Today on CNN Newsroom
The latest news and information from around the world. Also connect with CNN through social media. We want to hear from you.
November 2nd, 2010
08:10 AM ET
The Voting Irregularity Desk
If you are experiencing any voting irregularities today, pls send us a tip. You can either comment on this blog..or check out this CNN iReport assignment.
Josh Levs and our team will chase down leads and we'll be reporting in CNN Newsroom 9a-5p ET.
On Twitter
Great having you and Sandy on the show @TheEricBland .. #StephenSmith #Justice twitter.com/TheEricBland/s…
TN Lt Gov says he is taking a pause from social media. Our story for @AC360 here cnn.com/video/data/2.0…
How do you think #alexmurdaugh did on the stand? #murdertrial #murdaugh #southcarolina cnn.com/videos/us/2023…
RT @CSADatGSU: Check in tomorrow to catch this conversation between @SuzanneMalveaux and @JonathanGayles
Find us virtually here:https://t.…
RT @CNN: Correspondent @randikayeCNN breaks down the prosecution's evidence in Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial.
Watch here: https://t.…
josh
today voting in york,pa i had a volunteer skip the first page for me and i had to go back and see what i missed it was for voting direct party. She also watched me vote and when i asked for privacy she said "i'm just making sure your voting correctly."
I have a device that plays a tone on the phone line as soon as it is answered. The robo dialing machines believe the tone is a signla from the phone company for an out of service line and disconnect immediatly. I have it on the phone line from October 1st to today. I get tow or three calls a year and then they are GONE!
Just got home from voting. We fill in a bubble and then send the paper through a scanner to vote here in Ohio. I was told that the scanner was not working so I had to put my paper form into a storage bin. They assured me my vote would be counted but I'm not so sure.
My wife and I just voted in East Moriches, Suffolk County using the new scan format. I’m writing to complain that both of us were not given sufficient information and therefore did not know there was a back side with additional propositions to vote for.
We were given the form, with the main balloting choices face up and told to go to a booth and fill it out. When I went to the machine that scans the information, I inserted the ballot, and asked the attendant if it mattered which way it went in. At that moment the attendant stated that it doesn’t matter since it has to scan both sides. I asked why does it have to scan both sides? I was informed that there were propositions on the other side. I was then asked if I filled out that information. I replied no. The scan was already completed, so I was told there was nothing they could do about it. I told my wife about this, and she was also surprised to hear there were more options to vote for on the back side. Then I heard the attendant tell another attendant to make sure and tell voters about looking at both sides of the form.
When I returned home I called the State of NY Board of Elections to complain. I was instructed to write a regular letter and mail it out. I told the official the problem is happening right now and I want to report it. I was directed to the Suffolk County Board of Elections. The official there took my information and was going to have an inspector check out the story at the one facility where I voted.
Also, this scantron system is a step backward in voting. There is less privacy because people can walk behind you while you are marking your ballet.
I just got this emqail from a voter in montgomery county Maryland .
"I voted. Funny all I had to do was give my name, address and month
and day of birthday. Seems a little loose for verification, I thought
surely I'd have to show a drivers license...go figure."
yeah this sounds fraud proof .not
Just in from casting my vote in Winchester, KY. I got there and the worker gave me the wrong code to put in. I live in city limits, he gave me a county code. So, not all of the canidates showed up on my ballott. Makes me wonder how many people before me this happened to and wonder if they caught it.
In New Jersey, I was unable to cast my ballot as I intended in an electronic voting machine.
I went to the polls to exercise my right to vote, be part of the voter turnout, and maintain as I do every year.
On the ballot in my district were 5 races including a congressional race. I could have voted in only one race and not had a problem. After much consideration I decided not to vote in any particular rce, but that is my right. As I said I want to exercise my right to enter the voting booth regardless if I vote for any one. The machine however would not let me "pull the lever" so to speak, as the button to cast the ballot would not register, presumably because I hadn't voted for any candidate.
Two poll workers who identified themselves as 1 Dem and 1 Republican asked to see the machine to make sure I had voted correctly . I refused as I am not a member of any political party.
I ended up having to vote on an emergency ballot, and after I had a county poll worker declared that the machine was working properly.
Voting in Kansas City, MO precinct 9.12, I was told the ballot reader was not reading the paper ballot. when the ballot had difficulty going through the alternative slot, the poll worker unlocked the ballot box and tossed the ballot in the side. The previously loked door was left open for future ballots. It is not clear when/how the ballot will be counted and how secure ballots are when the locked door is left open.
Voting sites in new york machines were not working an hour past opening time, elderly complaints that the print is not large enought, and some polling sites have one machine causing back ups and lines.
I vote in Liberty township in Ohio. My polling place is in a church. Is this normal...or right?
Voting in Los Angeles, CA. A polling station worker at Gardner Street Elementary (7450 Hawthorn Avenue) claimed the ballot counting machine was not working and instead was placing ballots in a box beneath said machine. He said he did not know what the problem was. The polling station had only been open for 20 minutes.
I got a cell call from my husband who left early to vote at the address printed on the ballot. When he arrived at the location there was a sign on the door that the location had been moved across town and he did not have time to vote. I wonder how many others will be able to take the time twice in one day to vote. Elko, NV
I'm a US citizen living in Canada and I did not recieve my ballot! Now I can't vote! I keep hearing how important it is to vote for those living in the US, but how about the citizens that have been living outside the country! I did not recieve my ballot for the presidential elections in 2008. I had such a hard time getting hold of anyone to discuss why I did not recieve my ballot! 2 years have passed and guess what I did not recieve my ballot!! If you can help me out I would apperciate it. Also, maybe CNN can address the power of American expats voting!! I would highly apperciate because at time I feel like we are not a power that makes a difference. There is a slight disconnect and I just want to know how it can be fixed. Thank you.
Voting in Virginia district 6. Bonsack Methodist Church. The machine selected Goodlatte, trying to vote for Jeffery Vanke, the independent. The machine would not allow me to correct to Vanke, the registrar’s office was notified and will check the issue. I do not have an issue with Goodlatte, he had done a fair job, however he was not my intended vote. You should be able to change/correct the ballot if you have not submitted the final vote.
Nesconset, Suffolk County NY: The scanner went down just as I finished marking my ballot. The poll workers called the Board of Elections to have someone sent over to fix it but in the interim, removed the seal on the front bin (there are two) so that the paper ballots could be put into the slot to be manually counted later (hopefully) as they had been trained to do. Four people refused and said they would come back since they were afraid that their ballots would not be counted. I put mine in. Also note that the poll workers were not giving the voters the "Privacy Sleeve" for some unknown reason. BTW, the voting was heavy and one worker told me that people were waiting in line when the polls opened this morning.
world are going forward and we are going backward. before we have electronic machine for voting and now we went back to ballet paper. and also this system is not secret voting. was standing by machine can see who i vote for . whats going on????????????????????
Are you supposed to be able to vote at a polling station without presenting any ID? That's what happened to my fiance this morning at the polling facility at 220 Adams Street in Hoboken, NJ. She forgot her wallet and was told to just provide her name and if she was on their list she could vote. What prevents anyone from going into a polling station and giving the name of a neighbor and voting multiple times in a day?
Josh said, "America doing one thing...being the democrat democracy were are".
What is a democrat democracy? I'm sure you meant "Democratic Republic" — Republics where the people elect their representatives and may engage in some forms of popular referenda. Examples include the United States...
Just got back from voting on Long Island. We have new voting machines here. As I was waiting in line to get a ballot, there were three voting workers sitting behind the table discussing the purpose of writing in a number next to the person's name. They had to keep a written list of all the people who showed up to vote. They were arguing about why they need the number and nobody seemed to understand why they were doing it.
When I took my ballot , the woman handed it to me and I said, "don't I need a privacy sheet?" She said, "not really-you can if you want but you don't need it." I didn't use it, but when I went to put the ballot into the machine, another woman standing next to the machine to help me had a clear view of who I voted for and looked at the ballot to make sure I filled the backside of the ballot where the local propositions were printed. Then that woman said, "let's hope this machine gets it!" She didn't seem to think it would work correctly and crossed her fingers. I also am skeptical now...
Josh,
I just voted in lower Westchester County in Yonkers, NY. There was trouble with the new machines scanning filled in ballots. It took 12 times for the guy in front of me before the scanner would recognize his ballot. The guy before him had to have his ballot voided and start over. My went through on the first try.
But more importantly, this new system is not allowing enough privacy for each voter's ballot. Four people can vote at a time at the same table located in the middle of the room. Even though the table has dividers, anybody coming into the room can see how these people are voting. It's meant to be a secret ballot. This is NOT.
My family voted at the C. Milton Wright High School in Bel Air, MD. When I requested a list of Democtatic write-in candidates, 9 election workers at or around the desk did not know that a list existed. When I insisted on a list of Dem write-ins, I was directed to the back wall away from the immediate area near the voting booths where a list of write-ins candidates were posted. When I requested a copy to take to the voting booth, I was told that there was only copy and that they didnot have a copying machine.At that point I requested to borrow their copy to use at the voting booth. They agreed. I then passed the list to my husband who voted after me. Based on my experience, Democtatic Write-in candiate have no chance of being elected in Harford Co, MD
Has anyone else noticed that the Republican candidate is at the top of the list for each office on the Georgia ballot?
How's this for a voting irregularity. People are voting for John Boehner even though he didn't have the courage to debate his opponent. There's nothing more irregular than the future Speaker of the House being able to skip out on answering for his record in a venue that gives voters at least a small taste of truth. Irregular...and nauseating.
Jay I am in Bath Township, OH and also vote at a church. Seems normal to me
Santa Clara County has 100's of thousands of invalid machine ballots and they are erasing alleged "Smudges" so the ballets will go through the scanner. Ballots may not be altered and must be touched at a minmum. They are altering the ballots because the smuge is on the selection line. Several employees have walked out because Labor Unions have sent people in to help. Jesse, the registrar of voters has been in Mexico and it is rumored that the ballot printing contract went to a friend in Mexico. The mail in vote are at stake and there are hundreds of thousands of them.The lawyers have been in and out discussing litigation.
RE: KANSAS IRREGULARITIES
In 2000 an email was sent by Republicans (I got one that year) saying that due to expected high voter turnout, Democrats and Independents were to vote on Wednesday that year. This is not new to Kansas.
Although I would not immediately point a finger at the Republicans, I do find it interesting that the Republican candidate for Secretary of State in Kansas ran as stopping voter fraud/ intimidation/ etc as a major part of his platform. I would think if that is the platform of the Republican party in Kansas they would take the situation more seriously and want to work with Democrats to find the source of the calls instead of dismissing it so quickly.
I've got this statement on several posts-could you please verify accuracy?
"Volunteer Poll watchers hold your line of protection!
The Department of Justice has announced that it is deploying “more than 400 federal observers and department personnel to 30 jurisdictions in 18 states” from its Civil Rights Division to ...monitor polls on Election Day tomorrow.
It is the responsibility of state and local governments to administer elections, but the Civil Rights Division is empowered to make sure that Americans have equal access to ballots."
As we renew our votes; votes must be verfied!
Stevensville, MD, Eastern Shore, Voting District 1. We have had two reports of malfunctioning machines at Matapeake Middle and the Exploration Center. This morning at Matapeake a women went to vote Republican, when the screen came up with the candidates she voted for her votes were switched to the Democrats. She reported it to the officials who had no response for her. She went home, told her husband what happened. He then reported it to the local radio show AM 680 Tom Marr. Another husband heard the report on the radio and warned his wife to be careful when she voted at the Exploration Center. The same thing happened to her – vote switched from Republican to Democrat and the officials had no response either. She went home and started making calls to fellow voters to alert them to the problem. When we went to vote later in the day at Matapeake Middle we asked the officials if they had had any problems and they said no. When we pressed further they admitted one machine had problems. When asked how many people voted on that machine before they shut it down they had no idea. Sauerbray lost by 6,000 votes to Glendenning because of "voting irregularites" in Baltimore City. Don't know who is responsible for servicing the machines – rumour is that it is SEIU – not an impartial group.
Why is it that I have to enter a church in order to cast my ballot?
If someone is on the fence with an issue, being in a place or worship can and will sway a vote. This must stop!
I moved just last week into a new home 2 miles away from my previous house. I change my address with the AZ DMV; I registered to vote with the DMV previously, so I thought that my records would be transferred over. I went to the new polling place and they told me to go to the old place. I went there and they said that I could not vote there. They told me I could fill out a provisional ballot, which may not be counted.
I am clearly a US citizen and they wont let me vote! But yet plenty illegal immigrants can vote as long as they show a drivers license. Way to go America!
Why are you posting election results before the polls are closed in Indiana and Kentucky?
cheer Bush, yes.
I wish I could have submitted this earlier, but I had a meeting to get to. When I went to vote at McDonough #28 school in New Orleans, 7th ward 17th precinct, To begin with, I was asked for ID as well as a voter registration card for the first time in 31 years, then there was a paper ballot covered by a cloudy plastic cover. The ballot was placed so wrinkledly and crookedly that it was impossible to read some of the referrenda through the cloudy plastic. Twice when I tried to straighten out the ballot so that I could read it by pushing down the ripples, I cast the wrong vote. In order to change the vote, rather than just press the right box, I had to press the wrong box again and then press the right box, sometimes more than once since, due to the ripples in the ballot, it did not always line up with the buttons underneath. I can imagine any number of elderly or less literate voters being too confused to vote properly under these conditions. I made the poll watcher aware of the difficulty, but she was unconcerned. I did not have time to demand a form to fill out.
Voted here on Long Island, NY. Still can't believe that nothing is required as proof of ID or address validation except a signature. Just blows me away that I don't have to prove who I am when I go to vote. We changed from the old fashioned pull down levers that were used for dozens of years to paper scantron type ballots. Not liking the new method. No privacy, extra cost to taxpayers (very long, think, sheet of paper, plus privacy sleeves, etc.), flip over the back to fill in propositions. Where is the touch screen? If we can transfer millions of dollars a day via touch screen ATMs, we can use 'em to vote. Waiting for tallys to come through in Long Island. Curious to see what turnout was.
well you know that the world was all really down before president was there they love it when others are down but for me jobs are here and it's 1500 in n.c and it's bad that others don't see it they cut unemolpment off and you did to say with it all,president obama has did it well so all that says that you need to pray because you all are going to seen the people go down in hell,help all people and god and held all of us so please don't down any one becasue we need help and we need help i put my vote in and i will put my vote in again for president obama again and again we need peace, don't take us to hell.
that was a rocket why do are gov think we are blind or stupid. we see somthing they try tell us we dont see it. @ gov stop lieing for the love of god !!
As a former member of the USAFSS working for NSA, I find the media including CNN at times are not inline w/the security requirements needed to protect our government and country. Re: the Calif. photo of what everyone seem to think was a missile launch, the media has been exagerating what could easily be an illusion as shown by the photos. FYI,
the public does " not have the need to know " on all functions of the military. If the US were to go to war, would the military go on live TV to
tell the enemy where and what time we will plan our attack? Get off it media people. You don't have the need to know everything. Why don't you concentrate your efforts on other issues that matter.
Josh,
That phenomenon from the California Coast, looks to us, to be a missile shot from an underwater submarine, which could be from another Country. That is why our Country said they didn't know about it. Could be China submarine or Iran,. or Japan or alot of Countries that was testing their missiles and boundaries and shot it off the Coast of California to the direction of the far east so it has plenty of room to go up and go down or they. That is why they know about it or don't and it might be a way to scare the United States or could also be a terrorist incident.
It surely wasn't a plane or anything else!