Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org
VotersUnite Co-Executive Director Ellen Theisen called Kerry Asbridge, Hancock Co Illinois County Clerk, in regards to a news report from late last week that Mr. Asbridge had requested the DoJ to investigate the deceptive business practices of ES&S.
Asbridge spoke openly about how ES&S has treated his county; words that have been spoken previously by election officials across the country.
Ellen reports this from her conversation with Asbridge:
"The county, for years, sent their ballot information to ES&S on paper. Last year, the vendor told them they wanted it in Excel in a specific format. So, last November, the county sent it to ES&S as requested for this coming election. A week before Christmas, ES&S contacted them, said they had changed the format and **for a fee** would convert the data for them. The county resubmitted it themselves in the new format. Then a couple of weeks ago ... a repeat. New format, and for a fee ES&S would convert it."
How many other counties across the nation have had to face the same business practices from a vendor that has been called "arrogant" and, as one retiring Arkansas election official pointed out last year, they "lack competency to make their equipment work timely and effectively. They ... make a difficult job impossible to do. They can't spell, meet deadlines, send documents to the right address or code elections correctly. They leave races off the ballot for us to correct, they can't program their software to work and you have to hand add the results. And they don't return phone calls. The ES&S people in Arkansas are capable but the people I have dealt with in the home office in Omaha prevent them from being effective. They are also mean-spirited when you try to get them to correct the numerous and recurring errors."...
NAtional: An Easy And Visible Exit Poll To Assure a True Vote! LINK
NAtional: Eternal Vigilance: Not Just for Founding Fathers Anymore
Or, Counting Voters' Ballots in American Elections, and Other 'Conspiracy Theories' LINK
NAtional: Citizens Launch Free and Fair Elections Amendment Caucus Push LINK
NAtional: Voters respond favorably to touch screen voting equipment LINK
CO: Editorial - No chads LINK
CO: State Dem leader: Coffman needs to go LINK
FL: Broward County - Glitch mars early voting in Hollywood LINK
MD: State task force seeks to fix voting flaws before they surface again LINK
NC: Opinion - Worrisome realities mar instant runoff LINK
NH: Was the New Hampshire vote stolen? LINK
NH: Editorial - Recounts good test of voting integrity LINK
NH: Guest Editorial: Live Free or Diebold LINK
NH: E-Votes Are Non-Votes LINK
NJ: Governor Signs Popular N.J. Vote Measure LINK
NJ: No paper trail for Feb. 5 primary LINK
NY: Sullivan County - Sullivan election officials having HAVA headaches LINK
OH: Voting change: Have your say Jan. 22 LINK
OH: Q&A: Ohio secretary of state looks anew at e-voting
Jennifer Brunner discusses how her state tackled EVEREST LINK
OH: Election changeover difficulties faced LINK
OH: GOP to privately meet on Democrat's voting proposal LINK
OH: Geauga County - Officials back optical scan LINK
RI: R.I. Elections Director Proposes Photo Ban at Polling Places LINK
TN: Editorial - The real right choice: Opti-scan machines way to go for elections LINK
TN: Hamilton County - County example in tracking voters LINK
TN: Sevier County - Judge rules against candidate requesting paper ballots LINK
UT: Utah lawmaker seeks to ban corporate logos at voting sites LINK
VoterID: Editorial - Indulgence for the 'fraud' squad LINK
VoterID: Editorial - Right to vote is absolute LINK
VoterID: Editorial - Politics should not affect voter ID requirements LINK
VoterID: Editorial - States need guidance on voter ID laws LINK
VoterID: Editorial - Strike down Indiana's voter ID requirement LINK
**"Daily Voting News" is meant as a comprehensive listing of reports each day concerning issues related to election and voting news around the country regardless of quality or political slant. Therefore, items listed in "Daily Voting News" may not reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or OpEdNews.Com**
