"Texas primary result casts doubt on e-voting"

CRN ^ | 07 March 2008 | Iain Thomson

[lifelong_republican]

"...The results produced some remarkable anomalies, such as 21 counties showing no Republican voters and three counties showing no Democratic voters..."

[lifelong_republican]

Remember: if it's electronic, it's no election.

Americans have the right to real votes.

[TommyDale]

Nothing to see here, move along...

[Redbob]

One of the 3 without Dim voters would have to be Denton!

[lifelong_republican]

In this case, numerous Republicans were deprived of their voice, which is unacceptable to loyal Republicans.

It’s good that the vision of America’s founders was so good that they insisted on the use of the vote.

We owe it to them not to give up our right to vote.

The electronics are unsuitable for use in elections.

[CindyDawg]

I voted on paper. No one was using the electronic ones, except for the little kids that were playing with them.

[lifelong_republican]

CindyDawg you are to be commended! You created your own real ballot for yourself rather than letting some unknown programmer (or kid playing with the system) do your voting for you. Thank you!

[Redbob]

That story is idiotic:

the electronic voting machines were optional, and typically there was only one per polling place, not even one per precinct.

If things were crowded, folks would simply mark the paper ballot and leave.

[ScratInTheHat]

the electronic voting machines were optional

Yeah and the first thing anyone should do is walk in there with coffee and spill it directly into the freakin thing!~

[Fiddlstix]

Me too. I used paper ballot. Always have, always will.
When it comes to something as important as voting leave electronics out of it.

[lifelong_republican]

Should records be kept of how many times the machines were used? Did the elections personnel in the affected counties report that the machines weren’t used?

All the Republicans who tried to vote on the machines in all those counties can be sure that their votes were lost, though ...

[ol' hoghead]

21 counties showing no Republican voters

Could be counties without a Rep county chairman. It is the county chairmen that organize the election. There have been primary elections here in Kinney county without any Rep ballots account of no Rep chairman.

[AlternateEgo]

“Remember: if it’s electronic, it’s no election. “
_____________________________________________________

What a load of crap. I’m not familiar w/ this UK website, but other than precincts with no votes for one party or the other, there’s no evidence that there was any malfunction. Independent testing has found many more errors w/ paper and other types of ballots.

The anomalies in this case could be due to many other factors. At my polling location you had to specifically ask to vote electronically. That may be the reason that I was the only person using it (during the time I was there).

[deport]

They are pulling this off the Texas SOS web site.... my guess is it’s not that big a deal.

Republican
http://enr.sos.state.tx.us/enr/mar04_135_race0.htm?x=0&y=1688&id=741

Democratic
http://enr.sos.state.tx.us/enr/mar04_136_race0.htm

[yldstrk]

Hillary cheated?

[yldstrk]

Actually though, the paper ballots are easier to “lose” because they can be destroyed, left behind, get wet from the rain, fly away in the wind, left behind in somebodies’ trunk, get eaten by a mouse......These grannys that must vote with a paper and a pencil do more to insure their vote won’t be caounted than that it will be counted. The electronic ballots leave footprints. take it from a polling judge.

[ol' hoghead]

In Texas, the precinct election judge is issued a block of numbered ballots. The judge is responsible for the safekeeping of those ballots. All ballots have to be accounted for and returned to the county clerk after the polls close.
All the ballots, whether voted, spoiled, provisional, defective or unused are placed in a metal box (#3) which is locked with a padlock and a numbered seal. Said seal has to be broken to be removed. An adhesive paper seal is signed by the judge and placed over the top of the box.
All this takes place in the presence of the alternate judge and election clerk.
When possible, judges and alternates should be of opposite parties. The precinct judge delivers the box the county clerk who takes custody of this box and retains it for 22 months, or so. The ballots are accounted for on one of several forms the judge is required to sign.
The idea that paper ballots are shredded is nonsense.

[Cracker Jack]

All the ballots, whether voted, spoiled, provisional, defective or unused are placed in a metal box (#3) which is locked with a padlock and a numbered seal. Said seal has to be broken to be removed.

I am sure that is the way it is supposed to work. However, I have seen with my own eyes boxes that appeared to be sealed. The numbered seal was there. It only went through part of the hasp. In other words, it could be opened at will without disturbing the seal. We reported this to the county chairman whose response was "Did you find another of those?"

This was in Travis County, TX. A county run by democrats.

I am not saying it is impossible to cheat with electronic voting. I am sure they have learned how in Travis County. It is easier to cheat with paper ballots. I believe the answer is an electronic ballot with a paper trail for recounts.

[deport]

First of all these are party primaries not state/national elections. So my question is how much does state rules apply? I know the democratic caucuses held after the primary was a report if you want but not a mandatory requirement or so I read somewhere.

[Cracker Jack]

In Texas, the parties hold caucuses the day of the primary. Those who attend must have voted in the same party's primary—they stamp your registration card. The republicans introduce and pass resolutions and elect delegates and alternates to the county convention. (This is the part where I have first hand experience). As I understand it, the democrats elect more national convention delegates. Obama won more caucuses than Hillary and won Texas in total. This is why I believe republican cross-overs gave Hillary her election victory.

[Stegall Tx]

Obama won more caucuses than Hillary and won Texas in total. This is why I believe republican cross-overs gave Hillary her election victory.

The Democrats in Texas also vary the number of delegates that are allowed from each caucus. The number is based on the percentage of votes from that area that went for the 2006 Democrat governor nominee and the 2004 Democrat presidential nominee. Consequently, the areas of the state that had the strongest Obama support also had the largest number of allocated caucus delegates.