Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

n2doc

(47,953 posts)
Mon Jul 27, 2015, 02:52 PM Jul 2015

Letter: Brownback/Davis election was strange night working polls

I read the recent letter to the editor concerning the need for verification of the November election vote and found it interesting. The scenario outlined was what I experienced as a poll volunteer.

In the gubernatorial race, we experienced unusual issues with voting machines. The recent letter mentioned the voting machines showing a swing to Gov. Sam Brownback during the last 30 minutes of the election. We experienced the same. In fact, I believe Paul Davis was showing a small lead throughout until the polls closed. As we pulled tapes after closing our site to check for irregularities, we saw Brownback had pulled ahead in the last 10 to 20 minutes. Keep in mind the voting machines were acting strangely throughout the evening. After the close, at least one decided to not give up its tape output without “thinking about it,” is how I would put it. When I left more than two hours after the polls closed, it still was printing tape sporadically. Our poll manager and another person from the opposing party stayed, as is necessary.

Verizon wireless 3G sending units were in use for the first time to send data to centralized data collection points. When I mentioned this to a friend who is an electrical engineer and builds boards for communications/broadcast equipment, he rolled his eyes and said: “ What a simple but reliable way to throw an election.”

That evening was the strangest I’ve ever had working polls.

Do I think the elections were hacked? You bet I do. It wasn’t just me either. Others as well voiced suspicion. Our poll manger was getting calls all evening from other poll managers who were having all sorts of problems. I leave it to you, but everything I heard and saw that evening pointed to hacked votes.

VERN R.C. MCFALLS, Topeka

http://cjonline.com/opinion/2015-07-25/letter-brownbackdavis-election-was-strange-night-working-polls#.VbRarCyY3C0.facebook&gsc.tab=0

21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Letter: Brownback/Davis election was strange night working polls (Original Post) n2doc Jul 2015 OP
K&R for visibility. nt tblue37 Jul 2015 #1
the democratic party inc cares not about this sort of thing. glad you do, thogh nt msongs Jul 2015 #2
I wonder why that is? pscot Jul 2015 #9
Thank you for this info sketchy Jul 2015 #3
Well, what we know for a fact, what has been proven beyond any question, is the GOP AllFieldsRequired Jul 2015 #4
So what is to be done? LiberalAndProud Jul 2015 #5
K & R CanonRay Jul 2015 #6
Does KS have paper ballots or is it all electronic? WDIM Jul 2015 #7
Douglas county uses paper ballots with the "scantron" like yours BuelahWitch Jul 2015 #16
Pulling ahead in the home stretch is a key characteristic of fraudulent electronic vote tabulation. GoneFishin Jul 2015 #8
Exactly. snort Jul 2015 #10
the election fraud will ALWAYS be the recording of votes. the machines. pansypoo53219 Jul 2015 #11
k&r...is there no oversight for this kind of crime? spanone Jul 2015 #12
Kicked and recommended to the Max! Enthusiast Jul 2015 #13
What do you mean by "Paul Davis was showing a small lead throughout until the polls closed"? brooklynite Jul 2015 #14
I did not write the letter n/t n2doc Jul 2015 #15
Exit polls? BuelahWitch Jul 2015 #17
Exit polls aren't released before voting ends either... brooklynite Jul 2015 #19
Maybe he's just repeating what he heard AFTER THE FACT BuelahWitch Jul 2015 #20
That's one of my questions. Wilms Jul 2015 #18
Re-vote Red1 Jul 2015 #21

AllFieldsRequired

(489 posts)
4. Well, what we know for a fact, what has been proven beyond any question, is the GOP
Tue Jul 28, 2015, 10:56 AM
Jul 2015

SOP is to steal elections if they cant win them outright.

If they will appoint SC justices who will steal elections, why wouldn't they hack machines?

WDIM

(1,662 posts)
7. Does KS have paper ballots or is it all electronic?
Tue Jul 28, 2015, 11:11 AM
Jul 2015

My state has "scantron machines" (thats what i call them) that read the filled in bubbles. Of course you can program a scantron machine to give you any readout you want.

I would love for our elections to be verified by a hand count of paper ballots. Electronics are too unreliable and too easily tampered with.

BuelahWitch

(9,083 posts)
16. Douglas county uses paper ballots with the "scantron" like yours
Tue Jul 28, 2015, 08:18 PM
Jul 2015

I can't say about the other counties, but our CC Jamie Shew insisted on them.

GoneFishin

(5,217 posts)
8. Pulling ahead in the home stretch is a key characteristic of fraudulent electronic vote tabulation.
Tue Jul 28, 2015, 11:35 AM
Jul 2015

Here's why :

If you were the person trying to rig an election your goal is likely to be to cause your party to win by only a slim margin so as not to be blatantly bogus. Which means you want to increase your party's votes by as few votes as necessary to push him/her into the win.

The problem is that you don't know how many votes will be required to accomplish that, or if any fudging will be required at all, until late in the returns.

And hence, the major fudging tends to happen at the end, once the size of the required fudge factor is known.

 

brooklynite

(96,882 posts)
14. What do you mean by "Paul Davis was showing a small lead throughout until the polls closed"?
Tue Jul 28, 2015, 02:56 PM
Jul 2015

How would you know in advance of poll closing what the vote tallies were?

 

brooklynite

(96,882 posts)
19. Exit polls aren't released before voting ends either...
Wed Jul 29, 2015, 09:37 AM
Jul 2015

...they may leak to some people, but your average polling volunteer isn't likely to be one of them.

BuelahWitch

(9,083 posts)
20. Maybe he's just repeating what he heard AFTER THE FACT
Wed Jul 29, 2015, 09:53 AM
Jul 2015

I worked polls during the 2004 election and was isolated from news, but heard later that exit polls predicted were predicting a Kerry win.

 

Wilms

(26,795 posts)
18. That's one of my questions.
Wed Jul 29, 2015, 08:33 AM
Jul 2015

There is ZERO doubt that an electronic voting machine can be hacked. But was this such an incident?? Need more info. But without a real audit, we'll never know.

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Kansas»Letter: Brownback/Davis e...