Image courtesy of Channel 13 News, Orlando FL

This report came across my news feed, courtesy of Channel 13 news in Orlando. I have looked but cannot find the referenced report at the Division of Elections.

One point of interest in the report is the longstanding concern of many political scientists with the way turnout is reported in this country.  When 64,000 voters choose not to vote the top of the ticket in battleground state during a highly contested presidential contest, it’s pretty obvious that turnout should include all voters who showed up and cast (or attempted to cast) a ballot.

“Top of the ticket” totals are inaccurate.

I hope that that the report includes a breakdown by mode of balloting.  There is reference in the report to higher undervote and overvote rates among absentee voters, something Charles Stewart and I found in a 2010 report.  More coming soon!

Crist calls Florida elections a “late night TV joke” (Miami Herald)

Ned Foley and Rick Hasen say GOP in Florida disenfranchised voters. (AP)

Gov. Rick Scott agrees that Florida laws need to be reconsidered (Tampa Bay Times) and called for a bipartisan solution. (Sarasota Tribune)

As reported previously on this blog, Ohio this year undertook one of the most aggressive no-excuse absentee efforts ever: it mailed a no-excuse absentee ballot application to every registered voter in the state.

Nonetheless, Ohioans still experience early-in person and Election Day lines of two to four hours.

The lesson is clear: no excuse absentee voting by mail by itself is not a cure for long lines at the polling place.  An overall solution to the capacity issue includes increased early in-person voting, on the days that voters want to vote early, and smoothly functioning precinct place voting for those citizens who desire to wait until Election Day.

I am no fan of the Oregon law that allows third parties to collect and deliver ballots.  But the law is the law, and apparently some election officials and members of law enforcement don’t understand the law.

Fact is, however, this remains legal in Oregon, and the state legislature refuses to change the law because politicians want to have their campaigners collect ballots.  I don’t like it, it makes Oregon almost unique, and I’ve been trying to get the law changed.  I blogged about it two years ago

I don’t like what the canvassers did in West Linn, but it is legal.

P.S. I don’t want to defend Rep. Julie Parrish who is in hot water over some robocalls questioning voters’ registration status,  but the WWeek reference to her Facebook page is inaccurate–she correctly states that third party ballot collection is legal, just in her opinion, the canvassers must have broken the law because:

Come on now…..if the police made them take the ballot back…that should say something to you….I believe the West Linn PD over the House Democrats Spokesperson….