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Late afternoon elections experience thread * Updated x8 *

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Illinois

[Updated with preliminary turnout numbers and bumped to the top.]

I don’t know if you’ve noticed it or not, but this blog - whether in comments or on the front page - has broken every major story about election problems in Illinois today, from the Kane County Clerk fiasco to Cook County voters walking off with the magic pens, and plenty more.

Good job. And while we’re patting ourselves on the back, we also got a mention in today’s MSNBC story about those harrassing GOP robocalls that the Tribune and others refuse to take seriously.

Here’s the MSNBC piece. It’s a bit difficult to see it on this clip, but the network credits the blog because we’re the ones who posted the robocall audio in the first place.

Keep those election day observations coming. Warning: This is a Britney-free zone. [Goofy spelling error corrected]

*** UPDATE *** E-mail from a friend (slightly altered to protect the identity)

Elmwood (Peoria County). A co-worker of mine got in line to vote at 7:00. There were five electronic voting machines for the entire town, no paper ballot option.

When she got in line 3 of the five machines were working, while she was in line a third went out, and just before she voted they unplugged & re-plugged all to “re-boot” their software.

The national media, pundits and leaders all demanded that the nation modernize its voting after the notorious 2000 problems with punchcards. I didn’t have any trouble with casting my electronic vote in Springfield, but I also had to trust the computer to tabulate my vote for me. The paper trail was unreadable computer code. I don’t like that.

Discuss if you like. Also, what else have you heard?

*** UPDATE 2 ***
This isn’t a huge deal since only one precinct opened late. But it’s still noteworthy.

One Bloom Township precinct could not open on time at 6 a.m. today because the keys and a precinct judge were missing, according to an official from Cook County Clerk David Orr’s office. […]

But polling precinct 92, at Brookwood Middle School, 200 Glenwood-Lansing Road in Glenwood, did not open until 8:25 a.m., said Kelley Quinn, spokeswoman for Cook County Clerk’s David Orr’s office.

“The supply judge quit,” Quinn said. “She didn’t show up and she had the key.”

The precinct will remain open until 8 p.m., Quinn said.

*** UPDATE 3 *** This Kane County Clerk guy really sounds like he’s on the ball. Not.

Kane County Judge F. Keith Brown ruled late this afternoon that polling places for all 223 precincts in the county would remain open until 8:30 tonight.

â€œSometimes we need to bend over backward to make sure all have the right to vote,â€ Brown said after making his decision.

It was a difficult decision, Brown said, because of a lack of information from the Kane County Clerkâ€™s office.

Brown said there were lots of questions but few specifics, referring to which polling places were down, for how long the polling places were down and why.

More than 40 polling sites - out of 169 in the county - did not open on time this morning, prompting county election officials to request an extension.

And here’s the official order:

*** UPDATE 4 *** Turnout numbers:

Energized by the possibility of a shift in Washington’s power structure, Illinois voters spent Tuesday visiting the polls, even as logistical problems forced election officials to extend voting hours in some precincts.

Turnout around the state was steady and officials expected at least 50 percent of registered voters to vote before balloting ended at 7 p.m., Dan White, director of the State Board of Elections said this afternoon. About 52 percent of registered voters typically show up during a mid-term election, he said.

*** UPDATE 5 *** From blogger Bill Baar, a Kane County resident, in comments:

I had an automated call from [US House Speaker Dennis] Hastert telling me Kane would be open until 830.

*** UPDATE 6 *** Republicans are doing a massive volunteer and paid phone banking operation right now (7pm) to call people in Kane County. I assume the Dems are doing the same. Will check, though.

*** UPDATE 7 *** As I expected, the Dems are doing robocalls and phone-banking as well in Kane County.

*** UPDATE 8 *** Democrats have reportedly been debating internally whether to file a motion with the Illinois Supreme Court to close the polls in Kane County that didn’t have problems this morning. Some Dems just want to keep open the 40 that had problems. The argument is it benefits the GOP to keep all the polls open. A spokesman for the Supreme Court said he hadn’t seen anything yet and didn’t even know where someone could file a motion like this.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 6:30 pm

Comments

It’s Britney, Rich, and I am ashamed that I know that…

Comment by kimsch Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 4:31 pm
Totally agree so give Howard Dean some cheese with that whine

Comment by DOWNSTATE Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 4:34 pm
Cool, a nod from MSNBC. Keep this up and you might just have a career in journalism some day!

Comment by doubtful Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 4:35 pm
Sorry if this is a repeat post. I voted at 4:00 pm in an overwhelmingly Republican, rural community. I was #290 out of 875 possible voters. They expect to have a small rush between 5:00 and 7:00 and hope to break 50%.

Comment by politicaljunkie Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 4:36 pm
Congratulations, Rich, from a guy who used to work as a journalist, I know it’s nice to have a nod from the networks sometimes.

Comment by HoosierDaddy Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 4:38 pm
One key thing I’ve never understood about the HAVA process is how so many people came to like the electronic machines instead of optical scan. The OS machines have shown to be easier to use–are low cost since you just print up a new ballot each time and generally easier for voters to follow. And, to Rich’s point, they leave a paper trail if there is a screw up.

In Missouri, all machines have to have a paper trail and generally that has worked out decently, but there’s still an overreliance upon the electronic machines.

Comment by archpundit Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 4:41 pm
The Kane County Clerk is known on the inside to be more of a “showhorse” rather than a “workhorse” regarding his responsibilities as County Clerk. Talks a good show, but that’s about it.

He’s not like a Kathy Schultz (R) in McHenry, or a Lana Phillips (D) in Grundy, both of whom really sweat the details. Cunningham’s more interested in other non-job related issues, like running his marina down near Seneca.

Comment by Split Ticket Guy Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 4:49 pm
Agree Rich. How hard can it be to have the print out list the candidates you voted for, below the bar code imprint.

Comment by Anon. Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 4:51 pm
I voted early with the electronic machine, and found it interesting, although I like the thought of having the paper trail. I’m not so trusting of the electronics. You know, I got a card, made my choices on the screens and my card popped back out at the end. But there’s no paper that shows that what I chose is what’s on that card.

Me of little faith in this world. Don’t know what voter turnout has been like in Lee County today.

Comment by Tessa Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 4:54 pm
Oh, and keep up the awesome work Rich. I keep pointing people towards this blog because it rocks!

Comment by Tessa Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 4:55 pm
I voted this AM about 9:30 on an electronic machine. There were two pcts. in the church. Mine wasn’t as busy as the other pct. This was the first time I used the electronic machine and it was easy. When I was done there was paper on the side that had all my choices. It was very clear, easy to read. All in all it was a very good experience.

I just moved to Kane County from Cook County.

Comment by Mom Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 4:56 pm
Regarding Kane County-

From the Trib, usually a Republican endorser if all other things are equal:

Clerk: Last year, Clerk John A. “Jack” Cunningham complained bitterly that the November 2004 election had been poorly managed by the elections director whom he had hired. He accepted her resignation and handed the job to an old friend, David Bruun. Problem is, Bruun is a disbarred lawyer who served prison time for financial crimes. Cunningham stands by his old friend, but Cunningham’s Democratic opponent, Annie D. Collins, says the hiring of Bruun shows poor judgment. She’s right.

Collins, a former flight attendant and teacher from Batavia, is bright and enthusiastic. She says she is running to “return a level of honor” to the clerk’s office. She is endorsed. (Collins is the sister of a Tribune reporter. Reporters have no role in endorsement decisions made by the editorial board.)
——————————-
It is fairly well known that Mr. Cunningham spends an inordinate amount of time in Seneca, LaSalle County where he has business interests, and has been criticized as a “non-resident” for the past few years. He was an also-ran in the recent mayoral race.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 5:00 pm
Voted this morning by optical scan. Pen was chained to the enclosure. Come back to work and two co-workers are ashamed because they had the pens in their pocket from a different precinct that did not chain them. Lousy pen for office. Local radio supposedly asked people to leave pens at the booth. Glad to see the Hi-tech plans are going smooth. A new variation on the hanging chad excuse will be in the news by morning.

Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 5:16 pm
I just came back from voting in Kane County. Wow, what a joke. Over 50 people waiting in line to vote, people leaving frustrated and overall confusion.

Having voted in Dupage for the last 5 years, I can tell you this never happened.

They have some issues that need to be addressed.

Comment by Elon Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 5:30 pm
Kane County Judge rules that all precincts in Kane will stay open until 8:30 p.m. this does not include Aurora which is in a different election authority

Comment by potomac fever Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 5:33 pm
Voted this morning. My precinct (in Northern Will County, just south of the DuPage County line) was hopping. First time ever where I had to wait in line (albeit a line of only six people). 84 people had voted before me. This by far outpaces the 2004 election, where only 34 people had voted before me (I vote at the same time, everytime. Right before work, around 8:15 a.m.)

Will County has used optical scan for the past three (or four?) elections (counting primaries). Seems to work very well.

Comment by Anon in BB Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 5:40 pm
Voted mid-afternoon on touch-screen in Berwyn. Like “Mom”, I found it to be easy. Two opportunities to check your answers — one on screen and then when the paper prints on the side. At the end the paper drops into the secure box, they say. So there is a paper trail. I wonder a bit what would happen if there is a problem with the machine later in the day. Would it lose the votes up to that point? Don’t know. But there is a paper record if everything is as advertised. There was a little wait and turnout seemed moderate. Staff competent and courteous.

Comment by Jay Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 5:44 pm
i have seen one brand of electronic vote machine that has a printout tape along the right hand side, just like a calculator or grocery store cash register, it gives you a final listing of your choices in English, and if you change your mind, it prints a VOID at that total and re-states the new choices. Today I voted on an electronic panel model that showed no paper tape, but it DID show a total final list of choices on the screen and asked if this was right, or if I wanted to go back.

Did you see on the news where the Governor of South Carolina, who had signed a bill requiring drivers licenses as I.D. to vote, was unable to vote because he showed up to the polls without his license? Sounds like Rod getting busted for ethics violations, doesn’t it?

Comment by Gregor Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 5:49 pm
Well… I wish I could stay and watch for updates. But I have a night class… with a very liberal prof. This is going to be a very, very fun night in class…. I just hope the rest of the night goes as well for the Illinois GOP as it is for me!

Comment by Lovie's Leather Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 5:49 pm
I voted in the 47th ward, 17th precinct at 5:00, and was voter 205 out of 575. They could get a steady stream of voters before 7:00, but I think Peraica needs a lot more, probably 60% turnout in precincts like mine (Claypool Country) to win. I don’t see him getting there, but we’ll know soon enough.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 5:55 pm
I didn’t like the Populex machine, either, Rich.

In sz. 6 or 7 font (good luck reading that, elderly voters!!!), your choices are listed in series - by number; no easy way of connecting those numbers to names without bringing a sample ballot. But the barcode is what is counted. Barcode does not inpire confidence in me. How do I know it matches my choices? There is supposed to be a scan option to verify, but I didn’t get it to work. My bad there - I should have asked for help, to make sure.

It does do an onscreen review, which was easy enough, but I’d like a clearer method of checking my ‘barcode’ for accuracy.

Comment by Sangamon County Voter hates on Populex Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 6:13 pm
I had an automated call from Hastert telling me Kane would be open until 830.

I voted in Campton 5 which includes St Charles 30 and 31 over at Christ Community Church. I voted at 11:30 am and stopped by again at 4pm to see what was going on. I saw no lines although there were quite a few cars in the lot. I think it was a good turnout.

My wife voted around 4:30 and thought the person next to her was having a hard time with the dial voting machine.

Our precinct was one the ended having voters bail out last election because the machines ran out of paper they need to record the backup vote.

So far things looked fine, but that’s just our experience at one polling place.

Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 6:33 pm
Just got back from voting at the church in South Elgin at the corner of Randall and Spring Street (Kane County). There was a huge line. The election judges said this was a much larger turnout than anything they’ve seen before. Could be partly because they’re using these new machines and have only 5 polling stations, though. IMHO, these machines are inferior what’s being used in Cook County. They’re not very intuitive and there’s a learning curve, so that’s probably part of the reason the line is so long. But the election judges claim it’s an unusually large turnout. This should be Republican territory, so it is surprising.

Comment by kanerepublican Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 6:46 pm
oh yeah, the election judge said, “we could see 50% here,” so I guess that’s a big turnout for that precinct!

Comment by kanerepublican Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 6:48 pm
at 8:00 a.m., the touch screen was still down in Chi Wd 50, prec 4, but the college student assigned to the precinct was laboring mightily to get it going. since everyone had to use the “bedsheet ballot”, the judges were already out of pens. oddly, there was no gauntlet of precinct workers, no signage, no GOTV for anyone.

and carol marin just reported that one 50th ward polling place had ald. berny stone’s petitions on the judge’s table, and voters were told to sign. he replied, “what’s the big deal?”

Comment by cool hand c Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 7:00 pm
Did anyone see CBS newsfeed of Tony Peraica shaking hands INSIDE polling place at Divine Providence in Westchester? He lives in RIVERSIDE so was not voting - can anyone say ELECTIONEERING?

Comment by mom of xyyx Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 7:40 pm
Oh my. Just got in and flipped on the news and the computer (multi-tasking!).

Kudos to Rich on the MSNBC mention.

Also, Lovie stated that, “I have a night classâ€¦ with a very liberal prof.”

Are there any that aren’t?? lol

Hope they’re civil to ya! That’s all you can ask for, because you know you won’t get an unbiased lecture even if they charged, I don’t know, $20-$30K a year tuition? (laugh)

I think all of the “liberals” in the classical tradition gave up hope, decided not to go into teaching, and are in the private sector or at think tanks.

Robocalls issue. Not cool. Very disappointed.

Comment by Angie Tuesday, Nov 7, 06 @ 8:59 pm