Comments on: Election Protection: Problems Voting? Report It Here

By: Kerri Rebresh

Kerri Rebresh — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:11:43 +0000

Vote Centers Are a Disaster Voters in Denver are leaving the polls disgusted – and without casting a ballot. I just left Johnson Rec Center at 48th and Williams. Everyone I talked to who stuck it out said they waited more than two hours to vote. But, when these voters arrived, the line did not yet extend outside. When I left, the line snaked outside and down the street. I would estimate it will take these voters three hours to vote, which means some won't cast their ballots until 10 p.m. I also saw many people leave in disgust. Most people there had been to at least one other vote center, where Johnson Rec Center was recommended. Hundreds of frustrated people were packed in a hot gym, many with young children, yet nearly all of the 20 voting machines stood unused. The problem was with the system used to look up voter registration. I timed it, and it took between 2 and 5 minutes to look up each voter. Multiply that times hundreds of voters, and you have loooong lines of very disgruntled people. On top of that, the system went down around 5:30. When that was announced, I counted about 30 people who left – and I'm sure there were more. While the mood earlier in the day outside at the sunny Botanic Gardens was cheery, the mood in the stifling rec center gymnasium was sour. Several voters grumbled that the backup was caused on purpose to encourage early voting next time. Others were becoming angry at poll workers and demanding an explanation as to why they stood in line for hours when voting booths were empty. The biggest problem, though, is that people are leaving without being able to vote.

By: Wendy Norris

Wendy Norris — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 18:00:07 +0000

getting creative for ensure democracy From John Willard at ClearPeak Colorado:

In an effort to keep voters at the polls, several voting groups across the Denver Metro area are dispatching food, drinks, and entertainment to voters waiting in line.

Among the first to respond to the call for support was the Gay Men?s Chorus who will spend the rest of the evening entertaining voters waiting in line at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Efforts are underway to find other ways of keeping Denver voters in line...

By: Wendy Norris

Wendy Norris — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 17:02:55 +0000

Also from Aaron in JeffCo

The lawyers here in Jeffco are getting reports that some people from Denver are coming over to precincts in Jeffco in the mistaken belief that they can vote provisionally here.

While a provisional vote can count for Statewide races if you vote outside of your precinct, it does NOT count if you cross County lines.

By: Wendy Norris

Wendy Norris — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:52:22 +0000

Corona update According to Kerri, the line has doubled at Corona Rec Center.

By: Wendy Norris

Wendy Norris — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:51:28 +0000

JeffCo reporting in Endless stream of problems in JeffCo.

The GOP election judge at the Edgewater Plaza Senior Housing polling place tried to kick-out the Dem judge until the election's director intervened.

The Blue Herron location had no emergency or provisional ballots upon opening this morning.

Several polling places had inoperable voting machines. The clerk tech was not returning calls for assistance at the polls.

One poll watcher lawyer received a call on his cell phone from someone claiming to be from the DNC calling on behalf of Howard Dean to ask the lawyer to go to another polling location.

The election protection team has compiled approximately 90 complaints of voting irregularities in Jefferson County.

By: Wendy Norris

Wendy Norris — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:37:00 +0000

Johnson Rec Center Kerri Rebresh called in from Johnson Rec Center at 48th and Williams.

20 voting machines stand unused.

The gym is packed and very hot. People are angry. The line has not moved in 20 minutes because poll workers can't verify voter eligibility therefore nobody can cast their ballots.

Frustrated voter Christina DeBarrows said, "I think a lot of people are going to bag it because they can't take off work that long. I've been voting here since 1974 and I've never ever encountered anything like this."

She tried to cast her ballot at 4 other polling places and couldn't because of long lines.

Sean Moore also expressed frustration. He said that he was directed to Johnson Rec Center after driving past four other polling locations. He said he was committed to voting and would stay for as long as took because somebody was watching his kids. Otherwise, he would have left long ago.

By: johne

johne — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:31:22 +0000

Report from new election judge volunteer at the Tattered Cover 300spartansgym just told me over the phone:

The Tattered Cover had 4 computers to check people in and three of them just crashed. The election commission is trying to get to more computers over there but nothing has yet showed up. The line is approximately 300 people.

By: Wendy Norris

Wendy Norris — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:21:31 +0000

Larimer County No problems reported. No waiting.

I went in to the vote center at Faith Evangelical Church at 3pm and left with my "I Voted" sticker at 3:05pm.

By: Wendy Norris

Wendy Norris — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:15:56 +0000

more reports from Dave Cullen La Familia Rec Center -- 145 people in line. Over an hour wait.

La Alma Rec Center -- 100 people in line. 40 minute wait.

New Hope Baptist Church -- 30-40 min wait.

By: Wendy Norris

Wendy Norris — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:01:26 +0000

Corona Presbyterian Church Correspondant Paul Preston is reporting that nearly 200 people are in line at the church on 8th and Downing.

DEC workers just delivered an additional two poll books to help with voter verification to add to the four books currently on site.

A poll watcher at that location reported that the server containing the voter registration database that the vote centers workers were using to verify eligibility was not dedicated. City workers started using the server for other business and the increased election day traffic caused it to crash.

Corona Rec Center has similar backups.