2010 Election

[Backstop]

I take it that most of us are "With the Tea Party" rather than "Against" them? LOL

You betcha.

[Ryan Ruck]

Wow, talk about a low-down act of desperation.

Democrats Release Republican's Social Security Number

September 21, 2010

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. -- Allen West would rather be talking about his military service or his ideas to revive the economy. But instead the Republican running for U.S. Congress is reeling from a Florida Democratic Party mailing that released his Social Security number and his wife’s federal employee number.

“It’s an attack against me and I think it shows the weakness of the character of Ron Klein and definitely the Florida Democratic party, to put a person’s personal security and safety at risk,” said West, “ And also affects my family as well.”

"This was a Florida Democratic Party mailer, and they have made clear that they will take appropriate action to rectify the situation,” wrote Sarah Rothschild of the Ron Klein campaign. “Allen West, on the other hand, continues to refuse to apologize to South Florida voters for claiming to stand for fiscal responsibility while refusing to pay his own bills."

"After making every effort to remove all of Allen West's private information, unlike West who refuses to apologize to Florida's taxpayers for not paying his taxes and his bills, we apologize for the oversight of not redacting this information from the public record included in the mailer," wrote Eric Jotkoff of the Florida Democratic Party. "To that end, while this mail piece does not explicitly identify any Social Security number, in order to stop the crazy West accusations, we will pay for identify theft monitoring for the next two years."

The Florida Democratic Party has offered to pay two years of ID theft monitoring for West. He said he will not accept their money.

[Backstop]

That's a real scum of the earth thing to do.

They knew damn well what they were doing, and they should be ashamed of themselves.

Good for Mr. West here.

I hope, in private, he told them to shove their tainted money.

The Florida Democratic Party has offered to pay two years of ID theft monitoring for West. He said he will not accept their money.

[American Patriot]

I think he SHOULD take their money and demand 20 years worth, as well as a hefty contribution to his campaign.

[vector7]

Obama: Democratic voter apathy 'inexcusable'

By BEN FELLER, AP White House Correspondent Ben Feller, Ap White House Correspondent Tue Sep 28, 7:02 am ET



WASHINGTON – Admonishing his own party, President Barack Obama says it would be "inexcusable" and "irresponsible" for unenthusiastic Democratic voters to sit out the midterm elections, warning that the consequences could be a squandered agenda for years.

"People need to shake off this lethargy. People need to buck up," Obama told Rolling Stone in an interview to be published Friday. The president told Democrats that making change happen is hard and "if people now want to take their ball and go home, that tells me folks weren't serious in the first place."

The midterm elections are in five weeks and polling shows that Republicans, out of power at the White House and on Capitol Hill, have a much more excited base of supporters than Democrats. Obama, campaigning this week in four states, is in a sprint to restore the voter passion that helped him win office.

[Video: Biden to Dems: Stop whining]

Yet in his attempt to light a fire under supporters, Obama comes across as fired up himself about how many backers fail to acknowledge the progress he sees. He said the glass-half-empty view among many progressive voters can be a debilitating force that distracts them from the real worry: Republicans.

The GOP is poised to win seats in the House, if not control of the chamber, and gain ground in the Senate, too.

"It is inexcusable for any Democrat or progressive right now to stand on the sidelines in this midterm election," Obama said.

The president has been telling Democrats to "wake up" and recognize that he and the Democratic-run Congress have delivered on promises, from a new health care law to tougher rules for Wall Street to more aid for college students. Obama wants disenchanted supporters to see that Republican wins in November would undermine the ability of Democrats to get the unfinished business done, from climate change legislation to allowing gays to serve openly in the military.

What emerges in the magazine story is a stern, lecturing tone from Obama.

It comes mainly at the end of the interview. Obama had wrapped the lengthy Q-and-A session, according to the magazine, but then returned unprompted to make one more impassioned point and unleash on the enthusiasm gap. He portrayed a clear choice between an administration that despite some warts has helped advance its agenda, and a Republican Party that would offer disastrous policies for the economy and civil liberties.

"The idea that we've got a lack of enthusiasm in the Democratic base, that people are sitting on their hands complaining, is just irresponsible," he said in the interview. He said Democrats should be thinking about what's at stake this election "if they want to move forward over the next two years or six years or 10 years."

The Rolling Stone interview was conducted Sept. 17. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the story, titled "Obama Fights Back."

Obama expresses plenty of disappointment over how Republicans made a tactical decision from the start to oppose him, but also offers some "grudging admiration" for its political effectiveness in keeping the GOP united. He said the resulting slog between Republicans and himself — legislative delays and political fighting reminiscent of the Washington he ran against — has worsened public skepticism of government and eroded the feeling of hope that surrounded his election.

The president said he keeps a checklist of his campaign promises and that he has met, by his account, about 70 percent of them.

As for the rest: "Well, that's what the next two years is for, or maybe the next six."

Obama would need to win re-election in 2012 for that latter timeframe to occur.

[vector7]

Carville: ‘Do-or-Die’ Time for Senate Democrats

Monday, 27 Sep 2010 02:33 PM
Article Font Size

Carville: ‘Do-or-Die’ Time for Senate Democrats

Monday, September 27, 2010 02:33 PM

By: Jim Meyers

Political strategist James Carville says Senate Democrats face a “do-or-die” deadline and desperately need contributions to stave off a looming defeat in November.

Carville voiced his concerns in an urgent fundraising e-mail he sent out on behalf of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.



He is asking Democrats to donate — even $5 — to combat “tea party fervor” and “Karl Rove’s Billionaire Corps,” and says if the DSCC misses its fundraising goal “you can count us out in November. Harsh, but true.”

Carville’s full e-mail follows:

"Tea Party fervor is at a fever pitch, and these races are as close as can be. 15 are within 5 points. Mitch McConnell is majority leader if they win 10, and money's no object. Karl Rove's Billionaire Corps is making sure of that.

The DSCC is facing a do-or-die deadline in 4 days, and the amount you - and every grassroots supporter - can give will determine how many Democrats get help in the final weeks. They still need to raise $585,985, and if you give now, each dollar will be matched.

"Missing this goal isn't an option. If we don't raise every nickel we're counting on, you can count us out in November. Harsh, but true.

"Fight back immediately with a gift of $5 or more to the DSCC! The DSCC must raise $585,985 in the next 4 days to hold back the Tea Party tide.

Every dollar you give will be matched, doubling your impact!

"Here's the caliber of political thought we'll get in the Senate if we don't fight back NOW:

• "Christine O'Donnell, Sarah Palin's pick in Delaware, thinks gay people suffer from mental illness.
• "Rand Paul in Kentucky doesn't think businesses should be forced to serve members of the public they don't like.
• "Ken Buck in Colorado might be the ultimate Tea Partier. He even supports repealing the 17th Amendment. You know, the one that lets people elect their own senators.
• "Sharron Angle in Nevada is so committed to the Tea Party cause, she's suggested the possibility of armed insurrection if conservatives don't win at the ballot box.

"At least five Republican Senate candidates — including all of those listed above — oppose a woman's right to choose, even in cases of rape and incest.

"In a normal year, these dangerous views might be enough to keep them out of office. But this ain't a normal election year. Tea Party groups are spending millions nationwide, and there's more money where that came from. Karl Rove's American Crossroads, for example, gets a whopping 91% of its money from a handful of billionaires. So much for "grassroots anger."

"The DSCC's nearly 500,000 donors are what stands between these radical candidates and the Senate. Every dollar you give will be matched and work twice as hard exposing their radical views. We're counting on your help to reach our goal by September 30.

"Fight back immediately with a gift of $5 or more to the DSCC! The DSCC must raise $585,985 in the next 4 days to hold back the Tea Party tide.

Every dollar you give will be matched, doubling your impact!

"I hate to say it, but these guys could win. Scratch that: they could win if we don't fight back with everything we've got. So what are you waiting for?"

[vector7]

Military Ballots Will Not Be Counted in NY and Chicago

In NY and Illinois, absentee military ballots were not sent out in time for our military servicemen and women to cast votes in this November's election.

CHICAGO (WLS) - The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether the state of Illinois missed the deadline for mailing absentee ballots to members of the military and other overseas American voters as part of a new federal overseas voting law.

Cris Cray, Director of Legislation at the Illinois State Board of Elections, says not all of Illinois' 110 jurisdictions were compliant with the 2009 Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE).

...Several New York counties including the five boroughs of New York City were found to be in violation of the deadline after the state was permitted by the Defense Department to move its deadline to Oct. 1 because the state's primary day was four days before the deadline.

The Justice Department settled a case with New Mexico Tuesday where six counties failed to mail ballots by the deadline.

Overseas ballots could be a deciding factor in Illinois' mid-term elections where recent polls show a tight U.S. Senate race between Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Alexi Giannoulias. Republican Bill Brady has an edge over Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn for governor.

[American Patriot]

As is the norm.....

[American Patriot]

Thread made sticky til after the election.

[American Patriot]

Listening to America: Plymouth, Flagstaff and Malibu voters speak out

by Laura Prabucki | October 15, 2010


American voters are the ones who put politicians in office.


But many times, their voices are silent. We don't hear what they have to say. Instead we hear from pundits and consultants and former lawmakers.


Here on Fox News, we are listening to America... what people have to say about important issues that influence their vote.


In our fourth and final segment, we spoke to voters at diner in Plymouth, MA, people on the streets of downtown Flagstaff, AZ and beach goers in Malibu, CA.


Here are their thoughts on the recession, buying American made products and what Washington can do to regain their trust.

Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com

Filed In

Economy

Arizona

California

Massachusetts

Days to Decide (2010 Election

Read more: http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/20...#ixzz12RKM7EBZ

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FIRST LADY CAMPAIGNS INSIDE POLLING PLACE

Thu Oct 14 2010 16:19:25 ET



First lady Michelle Obama appears to have violated Illinois law -- when she engaged in political discussion at a polling place!

The drama began after Mrs. Obama stopped off at the Martin Luther King Center on the south side of Chicago to cast an early vote.

After finishing at the machine, Obama went back to the desk and handed in her voting key.

She let voters including electrician Dennis Campbell, 56, take some photos.

"She was telling me how important it was to vote to keep her husband's agenda going," Campbell said.

According to a pool reporter from the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES at the scene, the conversation took place IN the voting center not far from the booths.

Illinois state law -- Sec. 17-29 (a) -- states: "No judge of election, pollwatcher, or other person shall, at any primary or election, do any electioneering or soliciting of votes or engage in any political discussion within any polling place, within 100 feet of any polling place."

A top Ilinois State Board of Elections official tells the DRUDGE REPORT how Mrs. Obama may have simply been ignorant of the law and thus violated it unintentionally.

"You kind of have to drop the standard for the first lady, right?" the official explained late Thursday. "I mean, she's pretty well liked and probably doesn't know what she's doing."

WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS ELECTIONEERING

When questioned about the brazen nature of Mrs. Obama's campaigning, press secretary Robert Gibbs defended the action.

"I don't think it would be much to imagine, the First Lady might support her husband's agenda," Gibbs smiled.

Developing...

[vector7]

Leaked memo shows union plan to hijack elections

October 21st, 2010 11:05 am ET



Union activists take to the streets for Leftwing candidates

A memo leaded to the media from AFL-CIO shows the union plan to attempt to hijack the upcoming November elections. The National Right to Work Committee seized the news of the memo in order to alert voters of the campaign to stop union thuggery during elections.

According to the internal memo, the big labor unions plan to suspend normal operations in order to undertake a massive national blitz in the run-up to November 2.

All normal union operations will be brought to a halt. 2000 national union staff and 3000 local union personnel will be deployed around the country to work full-time on Leftwing campaigns until the election. Tens of millions of phone calls will be made in order to attack right-to-work candidates. At least 4 million pieces of mail PER WEEK will be sent to voters. These mailouts are designed to smear and malign candidates who oppose the ominous 'card check' plan and other underhanded union power-grabs.

It is to be noted that unions across the board such as AFL-CIO, SEIU, etc, wish to outlaw the secret ballot. The secret ballot is the cornerstone of fair elections in our republic and other free nations around the world. But the unions wish to ban it, forcing workers to go public with their votes on whether or not to unionize.

In addition, union thugs of the SEIU were notorious for intimidating voters across the country in the 2008 presidential election. Working in tandem with ACORN, these goons also attempted to prevent citizens from gaining access to the now-infamous town hall meetings during the summer of 2009, during which constituents blasted their Congressmen and Senators for their support of Obama-sponsored legislation.

A few of these encounters resulted in high profile cases in the news, during which citizens were attacked and beaten by union thugs at the town hall meetings.

In addition, the New Black Panthers joined in the intimidation by forming blockades around polling places in certain areas of the country, preventing certain voters from entering voting areas.

Apparently the minions of the Leftwing intend to conduct campaigns of intimidation again in 2010.

Already reports are coming in about voter fraud and election tampering. In New York, Illinois, North Carolina, and other states, reports have surfaced indicating the illegal failure to send out ballots to military personnel overseas, voting machines that automatically cast a vote for the Democratic candidate, and other shenanigans indicating that Leftwing extremists wish to steal yet another election for Marxists.

Honorable voters can help stop this madness by refusing to be intimidated. Get out and vote no matter what. Report all suspicious behavior to the proper authorities. Volunteer to be a poll-watcher.

Citizens do not need to feel forced to endure the illegal, subversive, and bullying tactics of Leftwing operatives in this election.

[vector7]

Illegal Aliens Canvass for Votes in Wash. State

Published October 22, 2010 | Associated Press

Oct. 16: Maria Gianni, an illegal immigrant, poses for a portrait at a phone bank in Seattle being used by OneAmerica Votes.

SEATTLE -- When Maria Gianni is knocking on voters' doors, she's not bashful about telling people she is in the country illegally. She knows it's a risk to advertise to strangers that she's here illegally -- but one worth taking in what she sees as a crucial election.

The 42-year-old is one of dozens of volunteers -- many of them illegal immigrants -- canvassing neighborhoods in the Seattle area trying to get naturalized citizens to cast a ballot for candidates like Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, who is in a neck-to-neck race with Republican Dino Rossi.

Pramila Jayapal, head of OneAmerica Votes, says the campaign is about empowering immigrants who may not feel like they can contribute to a campaign because they can't vote.

"Immigrants really do matter," Jayapal said. "If we can't vote ourselves, we're gonna knock on doors, or get family members to vote."

So far the illegal immigrants going door-to-door aren't meeting opposition. Craig Keller, an organizer for Respect WA, a group pushing for stricter immigration law in the Washington, said he doesn't mind illegal immigrants volunteering for vote drives, he just wants to make sure mistakes on the voter rolls don't allow them to vote.

"Anybody can go out and wave a sign, but when it comes to who's making the choices, there's no question they need to be citizens," Keller said.

In close elections across the country, the immigrant and minority vote is considered key for candidates, especially Democrats.

Earlier this week in Nevada, a television ad urging Latinos not to vote sparked outcry from Democrats, who called it a dirty trick meant to keep Hispanics home and boost Republican candidates. Univision and Telemundo -- the nation's two largest Spanish-language networks -- canceled the ad, which the Republican group Latinos for Reform had planned to eventually run in Nevada, Florida, California, Texas and Colorado through the Nov. 2 election.

Seattle is home to a wide array of immigrant communities, from Latinos to east Africans and Asians.

Congress declined this year to consider overhauling the country's immigration law, much to the chagrin of immigrant advocates who had expected Democrats to do so by now.

Still, OneAmerica Votes launched one of the largest get-out-the-vote campaigns in the state on behalf of Democratic candidates. The organization is an offshoot of OneAmerica, one of the state's largest and the most influential immigrant-rights advocacy group.

Through home visits, phone banks and mailings the organization is aiming to reach about 40,000 registered voters in the Seattle area in an attempt to help Democrats gain ground in key races. Volunteers include other types of people who can't vote, such as legal permanent residents.

About 150 volunteers rolled out in nine cities across Washington this past week, knocking on 3,000 doors.

In Bellevue, a city of nearly 123,000 east of Seattle, Gianni knocked on 25 doors and spoke to 15 people, she said.

One man, a naturalized citizen from the Philippines, said he knew what she was going through after she shared she was in the country illegally.

"There's always a risk," Gianni said in Spanish about her legal status. "But if there's a change, I would feel like I contributed, even in a small part, to a change we all need."

Gianni arrived in the United States on a visa 13 years ago looking for work and stayed. For a while her only son lived here, but has since moved back to Mexico.

"In order for there to be a change to our broken immigration system," she said, "I believe one has to fight."

[American Patriot]

Sticky on the board. It's at the top of the list. Stuck there, thus, "Sticky".

[vector7]

Obama assails GOP on clouded final campaign push

Obama: Republicans "Gotta Sit in the Back"

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent David Espo, Ap Special Correspondent – Mon Oct 25, 7:05 pm ET


AFP – US President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks at the Providence Convention Center during a rally for …


WOONSOCKET, R.I. - Barack Obama attacked Republicans with gusto Monday as he plunged into a final week of midterm election campaigning, but his party's prognosis remained darkened by the feeble economy and his itinerary was designed largely to minimize losses.

Nor was his greeting totally friendly in Rhode Island where Obama has pointedly declined to endorse his candidate for governor.

Obama can "take his endorsement and shove it," declared Democrat Frank Caprio, battling Republican-turned-independent Lincoln Chafee in a gubernatorial race rated tight in the polls. Chafee endorsed Obama during the 2008 campaign for the White House.

In a little more than five hours in the state, Obama was booked for a factory tour and for a pair of fundraisers that party officials said would bring in $500,000.

He said Republicans had driven the economy into a ditch and then stood by and criticized while Democrats pulled it out. Now that progress has been made, he said, "we can't have special interests sitting shotgun. We gotta have middle class families up in front. We don't mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back."

Democrats relied on more than the president's time to boost their chances in the final days of the campaign. There was the matter of federal funds, too, in the form of hundreds of millions in grants announced during the day to provide high speed rail service in California, between Chicago and Iowa, and elsewhere. Administration officials left it to Democratic lawmakers to make the announcements, and they did, stressing the job-creating potential of the expansions.
Eight days before the election, the principal uncertainty concerned the size and scope of anticipated Democratic losses in the House, the Senate, governor's races and state legislatures.

An Associated Press-GfK Poll showed that perhaps one-third of all voters have yet to firmly settle on their choices. But that wasn't encouraging for the Democrats, either. Some 45 percent of them prefer the Republican candidate for the House, and 38 percent like the Democrat.

The president arrived as official figures showed more than 6.5 million ballots already have been cast in the 25 states where early voting is permitted or where absentees have been counted, underscoring the importance of get-out-the-vote programs that now begin long before Election Day.

Democrats have invested heavily in such efforts and are counting on them to help tip close races their way in states like Nevada, where Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid faces tea party-backed challenger Sharron Angle. Republicans are counting on campaign enthusiasm — polls agree their voters are more eager to cast ballots than Democrats — as well as their own get-out-the-vote efforts.

Even Democrats concede Republicans are poised for significant gains in Congress, and GOP officials are particularly optimistic about their chances for taking control of the House.



Ask America: Learn. Listen. Be heard.


Ask America

Election forum

The Fast Fix

Map snapshot

Based on opinion polls and the private assessments of strategists in both parties, it appears Republicans have effectively secured about two dozen of the 40 seats they need to win control of the House.
That leaves dozens of seats where races are competitive in the House and a half-dozen or so in the Senate. Republicans also look for statehouse gains.

Obama's choice of Rhode Island for his one-day trip was partially to raise money for Democratic House candidates elsewhere in the country. Officials said the $500,000 would be split between Providence Mayor David Cicilline, who is running for the House, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The state has two House seats, one held by Democratic Rep. James Langevin, an incumbent in no apparent difficulty; the other being vacated by Democratic Rep. Patrick Kennedy. There, Cicilline is running against Republican John Loughlin in a heavily Democratic state.

The state's unemployment is measured at 11.5 percent, the fourth highest in the country. In his first stop, the president visited a company that makes buckles and straps for outdoor and travel gear, saying he and the Democrats in Congress have cut small business taxes 16 times in 20 months. Republicans "talk a good game" when it comes to tax cuts, he said, but in fact they opposed several bills he labored to get passed.

"It's not enough to just play politics," he said. "You can't focus on the next election. You've got to focus on the next generation."

Caprio called Obama's rebuff "Washington insider politics at its worst." Rhode Island's congressional delegation expressed disapproval about Caprio's remarks, but the executive director of the Democratic Governors Association said the president's decision was disappointing.

"Frank Caprio has spent his career fighting for the values of the Democratic Party. He deserves the full support of our party and its leaders," said executive director Nathan Daschle.

If anything, the White House made it clearer that Caprio will not get Obama's endorsement. "Out of respect for his friend Lincoln Chafee, the president decided not to get involved in this race," said White House spokesman Bill Burton. It was the first time the White House had cited Chafee as the reason for Obama's non-endorsement of a Democrat.

White House aides also arranged for Obama to tour a factory as part of a campaign-long effort to showcase efforts by his administration and the Democratic-controlled Congress to assist small businesses. In a conference call to reporters on Sunday night, they said American Cord & Webbing had been able to hire back all of the employees laid off last year and was planning on hiring more. They said the company won approval from the Small Business Administration last month for a loan to make possible an expansion of the facility.

Coast to coast, the multimillion-dollar ad war continued unabated.
The Republican Senate campaign committee announced it would put $3 million into a final-week fleet of ads designed to help Carly Fiorina defeat Sen. Barbara Boxer in a California race that is close in the polls.
Democrats hastened to Reid's side in Nevada. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., became the latest lawmaker to send out an urgent e-mail fundraising appeal for the top Democrat.

It said the same wealthy Texans who attacked his Vietnam War record during the 2004 presidential campaign were now aiming at Reid. "These guys will say anything and spend anything to get what they want," Kerry wrote.

Obama was returning to the White House for a few days before resuming campaigning at week's end. His itinerary then will include Bridgeport, Conn., where party officials are hoping he can mobilize African-Americans whose votes are needed in races for the Senate and governor, as well as a re-election bid by Democratic Rep. Jim Himes.

Obama also will campaign in Pennsylvania, where polls show Rep. Joe Sestak in a close race with Republican Pat Toomey — for a Senate seat that Democrats currently hold. Similarly, there are numerous Democratic-held House seats in the state that Obama is working to hold.

Later stops are in Ohio, where Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland is struggling to win a new term against Republican challenger John Kasich, and the president's home state of Illinois, where polls show both a Senate seat and the governor's office are in danger of falling to the Republicans.

[vector7]

Obama to Latinos: ‘Punish Our Enemies’

[American Patriot]

What part of "Middle Class families ARE a special interest group" doesn't he get?

[Ryan Ruck]

Jeez... You know how dangerous this man would be if we didn't have the Constitution and system of government we do?

[American Patriot]

Yes.

[vector7]

Voter reports problem with ballot machine

Man said he voted straight-party (Republican) ticket and got opposite results


October 23, 2010 4:00 PM

P. Christine Smith
Sun Journal Staff


Martha Alligood helps a voter with curbside voting outside of the Board of Elections on Friday. M. Ray Wood, the Board of Elections chairman, has acknowledged isolated incidents where voters chose to vote straight-party ticket and got opposite results.

A Craven County voter says he had a near miss at the polls on Thursday when an electronic voting machine completed his straight-party ticket for the opposite of what he intended.

Sam Laughinghouse of New Bern said he pushed the button to vote Republican in all races, but the voting machine screen displayed a ballot with all Democrats checked. He cleared the screen and tried again with the same result, he said. Then he asked for and received help from election staff.

“They pushed it twice and the same thing happened,” Laughinghouse said. “That was four times in a row. The fifth time they pushed it and the Republicans came up and I voted.”

M. Ray Wood, Craven County Board of elections chairman, issued a written statement saying that the elections board is aware of isolated issues and that in each case the voter was able to cast his or her ballot as desired.

Chuck Tyson, chairman of Craven County GOP, remains skeptical. He has been communicating with Wood about the issue and was invited to a meeting Wednesday with state elections officials. There were no further details about that meeting.

“Something is not right here,” Tyson told the Sun Journal. He said he “got two or three calls” from people describing the same problem while they were voting.

“I’ll be matter of fact, I didn’t find that press release satisfactory,” Tyson said, referring to Wood’s written statement.

Tyson reported other problems as well, including long lines waiting for just two voting machines in Havelock, and machines reporting 250 ballots cast where 400 voters had signed in to vote.

Laughinghouse cast his ballot at the county administration building at about 2:30 p.m., he said. After voting, he located a Republican worker on site and asked to speak with her about his voting machine issue. A man interrupted, he said, directing Laughinghouse to talk with him instead. That man said the machine likely needed to be calibrated, Laughinghouse said, and set about the method to do so.

“Each morning every voting unit is calibrated as per manufacturer instructions by trained election rovers,” Wood’s statement said. “These individuals are also working throughout the county each day to assist one-stop officials with any issues that arise during the course of voting.”

Laughinghouse advises voters to carefully check their ballots before confirming to ensure that the machine is logging each vote as intended.
“If you’re in a hurry, you may just push the button and not notice it,” he said.

He has become suspicious of voter fraud because of news reports he has heard. He would prefer voting machines to display an error message when they need to be calibrated, as opposed to completing ballots for the opposite party, he said.

“I’m all for our country and we know there has been voter fraud before and it continues even today,” Laughinghouse said. “So you get suspicious when something like this happens.”

The elections board also encourages voters to check their ballots carefully and to report any problems to poll staff before confirming the electronic ballot.

“It is our desire to provide the citizens of Craven County with the most honest and fair election possible,” Wood’s statement said. “With that in mind and because we seek to maintain the privacy of all voters whenever possible, we ask any voter, while in the act of voting, notify an election official immediately should they experience any difficulties in casting their ballot.”

Wood was unavailable to expand on his written comments on Friday afternoon, as he was in a conference, an elections office employee said. He did not return a phone message seeking additional comment as of press time.

Tyson said he’d like it if Craven County would scrap its voting machines.
“They never work, they’re late reporting, they screw up, they ain’t worth a damn and we ought to go back to paper ballots,” he said.

P. Christine Smith can be reached at 252-635-5666 or pcsmith@freedomenc.com.