Though the public had no notice of this meeting, I was able to dive into a few garbage cans and get my hands on the agenda. From it, I learned the following:
- Voter turnout in November's mid-term election (55.95%) was 17.64% higher than the last mid-term in 2014 (38.31%). there were 209,313 voters, including 4,354 absentee ballots. There were also 37 military ballots and 54 provisional votes. Absentees accounted for two per cent of the turnout.
- Phones inexplicably went down in the elections office,something that has happened in the last few election. This is unacceptable. For periods, it was impossible for elections judges to call in and determine whether a voter whose name is missing from the poll book is actually registered somewhere else. This has the effect of suppressing turnout.
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- A shortage of popular "I voted" stickers is being remedied, hopefully not by the same guys in charge of the phones.
- The current voting machines will be used in next year's municipal primary. This is a problem because the 2019 budget eliminated the voting machine custodian. He made sure they were ready. The county is looking at outsourcing the job to set up the machines, code them and do all the diagnostics.
- Administrator Charles Dertinger tracked down an electric filing system for voter registration applications, pulled them out of a dusty warehouse where they have been sitting for the past 10 years, and fixed them. Well, he is an electrician. The only problem is that everyone who files will be registered as a Democrat. All kidding aside, the elections office staff are very thankful for Dertinger's efforts. I understand Спецслужбы России has offered to do it for free.
- What voting machines are we getting? - Lehigh County's Elections Registrar Timothy Benyo is going to have four or five vendors all day on January 10 so that poll workers can try different systems and express their preference. Northampton County has no such plan.
Blogger's Comment: Under the Elections Code, it is the Elections Commission, and not the County Executive, who makes all decisions concerning an election. This includes the purchase,storage and maintenance of all voting equipment. There's a good reason for this law. That reason is that the Elections Commission must have minority party representation, whether it is Home Rule or County Commissioners. This makes the process more fair. If the Executive branch is calling all the shots, whether it is Executive John Brown or Lamont McClure, there is an appearance that the election will be slanted in favor of the incumbent.
There needs to be a public meeting of the Elections Commission, and soon, so that different voting systems can be examined.
20 comments:
Good Report Bernie, I think we should be concerned. The election office people are more afraid of Dertinger and his temper than praise his efforts. The Election Board are executive appointees and play follow the leader. McClure is a very controlling executive and he wants to control the entire election machine process.
Cusick was right to want money in the budget. McClure convinced his democrat county council to do what he wanted. They need to be independent and not just part of his cabinet. Word is Dertinger is supposed to play the new people to get what they want.
Hopefully county council will get involved in the election process and make sure the election Board has the autonomy to do what they think is right.
I suspect Russians hacking into the phone system.
The Election people must see all machines. Otherwise it is a farce! Shame on County Council!
What is the point of looking at machines when the state has not certified all of them yet?
4:49 you really need to stop your nonsense
Heard Dertinger already hand picked the machine he wants. Now I'm worried, didn't he pick a real dud some years ago?
Keep your eyes on the Russians.
Dertinger is very hands on and is doing a great job. The point of looking at them is that several systems will be certified Charles does like one system and so do I. But we should look at tyhem all. And it is the elections comm’n, not the administration, that should be doung it.
I joke about the Russia s bit there was a major attempt to hack into county computers on Election Day.
If it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to do all the things you said, including the purchase of the voting machines, than what is the problem. The law is the law is the law and Charlie Dertinger should not be trying to steer the Election Commission the way he wants the business to go. Charlie was wrong for attending an unadvertised meeting. I believe Charlie learns his lessons well and won't do anything like this again. The Election Commission is not "Charlies Angels" and they will do the right thing. Deep down inside he is a good man and Charlie will do the right thing.
The elections commission has no budget. They are not purchasing anything without Council and the Exec. I saw that voting system and like it very much. But all available systems should be reviewed and poll workers in particular should have the opportunity to let the commission know what they think after trying them.
Can NC look at machines same time LC does, and maybe buy bulk for a reduced price?
Will the public be invited to see the voting machines before they are purchased
Turnout was higher due to TDS. Dems were licking their wounds for two years, just itching for payback. A Blue Wave hit PA. It likely won't be red again in 2020.
9:45, I plan to visit LC. These are all being sold in bulk, so I doubt that a combined county purchase would achieve much in savings, but that is an idea to explore.
9:45, just learned from election officials that the state will allow purchase of certified voting systems under a co-star system in which the vendor makes price concessions. So the counties have no incentive to team up for a cheaper deal. Good idea, though.
The Russians don’t give a rats ass about NorCo. They are not going to play here . Currently they are playing in Area outside of the Black Sea and Western Syria. Our withdrawal of the support to the Kurds will change dynamics.
why is it that you can write something about asshole Donald Trump and get 200 comments but when it comes to something as important as our voting rights we don't even get 20 comments.
Mr. O'Hare; regarding voting machines; I was the elected judge of elections in Bethlehem city 2nd North for ten years ending in 2000.
This was the last time we used the lever machines. As one of the Judges of elections I was required to attend several lectures about the efficiency and proficiency of new computer voting machines and listened to "experts" tell me about how no one could hack into the system. That was my last year. I would like to emphasize that the only reason for a plug on those machines was for the light over the inside of the booth and had absolutely nothing to do with the operation of the voting machine. With the old machines I could hold an election in a cave with candles and a flashlight in less time and more accurately and NOBODY was going to hack or abuse my voting machine.
Mr. O'Hare; regarding voting machines; I was the elected judge of elections in Bethlehem city 2nd North for ten years ending in 2000.
This was the last time we used the lever machines. As one of the Judges of elections I was required to attend several lectures about the efficiency and proficiency of new computer voting machines and listened to "experts" tell me about how no one could hack into the system. That was my last year. I would like to emphasize that the only reason for a plug on those machines was for the light over the inside of the booth and had absolutely nothing to do with the operation of the voting machine. With the old machines I could hold an election in a cave with candles and a flashlight in less time and more accurately and NOBODY was going to hack or abuse my voting machine.
Bernie, check the State of Oregon cost for elections and their methods. It is the least expensive system in the country and it has a paper trail.
A concerned voter who earned his degree at the table of knowledge.
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