At a news conference last week, NorCo Exec Lamont McClure said he would be presenting a game plan for the 2020 Presidential election to the Elections Comm'n in January. The Elections Commission meets today, at 3:45 pm. With the primary a few short months away, McClure should be making his recommendations now.
Next year's Presidential election will have issues no one foresaw. There is always a high turnout, and the parties appoint lots of watchers. They often magnify minor or nonexistent issues beyond their import. Though there will be no-excuse absentee voting for the first time, long winding lines are still inevitable. These are my suggestions:
(1) More Voting Machines. - Every precinct should have an extra machine so that voting moves faster. This is imperative. It is important to place the order now to get a state match. This will cost money, but it is clear more are needed.
(2) Epollbooks - Implementing these at polling stations will make it much easier for voters to check in. Tim Benyo has been using them in Lehigh County fr at east three elections. The danger of hacking is a nonissue. Provide each precinct with one epollbook and still use the paper books. This is a Godsend that really saves time and helps voters, especially if they go to the wrong precinct. You can bet this will happen in the presidential.
(3) Double the Pollworkers.- The County could keep a skeleton crew to cover departments and strongly encourage the staff to work their eight hours at a polling station. Even if they don't vote themselves, employees could help keep lines orderly or help monitor traffic outside. There should also be extensive outreach to the public, seeking volunteers.
(4) Extensive training is needed. - All pollworkers need to be reminded what they can and cannot say. They all need to understand provisional ballots and emergency ballots. No voter should be able to complain that his or her right to vote was denied.
(5) Action plan at each precinct. - The set up at each precinct should be examined with the lessor, election judge and county officials to determine the best way to get people in and out. An onsite inspection should take place a month before the election. There is always a lot of confusion at polling places with two precincts. There need to be plans in place to minimize confusion.
(6) Testing, testing and more testing. - Once the ballot is configured and programmed (about 5 days before the election), the value and accuracy testing needs to be enhanced. This should include a pilot election with about 30 machines.
(7) Hire a Machine Custodian. - In 2019, Northampton County had no machine custodian because the position was eliminated. In hindsight, his was a mistake. A custodian is needed, with the understanding he/she must work at the office if not needed at the warehouse.
If you have suggestions, feel free to share them.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
▼
Thursday, December 19, 2019
33 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
Excellent suggestion. McClure and company will probably tell you they are great and everything is fixed so shut up already!. He will do whatever he wants. Who will stop him? People know he is a stubborn control freak. He is as transparent as his carefully crafted press releases. He is known to be really angry about the new machine criticism that is off his scripts. He was piissed at council for bringing it up and asking questions. He should really work on this but it will depend on his ego and temper.
ReplyDeleteAren't these the very things that Deb Hunter has been asking for at the Council meetings since before the machines were purchased? Isnt she on the election commission? Why weren't they done before this last election?
ReplyDeleteBecause she was off the McClure script. He has made it clear no one is to make any decisions or ask any questions he does not approve. This will be the issue that will torpedo him and his rubber stamp council in the next election.
ReplyDeleteThe premise needs to be the amount of ballot tampering and fraud WILL increase. By making the voting privilege easier and quicker, you make the final vote totals more difficult to keep VALID.
ReplyDeleteAs we have watched over the past few months, LYING, CHEATING, and DECEPTION has become too common in America. We see it in our Congress, our FBI, our Justice System, along our borders, and from our News Media.
The weakest links in our election process are . . .
the person who determines which ballots are questionable.
the person who validates/rejects each ballot.
VALIDATION is our biggest problem, by far. Focus all effort there.
None of your suggestions are relevant. We've been told the machines are awesome and humans are the problem. Coming from The company who sold the machines and the knucklehead who bought them, I believe them. Everything's peachy. Next issue, please.
ReplyDeleteAddition to my 5:38 post -
ReplyDeleteWe are headed to a place when the amount of questionable ballots will be too great to justify for eligibility. Think about it. Voting is being made a more CASUAL enterprise. People with ill intentions see this and will try to work it to their advantage.
The new machines are NOT the problem. But, there should be concern for the ability of the human monitors to keep things accurate and true. This task might no longer be possible by the day after the polls close. No final results the following morning. I say, so be it!
Where is the evidence our voting process is “safe?” Quicker and easier is not our friend. Again, quicker and easier is not of greatest importance.
6:36 - your comment and some above can be categorized as INTERNAL OFFICE SQUABBLES between employees and managers. There Is a place for that, and you might well be correct. It would be better, though, if Bernie could somehow separate personal attacks out into a separate topic.
ReplyDeletePlease put a price tag on your proposed fixes and who should pay based on the last election return on investment
ReplyDeleteHOW CAN WE IMPROVE NEXT YEARS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION?
ReplyDeleteLet's start with getting rid of all the assholes that are running for president (including Trump) and find some candidates that are truly qualified to be President. Then let's take a look at how our "ELECTION BOARD" is selected to serve and change the "HOME RULE CHARTER" to get better qualified individuals on that Board. Next, get Charlie Dertinger out of the mix. This hatchet man has so manipulated the Election Commission" that it borders on illegal activities. Next, get the president of Council out of McClures rectum and investigate the selection process of the voting machines by the Election Commission and the influence forced upon the Election Commission to select these machines. I would call this a good start.
5:01, Some of these suggestions were made by Deb Hunter at the last Council meeting. Some were not. The custodian suggestion was made some time ago by Hunter.
ReplyDelete7:36, As for cost, yes, an additional 100 machines would border on $1 million. The epollbooks would cost about 1/2 million. The cost of a custodian would be $50-60k per year.
6:36 is right. Despite the anonymous attacks aimed at McClure, I have found him willing to listen. These anonymous attacks are unhelpful to improving the conduct of elections. I believe January will be too late for an action plan. I understand why he wants to wait. It is precisely because of these personal attacks,. But he should move now.
8:20, I agree the composition of the elections commission needs to change. The Home Rle Charter needs an overhaul. A study commission is needed.
6:51, This is a bad suggestion. You are inviting the very criticism you make when you delay results. The results should come out swiftly and accurately, with no opportunity to play games.
Early voting. Mail in ballots.
ReplyDeleteIf we're buying more "machines," let's look at paper ballot options instead of more of the same. Chances are that the requirements for using actual paper ballots, not machine printouts, will be better defined in the near future and require putting pen or pencil to paper. Second, each precinct would be well served with the following: a paper shredder to destroy printouts rejected by voters, a clip-on light to make reading the printed choices easier, and a magnifying lens for the same purpose.
ReplyDeleteI remain convinced that the ExpressVote XL is still the best solution. It was the choice of election judges, Elections Comm'n and Council. You wish to substitute your minority views, which is hardly democratic. But even if I wanted to go paper, anyone with common sense should know it is now too late. Changing the system would take at least four months, followed by another two or three months before the new system arrives. The election would be over by the time we were ready.
ReplyDeleteI believe that a potential problem area will be the number of absentee ballots. How many people will take advantage of the new "for any reason" option to forego the long lines and unpleasantness in our new partisan dynamic at the polling place to instead vote by mail? This could be a flood requiring an increased number of workers and, if large enough, a delay in publishing the results as ballots are cross checked against voter rolls and in person voting.
ReplyDeleteCorrect, 10:40!
ReplyDeleteWe continue to create an election system that will become too unwieldy to validate. More time and effort WILL be required. I would prefer to read an actual description how everything will be handled. A SPECIFIC plan to deal with suspicious ballots. Simply saying “Don’t worry about it.” doesn’t give anyone faith in the legitimacy of our vote totals.
Glossing over, speeding through these new challenges, is NOT the right response!
I'm voting absentee from here on out. I got caught without provisions in a Lamont Line, last month. I think the whole idea behind bad machines and long lines was to keep people away from the polls. It's like banks that don't really want you to come to their buildings. Mission accomplished. Now, tighten up absentee counting. You're about to be inundated. Don't tell us the day after the election that you didn't know it was coming. It's coming.
ReplyDeleteAre absentee ballots available now, It might be a good idea to stock pile them before they run out. Can we go door to door and persuade people to vote by absentee?
ReplyDeleteIn lehigh county, if they dont get more efficient, it could take days to allow everyone to vote. I am beginning to question if it is intentional chaos.
ReplyDeleteso we are stuck with these 2.9 million dollar machines, we may need to purchase more machines plus custodian for additional 1.5million hoping the human error is fixed...
ReplyDeleteSounds like absentee ballot is the only option
A flood of Absentee Ballots? All going to a folding table at the Court House where 2 volunteers sort it all out? Yes, an exaggeration. But, where is the evidence a raging flood of absentee ballots will be met with proper safeguards and non-partisan oversight? No one seems willing to say.
ReplyDeleteBecause no-excuse absentee ballots will be permitted for the first time, and this is a presidential, there will be a torrent of absentee ballots. As I understand, there are discussions underway to ensure scanners are in place to allow them to be tallied election night. The issue is no one knows for sure how many absentee ballots will be sought. As it gets closer to election day, it will be easier to determine. The scanners and manpower to run should be easy.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a way to garner lots of illegal votes. Straight out of the Tammany Hall playbook.
DeleteI see their lips moving, but what I'm hearing is that the best way for the new machines to be effective, is to not use them. It's a solution that's elegant in its simplicity. I love our government. It's the best.
ReplyDelete" I think the whole idea behind bad machines and long lines was to keep people away from the polls. "
ReplyDeleteAlthough many people feel this way, it is not at all what election workers think. And why would McClure, a Democrat, want to suppress the vote? Historically, Democrats have fought hard for ballot access. I suspect you know you are blathering.
"I see their lips moving, but what I'm hearing is that the best way for the new machines to be effective, is to not use them. It's a solution that's elegant in its simplicity. I love our government. It's the best."
ReplyDeleteActually, what you and Werner are doing is attempting to destroy public confidence in the system we will be using in the primary. I would prefer constructive suggestions to make our elections go more smoothly. You are just caught up in being negative.
All that matters to citizens is that our election process and result is trustworthy. Not enough proof of that right now. People have good reason to be cynical. Our Congress just encouraged that suspicion last night. Our FBI already proved it. Our news media cements it every day with its deception.
ReplyDeleteWhy tamper with perfection?
ReplyDeleteYou continue to make excuses for McClure. This is the first time he ha seer been in charge of anything and it shows. He may pretend to listen, he is lawyer after all but in the end he does what he wants. He is bullheaded and sees any opposing opinion as an attack.
ReplyDeleteYour defense that he may wait to give his plan because of people criticizing him should be no defense since if he can't handle that he should leave. Why does he get to make all the rules? Didn't the County Council say what they wanted? What about the Election Commission?
Your love for this guy is clouding the issue. In practice he is turning out tp be a democratic version of John Brown. Both unskilled managers acting like little Gods.
After reading the comments, our election system is already screwed, It all went down hill when some decided it needed to be fixed when it was not broken. Now that they broke it, it seems no one knows how to fix it. Do we have little children running things.
ReplyDeleteTook one guy one election to undermine 200+ years of sound elections in NorCo. But other humans are to blame. Is he a lawyer or what?
ReplyDeleteI highly doubt Northampton County is prepared for what’s coming with the 2020 election. Partisans are involved so anything is possible in terms of ballot tampering. At the very least, unprepared election workers can miss quite a bit of mistakes.
ReplyDeleteState over reach is why we are where we are. You are correct sir..we did not have a problem with our prior system but we sure do now. Thank you Gov.for your underfunded mandate. Stupid!
ReplyDeleteGet paper and pay the counters enough to hang in a day or two . Other countries do it . Pay me something worth the time and aggravation and I’ll show up ,it’s got to be cheaper than 1 million dollars considering thay only use the machines twice a year. They. Could be be counted in real time at each poll .As long as the poll does not disclose or discuss the tabulation what is the difference? We don’t spend money unnecessarily and nobody can hack vote? I sign my name.
ReplyDelete