Ok, we top post for a while...

Our ballots were completely electronic - touch screen type system.

The people running the show had hand held devices to enable the
ballot. I wondered if they kept data in the hand held or just enabled
the machines.

How on earth would they do a manual recount???



Richard


RoyJ wrote:
MN law mandates a manual recount for elections with less than .5%
difference. Two of my co workers are election judges, (one is a head
judge in a precinct)they tell me that the optical scan system is pretty
good, the manual recount is is pretty clear, and that some of the voters
are pretty clueless. eg One little old lady spoiled 4 ballets before she
got one that didn't have her voting for both candidates in one office.

Karl Townsend wrote:

You may have heard the senate race in MN is 200 votes from a
tie...I'll be part of the hand recount tomorrow.

After 2000, the Feds handed out a lot of money for voting equipment
upgrade. Nearly all (I think all but can't be certain) upgraded to a
ballot on heavy paper where you fill in the dot for your vote. At the
ballot box, a machine tallies your vote secretly and informs you if
there are over votes (too many candidate for one office) or under
votes (offices that weren't voted.

This system was supposed to be idiot proof but, of course, they just
built a better idiot.

First, the ballot machine beeps on an over or under vote. Almost
without exception, the voter tells the ballot judge to accept anyway.
This is where the idiots get their chance.

On hand inspection, I'm sure ballots will be found where the voter has
erased or crossed out one candidate and voted for the other, ballots
where the candidate was circled or checked etc.( the machine didn't
count these), a pencil was used (again the machine didn't count
these), other unique issues.

All absentee ballot rejections will be reviewed, also. The biggest
opportunity for debate here is the rule of matching signature on the
ballot envelope and the ballot application. We rejected a couple
ballots for this at our precinct. What is considered a match is open
to debate.

Anyway, long story short. The election is totally up in the air in MN.
The Senate stands at 58 dems right now, could easily go to 59. 60 is
the magic number where we're all in trouble. (Political opinion,
there's nothing worse than one party having all the power - you need a
check and balance here)

I'm told there will be lawyers and other observers from both parties
watching our every move, should be fun.

Karl





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Richard

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