Election 2004: Vote Early and OftenTech Support Reporting For Duty
Friday, October 22, 2004, 10:37 PM
Ugh, that does sound rather militaristic, doesn't it? Well, it's better than "Tech Support is on the way", or any other variant on a certain presidential candidate's catchy slogans in the debates.
I got my assignment from the Verified Voting folks a couple days ago, and due to the Red Sox debacle I forgot to report it! I get to do tech support for all those folks calling in from the field Nov. 2 with polling issues. Guess I'd better look at the software, huh? Wow, phone support for lawyers, just what I've always wanted *cough cough*.
So I'm going to put off provisional balloting one more day and tak about paper ballots and DRE's (electronic voting machines). Here in Alameda County, we have Diebold Accu-somethings. Accu-my-*ss, but they don't say that on the faceplate.... Anyways, I have decided to be one of the folks who requests a paper ballot, if I can just be assured that it gets counted. I can't tell if this is the same as a provisional ballot. I finally found in the California election code in some fine print what happens to provisional ballots; if you're in the right couny, they get counted, and every item gets counted if it would be on the ballot you got at the *right* precinct. That's not bad compared to some other states, no, don't bother hovering for a link because I'm not linking to any of those stories til *tomorrow* so hold your horses!
Nowhere in the election code, however, can I find a reference to paper ballots that are given out as an alternative to touch-screen voting. Do they count? This is not an academic question. Guess I'll be one of the folks flooding the Sec. of State's voting hotline with calls. (1-800-345-VOTE.)
I did get my voter registration card in the mail today, which gives me hope that my name will actually be on the rolls. Hope is on the way. Hey, that would be a great campaign slog-- ouch! Knock it off! Ow! Ow! That hurts!
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