There were a few glitches, as expected, but overall, the new Sedgwick County voting system seemed to work pretty smoothly — giving much-criticized Election Commissioner Bill Gale some vindication.
The new touch-screen voting machines operated handily, for the most part, although some concerns were raised about privacy (Sedgwick County Commission candidate Dee Stuart vowed never to use them again). One point of confusion: After a voter presses the “vote” button, the screen kicks up an alert if any races are left unchecked — some voters might have misunderstood this as suggesting they must cast a vote in every race.
Of course, this was a primary and turnout was light. It remains to be seen how well the drastically reduced polling stations will handle traffic during the November general election.
But the new voting centers seem to have passed this initial test. In coming weeks, civic groups and voting stakeholders should work with Gale to review the election and address concerns. How many voters couldn’t find their polling places? Do we still need more of them?
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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19 Comments
I think that the decreased number of polling places is fine. I do think however that we should be able to vote anywhere in the city. The equipment is Technically capable of doing such a thing. I think there should also be polling places located at all of the major manufacturing plants, (Boeing, Spirit, Raytheon, etc…)
If the line workers could run down to the cafeteria or food line and vote while at lunch, dont you think they would? possibly increase voting turnout?
I work downtown and live out in Goddard, i have to either vote early in the morning with everyone else or try to get home before the polls close. There are so many people, it takes a while and i think that’s why some people dont vote.
Also, public transit should be free on election day.
With only a 16% turn-out, I think two things are clear. First, that all of the confusion created by Bill Gale caused many people to not vote out of reluctance to confront the changes. Second, too few voters appeared for this election to have qualified as a “test”. Maybe it was enough for a mock trial test, or a rehearsal.
As far as the privacy issue goes, the “duh” solution is simple – space the things a little further apart from one another, perhaps in clusters of four at 90 degree turns each, then space those clusters several paces apart.
The low turnout actually produced excellent results. With the exception of Jennison losing. ;)
But other than that I think it was expected. The low turnout I doubt has very little to do with less polling places or touch screen booths. There was no enthusiasm and nothing of importance that would bring a high turnout, such as a Gay Marriage Ban, or other controversial ballot measures.
School BOE in there respected area probably had a better turnout. Some local areas or towns, such as Hucthinson had sales tax increase ballot measures. But in Sedgwick County, not much but a Commissior race that was a bit warm.
The polling place that I normally go to was still the same this time around. But instead of having 3 booths, they had at least a dozen. They had cookies and bottle water for people to beat the heat. It was great. Didn’t take too long. Easy to use.
On Dee Stuart! She’s a disaster. I’m glad she lost (hope so). I’ve been warning people about her for several years. I know people in Park City that knows her. She isn’t a good person at all. And her brash public display is evidence time and time again.
Yeah! She blames Bill Gale, touch screen voting booths, and everything else for the reason why she lost. That’s expected.
Casino Anyone?
As Mike Kinard said – Better wait for the fat lady to sing before getting too confident.
It could still be a Lucy vs Dee race this fall.
That would be fun!
Dee Stuart has been pretty good for Park City Joe!
Probably Wichita is not ready for a forward thinking person like her.
And no, I didn’t vote for her. She was not running for my district.
In fact, I didn’t vote. They moved MY polling place. There wasn’t a race I was interested enough in to drive the extra distance.
JR:
“In fact, I didn’t vote.”
Given your writings in these pages, this statement comes as a surprise.
I’ll expect your silence from now on in all political matters. Voting, my friend, is your bitching privilege. If you didn’t show up to register your input, don’t complain about the output.
Do as I say, not as I do . . . .
Oh get off me GMC! You’re a prosecutor, not a judge!
It was a primary!
You may COUNT on me to show up early and stand in line for HOURS if necessary in November! Just as I did in 2000. When it ALSO did not make a difference.
GMC?
“I’ll expect your silence from now on in all political matters”?
Huh
I’m looking at this thread and it doesn’t seem you addressed anything on it but…..me.
GMC if I go silent, you won’t have anything to say?
JR:
“if I go silent”
We couldn’t be that lucky.
I’m actually kidding, JR, that is a joke, though perhaps a bad one.
And yes, I know it’s a primary, but I am surprised. I would have expected you there anyway. I’d guess in the democratic primary there wasn’t a lot happening.
Over here we had the new touch-pad booths. Not much privacy; I’m with the other writers on that. And I frankly want a paper record of every vote. I’m all for electronic voting, but I don’t trust the electronics or the people. If you’re gonna try to rig the vote, a stack of inconvenient papers is harder to dispose of than just jiggering the numbers in a computer.
The machines were not the scary part. The scary part is not requiring a valid verified photo ID to register and to vote. Walking in a stating you are Mr/Mrs X and getting a ballot is not good.
If the “poor” can not afford one then the state can give them one. It is not an onerous or a “voting rights” proposition. We as citizens also have a right to expect the elections be run legitimately to the best of our ability.
When you already have cities in Calif. allowing illegals to vote in City Elections you are getting the slippery slope all greased up for further demands….and once you get greased up…I think you know the drill.
Mr. Bill! If you don’t want Jesse Jackson coming here. If you required voter ID, you will be hit by the “Voters Rights”, calling it a poll tax.
States try to do it, but recieve so much opposition.
Even in Mexico’s election they require Photo ID.
Nobody knows if the machines functioned correctly or not.
All they know is that the machines spit out a total.
There is no independent check of what the machine reports.
The requirement for a photo ID has been defeated time after time by the Democrats. If you want the ability to vote anywhere in the city then you have to require photo ID’s. There are several states that have a system that allows people to vote anywhere but they have to have a photo ID to vote.
So if you think the ability to vote anywhere would get more people to vote tell your legislator that you want to see photo ID’s required to vote. That we can vote anywhere we want in the County.
“PASSES inital test”? Randy:a) What are you on, andb) Why aren’t you sharing???It doesn’t work when people who have voted in the same place for 10 years, who haven’t missed an election, suddenly disappear from the voter rolls. I know–it happened to me.It doesn’t work when voting machines are left open, facing so everyone can see how you voted–that happened in at least four polling places, and nothing was done about it.And it sure as hell doesn’t work when elderly voters are so frustrated by the system that they leave the polls in tears, not voting for the first time in 60 years…it happened to a lady that called into James Barfield Wednesday night.If we had an honest government–which, let’s face it, we don’t–we’d have Justice Department investigators all over everywhere between now and November.But, since all of this only seems to happen to Democrats… I know the line, Hank– move along, nothing to see here.
It all happens democrats? Prove it.
Here ya go.
Another piece of evidence among the tens of thousands, this one from today–
“President Bush’s Justice Department has been criticized for letting partisanship guide its work on voting and elections. And party politics certainly appears to have been a driving force in a legal maneuver it just pulled off in Alabama, where it persuaded a federal judge to take important election powers away from the Democratic secretary of state and give them to a Republican governor. The Justice Department says it is trying to enforce the election law, but that is unconvincing. There are plenty of ways to enforce the law without creating the impression that it is tilting the electoral landscape in favor of Republicans.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/03/opinion/edit-1-thu.html
I’m a Democrat, NoJoCo. It happened to me.Granted, the four precincts where the machines were out in plain view for everyone to see how you voted happened to everyone in those four precincts, but two of them were traditionally Democratic precincts, my old precinct in Park City where Dee Stuart voted, and one in south Wichita.Now, as Ben says, never blame on conspiracy what you can trust to incompetence.And I’m pretty sure the woman who called into Barfield’s show was aDemocrat. Republican women are too scared to call.Finally, I didn’t say it just happened to Democrats. I just said it only SEEMS to.
GMC – If you did not vote then you have not earned the right to complain. I know that will not stop you but you are obviously a lot of talk and no action!