none the wiser. Mail-in ballots eliminate that privacy.
Posted by: supercat on October 26, 2008 09:10 AMMail-in ballots also eliminate proof that you're an eligible voter, and mail-in registration without proof of citizenship as well as ANY registration without proof of citizenship is worthless.
Elimination of mail-in ballots except for military and shut-ins needs to be the priority. A Republican would work for requiring proof of citizenship to register and legal proof of who you are to vote... while making sure that felons who have not had their rights restored would not be allowed to vote.
That slimy moron holding the office now does neither, AND he wants felons who haven't completed their sentence to be able top vote because it's just too hard to scrub the data base.
Whiney little punk.
Posted by: Hinton on October 26, 2008 01:15 PMI am not going to argue with you about Reed, but I will point out that while some of what you have said of him is his direct responsibility, mail-in balloting is the choice of the legislature, both county and state. Not his job.
Granted, he's not against it like he should be, but even if he were there's almost nothing he could do about it.
Well how astute you are - of course I get tons of mail stuff about campaigns, incl. the voter guide. With an absentee ballot one can take more time and seek other resources as well.... quality decisions emerge.
I also believe mail in ballots have increased participation. Good.
Posted by: George B. on October 26, 2008 07:11 PMWell how astute you are - of course I get tons of mail stuff about campaigns, incl. the voter guide. With an absentee ballot one can take more time and seek other resources as well.... quality decisions emerge.
I also believe mail in ballots have increased participation. Good.
So George, if you vote in person you dont have the same amount of time to do all the research. How is this? You would vote on election day. As it stands now you must have your ballot post marked by election day. So explain to me how this gives you more time to check other resources?
As Stefan has shown on numerous occasions on this site, increased voter participation is a myth. Hasn't happened in WA and hasn't happened in Oregon.
It's not just that Reed is "not against it like he should be" and that it's "the choice of the legislature". Sam his been the #1 cheerleader for it in the state, and was the one who proposed and sold it to the legislature. In the months after the 2004 election meltdown, even BEFORE the 2005 contest trial looked at any of the evidence of problems with mail voting, Reed was proposing legislation for all-mail voting
http://www.secstate.wa.gov/office/osos_news.aspx?i=u7awEbop%2bNBiaXFuhAwJWg%3d%3d
You don't like his Democrat opponent, fine. But Sam Reed doesn't deserve any slack on all-mail voting, and deserves to have the entire mess hung around his own neck.
Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on October 26, 2008 09:25 PMPeople voted for deceased spouses because they knew how the wanted to vote
Assisted voting in Alzheimer hospitals
Mentally handicapped "assisted" in voting
Lots of ballots to homeless shelters, frat/sorority houses, etc.
The list keeps going on and on
Enforcement?
Not when the In Party runs and rigs the elections. Washington and Ohio are learning from Bill Bradbury (Sec of State) and the Oregon Dems
Posted by: Mike H on October 27, 2008 07:23 AM