Cross-posted at FLA Politics
An email from my father:
Hi Rey,
Today I went to Immokalee to get from Jonathan the list of voters I need to call. While I was there an elderly Haitian lady, Lucia Noel, came in asking for help to vote for Obama. I took her to the early voting place and Lucia successfully voted for Obama and Joe Garcia.
While I was at the voting venue helping Lucia I noticed that one of the scanners had failed earlier in the day and had to be replaced. The second scanner had a paper jam while we were there, and we saw the Clerk (election poll manager) on her hands and knees working out the paper jam. This, of course, requires the opening of the box at the bottom of the scanner where all completed votes are stored, while the spoiled ballot that caused the paper jam is removed. All this needs to happen under the watchful eye of impartial observers.
The possibility of scanners failing at a peak hour in the voting location is, in my opinion, a weak link in the logistics of voting...
Continue below the fold for the outcome . . .
First, let me give you the rest of the email from my father:
The possibility of scanners failing at a peak hour in the voting location is, in my opinion, a weak link in the logistics of voting. With the record number of voters expected at the polls on November 4th more scanners are needed, at least 3 per location. Failing that, the organizers should have a team of technicians on call so they can provide rapid response when a precinct reports a scanner failure. My nightmare is that in some places both scanners will fail and the line of voters will grow longer and longer while someone tries to figure out how to fix the problem.
I pass this to you for information and dissemination if you think appropriate.
Cheers,
Papa
Since I'm a foot soldier in the Obama campaign, and have met a few people with connections to the political structure here in Collier County, I forwarded the email on (this was Monday evening). By Tuesday morning, I got a call from the head of Voter Protection here in our county, who told me that our Supervisor of Elections had been contacted, and she was sending out a new scanning machine to Immokalee (a largely minority community), and would be ensuring that the poll workers and watchers in that Early Voting location were encouraged to contact the SOE office for assistance at the first sign of trouble.
The good news (which is only reinforcing by example what I've been told by people on both sides) is that, at least in Collier County, we're going to have a fair vote, and every effort will be made to make sure every vote is counted. We have a great Supervisor of Elections in Jennifer Edwards, someone who is truly committed to the integrity of the process.
But the other significant point to take from this story is that it's important to raise every issue you see, and make sure that it's brought to someone's attention. It's possible that the pollwatcher is at lunch, and misses the complication, so isn't there to call in the problem. It's also possible that the Clerk doesn't want to be bothered to report a minor glitch, and might choose to let it slide. Speak out and make sure the issues are being raised, so they can be addressed. And if they can't be addressed, at least report them locally and here, so they can be documented for posterity.
I'm glad I live in a place where the local non-partisan infrastructure is committed to counting every vote. I hope you're in one of those places too. But even (or rather, especially) if you're not, familiarize yourself with local voter protection laws (find out more here) and most importantly, find your local Obama office info (start here) and report anything that seems out of place. If we all work together, we can make sure that everyone's voice is heard.