May 10, 2012

Potential perfect storm of changes await Idaho voters
Election officials work to prepare voters for what’s to come

Recently, an election official noted that “uncertainty is the enemy of election administration.”

This year in Idaho, which holds it’s primary on May 15, not only has uncertainty been an enemy, but so has change.

In addition to redistricting, the state legislature made several major changes to how Idahoans vote and that has left many local election officials scrambling to implement the changes and explain them to voters.

This year will be Idaho’s first-ever closed primary. Every voter will have to declare a party affiliation for the first time. About a week before the election, the secretary of state’s office figured that about 85 percent of the state’s voters had yet to officially declare a party.

“Redistricting and closed primaries have the potential of creating a perfect storm,” said Christopher Rich, clerk for Ada County. Read More…

May 16, 2012

State audit shows dead people, prisoners cast 1,500 votes
A state audit showing about 1,500 votes cast by dead people and prisoners during a period of less than three years ignited a debate Tuesday over whether voter fraud is a serious problem in Michigan. Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press.

Kasich’s signing of election law ‘repeal’ doesn’t end debate
Ohio’s march toward what’s expected to be a nationally watched 2012 election took an apparently unprecedented step Tuesday, one that could put election officials into court before a ballot is cast. Barry M. Hortsman, Cincinnati Enquirer.

Also in electionlineToday news from: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and Wisconsin (8:25 a.m. 05/16/12).