Georgians Challenge Electronic Voting System

Upset residents are launching the stiffest challenge yet to Georgia's touch-screen electronic voting system, arguing that there's no way to ensure ballots cast are recorded and tabulated correctly.

It's a direct challenge to the electronic voting system adopted in 2002 in the aftermath of the Florida voting debacle that made Georgia the first in the nation to have uniform touchscreen voting statewide. The critics contend that there's no guarantee that electronic ballots are tallied correctly because there's no way to independently audit the votes.

But state attorneys say the system is far less vulnerable to fraud than paper ballots, and that the machines produce a paper trail that can be audited.

On the Net: http://www.gasupreme.us.

(Associated Press)

Ludacris & Co. Rally for Martin

Martin, flanked by political and musical supporters at the state capitol, Monday, Dec. 1, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin got a boost from Atlanta's self-declared "hip-hop royalty" on the eve of the runoff race against opponent, Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss.

Veteran Democratic Party officials including Congressman John Lewis, state Democratic Party Chair Jane Kidd, and numerous others crowded the stage, taking turns rallying the crowd of several hundred supporters.


Rapper Ludacris called on the crowd to go and vote Tuesday morning for Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin, at a rally on the steps of the capitol, Monday, Dec., 1, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Braving chilly weather, Martin was joined on a stage set up on the steps of the capitol, by a bevy of acclaimed rappers including Ludacris and T.I (Clifford Harris).

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Gore assails Chambliss, Bush policies at Martin rally

Former Vice-President Al Gore addressing supporters of Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin at a rally in Atlanta, Sunday, Nov. 23. (Dave Bender)

Former Vice-President Al Gore revved up a rally for Senate candidate Jim Martin Sunday night.

Gore urged the crowd of about 600 cheering supporters to cast their ballots this coming week, and not wait until December second.

Gore criticized economic policies of the Bush Administration, tying them directly to Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss:

“The Bush, Cheney, Chambliss philosophy has been tried and found not only wanting – it has been found out to be a catastrophe for the United States of America.”

The Nobel Prize winner heaped praise on Martin’s record and background as a state lawmaker.

Martin says remarks by Gore that “the eyes of the nation were on this race in Georgia,” indicate how crucial the runoff is for the incoming Obama administration.

Democrats hold 58 seats in the Senate, and the outcome of races in Georgia and Minnesota will decide if they will achieve a filibuster-proof Senate “supermajority.”

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Bill Clinton coming to stump for Martin

Chambliss and Martin squared off, along with Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley, at a Georgia Public Television debate on the Sunday before the Nov. 4th elections. (Dave Bender)

Former President Bill Clinton will headline a rally for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jim Martin in Georgia.

Clinton is the first big name Democrat to stump for Martin in his Dec. 2 runoff battle with Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss.

Republican U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss at a recent press conference at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. (Dave Bender)

Former Republican presidential candidate John McCain lent his star power to a Chambliss rally Thursday and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will stump with Chambliss Sunday.

McCain claimed Georgia's electoral votes on Election Day and Huckabee won the state's Feb. 5 presidential primary.

Clinton won Georgia in his 1992 presidential bid, the last Democrat to carry the state in the race for the White House.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jim Martin during a recent press conference at his headquarters in Atlanta. (Dave Bender/file)

Martin said Saturday that Clinton - who balanced the budget - would underscore the failures of Republican leadership in Washington when it came to the economy.

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(AP)

Handel to report Fulton County election officials

Fulton County elections officials are in hot water with state officials over uncounted ballots. Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel says she will report county officials to the state election board. The reason—sending workers home while thousands of ballots remained un-counted earlier this week. Handel says the tally of more than 30,000 absentee ballots could have been finished had workers not left early Wednesday morning following a long election day Tuesday. Fulton County officials say workers needed the rest. Fulton has key ballots important to the determination of the U.S. Senate race not yet tallied.

Election day voting underway in Georgia

Voting officials said they expected some 2,000 voters throughout the day at the polling station at the Intown Community Church in the Toco Hills neighborhood, Dekalb Co., Nov. 4, 2008. (Dave Bender)

The polls are open across the state, and turnout has already been reported as heavy in many areas. State elections officials expect well over two-million, perhaps near three-million registered Georgians will cast their ballots today by the time precincts close. Officials remind voters that if you’re in line by 7pm, you will get to cast a ballot.


Advance voting at the Columbus Public Library, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Georgia has 15 electoral votes that will go to the top presidential choice in the state. Also to be decided by voters--the hotly-contested U.S. Senate battle, various district races, and other contests in the state.

Stay with GPB for complete coverage of the election. Check for updates anytime by going to gpb.org/election. In addition, GPB Radio will provide comprehensive coverage starting at 7pm. Along with NPR's national coverage, GPB will have reporters fanned-out across the state to cover all the major Georgia races.

Election Day: Down to the wire reminder

An elderly voter casts her ballot at the Fulton County Government Center, Tuesday Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel reminds voters:

Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Georgia law provides that any voter in line at 7:00 p.m. shall be permitted to vote. Voters can find registration information, including polling locations and legislative districts, by using the Secretary of State’s Poll Locator at http://www.sos.georgia.gov/Elections or by calling (888) 265-1115.

Voters participating in the election on Election Day will be required to show one of the following six forms of photo ID:

• A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired;
• Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);
• Valid U.S. passport;
• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state;
• Valid U.S. military photo ID; or
• Valid tribal photo ID.
• If a voter does not have one of these forms of photo identification, the voter can obtain a free voter ID card at their county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services.

Anyone with additional questions about Georgia’s photo ID requirement can visit www.GAPhotoID.com or call toll free (877) 725-9797.

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Election Day marks 101st birthday for Ga. man

As Americans flock to the polls for a historic Election Day, Ellis Joel Daniel of Snellville will make a bit of his own history.

The World War II veteran and former U.S. postman turns 101 on Tuesday, and he knows a thing or two about voting in presidential elections.

Daniel, who voted absentee a month ago, has cast ballots in every race since 1928.

In 1932, Daniel threw his support to Franklin Roosevelt. That support ended because he believed Roosevelt allowed the Russians to take control of eastern Europe after World War II.

Daniel grew up in the small town of Millen in east Georgia. He served 24 years in the Army Reserve and three years of active duty during World War II.

Daniel says despite Sen. Barack Obama's lead in the polls, he thinks Sen. John McCain will pull out a victory.

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(AP)

2 Ga. counties consider extended voting hours

Voting instructions at the Fulton County Government Center. (Dave Bender)
undefinedVoting instructions at the Fulton County Government Center. (Dave Bender)
[collapse expanded text]
Fulton County elections officials decided against asking for federal permission to extend voting hours on Election Day.

But officials in Clayton County are still considering whether to ask for expanded hours because of the heavy turnout in early and advance voting.

The Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections said Monday that the number of voting machines is enough to handle the crush of voters.

Polls are normally open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Georgia.

More than 2 million people have voted so far - or about 36 percent of the state's 5.6 million registered voters.

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(AP)

Officials: few problems in final days of early voting

Muscogee Co. voters line up outside the main branch of the Columbus public library, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Voters throughout Georgia lined up under sunny skies on Friday and Saturday to cast a ballot on the final days of advance voting.


Voters patiently waited an average of 40 minutes to 1.5 hours to cast their ballots in one of the libraries' reading rooms, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender).

In Columbus, long, but fast moving lines greeted some 5,000 Muscogee County residents casting early ballots at the Columbus Library, according to election technician Tamika Booker:

“We’ve been having about 1,200 a day here at the library, as well as at one of our other voting sites. Two of our other ones have had a little bit less than that – maybe about 800.”

Jimmy Morris, a security guard at the Troup Co. Government Center assists voters waiting to cast their ballots, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Further to the north, at the Troup County courthouse in Lagrange, Chief Registrar Donna Williams reports a similar turnout:

“It’s been a tremendous, great turnout. We’ve voted almost 13,000 people so far, and we’re steady going.”

Officials say that statewide, the longest wait times during the past week have averaged two to three hours.

In Coweta County, polls were open on Saturday from 9 to noon at the county administration building in downtown Newnan. Some 200 residents cast their ballot, according to the Associated Press.

Residents got a federal ok to hold Saturday voting there, in 1986.

State elections officials say over a thousand lawyers will oversee Tuesday’s voting. The attorneys will represent the parties, the state and federal government, special interests and voting rights groups.

Polls for the presidential election open across Georgia at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

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Kidd calls for longer polling hours over delays

Upwards of 1,500 voters a day are casting their ballot at the Fulton Co. Government Center Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Jane Kidd, Democratic chair of the Georgia Democratic Party has complained to Secretary of State Karen Handel, over delays and technical problems during the first two days of advanced voting:

“We have known that both the Democratic and Republican parties, their candidates, and even your office itself are encouraging voters to avail themselves of advance and early voting. And, we have known since advance voting began that large numbers of voters are doing just that. I am just mystified that your elections division is seemingly so unprepared for the wave of voters we all knew was coming.

In a letter sent to Handel's office Tuesday, Kidd called on her to request that the Department of Justice allow polls to remain open longer during the week, over the weekend, and on Monday, November 3.

Meanwhile, long lines of voters snaked through polling stations in many parts of Georgia.


Signs instructing voters how to cast their ballot at the Fulton Co. Government Center, Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Voters turned out in droves Tuesday to cast their ballots for over 60 elections at the Fulton County Government Center, according to spokesman Bob Giordano:

"We've estimated 1,500 a day, sometimes more, sometimes less.

Voting officials check voter registration at the Fulton Co. Government Center, Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender).

While most voters patiently waited in line in the glassed-in atrium, elderly and handicapped voters were allowed to cast their ballots separately, on another floor, where they received special assistance from voting officials.


An elderly voter casts her ballot at the Fulton County Government Center, Tuesday Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Although there were some snafus on Monday, Giordano says voters were patient, as officials worked out technical problems:

"There were some problems at the state level, or in some cases at the local or county level, but generally everyone has been very understanding and kept their patience and cool and went through the system pretty easily - except for having to have patience and wait."

Elderly woman voter waits out the crowds at the Fulton Co. Government Center, Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

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Senate runoff in the offing?

The "what-if" scenario gaining currency in Georgia political circles goes something like this: After all the votes are counted on Election Day none of the three U.S. Senate candidates gets a majority.

Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss speaking at a press conference in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Oct 2, 2008. (Carl Zornes)

The race heads into a Dec. 2 runoff between Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss and Democrat Jim Martin. Democrats have picked up enough Senate seats nationally to pull within striking distance of a filibuster-proof 60-member supermajority.

Democratic Senate race candidate Jim Martin, talking to reporters at a press conference in downtown Atlanta, Sept, 16, 2008. (Dave Bender)

If it happens, the harsh glare of the national spotlight would turn to Georgia. Big money and big-name politicos would descend upon the state. Attack ads would flood the airwaves for weeks in what could be one of the nastiest political races the state has seen in recent years.

While he wouldn't say that scenario is likely, Emory University political scientist Alan Abramowitz says "it is definitely more than a remote possibility."

(Courtesy buckleyforsenate.com)

He says Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley would only need to pull a few percentage points if the contest between Chambliss and Martin is close.

There's certainly a statewide precedent: Libertarian Garrett Michael Hayes won just shy of 4 percent in the race for Georgia governor's race two years ago.

It wasn't long ago that Chambliss was considered a safe bet to coast to re-election in Republican-friendly Georgia.

But that was before the nation's economic turmoil upended the political landscape.

Chambliss angered some conservatives with his vote for the $700 billion financial bailout bill, and the economic woes have created a wave of anti-incumbent frustration among angry voters.

Polls suggest the Senate race in Georgia has tightened considerably.

The Chambliss and Martin campaigns maintain they're working hard to win the race outright.

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(AP)

Voting rights groups pursue legal challenge

A new ruling by the U.S. Supreme court has emboldened Georgia voting rights groups. The high court overruled a federal appeals court that ordered Ohio's top elections official to do more to help counties verify voter eligibility. The Georgia groups will ask a three-judge panel tomorrow to prevent state officials from matching new voting applications with driver's license and Social Security data. They say the checks amount to a "systematic purging" of rolls just weeks before the Nov. 4 election.

(Associated Press)

State attorney general seeks approval for voter checks in Georgia

The state attorney general's office is asking the U.S. Department of Justice for approval of its citizenship verification process for newly registered voters.

The state uses databases with social security numbers and driver's licenses.

But the Department of Justice last week warned Georgia that its checks may not be enforceable because it had not sought a clearance for it by the federal government.

The clearance process is designed to ensure the checks are not discriminatory.

A spokesman for the attorney general's office says the clearance was not initially sought because federal law requires the checks.

The Department of Justice has 60 days to review the case. That deadline comes more than a month after Election Day, although Georgia has requested an expedited review.

The federal government is questioning the checks after it determined that Georgia had requested two million in the last year. That number would represent more than a third of registered voters in the state.

But Secretary of State Karen Handel has said that number is misleading, and that it stems from multiple checks that resulted from a computer backlog with the federal government's social security identification system.

Voter identification process challenged

Attorneys from a national voting rights coalition are challenging the use of a database by election officials in Georgia to verify the citizenship of voters and first time voter registrants.

The attorneys filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Karen Handel in U.S. District Court in Atlanta today on behalf of Jose Morales, a naturalized U.S. citizen who lives in Cherokee County. They say the database is often inaccurate, flagging naturalized citizens as non-citizens and subsequently jeopardizing their right to vote.

Martin assails Chambliss' fed bailout vote

Democratic Senate race candidate Jim Martin, talking to reporters at a press conference in downtown Atlanta, Sept, 16, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Jim Martin Thursday morning slammed Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss over his vote for the financial market bailout bill late Wednesday night:

“I am disappointed, but not surprised, to see that Saxby Chambliss voted for another typical Washington solution to a very real problem.”

“This updated package still fails to address the fundamental problems created by the deregulation of Wall Street, which Chambliss went to Washington and voted for every step of the way. And it lacks consumer protections to stem the abusive lending practices that are at the root of this crisis - practices that I sounded the alarm on two years ago, long before the mortgage crisis began.”

Martin, in a statement, said that if he wins Chambliss' seat in November, he'll take steps to prevent a similar situation in the future:

“If the bailout bill ultimately passes in its present form, I will work with our next president and the congressional leadership to address these flaws so that we can ensure that another crisis of this magnitude does not threaten our economy in the future.”

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Martin ad takes aim at Chambliss

Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin has stepped up his attacks on Saxby Chambliss with a new ad suggesting the Republican incumbent is out of touch with the economic woes of the middle class.

In the spot, Martin says Georgians need to reverse the George Bush's failed economic policies that Chambliss has supported for years.

The Martin campaign said Monday that the television ad will be running statewide.

It's the first ad that has taken direct aim at Chambliss, suggesting the Senate race is heating up with less than two months to go until election day. Chambliss is running his own ad that highlights his biography and his record from his first term in the Senate.

(The Associated Press)

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McCain call buoys Chambliss rally

Republican presidential nominee John McCain surprised rank & file Georgia Republicans calling into a re-election rally for U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss on Saturday.

McCain said he expected the election to be a hard-fought close contest. But he said he and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, "relish the underdog status."

He thanked the Georgia Republicans shouting his name for their enthusiasm, saying it inspired him.

McCain also said his thoughts and prayers are with victims of Hurricane Ike in Texas and encouraged donations to the relief efforts. The call lasted six minutes.

McCain's call came after Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue joked that Democrat Barack Obama was hurting the state's economy by moving paid staff from the state.

(The Associated Press)

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Columbus man running for state rep slot

Zephaniah Baker (Courtesy)

Columbus native 31-year-old Zephaniah Baker, plans to run for District 132 as an independent on the November 4 ballot.

Running what he calls a “people over politics” campaign, Baker says he's calling for better educational opportunities, especially in the district's middle and high schools. He says he wants to create a more welcoming business climate for industry, that would bring, in his words, “high paying jobs,” to the area.

Baker says he started canvassing the district in January, and has received a requisite 990 verified signatures to be added to the ballot as an independent candidate.

Baker tells the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer newspaper that he's running, in his words, "for the post," and not against the current Democratic representative, Calvin Smyre.

Smyre is a 30-year veteran of Georgia politics and serves as House Minority Whip.

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Latest statewide, county election results

Residents trickled into polling precincts throughout Georgia today, raising doubts that election turnout will meet the 30% rate predicted earlier this week.

Few voting problems were reported, and most were linked to the recent decision by Secretary of State Karen Handel to disqualify three Democratic candidates.

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The latest official elections results are here.