1000 students waiting in line at Penn State at 7:00AM, Nov 4th.
***9 a.m. DEVELOPING STORIES FROM ELECTION PROTECTION***
As of 9am, Election Protection has received nearly 20,000 calls to the 1-866-OUR-VOTE Hotline.
PENNSYLVANIA
Local election officials are deputizing trained Election Protection volunteers because pollworkers in Pittsburgh are overwhelmed by the crush of voters.
Hundreds of calls from voters are indicating major obstacles to casting ballots in polling locations across the state. Broken voting machines are causing long lines at polls, and some voters are experiencing difficulties accessing the paper ballots to which they are entitled. Some voters are illegally being given provisional ballots and paper ballots are running out at multiple locations. Problems are being reported throughout Philadelphia.
VIRGINIA
We continue to be flooded by calls from voters in Virginia experiencing issues with machines in more than ten polling places all across the state, problems far more severe than expected. Our attorneys are urgently working to seek remedies to the situation.
OHIO
We are receiving reports of general confusion and mechanical malfunctions in Cleveland. Stay tuned.
5 comments:
11:06AM update by gimleteye
Florida: optical scan problems in Hillsborough County. Serious problems reported in New Jersey, with machines. Election officials in New Jersey, not having paper back up. In New York, lots of problems with lever machines. Anyone who can stay in line by poll close will be able to vote. In Pennsylvania there is a state-wide requirement for emergency paper balloting. Some polling places are not furnished with emergency ballots.
Time Magazine: Is this worst nightmare come true? Answer: unfortunately, this is what we expected; the infrastructure of our elections is not equipped to handle this volume of turnout.
Is there a letter grade you can give so far? Answer: a little early for report cards. Election officials have an opportunity to take leadership now. In states with very limited absentee and early voting, getting more problems. States like North Carolina, a lot less stress because of pressure relieved by early voting.
LA Times: In addition to Virginia, are there other states where legal advisors have been talking to election officials. Answer: Yes, Virginia. New Jersey. Pennsylvania.
Any specific remedies? Answer: in Virginia, the state officials can give some directions that paper ballots are counted as regular and not provisional ballots. Possible, extending hours will be necessary.
From the Internet: One place we have been able to identify problems in African American communities: New Jersey machine break downs seem to be happening in precincts that are predominantly African American.
NY Times: Florida? Answer: in Hillsborough County major problems in terms of machines. 1400 calls from Florida so far. Why is Virginia such a problem? Answer: there are all these new areas not used to so much registration and election activity. … there are things that election officials can do right now, to provide eligible voters with their right to vote. Answer: problem in Broward, people requesting absentee ballots but not receiving absentee ballots.
Missouri? ANSWER: very long lines in big cities. Last night, in Kansas City over 700 voters in line after polls closed. Near riot.
update, gimleteye
From Election Protection
11:11AM Florida, two dozen polling places with broken optical scanners. Areas most affected seems to be Tampa/ St. Pete.
11:50 AM update, by gimletye
Election Protection
11:40PM Miami command center: we are getting reports in Palm Beach, Broward Palm Beach—some machines jamming, voters not being able to verify their votes have been cast.
12:30 PM update, gimleteye
LOTS of people here in Cuyahoga County-Cleveland and in Franklin County-Columbus are reporting that:
1 -- they have voted from same address for years and suddenly have disappeared from the list at polls
2 -- they are on the Statewide database (DB) but not on the poll registry
3 -- they received a VR card/notice of registration and precinct this fall but are not on poll registry
Being offered a provisional ballot is hardly a satisfying or adequate response.
3:30 PM update
Election Protection is working in Bleckley County, Georgia to ensure that students at Middle Georgia College are able to vote today after voting officials apparently extended, then suddenly withdrew, a deadline that would have ensured students were registered in time to use a regular ballot.
Federal observers have been sent to monitor the situation.
The controversy stems from a registration drive by the Obama campaign at the college, where 90% of the students are African-American. About 500 students were registered prior to the deadline, but the registrar then sent a letter to 370 of the students asking for proof of residence within three days. Most of these students did not even receive the letter until after that deadline had passed.
The Democratic Party and the National Bar Association urged the county attorney to resolve the issue. On October 31, the county attorney and registration officials said students could vote by regular ballot if they brought proof of residence to the registrar on or before election day.
However, at 4pm yesterday the Democratic Party received a letter from the county attorney stating that students would not be allowed to cast a regular ballot unless proof of residence had been presented prior to election day.
Congressman Jim Marshall (8th District) confirms to Georgia Election Protection that federal observers have arrived to monitor the situation at Middle Georgia College. Efforts are under way to contact the affected students and inform them that they can cast a provisional ballot on election day. The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Right Under Law, the National Bar Association, and Georgia Election Protection have been monitoring the the situation and are working to help ensure that the affected students are notified. The groups are investigating the situation and assessing the appropriate steps to remedy the issue.
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