Nebraska lawmakers debate reducing early voting days

LINCOLN, Neb. –  Nebraska lawmakers on Wednesday began whether to reduce the number of days registered voters may cast their ballots in person.

A bill sponsored by Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh would reduce how long before an election voters can cast their ballots, from 35 days to 25. Lautenbaugh said the change is necessary because election officials need more time to program specialized voting machines used by visually impaired voters. Mail-in and absentee ballots would still be accepted 35 days before an election.

The 2002 Help America Vote Act requires the Automark voting machines to be at precincts to assist voters with disabilities in casting their ballots privately.

Nebraskans for Civic Reform filed a complaint with the secretary of state on behalf of a blind woman after she was unable to vote because the machines weren't set up two days after early voting polls opened last year in Lincoln. The woman, Fatos Floyd, said Lautenbaugh's solution is not what she had in mind. She opposes the bill and said she doesn't want others to lose early voting days because of her complaint.

"For me as a blind person, it is a big deal," Floyd said. "If there is a right and we don't fight for it, our rights will be eroded."

Election officials argued in support of the bill at a committee hearing in February, saying they don't have enough time between the Sept. 15 deadline for ballot certification and the start of early voting on Oct. 1 to program the Automark machines.

Lautenbaugh said Wednesday that Automark machines have to be programed with the paper ballots, which can take a long time because every county has a different ballot. He said 25 days of early voting is still above the national average, which is 22 days.

"This is a common-sense solution to avoid an allegedly discriminatory situation," he said.

But several lawmakers said moving the date back 10 days isn't the best solution.

Sen. Russ Karpisek of Wilber suggested changing the ballot certification dates, negotiating with the company to finish programing the voting machines earlier or working with a different voting machine manufacturer. He said the senators try to get more people to vote, but then pass laws that make it harder.

"Just take away 10 days doesn't feel right to me," he said. "I think there has to be a different way to go about it."

Lawmakers are schedule to continue debating the bill Thursday afternoon.

View the original article here

Obama signs executive order to create commission to address voting issues

Published March 28, 2013

Associated Press

• 

• • 

    Presidential pressure: Obama renews call for new gun control

  • 

    Power Play 3/28

  • 

    Obama expects immigration bill in coming months

WASHINGTON –  President Barack Obama has signed an executive order establishing a presidential commission to address voting issues.

Obama announced his plans to create the commission last month in his State of the Union address. The top lawyer for Obama's re-election campaign, Bob Bauer, will co-chair the commission with the top lawyer for Republican Mitt Romney's campaign, Ben Ginsburg.

The goal is to address issues including long lines at the polls, voter registration and voter access.

The order gives the commission six months after its first public meeting to submit a report to Obama about ways to improve the voting experience.

Related Stories

Virginia Gov. McDonnell signs bill mandating photo ID to vote

Arkansas Senate overrides veto of voter ID bill

View the original article here

Cincinnati poll worker charged with voting half dozen times in November

She admitted voting twice in the presidential election last November, and now, Obama supporter Melowese Richardson has been indicted for allegedly voting at least six times. She also is charged with illegal voting in 2008 and 2011.

The 58-year-old veteran Cincinnati poll worker, indicted Monday, faces eight counts of voter fraud. Two others, one of whom is a nun, have been charged separately.

Richardson had admitted on camera to a local TV station, "Yes, I voted twice," claiming she was concerned that her vote would not count. She also said there "was no intent on my part to commit any voter fraud."

"I'll fight it for Mr. Obama and Mr. Obama's right to sit as president of the United States," she proclaimed in the interview.

Officials charged that she voted in her own name by absentee ballot and also in person at the polls, but Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Deters said she also is charged with voting in the name of five other people in various elections.

"This is not North Korea," Deters said in a statement announcing the indictments. "Elections are a serious business and the foundation of our democracy. In the scheme of things, individual votes may not seem important, but this could not be further from the truth. Every vote is important and every voter and candidate needs to have faith in our system. The charges today should let people know that we take this seriously."

Richardson made national headlines when the Hamilton County Board of Elections announced that it was investigating whether she voted up to half a dozen times, including on behalf of her granddaughter, India Richardson.

India told Fox News that her grandmother did indeed vote in her name, telling us that "it wasn't a big deal."

But voting twice or in another person's name is illegal.

Prosecutors say the five other people for whom Richardson cast ballots are all relatives.

Sister Marguerite Kloos also faces one count of illegal voting, for allegedly submitting an absentee ballot in the name of a fellow nun, Sister Rose Marie Hewitt, who had died before absentee ballots were sent out. She is accused of opening Sister Hewitt’s ballot, forging her signature and mailing it to the Board of Elections as a vote.

The 54-year-old Kloos has resigned as the dean of the Division of Arts and Humanities at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, where she still serves as an associate professor of religious and pastoral studies.

Kloos was not indicted but faces what is known as an information, because her lawyer contacted prosecutors and she agreed to cooperate and plead guilty.

"As a valued member of the Mount community, our thoughts are with her during this difficult time," the college said in a written statement. "We respect her privacy and will not comment further on this matter at this time."

Russell Glassop, 75, also is charged with illegal voting.  He is accused of voting on behalf of his wife, who died before election day.

But it was Richardson's case, and the possibility of repeated votes, that shocked many. She faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted. Efforts to contact her and her lawyer have been unsuccessful.

The Hamilton County Board of Elections recently held hearings on cases of possible double voting and voter fraud, part of a statewide review ordered by Secretary of State John Husted. He called on all 88 counties to review complaints of fraud, as well as voter disenfranchisement.

“Every voter must play by the rules, and if they don’t they will be held accountable,” Husted, a Republican, said in a written statement. “For voters to have confidence in our elections, we must prosecute every case of voter fraud in Ohio.”

Last month, Husted told Fox News that Richardson's case was especially troubling, because "it appears she not only attempted to vote more than once, but was actually successful at it and having those additional votes counted."

"Most attempts are caught by the system. But there are cases that do slip through, as this one does, and we need to make sure that we really send a strong message, that if you do this, you are going to be held accountable,” Husted said. “It might mean fines, it might mean jail time."

Hamilton County prosecutors are investigating three additional cases of possible voter fraud.

View the original article here

Cincinnati poll worker charged with voting half dozen times in November

She admitted voting twice in the presidential election last November, and now, Obama supporter Melowese Richardson has been indicted for allegedly voting at least six times. She also is charged with illegal voting in 2008 and 2011.

The 58-year-old veteran Cincinnati poll worker, indicted Monday, faces eight counts of voter fraud. Two others, one of whom is a nun, have been charged separately.

Richardson had admitted on camera to a local TV station, "Yes, I voted twice," claiming she was concerned that her vote would not count. She also said there "was no intent on my part to commit any voter fraud."

"I'll fight it for Mr. Obama and Mr. Obama's right to sit as president of the United States," she proclaimed in the interview.

Officials charged that she voted in her own name by absentee ballot and also in person at the polls, but Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Deters said she also is charged with voting in the name of five other people in various elections.

"This is not North Korea," Deters said in a statement announcing the indictments. "Elections are a serious business and the foundation of our democracy. In the scheme of things, individual votes may not seem important, but this could not be further from the truth. Every vote is important and every voter and candidate needs to have faith in our system. The charges today should let people know that we take this seriously."

Richardson made national headlines when the Hamilton County Board of Elections announced that it was investigating whether she voted up to half a dozen times, including on behalf of her granddaughter, India Richardson.

India told Fox News that her grandmother did indeed vote in her name, telling us that "it wasn't a big deal."

But voting twice or in another person's name is illegal.

Prosecutors say the five other people for whom Richardson cast ballots are all relatives.

Sister Marguerite Kloos also faces one count of illegal voting, for allegedly submitting an absentee ballot in the name of a fellow nun, Sister Rose Marie Hewitt, who had died before absentee ballots were sent out. She is accused of opening Sister Hewitt’s ballot, forging her signature and mailing it to the Board of Elections as a vote.

The 54-year-old Kloos has resigned as the dean of the Division of Arts and Humanities at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, where she still serves as an associate professor of religious and pastoral studies.

Kloos was not indicted but faces what is known as an information, because her lawyer contacted prosecutors and she agreed to cooperate and plead guilty.

"As a valued member of the Mount community, our thoughts are with her during this difficult time," the college said in a written statement. "We respect her privacy and will not comment further on this matter at this time."

Russell Glassop, 75, also is charged with illegal voting.  He is accused of voting on behalf of his wife, who died before election day.

But it was Richardson's case, and the possibility of repeated votes, that shocked many. She faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted. Efforts to contact her and her lawyer have been unsuccessful.

The Hamilton County Board of Elections recently held hearings on cases of possible double voting and voter fraud, part of a statewide review ordered by Secretary of State John Husted. He called on all 88 counties to review complaints of fraud, as well as voter disenfranchisement.

“Every voter must play by the rules, and if they don’t they will be held accountable,” Husted, a Republican, said in a written statement. “For voters to have confidence in our elections, we must prosecute every case of voter fraud in Ohio.”

Last month, Husted told Fox News that Richardson's case was especially troubling, because "it appears she not only attempted to vote more than once, but was actually successful at it and having those additional votes counted."

"Most attempts are caught by the system. But there are cases that do slip through, as this one does, and we need to make sure that we really send a strong message, that if you do this, you are going to be held accountable,” Husted said. “It might mean fines, it might mean jail time."

Hamilton County prosecutors are investigating three additional cases of possible voter fraud.

View the original article here