"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.

Hard not to hear about that one. Fairly odd that the votes margin keeps going one way
only.


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.

Ours is similar but you draw a line between two markers to connect them. Dot doesn't seem
very definite.

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

Idiots are very creative.

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.

I've been tempted to test ours on a race that doesn't matter. Just to check.


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.


Oh I would protest. If the ballot showed signs of crossing out, the voter should have
requested a new ballot. If you have one with crossed out choices then you either a) have
an idiot voter or b) have potential fraud. Cause to reject.



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.

That one is hard, I have at least two signatures I use depending on what it is and how
many forms I need to sign. Way open to debate. I think absentee ballots are the most
likely place for fraud to take place.

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)

For sure. I like divided government with my guys in the top two thirds.

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

Don't let them touch anything. Nothing, hands off. They want to see, you hold it, lay it
down, and you orient it for them. First one to touch, toss them out. There are rules.

Thank you for your service,

Wes