Virginia Voting: Broken Machines, No Paper Ballots

At the Math and Science Center in Richmond, Virginia, an early breakdown of electronic voting machines led to a three-and-a-half hour wait to vote on Tuesday morning, according to one poll watcher.

"Some people have been here since 6 a.m., and the first voters are just finishing now," said Judith Browne-Dianis, adding that the Richmond location she was watching did not even have backup paper ballots in case of machine malfunction.

"They didn't even have the paper ballots required by state law," she said. "That's not even something we were supposed to have to ask for. I went inside and asked the polling judge, and he said 'we don't have 'em. They [the Board of Elections] were supposed to give 'em to us, and they didn't.'"

Browne-Dianis is also a lawyer with the Advancement Project. That group, along with the NAACP, unsuccessfully brought legal action against Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine as part of an effort to expand polling place hours this evening.

The groups had also hoped to get Virginia to provide more paper ballots for voters in case late evening lines proved prohibitive -- a request that was also rejected by a judge on Monday.

On Tuesday morning, though, Browne-Dianis said her group had succeeded in getting Virginia to announce that curbside voting will be in effect tonight for elderly and disabled voters. She also underlined the fact that anyone who lines up by 7pm will be able to vote, no matter how long the line takes to process.

As for her group's thwarted legal challenge, Browne-Dianis said the judge was sympathetic to the case during Monday's hearing. "He himself described waiting two and half hours, at age 85, to vote absentee. ... He said we need to go to the state legislature and get early voting, and that there is no remedy for voters for this election. And so we are monitoring the polls."

Comments

[MJ20]

Tim Kaine is "supposed" to be one of Obama's strongest supporters. He needs to be making sure that EVERY vote is counted in his state. Virginia is VITAL, as it could either open the door to an Obama landslide or provide McCain with a path to victory. If he was a rethug govenor, you can bet the McCain would be getting every home field advantage. Unbelievable.

[jobecky20]

And to think Kaine was on the short list for VP. If Obama loses the election because of VA, Kaine will not be reelected.

[SCVADem]

He won't be. Virginia governors only serve ONE-term.

[KitChandler]

Gov "Mc Kaine," pathetic!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!

[Emerald1943]

The republicans know that there is no way they can win this election without winning Virginia. Anyone wanna' bet who is behind the problems there? Don't they have a republican sec. of state who is responsible for the election? Sounds like Katherine Harris and Florida all over again!

[lobear00]

Corruption at its best! When the State and the Court condone it "Thats truly Corrupt. The Governor of the state and the Judge that makes such a ruling should be thrown out the door.

[lilkitty]

Wow, just wow....I cannot believe this...loo­ks like VA might be the next FL....so sad :(

But hang in there VA, they have to let everyone Vote!

[Maygressive]

Maddow totally called this last night and even had the Mayor on her show. Sad Sad Sad

[lilkitty]

yes she did!

[curocat]

Virginia, a "hick" State. They need to replace the Governor..­. Recall.... then maybe they can catch up to the 21st century... there is no excuse they knew it was coming...

[citadelgrrl05]

THISMAKES ME NERVOUS..W­HY DO YOU THINK JOHN MCCAIN IS SO CONFIDENT.­..EERIE..P­LEASE YALL LETS FLOOD THEM B/C I WANT A PRESIDENT OBAMA

[lilkitty]

He's looking to see where he can steal the votes at....keep an eye on VA.....

[Softnsweet]

I knew something was going to go wrong. Virginia knew they were going to have a large turnout. Now look.

[MillerMan]

Richmond is a Dem area.

[gbkc]

surrounding suburbs are lean HEAVILY right, I'll contact some friends to see if they are having the same problems at those polling stations

[kto810]

my husband was in line at 5:30 this morning for a six o'clock open - there were no representatives there to open the polls until 6:45 - then they took people by alphabetical name not by who was first in line.

this happened in Richmond, Virginia - NOT GOOD - also we have just had our second lawsuit filed.

1. NAACP - not enough machines in predominately AA polling places - based on my very unscientific office poll this appears to be true and not having enough paper ballots - also appears to be true

2. Filed by McCain - VA did not send out absentee ballots in time for them to be returned today and they are asking for an additional ten days to get ballots and count them - this is being heard at 1:30 in Richmond

I predict Obama will win but it will not be accepted or conceded for at least a week

[MillerMan]

Richmond is not a Rethug part of the State it's the exact opposite

[solrac2002]

You're right! If you live in the city you're probably a liberal or at least a moderate.

[solrac2002]

I meant the most a Moderate.

[solrac2002]

You're right! If you live in the City you're most likely a Liberal or at the most a Moderate.

[Softnsweet]

Tim Kaine is supporting Obama. Why the heck is he letting this happen.

[frappe]

That's what I find so confusing. He was on Obama's short list for VP candidates. You would think that he would have done everything in his power to make sure that there were a sufficient number of paper ballots at each polling location. Paper ballots are cheap to print for heaven's sake! And if the Sect'y of State became an obstacle, make him the center of national attention, hopefully embarrassing him into corrective action. The bottom line, though, is that Gov. Kaine should have been on top of this from the very beginning.

[tea in the harbor]

It doesn't matter who the officials involved are pulling for, this kind of incompetence is both common and unacceptable. Voting is our most basic right, this is a public display of just how unconcerned our government is about maintaining those rights!

[MasterHurrikane]

Who ever wins this election needs to reform Voting in America.

[SCVADem]

Amen to that!

I'm just thankful that I live in a rural area and we never have polling problems. I'd hate to be in Hampton Roads or Richmond today.

[beartrack]

Virginia is the same place that found out who sent a "joke" flyer out to mislead Democratic voters to vote on Wednesday They worked for the election board. Then the State Police would not file charges. What is going on there ?

[solrac2002]

And this is what Governor Kaine the crackhead had to say

"We've more than doubled the number of people" who voted early by casting absentee ballots, from 222,000 in 2004 to about half a million this year, Kaine said yesterday on ABC.

This year, the state has 10,600 voting machines, up from 5,900 in 2004, Kaine said. The state has 30,000 precinct workers, up from 19,000 four years ago.

"Might the lines still be long? Sure," Kaine said. But "I think the day is going to go smoothly and everybody who wants to get a vote, we're determined to make sure that vote counts."

I love Richmond VA ..but sometimes these fools know how to test a brother...

[frappe]

I've been saying this for years but we seem to have the same or similar problems with each election every two years! I truly hope that Pres. Obama, in conjunction with his Democratic Congress, tackle this very, very serious problem. They should consider it a top priority because the party that always gets the raw end of the deal when we have these "election day problems" is the Democratic Party.

We STILL need tamper-proof elections where everyone who is entitled to vote can cast his or her vote and have that vote counted ACCURATELY. .....AND .... We need a paper trail. I'm thinking, get rid of the electronic machines. We just can't trust them. Why not a simple paper ballot, perhaps one that features pictures of the candidates next to where you mark your choice. That would make it easier for those who have difficulty with the language.

FIX THE PROBLEMS!!!!!