tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post4955218411216733051..comments2024-03-27T15:44:43.564-08:00Comments on What Do I Know?: Poll Worker Error Causes Questioned Ballots To Be RejectedStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498066938213558757noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post-9317108440285958542013-04-13T10:23:16.446-08:002013-04-13T10:23:16.446-08:00Joe -- there is a private interest infrastructure ...Joe -- there is a private interest infrastructure -- Diebold and the other manufacturers of high-tech voting machines. As a result of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, every polling place has to have some system to help disabled voters. I'm not sure whether existing systems were noncompliant with the law, or whether states were pressured into buying new systems because they didn't understand the requirements, but many places have spent millions and millions of $$ buying new technology that is rarely if ever used. <br /><br />When you say "we have the technology to put voting at our fingertips" you overlook the fact that the technology costs money, and the people who want to get that money are a very powerful special interest.<br /><br />I agree with you totally that the hoohah about voter fraud is wholly imaginary.<br />kathy in KYnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post-87644550059244280962013-04-12T19:25:24.030-08:002013-04-12T19:25:24.030-08:00The wholly imaginary, over-blown pretense that vot...The wholly imaginary, over-blown pretense that voter fraud is rampant in the country, and that we need to bend over backward to prevent said fraud from taking over every election has resulted in failure.<br /><br />It's not the 1700's, we have the ability to carry out elections. We should have vote by mail, and we should make provision for electronic registration. We have the technology to put voting at our fingertips. <br /><br />There's no private interest 'infrastructure' that we have to overcome or keep feeding that would prevent the kind of changes necessary. All we need is politicians with a will, and who actually believe in accomplishing some progress in the way of policy and procedures.<br /><br />Chances? Maybe when the greedy bastards who run things now die off.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03878884323732649241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post-86517757743280233132013-04-12T15:05:28.110-08:002013-04-12T15:05:28.110-08:00Very interesting post! As a precinct worker mysel...Very interesting post! As a precinct worker myself, I can understand how things can slip by, especially toward the end of the day when people are tired. Our polls are open from 6 to 6, so our workday is only 5:15 to 6:30, and we're plenty beat at that point. I don't envy you those extra two hours.<br /><br />One way to reduce such errors would be to not permit people to vote at polling places other than their home precinct. If we can't find a voter in our book, we call the county clerk's office. They may tell us the person is OK to vote here, in which case they sign a supplemental register and we give them a ballot. Or they may tell us the person has to go to such-and-such place to vote, in which case they get in the car and go there. Or they may tell us the person isn't registered and can't vote at all. If the voter wants to contest that ruling, he can go to a judge at the county office. <br /><br />This system seems to work pretty well. As a matter of fact, we've never had a "provisional ballot" in our precinct in the ten years (I think) since that federal law was passed.<br /><br />People who can't get to their own polling place may be able to vote in advance at the board of election office, but there the professional staff -- not underpaid precinct workers who have been on the job for 14 hours -- are in charge of getting the right ballot for the right person.<br /><br />But back at the ranch, I don't know how you should resolve your issues. It's bad to penalize the voter for a worker's error, yet the voter might be expected to notice the space a half-inch below their own signature where the election worker is supposed to sign. <br /><br />Maybe your routine as a worker should be to sign the envelope before you give the voter his ballot. Once you've handed the ballot over it's easy to think you're done with the task, and get caught up in helping the next voter.<br /><br />The best procedure is one that eliminates as many possibilities for error as you can. Seems to me this is a law or regulation that could stand some streamlining.kathy in KYnoreply@blogger.com