All this and more in today's voting news below...
AL: black voters file Section 5 case over Gov. Riley cancelling their votes
http://www.votelaw.com/blog/archives/006419.html
The Tuscaloosa News reports: Local politicians in Greene and Macon counties have joined to file a federal lawsuit claiming that Gov. Bob Riley's bingo raids are perpetuating racial injustice by thwarting the intent of black voters.
CA: WERE VOTERS BEING STUPID IN MISUNDERSTANDING THE EFFECT OF A "NO" VOTE ON PROP 8?
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016602.html
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kunc/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1683331/Regional/Waiver.for.Sending.Overseas.Military.Ballots.Sought "Because Colorado has such a late primary in August, there's no way for the county clerks to be able to solidify who's on the general election ballot, print out the thousands of ballots they have to do, and then mail them out 45 days before the election."
...
To prevent future problems, Secretary Buescher is working to revise the state's election calendar, which could involve moving the primary.
FL: Sebastian Inlet District wants answer on elections
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100730/NEWS01/7300327/1006/Sebastian+Inlet+District+wants+answer+on+elections
The Sebastian Inlet District asked the Florida Secretary of State and the Attorney General to weigh in on whether its elections should be in August or November.
IL: Special election could cause headaches in Illinois
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x312166202/Special-election-could-create-headaches
Voter confusion would mount and costs would skyrocket if the special election for Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat requires a separate ballot from the general election, local election officials say
ME: Noncitizen Voting Proposal Still Alive In Portland
http://wbztv.com/wireapnewsme/Backers.of.proposal.2.1835731.html
MN: Voting absentee? Better have a witness address*
http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/99671194.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUncacyi8cyaiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUs
Statewide, at least 10 percent of absentee ballots cast in advance of the Aug. 10 primary were rejected on first pass. Some counties neared a 20 percent initial rejection rate.
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If any of the envelopes don't include the proper information, such as the voters' address, their signature, the name of their witness or their witnesses' address, the ballots will be rejected, and the voters will be sent a replacement. Closer to the election, officials will call or e-mail the voters to let them know to try again
MN: TARGET'S POLITICAL GIVING IS NOT NEW
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016599.html
MN: "TARGET FACES BACKLASH FOR SUPPORTING TOM EMMER IN POST-CITIZENS UNITED WORLD"
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/016589.html TPM offers this report. See also Human Rights Campaign Slams Target And Best Buy For Supporting Anti-Gay Tom Emmer.
NJ: SECOND SUSPECT PLEADS GUILTY TO ATLANTIC CITY VOTER FRAUD*
http://www.nbc40.net/view_story.php?id=14086
In pleading guilty to the charge in the indictment, Storr admitted that, in 2009, he instructed a man associated with the Small campaign regarding how to commit absentee ballot fraud by obtaining voters' signatures on ballot forms, voting the ballots himself, and sending them to the Board of Elections...Storr admitted that, in 2008, while working for the Evans campaign, he tampered with absentee ballots by either voting the ballots himself or telling voters how to vote them, then sending the ballots to the Board of Elections.
NJ: Linwood man pleads guilty to voter fraud in failed 2009 Marty Small mayoral campaign in Atlantic City *http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/article_f2fcb4ea-9e78-11df-8bd9-001cc4c03286.html"I just have the people bring the ballot to me, and I fill them out," Storr told Colon, the report states. "I just did it myself, that way I knew."
Colon told the two men that most of the Hispanic voters are older and are unaware of who the candidates are.
"Just get the ballot and have them sign it," Storr replied.
NY: Another Year, Another Crisis At The Board Of Elections
No director, no budget, no clear plan for rollout of new machines in September
http://www.cityhallnews.com/newyork/article-1433-another-year-another-crisis-at-the-board-of-elections.html(New York City)
PA: Another Threat to Public Scrutiny of the Election Process
click here The Elimination of Polling Places through Adoption of No-Excuse Absentee Ballots--the First Step to All Mail-In Voting
TN: Judge named chairman of state Election Commission
http://www.c-dh.net/articles/2010/08/02/top_stories/02dubois.txt
DuBois, a local attorney, Columbia's city judge and former state representative, took over in May as chairman of the state Election Commission. The body is responsible for appointing five-member election commissions in each of Tennessee's 95 counties and monitoring their performance.
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