King County Executive Ron Sims announced this morning his intention to move the county to all mail-in elections, as early as 2006. With over 1 million registered voters, KC would become the largest county in the nation to conduct elections entirely by mail.
Council members Bob Ferguson and Julia Patterson joined Sims at a morning press conference endorsing the plan. Sims is instructing elections director Dean Logan to study the proposal and recommend a plan for implementing the change.
Over 70 percent of voters in the 2005 general election cast their ballot by mail, with the number expected to substantially increase over the coming years. Several independent reviews of the county’s election processes have recommended moving to an all mail-in system to eliminate the cost and inefficiencies inherent in operating to two completely different election systems, however the final proposal may include a handful of regional voting centers where voters could drop off ballots or receive assistance on election day.
UPDATE:
I wanted to quickly get the breaking story out there, but now I’ll take a few moments for some commentary, and I thought I’d start by quoting myself from a post back in March:
I have voted in three cities
Flipping Sweet. Here in Kitsap we were waiting for you over in King to catch up with us. Now the UnSoundPol whackos can’t harass voters at the polls.
This is great. Now transvestite punks like Steffy won’t be able to stand at the polls and try to intimidate little old ladies. No more KKK republicans trying to stop blacks from getting to the polls.
Oregon has been voting by mail since 1998. Here in Washington state in 2000 over 70% of voters voted absentee. It doesn’t make sense to pay for two separate voting systems. Eliminating polling places and temporary workers to staff them will save taxpayers money. And we won’t have to contend with any possibility of having electronic voting machines made by companies like Diebold which are not tamper proof. Mail in ballots provide a paper trail!
I am all for it, as long as they implement proper security and consistent standards to eliminate fraud.
Ahh.. End of an era. I’m going to miss seeing those shifty-eyed wingnuts watching me vote.
Its either this or making folks give a reason for absentee voting. It seems dumb to have two systems. Maybe this is good.
@ 3
I like the idea of mail in balloting just on what you said about the Diebold machines.
Personally, I would like to follow Oregon’s example and go state-wide mail in voting. That way we can make sure no republican from Washington is ever voted to national office again.
Revenge is a dish best served cold. And, it taste so sweet, too.
Lots of postmarks from the Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Detroit, all for the Democrats!!! All must count, because you must “Count ALL THE VOTES”!!! [BTW, If you have any questions about voter fraud, YOU must be a racist!!!! hehe: Democrats: taking the USA to third world status!!!]
This is great. Now transvestite punks like Steffy won’t be able to stand at the polls and try to intimidate little old ladies. No more KKK republicans trying to stop blacks from getting to the polls.
Comment by Left Turn — 12/20/05 @ 10:30 am [Er, Left Turn, What do you call it when black districts vote Democrat at 115% of registration? hehe……Let’s make voter fraud a capital offense!! Thousands of Democrats to hang!!!!]
It’s in the law, recommended by the Secretary of State and what the voters want.
Vance Can’t Dance can scream all he wants, his days of voter intimidation are coming to a close.
Now you KLOWNS have plenty of ways to cheat!!!
Many of the problems last year were related to mail-in ballots.
I can’t wait to see how LOW the standards to validate signatures will be. Low standards…no ID required.
What a great day to be a LEFTIST!
11 million Iraqi’s went to the polls to vote.
They had to walk as cars were not permitted Election Day.
These people risked their lives to vote.
You KLOWNS complain about the Iraqi Election????
It makes little difference now with such a high mail in rate already. People love to mail their ballots in. Here’s a way to simplify that still leaves an audit trail.
Cynical, are you meeting me at the steam baths in a couple of hours, as promised?
Huh? What? Did some cynical, irrelevant BOZO just say something?
I’ve heard a lot about people living in mail boxes here.
I wonder what all you who think that is a big deal is a big deal think about corporations housed in mail boxes.
There’s a five-story building called the Ugland House on South Church St. in the Grand Cayman Islands that is the home office for 12,748 US corporations. They do this to avoid US taxes.
Any outrage among the jack-booted righties about that?
@3
The votes that count those paper ballots are made by Diebold!
98.9% of King Counties Errors were made on or with mail-in ballots, if they can’t handle 70% of the ballots from a Presidential cycle general election, what makes Sims think they can handle 100% of the ballots?
My comment box is too far to the right. How can I move it over?
I did it once by accident but can’t remember how the hell I did
it! Any help out there. LOVE MOM
FYI, I have updated the post to reflect my comments.
Goldy,
You addressed these issues in your update:
Signature matching
Ballot duplication
Computer Assisted Voting system
Voter notification
I cannot find anything there to disagree with, it was a concise and realistic look at the flaws in the system. I think even Stefan would agree with that list. He would likely have more to suggest, but its amazing to consider you both might agree on anything.
:)
As for the software issue, I delegate that to experts, it is not my specialty.
I think though that if Logan and Sims take advice like what you posted here, coupled with some needed changes in registration, it would reduce fraud and restore some confidence.
Thanks for also restoring my faith in your sanity. :)
One complaint about mail in votes though, is that people have mentioned voting too soon, then seeing something that changes their mind on a person or issue,and feeling like they have effectively wasted their vote. This is not always ignorance, sometimes information breaks late…If you wait too long however, you run a risk of it getting there too late. One of the values of the polling place was having as much time as possible to make a decision.
Curious….would you support a way to manual way to turn in your mail in vote? A central collection point of some sort? Or is that just reintroducing the problem?
This is probably the best e-mail I’ve seen in a long, long time. The following has been attributed to State Representative Mitchell Aye from GA.. This guy should run for President one day…
“We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and other liberal bed-wetters.
We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights.”
ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.
ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone — not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.
ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful, do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.
ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.
ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we’re just not interested in public health care.
ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don’t be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.
ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don’t be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won’t have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.
ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.
ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.
ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country. We don’t care where you are from, English is our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came from! (lastly….) NOW..
ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country’s history or heritage. This country was founded on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!!!!
If you agree, share this with a friend. No, you don’t have to, and nothing tragic will befall you if you don’t. I just think it’s about time common sense is allowed to flourish. Sensible people of the United States, speak out because if you do not, who will?
Hi, I’m here to validate your vote. “Do you like to golf? Yes? Okay, your vote counts. No? Maybe we can count it twice!”
And Goldy, how come YOUR site takes forever to post a note and Sound Politics is instant? Is there some editing and censoring time involved here or is it just lo-fi techniques?
Goldy–my short post above was instant, but one with reference to a supreme being is not up despite 2 attempts–WHY???!!!!
Welcome to Nazi Germany, folks. Step right up. Goldy will tell you what to read and what to believe here.
Mail ballots. Yeah, that’s the ticket! Ticket to fraud and deception.
Yep–yet another attempt to post something I know your readers would like and still no deal. Despite a new header on it. What gives here, Goldy? No one but you can have feelings? I want to share with those who “want what is best for America” (the ones who are yelling me down right now and saying I speak too much, y’know?)
Let me talk to my fellow Americans without censoring me, Goldy. I promise not to use foul language like you do. I promise not to diminish their opinions and dismiss them out of hand because they are leftists, unlike you do. And I might even agree to any of a number of other things, too–as long as you REALLY believe in free speech here. So, what do you say? Fair enough?
P.S. The last time we went through this question of censoring, you had some excuse that the software was to blame–still haven’t fixed it? I know what YOU need for Christmas (oops–sorry– “Winter Fest”)
Hmmmm, you object to something in articles 6-8. I must see if I can figure out what it is, so you won’t be “offended”
Okay–narrowed it down: Article 8–You do not have the right to a job. (Why does that upset you, Goldy?) All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.
Narrowed it down–2 attempts to send Article 8–You do not have the right to a job. (Goldy, why does that upset you?)
3 attempts to send article 8 and no go–what upsets you here, Goldy?
May be more than one way to skin a cat—How would Ron Sims say it…?
“atrcile 8–U doo knot hav a rite 2 a jobb. All uv us wahnt u 2 hav a jobb, an’ well gladlee hep u ‘long in hard tymes, but we ‘spect U 2 tayk edvantij uv tha opper’tuniteez uv e-yu-cayshun an’ vo-cayshunul traynin’ layd B4 U 2 mayk yorsef yoos-fool.”
You forced me to sound like a racist here. I hope you’re happy.
As a moderate R, I’m in agreement generally Goldy. It will take a bit of time for Luddite personalities to make the shift, but as long as the resources saved are put into better security, voter verification, etc. I’m on board too. Making sure every eligible voter has opportunity to vote and every ineligible voter is prevented to vote it will be a better system.
Good. Maybe Dean “I can’t find my own asshole with a flashlight and a mirror” Logan won’t be able to find all the votes he needs this time in the middle of the fucking night in the basement of KC elections office, but I’m sure he’ll find a way-hopefully to the unemployment office where be belongs.
Seems to me that Goldy’s filters aren’t working nearly well enough.
Cripes! I know things get held up in the filter, Goldy. And you DO NOT CENSOR!
But please for the rest of us, send Steven O’Dells lame and Looooong bad joke to the garbage bin.
My G*d! Steve ODell, the freepin’ Limbaugh-worshippin’ USPnaut from hell has graced us with his presence.
Was he hiding in plain sight all this time?
HA! You ARE a SimBot! I’ll keep that in ind for the future (I visit about 3-4 times annually just to see if public education is working yet).
O’Dell,
THe No Rights thing is an urban Legand.
http://www.snopes.com/language.....rights.htm
Origins: Mitchell Kaye,
a Georgia state representative from Marietta, is not the originator of the piece. The famed “Bill of No Rights” was written in 1993 by Lewis Napper, a self-described amateur philosopher and from Mississippi who ran for a U.S. Senate seat in 2000 as a Libertarian.
Kaye’s name likely became associated with it through the innocent act of finding the article in his inbox and liking it enough to forward to friends. People tend to leave official-looking signatures intact when they forward e-mail, and his name’s remaining with the piece beyond the initial round of forwardings could easily have created the impression that he was the article’s creator.
Kaye is quick to give credit where credit is due, and his office routinely informs those who ask about the “Bill of No Rights” of its true authorship.
On 19 July 2000, advice columnist Ann Landers published a truncated version of the piece, attributing it to Kaye. (Left out were the points about free health care and sending troops to fight in foreign wars.) She praised his “tough ‘do-it-yourself’ position” and declared the language he used to convey his message “delicious.”
The “Bill” resonates with folks because it addresses a number of issues that have often led many of us to shake our heads in disbelief. This Bill of Rights parody strikes straight at the heart of the sense of entitlement so often displayed by those who feel the world owes them a living.
I will say it again, I have had posts held in the spam filter, but they always show up
Goldy will call you names and insult you, but he has never yet censored me…
;)
(UN)SPnauts: your vote suppression fantasies are in dire jeopardy.
Before this is all over we’ll see a lot of hair-pulling and caterwauling on hate-talk radio.
Spam filter on here? Then the logical con clusion is that he considers it ALL spam until given the magic Golden touch.
Clueless,
If they adress the issues Goldy addressed, it will cut the basis of most of the complaints about it.
>12+ Irrelevant Off-Topic Comments by Steven OTroll
This is what is known as having a “hissy fit”.
Let me swing back on topic by saying that I miss switching those little levers too…..way back when I lived in Eastern WA.
I’ve never cared much for handling the paper ballots. Another concern I have for mail-ins is what happens if it gets lost in the mail?
It would sure make it easier if everyone out there driving a card could speak English. I got hit by a guy yesterday morning who didn’t speak a word of English. Needless to say, it was a difficult morning.
Steven O’Dell…
Stop with duplicate posting already, ASSHOLE!!!
We’ve been through this before… I get THOUSANDS of blog spams a day, and in the course of filtering them out, a dozen or two legitimate comments a day get caught in the filter for me to manually release. The filter words are entirely based on the prevalence of these words in blog spam, and have NOTHING to do with censoring content.
Now, due to your paranoia and impatience, I have to go through and delete all your fucking duplicates. When you try to get a round the filter you are just creating more work for me, and that’s just plain rude.
And one more thing… I DON’T GIVE A FUCK what you have to say, so why the hell would you think that I’d bother wasting my time censoring you and your idiotic posts? I let people like you post freely so that you can hang yourself on your own stupidity, selfishness, and hatred.
Steven O’Dell
Stop being such a fucking faggot. Your complaining is irritating. Go back to uSP.
Maybe if you didnt consider EVERYTHING as spam until YOU give it the green light….
And about my supposed “whining”–I come here (and to SP) about once very three months. If you ever visited their site, you would already know that.
O’dell, get over it. You had a bad word in there. So did my reply to your urban legand post.
My reply posted intact.
Goldy has never yet censored a post of mine, and I think he has shown that to be consistent.
Lighten up man
Rebuttal/Commentary tot he Bill of Non-rights. Sorry if it’s not very funny or on target, as I’m at work. I just skimmed the (sour) cream:
ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car,…. –Note the implication that your car or big screen TV may be illegally acquired, lovely. Well that’s fine, but you also do not have the right to expect public services, like roads, police, firemen, teachers, a military, libraries, FEMA (although that did us a lot of good, eh?), diplomats, postal service, border patrols, prisons,(the list goes on for a while) etc for FREE. That’s what TAXES are for. And, if you earn, say, 10 times as much as a poor person, shouldn’t you be taxed 10 times as much? Makes sense to me.
ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended… On the other hand, you do not have the right to always be offensive. Like this Bill of Non-rights for example.
ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm…. Interesting that the party that supports gun rights wants this in their Bill of Non-rights, doncha think?
ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing…. Note the implication that, if you are out of a job, it’s YOUR fault, not the gov’t’s policies on outsourcing, cutting gov’t agencies, downward trend in economy due to gov’t fiscal policies, poor public schools, War in Iraq, etc.
ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care… One question: Why? Why can’t the richest nation in the world provide it’s citizens with free health care? How about just children? Is that too much to ask? Just the children, you freakin’ amoral monster.
ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people….But you do have the right to own a GUN. Wait one, that doesn’t make any sense.
ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. … Ken Lay is finally going to trial isn’t he? And Abramoff, and that guy in Chicago. So, I guess I agree with you. LOL
ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job… What f-ing opportunities? Please, vocational training is not teaching someone how to flip burgers, dude.
ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness… As is evidenced by the fact that some mean spirited prick thought this was a funny post.
ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country… Ooooooh, your xenophobia is showing.
ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country’s history or heritage…. Our currency has In God We Trust on it, I agree. It also has Novus Ordo Seculorum (New Secular Order) on it. Freedom from religion means you do not have the right to foist your “magical thinking” into my schools, my public policies, or the divine Presidency. Did ya see what happened to those pricks in Dover, PA. Guess the parents wanted their kids to learn to think a) rationally and b) for themselves. Religion is the opiate of the masses.
@44
Quite of few of those double voters were concerned about that very issue. They also were concerned that they had remembered to put a stamp on the absentee ballot so they showed up at the polls and cast provisionals…………
Speaking of signature matching, the banking industry’s automated and highly reliable system sails my checks right through even I forget to sign them, or when Mrs. Rabbit signs them! So much for automated, highly reliable …
So roger, you agree signature matching is something that needs to addressed?
Good Lord, we agree on something…..
And one more thing… I DON’T GIVE A FUCK what you have to say, so why the hell would you think that I’d bother wasting my time censoring you and your idiotic posts? I let people like you post freely so that you can hang yourself on your own stupidity, selfishness, and hatred.
Comment by Goldy — 12/20/05 @ 1:12 pm [Er, Goldensteinburgloeb, If this is true, why does Roger Rabbit get 20 posts, and I’m lucky if I slip one through your filter. You would be great counting Democrat votes in Broward County!! Your fellow Democrats would say “You be da MAN, MOFO!!!”
53
“So roger, you agree signature matching is something that needs to addressed?”
Yeah, I think the banks should organize a task force to go see how King County does it. It’s definitely easier to get an unsigned check through the banks’ system than it is to get an unsigned absentee ballot through KC’s system.
God it would hurt that much to agree that signature matching is inconsistent and ineffective as a security measure.
Sheesh
If Stefan had behaved himself and followed his supervisor’s instructions instead of walking off the job, he could have collected unemployment benefits. Instead of being reduced to trying to live off trial lawyers and lawsuit proceeds.
Not only is signature matching important….buy also is a clear accounting and tracking of ALL ballots printed. From printer ot voter crediting and tabulating.
My guess is this will open things up for a huge effort to make sure ALL ballots returned are validated as legitimate BEFORE they are counted.
We need wide open viewing of ALL signature validation and a clear, very strict standard for validation. If there is any doubt, the voter must be contacted and come in to clear up any questionable signature.
I think it is also appropriate to have a Statewide Re-Registration so we have a clear baseline for Voter Registration Signatures. And we can educate voters that their ballot sigs must match that Registration sig.
Why is that so difficult???
Watch, the LEFTIST PINHEADS will squeal like stuck pigs at the mere thought of re-registration!
55
Hey Sven, I understand that DNA matching is 100% reliable — are you willing to pay taxes for it?
Or maybe KC Elections can try that fingerprint technology that high end carmakers are using for locks — but again the question is, what are you willing to pay for?
Or maybe each voter should be wired to a lightning rod and required to say out loud the following oath:
“If I’m not Joe Doaks, may God strike me dead!!!”
In all cases, election days will be postponed until a suitable thunderstorm rolls in.
what is an honest election worth to ya bub?
I am willing to concede that other methods fo verification are more expensive, are you willing to concede that using non experts to do signature matching by hand, or using machines that your own anecdotal experience proves are unreliable is an inconsistent method and can lead to mistakes?
And since everyone loves absentee ballots so much now, we are stuck with signature matching….
so you tell me smart guy, how do we make it secure? How can I as voter have confidence in my elections participation.
58
hmmm … death penalty for election fraud … the goopers should like that one …
59
“so you tell me smart guy, how do we make it secure?”
how the hell would I know? if I knew the answer to that, I’d be working at a six-figure job, not blogging on Horses Ass.
You’re the one who wants 100% reliable verification, so it’s up to you to come up with a method. I offered you my ideas. I kind of like the lightning rod one. Ball’s in your court now, bub.
LOL
One of the thing Bill Hunnekens did before he was sacrificed on the 2004 election pyre was implement signature verification on absetee ballots — which was not being done previously.
Another bogus issue brought up by bogus “concerned citizens”. Concerned that they lose elections, and are destined to lose more, not because of fraud — because they are out of step with the electorate.
No bunny, I asked real questions which you ducked mocked and avoided.
I have a great answer.
Req
well, first make a stupid typo and hit send too soon
Require ID and SSN for registratoins, use real addresses for registration and use polls where no ID, no vote.
Works as good as trying to match signatures….
It does not.
Your assertion is bogus. The problem is “too many” signatures being challenged. This need not deny voting rights, only to force the voter to provide another specimen, which also validates the address if the voter replies.
ID, SSN, re-registrations are merely Repubican techniques to disenfranchise voters.
how so?
How does ensure legal voters are legal disenfranchise anyone?
How would you solve it then? How do we solve the signature validation? Accept them all without challange? Oh good one….
If you believe that someone if voting illegally, go to the elections office and challenge them with your own, personally knowledge. Such allegations are taken seriously, and voting illegally caries a heavy penalty.
Don’t be like Lori Sotelo, who perjured herself by falsely accusing valid voters.
On the issue of signature verification. KC does a 3 point match on signatures. If the first initial, last initial and some upward letter within first or last name looks good, that’s a signature match. This is only a unreasonable burden to people who have never settled on a signature, or those who draw a square or circle (I’m not kidding) as their “signature”.
That procedure doesn’t cause too many challenged signatures, just the right number — the ones that don’t pass the laugh test.
Listening to Sims…
I heard him say near the end, he had a special dwarf voter program. New small balllots for the wee people. Don’t want to crowd them in their little mailboxes…
OK, so voter, your answer is that it isnt broken?
Thanks for clearing that up.
What about registrations?
It isn’t broken.
If you mean the Lori Sotelo disgrace (to Republicans) it is just that, a disgrace. She should be facing 140 charges of perjury.
If you have proof, come up with it. If you don’t go find it. If you make false accusations, go to jail.
Otherwise, crap around on blogs with bogus musings.
72.
Hey, you righties love mini corporations where 12,748 of them can fit into a 5 story office building in the Grand Caymans. There must be mini people to.
Registration is not broken? You find that people who violate the RCW and the WAC are legal? Coolio. thanks. that helps a bunch.
As for Sotelo, I wasnt defending her, so whatever.
The Vance Can’t Dance crowd is just too much.
They forum shop for a county and judge to bring their suit to trial, and their hand-picked judge blows them out of the water on all counts. They don’t go to the Supreme Court though, because they “can’t get a fair hearing in the liberal court.”
Poor babies, and babies they are.
Stop whining and produce candidates that can win.
Names, please. If you know of illegal registrations, talk to the prosecutor. Get a conviction.
There are prosecutions going on, you know. Those smart asses who thought they’d throw dirt on KC by bragging that they voted twice or lived elsewhere are hiring lawyers to defend them agaist criminal charges now.
Of course, it takes more than the wild-ass guesses of some blogger, or the circle-jerk musings of a buch of righties to have proof, or somebody buying a mailing list of supposed business locations without analysis.
That’s just a bunch of hot air.
Sure, cuz any rational person believes people live in a mail box…..
Keep up the fine work.
81.
No, people believe that homeless people acutally have a right to vote. Those cases where they did not follow the procedure:
In the box marked “Address where you live” write “homeless” and a city and town. If you are homeless in Seattle, you will be assigned the King County Administration Building as a physical address. If you are homeless elsewhere in King County, you will be assigned the city hall of that community as a physical address. This will determine your voting precinct.
If you have a place where you get mail (e.g. a shelter or DESC), write that address in “Address where you get mail.” If you don’ thave a mailing address, write “homeless” and King County will use the same address that is used to assign your voting precinct. You can then pick up your voter registration card there.
If you have a phone number, writing that will allow them to contact you with any questions about your registration.
Don’t forget to sign the form and either mail it in yourself or hand it to someone (for example, a registration activist) who will do that for you.
The votes of those that used the address of a mail facility and did not live at that address were not counted. They had to re-register using the procedure.
If Lori Sotelo couldn’t prove otherwise, and they didn’t admit their error, as the 50 who were ruled against admitted, KC ruled them valid.
You may not like it that homeless people can vote, but that is the law. Learn to live with the law, or change it.
Got that, that’s the Republican way — victimize people for making a mistake.
Now if some corporation kill a few thousand people, well, that’s just business.
Just in case you missed that in the procedure, those 50 people who said their residence address was a mail facility — if they had written instead “Homeless” and put the mail facility in the space for mailing address, there votes would have counted, too.
I actually think the procedure is too onerous. People who have become homeless because they lost their job may merely be in a position where they are sleeping on a friends couch. They may feel ashamed to have to admit their situation. They should be able to write the address of KC REALS in the residence address without the stigma of homeless.
their votes.
68
“Require ID and SSN for registratoins, use real addresses for registration and use polls where no ID, no vote.”
Strange. If you don’t trust Dean Logan to verify your signature, why would you trust him with your Social Security number?
79
“There are prosecutions going on, you know. Those smart asses who thought they’d throw dirt on KC by bragging that they voted twice or lived elsewhere are hiring lawyers to defend them agaist criminal charges now.”
Isn’t it funny they all turned out to be Republicans?
82-85
In the box marked “Address where you live” write “homeless” and a city and town. If you are homeless in Seattle, you will be assigned the King County Administration Building as a physical address. If you are homeless elsewhere in King County, you will be assigned the city hall of that community as a physical address. This will determine your voting precinct.
No argument so far….
If you have a place where you get mail (e.g. a shelter or DESC), write that address in “Address where you get mail.” If you don’ thave a mailing address, write “homeless” and King County will use the same address that is used to assign your voting precinct. You can then pick up your voter registration card there.
And, so what? That’s all good and essentially in accordance with the WAC. Where does Mail Boxes Etc as a residence come into play?
Got that, that’s the Republican way – victimize people for making a mistake
Its called acountability. If they screwed up and didnt read or follow directions, its not my fault they are ineligible to vote. I researched what I had to do and did it. Why should I apply a different standard for anyone else. By the way, where did those instructoins come from, they are not on the registration form, nor on the MetroKC website…just curious
The fact is that mistakes do happen, and maybe a percent, heck I will even say *most* if not the vast majority of these are likely simple mistakes. They are (or may) still be unlawful. The rights and responsibilities section of the KC website specifies in a seperate section from fraud that You must be certain no false information is given on the registration form. which implies that false is not classed automatically as fraud. People need to step up to their responsibility. If they goofed, they have to fix it, or they are not a legal voter.
Common sense dictates that most of these “mail box” voters registered as such because they use a mail box for mailing convenience, but the registration form allows for that with a seperate mailing address block. It still requires, as it must, a residence to determine precint. If there is none, a public building, not Mail Boxes Etc is required to be used as that precinct.
You may not like it that homeless people can vote, but that is the law. Learn to live with the law, or change it.
I have no issue if they do, but it is an obvious fact that certain elemente of their inclusion allow for the possibility of fraud. And presently no one wants to do anything to reduce that possiblity, even if it is the commons sense of taking out obvious gaps in accountability.
As a legally registered voter, I am not afraid to demand that fraud be as minimal as it can.
And that is non partisan, or should be.
89
As a legally registered voter, I’m offended that Lori Sotelo is not being prosecuted on 140 counts of criminal interference with other people’s voting rights.
OK, so they should have voted in SEA 37-1823 Whoooo, Whoooo! You’ve really uncovered an issue!
http://www.realchangenews.org/
http://www.scn.org/crisis/misc.html
Challenging 200 people to find 50 who made a mistake is really worthwhile — not.
Why is Sotelo not on trial now? Hmmmm….?
Heck- Why couldn’t Sotelo and Co. could only find the little that they did. They should be able to come up with more then what they did. Where is Eyeman damit!!! The repubs should be challaging voter registration before every election.
I just got done watching the original movie “A Christmas Carol” on AMC. It was fabulous, as always. I can never get enough of Tiny Tim saying “God Bless us, every one!”
I noticed that the “politcally-correct” version is on the Dems website…
The call it Charles Dicken’s “A HOLIDAY Carol”!
Oh and it’s not Tiny Tim…oh no!!!
The KLOWNS call him “Vertically-Challenged Tim”!
And Vertically Challenged Tim cannot say “God Bless”….oh no…..
He says “Mythically Higher Power Bless Us, Every One”!!!!!
Merry Christmas!!!
And to the less than 3% of AmeriKans offfended by Merry Christmas, Mr. Cynical sez:
MERRY CHRISTMAS ANYWAY!!!
Voter Advocate sez @ 74
“If you mean the Lori Sotelo disgrace (to Republicans) it is just that, a disgrace. She should be facing 140 charges of perjury.
Comment by Voter Advocate— 12/20/05 @ 4:40 pm”
Roger Rabbit @ 90 sez:
“As a legally registered voter, I’m offended that Lori Sotelo is not being prosecuted on 140 counts of criminal interference with other people’s voting rights.
Comment by Roger Rabbit— 12/20/05 @ 6:12 pm”
Rog—Yet another new identity!!! I’m beginning to think you are the only poster on this Blog!!!!
Why do we have to go all mail ballots. I live going to the polling place. When I was voting absentee while on active duty I once got my ballot a month after the election. I want to control my own destine. I want to cast my vote. I don’t trust the mail to get me a ballot on time. I have good reason as I have had a bad experience. Plus I truly feel like I am involved in history by going to the polling place. I admit it is selfish, but I think it is less selfish than wanting to vote by mail because you are too laze to get off your rear and go to your polling place. I do not want to end absentee voting I just feel that convenience should not be the reason for doing it.
Mr. Cynical @ #96 No,not the only poster. Tell us again, Mr. Cynical how the Democrats would have screwed up the victory of WWII. You igorant hatefilled slimey Repubuglican troll.
@91
Actually, they challenged close to 2000 voters.
True, only the challenges concerning persons who actually voted were taken up. 178 of the challenges were retracted by Sotelo. So, of the 1,944 challenges, 248 have been dispensed with, the 170 the Canvassing Board had hearings on and the retractions, leaving about 1700, actually, 1696.
The Republican batting average on the voters that have been adjudicated is .234 (58 hits out of 248 challenges.) That won’t keep them in the majors.
Of the 1700 remaining, 535 were marked “inactive”, meaning they were voters who no longer voted, and were slated by King County REALS for removal from the rolls. Leaving about 1160 remaining.
Hundreds of the challenged voters (we know of 140 now)were in fact legally registered at their physical address, and were challenged wrongly. Many of these people will just give up and stop voting. Mission accomplished for the Vance Can’t Dance crowd. With an average of .234, they’ll intimidate or disgust hundreds.
Hundreds were registered, while not at their physical address, still in accordance with existing election law. These include the homeless, and others with non-traditional addresses.
I would imagine most of the 58 who showed up to the challenge hearings and found to have registered improperly, will merely re-register in accordance with the address requirements.
Sotelo acknowledged during the challenge hearings that she made no attempt to verify accuracy of information the GOP bought.
Now, it doesn’t surprise me that the Vance Can’t Dancers think that Sotelo’s harassment of voters is a good thing. They probably think that Bush wasn’t on a fishing expedition in the NSA bugging of U. S. citizens, too.
They should know, however, that there is a growing number of people, like me, who have had enough of this gutting of citizens civil liberties, and are ready to fight back.
voter advocate: good to see your knowledge of the system, thank you for sharing your knowledge. i’ve known bill h. for about a dozen years, and he did do a lot of upgrading…a good guy.
i find it amazing that Chris Vance and the republicans only now have a problem with all mail voting. 32 other counties reported no problems in the last election, but now it’s a bad idea.
these guys are clearly obstructionists.
@99
Intelligence operations are fishing expeditions. Good analogy!
Citizens civil liberties are violated by tainted elections. Every duplicate ballot that King County mails out and voter returns filled out cancels out another citizen’s civil liberty. The same as each and every illegal voter out there. You can rub it, spin it, and throw it to the moon, but the fact remains that King County counted over 2000 illegal ballots in the Nov 04 election.
Voter,
Hundreds were registered, while not at their physical address, still in accordance with existing election law. These include the homeless, and others with non-traditional addresses.
If they show their residence as a mailbox, they are not in accord with the WAC.
WAC 434-208-100 Registering to vote — Nontraditional address.No person registering to vote, who meets all the qualifications of a registered voter in the state of Washington, shall be disqualified because of a nontraditional physical address being used as a residence address. Nontraditional addresses may include shelters, parks or other identifiable locations which the voter deems to be his/her residence. Voters using such an address will be registered and precincted based on the location provided. Voters without a traditional address will be registered at the county courthouse, city hall or other public building near the area that the voter considers his/her residence. Registering at a nontraditional address will not disqualify a voter from requesting ongoing absentee voter status provided the voter designates a valid mailing address.
So let them vote, I have issue to it, if they register properly.
Mail Boxes Etc is not the same as the county courthouse for purpose of establishing precinct.
The only reasonable exceptoin i can find to this is people who apply for protection under the ACP, The Address confidentiality program.
http://www.secstate.wa.gov/acp/aboutus.aspx
…the ACP gives program participants a substitute mailing address. Once you’re a participant in the program, you may legally use the ACP substitute address when working with state and local agencies. Using the substitute address means your mail will go to that address instead of your home. ACP staff will then forward your mail to your actual residence address. State and local government agencies are required to accept your use of the ACP substitute address. Private companies, though, do not have to accept the ACP address. Of course, you will need to consider alternative ways to protect yourself when doing business with private companies like phone and cable companies, insurance agents, department and video stores, energy companies etc. The second part of the program offers confidentiality for two normally public records: voter registration and marriage records.
Now if the ACP used a mail boxes etc box to gather mail and forward it, i would be surprised.
So still, as far as i can see from the law, anyone who uses a mail box as their *residence* on the voter registration has violated either the RCW or the WAC, and needs to fix it.
Whats the beef with requiring people to abide by the law?
How is making laws apply equally to all disenfranchisement? Equal protection requires it.