CA registrars counter allegations that mishandled VBM ballots changed a congressional election outcome

The losing candidate in California’s 11th congressional district is charging that mishandled vote by mail ballots caused him to lose the race.

The challenge partially turns on the rules governing witness challenges to signature verification. The losing candidate claims that campaign volunteers should have been able to challenge signatures.

Two registrars, including Steve Weir of Contra Costa, who has previously served as head of the county clerk’s association, respond that challenges are only valid if a) voters have falsified their identities or b) staff are not following proper procedures.

Full story in the Lodi News-Sentinel. 

Why election counts are getting slower, from NCSL’s Canvass

This month’s Canvass on election counts, including quotes from yours truly! 

Oregon state senator concerned about third party ballot delivery

This story in the Corvallis Gazette Times caught my eye.  State Sen. Frank Morse wants to ban third party delivery of ballots. 

Another example where last minute “early” votes turned a race

This time in Ashland, OR:

 http://blog.oregonlive.com/mapesonpolitics/2010/11/late_surge_of_ashland_votes_tu.html

The lesson?  Never count your votes until the votes are counted.  And “early” early voters are very likely to be very different from “late” early voters.

Maine candidate claims early voting cost him the election

We knew it would not take long for a candidate to claim a final surge missed by early voters.

Gallup Poll: Early voting highest among older voters and westerners

New poll out from Gallup. Implication: the rest of the campaign out West is all about young voters.

Marc Ambinder gets early voting right

Here.

Losing candidate in MA primary looking for “excuses”

A losing candidate in Everett, MA raised “the specter of voting irregularities” due to an abnormally high number of absentee ballots in the primary for State Senate.  

Interestingly, the candidate, Tim Flaherty, wants the clerk to examine whether all absentee voters proved that their excuses were valid.