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* This Illinois Review story raised my eyebrows…
Admitting his confidence in Cook County ballot integrity is shaken, State Representative Candidate Jim Moynihan (R-56), was shocked today when he tried to cast a vote for himself and the voting machine cast it for his opponent instead.
“While early voting at the Schaumburg Public Library today, I tried to cast a vote for myself and instead it cast the vote for my opponent,” said Moynihan. “You could imagine my surprise as the same thing happened with a number of races when I tried to vote for a Republican and the machine registered a vote for a Democrat.”
While using a touch screen voting machine in Schaumburg, Moynihan voted for several races on the ballot, only to find that whenever he voted for a Republican candidate, the machine registered the vote for a Democrat in the same race. He notified the election judge at his polling place and demonstrated that it continued to cast a vote for the opposing candidate’s party. Moynihan was eventually allowed to vote for Republican candidates, including his own race. It is unknown if the machine in question (#008958) has been removed from service or is still in operation.
“Clearly, I am concerned that citizens will be unable to vote for the candidate of their choice, especially if they are in a hurry and do not double check their ballot,” added Moynihan. “I cannot say whether or not this was intentional, but Cook County voters deserve better and should not have their right to vote suppressed.”
So, I called the Cook County Clerk’s office. The machine Moynihan used never “cast” a vote, the office says. After you touch each candidate’s name, the machine asks you to confirm your choice. When you’re finished, you get a list, then a printed list and you’re then asked to confirm your vote.
The problem was that the screen calibration was off. It was recalibrated, then put back into use without further complaints.
Also, IR didn’t mention this part, but the Daily Herald did…
When he pointed it out to a judge, it was determined that the machine hadn’t been calibrated correctly, he said. He ultimately was able to vote for the candidates he chose by pressing the very bottom right hand corner of the screen. Pressing the center of each button resulted in the opposite candidate’s name registering.
* Meanwhile, a member of the Quinn campaign sent me an e-mail last night with the subject line: “Rauner’s voter intimidation gets underway” and a link…
[Madison County Clerk Debbie Ming-Mendoza] said Phil Chapman of Highland inappropriately was taking people’s driver’s licenses to examine, inserting himself between the official election judges and chatting with the voters.
“He obviously did not know what his role as a poll watcher was. He was insinuating himself between the judges and talking to the voters,” Ming-Mendoza said.
She said he was also handling the official voting materials. She said she informed him several times he was only allowed to observe. He was not to handle anybody’s license or speak to voters.
“Every time I would leave, he would scoot his chair back up to the judge’s table. I had a couple of people come into my office and tell me they wanted to file a complaint,” Ming-Mendoza said. “I had to go back six times and tell him he needed to stop,” she said.
He eventually behaved himself and he apparently didn’t stop anyone from voting, so all’s well that ends well.
[Madison County] Democratic Party Chairman Allan Napp said he and other party officials have been getting reports from across the state of people standing outside polling places giving false information. Some are being told they have to have a social security card in order to vote. Others are being told that if they don’t vote, they don’t have to pay their next water bill, Napp said.
That’s a pretty darned bold accusation. Anybody else hearing stuff like that?
* Meanwhile…
Tuesday afternoon, Republican candidate for Governor Bruce Rauner will be in Rockford to promote early voting. The irony is that voters in Winnebago County and Rockford won’t be able to do so.
A second error with the race for Winnebago County Forest Preserve Commissioner has forced the city and county to suspend early voting. Initially, absentee ballots had been sent out without the race at all. Officials with both the City of Rockford and Winnebago County elections office said they would mail new ballots out to those people who had already received absentee ballots with the race included.
However, officials tell ‘Eyewitness News’ the new ballots contain a new mistake. They instruct voters to vote for one candidate — rather than vote for two of the three candidates on the ballot. The race is for two seats on the Commission, not one.
As a result, early voting has been suspended until new, correct ballots can be printed.
Oops.
* The IL GOP wants the problem fixed…
“The Illinois Republican Party expresses its strong concern over reports that early voting has been halted in Winnebago County, including in the City of Rockford. The people of Illinois have a right to vote and no one should be able to deny them that right. With early voting underway, we call on the Winnebago County and Rockford County election officials to immediately restore the people’s right to vote in a manner that ensures every legal vote is accurately counted. The Illinois Republican Party will closely monitor the situation in the hours ahead to ensure county and city officials restore the people’s right to vote.”
* And Schimpf wants action, darnit, right now…
Republican Attorney General Candidate Paul Schimpf issued the following statement in response to the problem State Representative Candidate Jim Moynihan had casting his vote in Cook County and the suspension of early voting in Rockford and Winnebago County:
“Nothing is more critical to the success of our democracy than the integrity of our elections. I call on Lisa Madigan to immediately open investigations into these voting irregularities.”
Funny that he didn’t mention the Madison County stuff.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 1:48 pm
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Both sides in Madison County are crazy.
Karmeier-Maag stuff from a decade ago - has it really been that long?! - highlighted such shenanigans.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 1:58 pm
Technology is great. Love having a “phone” with no wires.
Voting does NOT need to be done electronically.
Use a paper ballot.
Most everyone in this country has taken a “scantron” style test. You fill in the oval, it gets scanned and a PDF copy of the ballot is created.
There is no need for electronic voting.
Back to a paper ballot.
Amend the Constitution of the United States of America.
Comment by Del Clinkton Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:00 pm
I wonder how many folks validate their votes when using the touchscreen…
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:01 pm
=== Some are being told they have to have a social security card in order to vote. Others are being told that if they don’t vote, they don’t have to pay their next water bill ===
Ok, I could see a voter believing the former, but for a voter to believe the latter, they would have to be a complete moron. If any to this even happened.
Comment by Just Observing Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:01 pm
===only to find that whenever he voted for a Republican candidate, the machine registered the vote for a Democrat in the same race.===
Sounds like it’s working fine to me.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:01 pm
Time for Dems to get the video cameras out and record the goon squad tactics. Then get them ASAP to the State’s Atty, AG, and DOJ Civil Rights division. Could make a nice ad to highlight another aspect of GOP outreach to minority communities. Hope the state’s newspapers will see fit to condemn when they inevitabilly happen, including the misleading mail giving wrong voting locations, times and dates. We’ve seen it in IL before and given the ruthless mentality and ethics of the GOP nominee we can expect to see it on a grander scale this year. The ends justify the means is Rauner’s ethos, something we will all come to regret if he should win.
Comment by Willie Stark Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:03 pm
=== a member of the Quinn campaign sent me an e-mail last night with the subject line: “Rauner’s voter intimidation gets underway ===
As a former Chicago resident, I’ve seen my fair share of Democratic poll watchers and judges engaging in completely illegal and aggressive manners… will Quinn similarly take ownership of ALL Democratic poll watchers and judges throughout the state as he seemingly expects Rauner to do?
Comment by Just Observing Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:04 pm
Madison County isn’t only the “judicial hellhole of America.” It’s also reputed to be the most corrupt county in Illinois. They make Cook County pols look like rank amateurs.
Comment by phocion Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:05 pm
The Schaumburg Public Library is notorious as a hotbed for vote fraud.
I call on whoever that guy Rauner installed as state GOP chair to flood that precinct with voter integrity watchers between now and election day, Nov. 11.
Remember, your last chance to vote is election day, Nov. 14.
Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:08 pm
Voted yesterday. They didn’t open up until almost 10am. Noticed my touch screen was a little off; the “x”s were fine but when I touched the “next” button, nothing happened. when I touched the far right of the “next” button, I got the next page. Sounded like they were having first day issues with procedures. Don’t think it was intentional; just hope they get their act together by today.
Comment by a drop in Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:16 pm
Mistakes can be made. Sometimes the mistakes become public. Who could forget when some people in the 1980’s were a little too “energetic” about voting in Chicago?
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/390790/obama-endorses-chicago-way-voting-making-rules-you-go-john-fund
The Cook County machine has long been known to have the ability to deliver many thousands of questionable votes for their candidates of choice, as a federal grand jury concluded in 1983. The U.S. attorney in Chicago at the time, Daniel Webb, estimated that at least 100,000 fraudulent votes (10 percent of all votes in the city) had been cast in the previous year’s race for governor. Webb indicted 65 people for federal-election crimes, and all but two (one found incompetent to stand trial and another who died) were convicted.
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:22 pm
“Dear - Steve -,
Join us in the 21st Century. We’re 14 years in, you’re running a tad behind.
‘Back to the Future’ is a movie, not a rationale.
Signed,
Any voter over 38 years of age, who voted…back in 1983″
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:27 pm
Yeah, Webb didnt have a horse in that ‘’82 race, lol.
Pâté was made that he didn’t get credit for his late-night heroics.
Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:29 pm
Gotta love electronics!!
No need to sway the voters when you can control the counts!
Comment by WhoKnew Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:30 pm
It is time to eliminate the voter fraud that is epidemic in the minority white community!
More voter fraud than Ebola!!!!!!!
Comment by Del Clinkton Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:30 pm
Well this will certainly draw the crazy conspiracy theory nuts out of the woodwork.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:33 pm
Perhaps the Illinois Republican Party should send some armed security guards in to fix the problem.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:34 pm
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:01 pm:
===only to find that whenever he voted for a Republican candidate, the machine registered the vote for a Democrat in the same race.===
Sounds like it’s working fine to me.
Would be interesting to do an audit on machines and find out how many are miscalibrated each way.
Comment by logic not emotion Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:39 pm
Whenever there is a story about electronic voting machines, I can’t help but think of The Onion headline about Diebold accidentally leaking election results early.
Comment by Angry Republican Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:47 pm
I sure hope the guy from Highland continues to act that way on election day at his own polling place. If he can prevent all of Highland from voting, Rauner will be down the population of Highland minus about 6 or 7.
Source: I grew up there.
Comment by Jimbo Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:48 pm
There are going to be problems, its the nature of technology. It would have been prudent that before any machine is used it would have been calibrated and tested by both parties before it was put to use. That would have stopped some of the accusations from both sides. Sounds as if poor planning was executed.
I will be voting in a week once I get back to Illinois, hopefully everything will be working fine.
Comment by FormerParatrooper Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 3:10 pm
I voted yesterday, and the judge’s machine wouldn’t accept my name (and the judge did type it in correctly - several times). I always bring my Voter ID Card, so they were able to scan the bar code, and that did work. No problems with the ballot.
The polling place is in the building where I work most days. Yesterday it was cloudy when they arrived to set up, and they did so on the south side of a glass walled room. Then the sun came out. I guess there were some challenges for some people (particularly the some elderly) seeing the screens. They planned to set up on the north side of the room today.
Comment by PolPal56 Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 3:21 pm
Logic and Steve, already making the vote fraud excuse? Why don’t you at least wait for your guys to lose first.
It’s unseemly to start complaining while the game is still on.
Steve, as you continue your education reading 30-year-old issues of National Review, I’m sure you’ll recall that ‘82 election. It was one for the ages.
I personally recall watching Fast Eddie on TV calling on Pate to get all DuPage in, as all Cook was in (he looked sick that Pate
Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 3:29 pm
….Pate had outfoxed him. (excuse the gadget problem).
I don’t think Webb was looking too hard for vote fraud that helped his goombah, former boss and future law partner squeak through with a win.
As it was, Seymour Simon helped himself to a big bowl of cold revenge by blocking Adlai from getting a recount.
Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 3:35 pm
And that’s why I always vote on the 2nd day of early voting. Let them get the kinks out of the system on day one.
Comment by Cheryl44 Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 3:54 pm
They had the exact same problem in Ohio and other states where Republicans controlled the machinery and the RNC and other prominent RepubliCONS laughed it off!
Comment by low level Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 6:09 pm
While the Madison County Republican strike team accosted 50 elderly people who subsequently voted quinn, 1000 went in the back door as absentees. On second thought…maybe we only got 750 the maill was real heavy from Granite today.
Comment by Madison Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 9:55 pm
Wordslinger - right on! Yes, Patey could have written the book himself. But no one EVER bothered to look at the good ole DuPage Cty GOP for vote fraud, did they? The suburbs? Nah, they’re all fine outstanding citizens! Nothing nefarious out there.
HA!
Comment by low level Wednesday, Oct 22, 14 @ 7:46 am