Voting Problems Roundup

The CBS News I-Unit Is Watching Voting Problems Around The Nation

(CBS)  CBS News Investigative Unit’s Kim Lengle and Wendy Krantz wrote this story for CBSNews.com.

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With Election Day right around the corner and election officials expecting an unprecedented, record turnout, worry is building over all the possible problems that could erupt on voting day. Accounts of long lines, complaints of poorly managed polling places and scattered reports of malfunctioning voting machines could all create problems on Super Tuesday. Here is a roundup of the voting problems around the nation that the CBS News I-Unit is watching.

- CBS News reports that in Ohio wait times in this key battleground state have been as long as 4-6 hours in some locations.

- Florida continues to have long lines, resulting in short tempers in municipalities where only a minimum number of polling stations are open.

- In New Jersey, the state registration database is operating too slowly to update with the names of recent registrants, according to Election Protection, a nonpartisan voting coalition.

- In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, voters have complained to the Election Protection hotline about receiving robocalls telling them that Election Day is November 5th.

- USA Today and the Miami Hearld are reporting early voting numbers for another battleground state, North Carolina.

- There were reports over the weekend of more dirty tricks in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Nevada. In Virginia, more bogus fliers with an authentic-looking commonwealth seal were passed out. The CBS News Investigative Unit called various voting rights groups in VA. We were told they are less concerned about these “dirty tricks” because the electorate is so well informed.

- In Pennsylvania, emails appeared to link Democrat Barack Obama to the Holocaust. Others fliers claimed Obama was more sympathetic to Palestinians than to Israel, and showed a photo of him speaking in Germany. Also in Pennsylvania, leaflets taped to picnic benches at Drexel University in Philadelphia warned students that police would be at the polls on Tuesday to arrest would-be voters with prior criminal offenses.

- The Huffington Post reports that the NAACP is seeking to secure a temporary injunction today to force Virginia to have paper ballots available for people who are unable to wait in long lines for electronic voting machines. Later in the day, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit seeking paper ballots when lines were too long but ordered the state to publicize “curbside voting,’’ for those who have difficulty walking or standing for long periods. The judge also ruled that if voters are in line by 7 p.m., they are to be permitted to vote.

- The Brennan Center for Justice reports that Ohio, Virginia, Florida and Colorado will have the highest number of provisional ballots cast and provisional ballot problems. In 2004, Maine counted 100 percent of their provisional ballots because under their guidelines voters are permitted to resolve problems at the polls. Montana was at 95.1 percent for the same reason in 2004. Provisional ballots are cast by voters whose eligibility must be confirmed later.

[mothergoosse]

Voting in Penfield, New York was an absolute breeze! No lines, no waiting, very friendly and professional people tending to the polls.
By keeping things simple and organized and using old school technology everything went smooth.
When a problem arises; be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Patience and God''s Grace to all Americans who experienced some difficulty today.
Let''s all remember that as bad as things might seem in our county right now, we still live in the best county in the world.
God Bless America and Everyone in the World!

Congratulations, Barack Obama!

We need you to keep your promises and help get our country back on the right track! Make us proud again!

God Bless you and your family through this election and may God keep you safe and comfort you. Know that He is taking special care of your grandma and she is up there routing for you!

You''re doing a fine job, young man! (I mean, Mr. President) Keep up the good work!

[mothergoosse]

Voting in Penfield, New York was an absolute breeze! No lines, no waiting, very friendly and professional people tending to the polls.
By keeping things simple and organized and using old school technology everything went smooth.
When a problem arises; be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Patience and God''s Grace to all Americans who experienced some difficulty today.
Let''s all remember that as bad as things might seem in our county right now, we still live in the best county in the world.
God Bless America and Everyone in the World!

Congratulations, Barack Obama!

[VegasResident]

It is so funny. Some NZ paper reported "wide spread voting machine problems in Nevada" Then it posts like 5 things showing problems at a few locations with about 20 machines (usually power issues). Of course this forgets that there are over 5000 machines in Clark County alone...5000....widespread my a**.

[kiee1]

To All . In swing states, We all have the right to vote I have read much today about some states are not prepared for the huge turnout, make them keep the polls open . Democrats ,You who voted early ,Or plan to vote early today return to your pooling placeAT LEAST A HALF HOUR BEFORE THEY CLOSE IMFROM PEOPLE DRIVI NG BUY THEY CAN VOTE TELL THEM THEY WILL GO TO THE FRONT . The pollls cannot close when there are voters waiting pass ahead of you the people who have yet to vote forward in line . They will have to stay open as long as there are voters waiting, Please lets not allow the G.O.P. STEAL another ELECTION. This is a very importent notice for voters in key swig states . Please let all votes be counted !!!!!!!!! We have the chance to fill one of Dr. Kings dreams and our idea of change. also if you have time cut and paste this on as many blogs web pages news papers tv as you can lets win lets unite the nation ! kiee1 minnesota.

[n8yvn29]

We should be very wary of these republicans. Wide scale republican vote-suppression and vote-caging, including manipulating electronic vote-counts (the five companies that count 95% of our votes will not divulge their source software-code to independent auditors and are all owned by republican supporters!) and other dirty tricks such as distributing official-looking notices in minority areas telling democratic voters that, due to the large increase in voter-registration, they are to vote on Wednesday, November 5th, not Tuesday November 4th, as that is the day republicans vote.

[abbe91]

"Voting Day for Republicans is tomorrow.
Voting Day for Democrats is Wednesday.
Get out and vote bright and early those days.
Posted by michaelt302 at 01:00 AM : Nov 04, 2008"

Couldn''t even get one right. Typical republicon.

[tapsettle]

Posted by NEEDERBAUR

Congratulations !! You win todays ''dumbest arse-hole'' award. Took some doing too as the competition was fierce, but you clinched it with your long-winded hateful vomit. Well done champion arse-hole. Bush would be proud.

[tapsettle]

Ha ha ha. The great america, the spreader of democracy, cant even organise its people to put a cross on a piece of paper. What a joke america has become, no wonder the world laughs at you now.

[dburfears]

JOHN McSHAME- CHEATED with Cindy while JOHN WAS STILL MARRIED TO HIS FIRST (and FAITHFUL) WIFE.

John McSham DESERTED HIS 10 YEAR-OLD daughter to be with Cindy.

Every American needs to know the story of McSHAME''s REPEATED infidelities against his first wife. AFTER his first wife was INJURED IN A CAR ACCIDENT, McSHAME treated her like cr*p, having adulterous affairs with multiple women. Then Cindy became his adulterous lover while John McSHAME was still married. McShame married this rich money-pump- a perfect match for his political ambitions.

This happened in McSHAME''s 30''s, when he had a 10 YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER with his first wife. McSHAME is a fraud. He cannot take care of his own family, let alone our country. Cindy is an adulterer and home wrecker.

McSHAME''s SLEAZE is a horrible indictment against his judgment and ability to lead this country.

Every woman and responsible man should know the REAL McSHAME STORY: Poor Officer, despicable husband, absentee father, Navy troublemaker, and liar.

This couple is certainly no "FAMILY VALUES" example. Just hypocrites being supported by hypocrites who claim they are the "family values" party.

[dburfears]

SAD DESPERATION and DISHONOR

McCain and his PARROTS here have gone over to the "Dark Side". His campaign is so far from "Straight Talk" that there is no hope of finding their way back. It''s now "All LIES and DISTORTIONS, all of the time."

The McCain "LIE, LIE, LIE EXPRESS". Geez John. We know your campaign is now being run by ROVE hit men. Just give it up if you cannot muster even a little remaining HONOR.

You tell the truth, and the REPUBLICAN PARROT MACHINE says it''''s just the media lying to them. The PARROTS just cannot deal with reality. It intrudes on their RIGHT WING TALK RADIO FANTASY WORLD.

The BIGGEST LIES come from McCain.

Frankly, it is becoming OBVIOUS that McCain spent TOO MANY YEARS as a POW. His psyche is damaged. He is unpredictable. He''s unstable and angry. He explodes under pressure.

I''m sorry McCain is so deeply damaged from his years as POW. I sure as hell am not so sympathetic as to put McCain''s finger ANYWHERE NEAR THE ECONOMY or THE RED BUTTON.

McCain has no HONOR left.

McCain has lost his DIGNITY.

McCain has lost contact with the TRUTH.

[dburfears]

These modern Republicans are a disgrace.

The only "JOE" they care about is Joe McCARTHY, because he exemplifies their approach to politics:

If you vote Republican you are a patriot and and American.

If you vote for anyone else you are a traitor and "not" American.

This is slime.

This is disgusting.

This is John McCain.

This is the gutter slime that is today''s Republican Party.

Goldwater and Reagan were 10 times better than these pathetic excuses for "leaders". Hopefully, the GOP will show these slime merchants the door after they (badly) lose this election.

[newsthought1]

America is fed up with all the scandals from Republican crooks, liars, perverts, lawbreakers, and used-car salesmen hucksters that have trashed this country over the last eight years:

Bill Frist
Randy "Duke" Cunningham
Jack Abramoff
Tom DeLay
Mark Foley
Larry Craig
Ted Haggard
Bob Ney
Trent Lott
Ted Stevens
Alberto Gonzales
Donald Rumsfled
Karl Rove
Scooter Libby
*** Cheney
George Bush

Lying about reasons for going to war with Iraq (Uranium,
false claims about Iraq''s supposed weapons of mass destruction.)
Torture in Abu Ghraib.
The treasonous exposure of a CIA agent by White House officials.(Plamegate)
Halliburton%u2019s overcharging and outright fraud for services in Iraq
Lack of body armor for troops
Enron
Katrina
Illegal wiretapping
Political influence peddling
S.e.x scandals
Troopergate
Travel fraud
Election tampering
Ballooning federal debt
Economy in a tailspin

And these are just for starters%u2026

Enough is enough, America is ready for change!

[groovewithme]

Wow, I''m so beginning to feel that some of the posters need some GOOD therapy. It would be entertaining except I think they really believe some of this stuff. :(

[neederbaur]

OBAMA WILL TAKE AWAY EVERY THING US BLACKS HAVE FOUGHT FOR.DO YOU WANT WELFARE ALL OVER?From Dreams of My Father: "I ceased to advertise my mother''s race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites."

From Dreams of My Father: "I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother''s race."

From Dreams of My Father: "There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white."

From Dreams of My Father: ; "It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names."

From Dreams of My Father: "I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn''t speak to my own. It was into my father''s image, the black man, son of Africa, that I''d packed all the attributes I sought in myself, the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, Dubois and Mandela."

From Audacity of Hope: "I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."

[holdthetruth]

Save the Day,
Here we have an ultimate opportunity to make history. Mr. Obama has continually spoken that he is becoming vindicated each time he wins an election. What is this? He can''t be relating to Black-Americans who are descendants of slaves. (Those Japanese have had some idea when they were recompensated for their interments during the 2nd W.W.) You''ve got to find the truth about Obama''s Communist upbring and his Socialist mentor, Frank Marshall Davis, who was an original member of the Communist Party of the USA! That vindication Obama has been speaking about is his "socialist agenda" vs. the Western-policies of the Anglo-Gentiles dominion. Mark my words, if Obama were to get into office as our leader and then get his opportunity to go abroad to visit w/ those other countries'' leaders, he would turn his back on America!!!! Ladies and gentlemen vote no to the "communist agenda" of Barack Obama. Vote for the conservative right of the Capital-system of the United States of America! Win McCain-Palin, win McCain-Palin! Amen.

[neederbaur]

WE NEED THE OLD FASHIONED VOTEING MACHINES .From Dreams of My Father: "I ceased to advertise my mother''s race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites."

From Dreams of My Father: "I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother''s race."

From Dreams of My Father: "There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white."

From Dreams of My Father: ; "It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names."

From Dreams of My Father: "I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn''t speak to my own. It was into my father''s image, the black man, son of Africa, that I''d packed all the attributes I sought in myself, the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, Dubois and Mandela."

From Audacity of Hope: "I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."

[groovewithme]

NEEDERBAUR, I''ve only quickly checked two of your quotes provided, and they are both FALSE, aka LIES. Do your research. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/517/
and: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/518/

I''m sad that you are filled with such fear and insecurity. Another quote is edited in such a way to make it appear differently, the full quote being, "There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white---he''d said himself that was a problem."
At any rate, I do feel bad that you feed into so much of this negativity. Obama is only human as we all are, and I won''t pretend he''s perfect, but let''s not resort to lies and rumor.

[andor3]

"...the extent that Exxon/Mobil & Co. are passing the prices down @ the pump I think has more to do with wanting to see corporate friendly McCain in office..."

I think no one talks much about it because Americans have gotten smart about how our "Democracy" actually works, how big corporations use power and money to buy more power and money. It is just accepted common sense that the US political process is full of manipulation, corruption, cheating, and outright fraud, on the part of Republicans and those who support them--big corporations.

Truth though is there is nothing more powerful than an empowered electorate who will vote and demand their votes be counted.

[neederbaur]

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

[neederbaur]

"GET A ****** CLUE AMERICA MAIL IN BALLOTS OR THE OLD FASHIONED VOTEING MACHINES MY 7TH GRADE SON COULD HACK ANYTHING THAT I DONT ENCRYPT"Posted by NEEDERBAUR at 11:09 PM : Nov 03, 2008 actully this might be the first thing I have agreed with from a wing nut , we do need a verifiable paper trail without a doubt . If an ATM can give you a receipt of your transaction so can a voting machine .

Posted by clovisbuford at 11:15 PM : Nov 03, 2008 THIS IS WHAT NOVEMBER 5TH SHOULD BE.WE ALL AGREE.WE WANT WHATS BEST FOR AMERICA.NO MATTER WHO WINS.THIS IS WHAT MAKES US GREAT WE ALL LOVE THIS PLACE.