UPDATE/DISCLOSURE: On Election Day 2004 I was one of several hundred attorneys who did poll watching for the Kerry Campaign in Florida.
I've seen 2 dairies in the past 24 hours that have been all Freaking Out about this or that voting anomaly, screw-up or, perhaps, GOP crime. I'm sure I've missed more.
It's a good thing to know about these things. They should be archived here.
Thing is, in neither of these diaries was there any word about the diarist (or the person whom the diarist knows) who witnessed this "voting machine irregularity" or "ballot-counting irregularity" or "touch-screen irregularity" doing any of the following:
> Contacting and complaining to the local Board of Registrars.
> Contacting and complaining to the local Democratic Headquarters.
Keep going . . .
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> Contacting and complaining to their Secretary of State's Office.
> Contacting and notifying the nearest Obama Headquarters.
> Contacting and notifying Obama State Headquarters.
> Contacting and notifying Obama Nat'l Headquarters.
> Contacting and notifying Democratic Nat'l Headquarters.
> Contacting the local T.V. news.
> Contacting the local paper(s).
Rather, they get on-line and do a Daily Kos Diary. Gad.
Doing a diary here is good and fine and righteous -- I'm doing one right now -- but it's NOT "Step 1" when the Voting Machine is flashing "McCain" when one's just tried to vote for "Obama" and it's NOT "Step 1" when one gets a tip that ballots are/may be be getting counted (properly).
Making "the Rec List" is a gas. But may I suggest that a more important thing than that is first REPORTING the irregularity/fraud/plot to some or all of the suggested offices/news organizations above. AFTER that do a diary, by all means.
C'mon.
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THE Step One: Politely call the problem (real or perceived) to the IMMEDIATE attention of the person in charge of the polling place.
It either gets fixed on. the. spot. right then and there, or it doesn't. If it does, then the problem still needs to be reported up-the-chain in the state to (1) make a record of it and, (2) hopefully prevent further instances of the problem.
If the polite complaint/call to attention doesn't solve the problem, then going to the next Step(s) would be in order.
Hat-tip to Ronin122. In comments below suggests that this be put in the diary proper. A couple of other astute "Commentators" below note this as well, for which I thank them.
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FYI:
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Also FYI:
* A Step by Step on "How to Report Voting Irregularities"
* Look up your State's Secretary of State's Voting Irregularities Hotline. Many/most, if not all, state's have this.
* Obama Campaign Headquarters: (866) 675-2008
* Democratic National Headquarters: (202) 863-8000
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