Voting official seeks process for canceling Election Day over terrorism

[BurtWorm]

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/06/26/election2004/21_17_566_25_04.txt

By: ERICA WERNER - Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- The government needs to establish guidelines for canceling or rescheduling elections if terrorists strike the United States again, says the chairman of a new federal voting commission.

Such guidelines do not currently exist, said DeForest B. Soaries, head of the voting panel.

Soaries was appointed to the federal Election Assistance Commission last year by President Bush. Soaries said he wrote to National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge in April to raise the concerns.

"I am still awaiting their response," he said. "Thus far we have not begun any meaningful discussion." Spokesmen for Rice and Ridge did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
....

[mike_c]

1. uh oh....

So it begins....

[southernleftylady]

2. Thats exactly what I thought "here it goes.." n/t

[PaDUer]

5. Let's HOPE the spineless D's

stand UP this time around for themselves!!

[BurtWorm]

9. That's kind of like what my wife said.

We just saw F911 tonight and she thought immediately of Daschle's collaborating on IWR. The Black Congressional Caucus's rebuke by the Senate also comes to mind. :grr:

[Individualist]

72. It's disgusting

Patrick Henry said "Give me liberty or give me death". Tom Daschle received anthrax in his mail and has been cowering like a scared rabbit ever since. :puke:

[PaDUer]

3. Are we really surprised? n/t

[Coventina]

4. WE HAD ELECTIONS DURING THE CIVIL WAR!!!!!!!

If they try to cancel or delay the elections I will march on Washington!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That would be the biggest confirmation of MIHOP/LIHOP there could possibly be!!!

[Renew Deal]

7. March? Marching wouldn't be enough.

Get your riot gear. It would be time for a party.

[PaDUer]

8. Desperados..

remember how they planned before he stole the WH, well, from what I've seen posted on various subjects, they're going right along with what they want because they KNOW the FIX is IN!! Time to move elsewhere!

[BurtWorm]

17. I will be there too.

:grr:

[malatesta1137]

6. totally disagree.

we should not only cancel this election but all elections. Only God can choose our leader, and HE has already chosen BUSH, elections would only give comfort to terrorists. You are either in favor of this reasoning or you are a member of al-Qaeda.

[PaDUer]

12. What are you on? n/t

[malatesta1137]

15. I didn't think

adding <sarcasm> to my post would be neccessary, but I was wrong.

[Renew Deal]

30. lol

;)

[AntiCoup2K4]

42. When did God change His name to Fat Tony Scalia?

;)

[Fleshdancer]

67. lol! Well Jerry Fallwell DID say that God wants Bush to win

I want to disagree with your post, but I really don't want to be declared an enemy combatant at this time...not with a holiday weekend so close and all.

;)

[southernleftylady]

10. I dont think Americans will stand by and let this happen again...

I really dont. I hate to use this but its sorta like the plane that crashed in the field on 9/11 they knew what was going on and they knew what happened to the other planes so they didnt just sit back .. they faught... and we know what happened last election and we arent going to let it happen again... but thats just my thoughts on it

[BurtWorm]

14. I can only hope you're right.

But it felt awfully lonely during the Voter's March on May 19, 2001 in DC. There was a crowd of us, but not nearly enough to make the world sit up and take notice. But I'll be out there if something like this happens.

[PaDUer]

19. I was there with you....

wonder IF the people will stay home again?!

[southernleftylady]

21. I doubt it I really do! I think people are WAY TOO PISSED to sit by this .

time arround..

[adadem]

28. I was, too

We weren't alone - only ignored by the media.

Watching F911 brought it all back and this time if it happens, God save us, everyone will take to the streets.

[Lex]

11. Oh shit. "for CANCELING *or* rescheduling elections"

WTF does that mean? CANCELING (!) or rescheduling . . .

[xxqqqzme]

13. Let me C - so we only need 2 worry about

a terrorist strike on ONE day every FOUR years? How convenient. How fortunate we R 2 have such a concerned public servant...............rat bastards

[cosmokramer]

16. We had elections during C.War...but we would HAVE a civil war...

...if this were enacted.

Perhaps the 'right to bear arms' will mean something we never thought it could...

[Q3JR4]

18. Reading the article further

I see that that's exactly what we need...a national vote czar also appointed by our resident interloper. Can anyone say Florida on a national level?

[jukes]

20. this is very bad.

they are not going to give up the coup. we're in for some very violent times.

[PaDUer]

22. You've got that right...

which convention?

[BurtWorm]

23. Who is DeForest B. Soaries?

:wtf:

http://fbcsomerset.com/about/staff/senior.shtml


DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, New Jersey. Since assuming the leadership of First Baptist in November 1990, the church membership has grown from 1,500 to 6,000 members.

A pioneer of faith-based community development, Rev. Soaries has led First Baptist in the construction of a new $17 million church complex. He has also led the church in forming many not-for-profit entities to serve the community including the First Baptist Community Development Corporation; the Renaissance Community Development Credit Union; CDC Properties Housing Corporation; Renaissance Education & Technology Academy; and Harvest of Hope Family Services Network.

Internationally renowned as a speaker, author and advocate for youth, Rev. Soaries was invited by Coretta Scott King to be the featured speaker at the official Year 2000 Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday celebration in Atlanta, Georgia.
Prior to serving at First Baptist, Rev. Soaries was the Assistant Pastor of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton, New Jersey. Active in community life since his youth, Rev. Soaries worked for the Urban League and Operation PUSH while he was a college student.

From January 12, 1999 to January 15, 2002 Rev. Soaries served as New Jersey's 30th Secretary of State. Appointed by former Governor Christine Todd Whitman, he brought new energy to the Department of State and its mission to preserve the story of New Jersey and its citizenry through the arts, history and culture of the state. Not only did he manage one of the premier departments of state government but he also served as an advisor to the governor on issues that transcended traditional departmental lines. Perhaps his most significant accomplishment was the creation and implementation of "V-FREE," an innovative, statewide, youth-led violence prevention strategy that contributed to a reduction in school violence.

An ardent believer in the power and importance of education, Soaries earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Fordham University; a Master of Divinity Degree from Princeton Theological Seminary; and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from United Theological Seminary. He has also received five honorary Doctorate degrees from institutions of higher learning. Additionally, Rev. Soaries has taught courses at Princeton Theological Seminary, Drew University Theological School, Kean University, and Mercer County College.

Dr. Soaries has received numerous awards for his leadership and community service. He was recently recognized by the Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, California with the Kilgore Award for Creative Ministry. This award is presented annually for outstanding and innovative ministry.

Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, Rev. Soaries resides in Franklin Park, New Jersey with his wife, Donna and twin sons, Malcolm and Martin.

[BurtWorm]

26. BBV's take on Dr. Soaries

From BBV's forum:

http://blackboxvoting.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=195

More Security Needed For Voting Machines
Posted on Wednesday, June 09 @ 01:28:47 CDT by David
Voting Commission Head Calls for More Security for Electronic Voting
AP Wire

The head of a federal voting commission called Tuesday for tougher security measures for electronic voting by the November elections, but said the issue of requiring paper receipts as backup needs further study.

DeForest B. Soaries, chairman of the Election Assistance Commission, said he wants election officials to be able to analyze software source code in the electronic systems they pay for, which some vendors have resisted.

They are resisting because they have the same problems Diebold has, bad software design. Once people get a look at the source code they are toast.

In an interview before the speech, Soaries said the issue of paper ballots that voters can verify - perhaps the most-debated aspect of the controversy over electronic voting - requires more study and that calling for such receipts by November would be unrealistic. He said it was possible the panel would recommend paper ballots in the future.

"If there was unanimity among scholars and scientists on the paper issue it would be a more compelling case," Soaries said. "All of the research, all of the testimony we've received, all the writings that I've read argue for more research."

Huh? Could somebody please provide me with a list of computer scientists and scholars who oppose a paper ballot. (Please exclude anyone working for the BBV industry).

Some critics of electronic voting also want vendors to make their software source codes public so they can be widely scrutinized for security flaws. Soaries said he wasn't prepared to ask software developers to release such proprietary information. But he said he wants the commission to urge vendors to share their source codes with local election officials who use federal money for electronic voting machines.

Unacceptable. There must be a federal law requiring disclosure. The law must state that any problems with the software MUST be made public. NO MORE SECRETS!

Please drop Mr. Soaries a line at:

[e-mail]

Ask him to give us the name of "scientists and scholars" opposed to paper ballots. Explain to him that the BBV indutsry MUST be compelled by law to disclose and correct errors in its software as they are found.

[asjr]

24. It looks like Mr. Soaries has let the cat out

of the bag. I don't think the citizens are going to like this. It reminds me of my hometown in 1946-47 after the GIs came back from WW2. There was a political machine that had the county wrapped up for years and thought they could go on forever. There was a mini-war there between the GIs and the machine. They went to battle stations, were armed and brought the machine down. It made headlines in all the major newspapers. Unfortunately the machine was run by Democrats and ever since then the county has been solid Republican. Same thing could happen again on a much larger scale.

[zelda7743]

25. This is hilarious....

"Soaries said his bipartisan, four-member commission might make a recommendation to Congress about setting up guidelies."

A simple typo pretty much sums up the whole thing....guidelies.

[HootieMcBoob]

27. We had elections canceled on 9/11 in NYC

In fact both planes smashed into the WTC while I was in the school voting. I saw huge plumes of smoke as I left the school and crossed the street to see the horror! We had to go back a few weeks later to vote again. I don't think there were any precedents for what happened that day there were no rules. They just rescheduled the voting. We went back a few weeks later and everybody voted again. That's how we ended up with that asshole Bloomberg.

[BurtWorm]

31. That's right. We could have ended up with Giuliani through March

2002, contrary to the rules. But way wiser heads prevailed upon His Majesty to go get stinking rich in the corporate sector instead.

[TOhioLiberal]

29. here we go!!!

Quote:
Such guidelines do not currently exist, said DeForest B. Soaries, head of the voting panel.

<snip>

The Guidelines don't EXIST?? Why the hell not...Oh yeah thats right, because we've never had to postpone elections, you numb skull!

(sarcasm)

[TacticalPeek]

32. Kick. n/t

[jukes]

33. kicking this

i think it's extremely important to see what might be coming.







:kick:

[jukes]

34. & another

:kick:

[harrison]

35. Kerry needs to address this issue NOW!

[Solly Mack]

36. I would really like to be shocked by this

the way we never were and all that....

[BiggJawn]

37. Just like the PNAC website, they lay it out for us....

And then laugh their asses off when we say "That could NEVER happen! The People wouldn't STAND for it!"

They spread the rumour that there will be full-penetration sex on "Survivor" and then do their evil while we all crowd around the Glass Tit....

[Cats Against Frist]

38. Wow. It's amazing when the tinfoil stuff pans out

I honestly thought as low as the administration is, that they wouldn't willingly screw with the election.

Maybe David Icke is right and Bush IS a shape-shifting reptilian from outer space.

[htuttle]

39. Time to buy more ammo

Hey, calm down! November is deer hunting season up here -- what did you think I meant?

[devinsgram]

40. This just shows that they are hoping

for another terror attack. How desperate and pathetic can they be. Actually hoping for more of our people to die so they can stay in power. These are sick, sick, sick non-humans.

[Walt Starr]

41. BUY GUNS NOW!!!!

Most people should own one shotgun per household member. Stick to the same guage. Buy lots of shells. Buy lots of shot, powder, wads, and a reloading machine. Get numerous caps as well.

Stock up. This may be your last hope for survival after this fall.

[funkybutt]

65. are you serious?

Our household has several shotguns...but i just don't really see how that would help.

[Walt Starr]

66. Prepare for the chaos that a move like CANCELING elections

would cause!

Sounds like you're close to being set.

[funkybutt]

79. so who would i be protecting myself from

or are you suggesting that we storm federal offices with shotguns ect?

[Walt Starr]

80. You and every other liberal will need to protect themselves from

Marauding riughtwingnuts, because they will take the declaration of martial law as license to kill.

[Walt Starr]

43. Buy your guns now kick!

:kick:

I'm getting a new shotgun tomorrow!

[AntiCoup2K4]

44. Seems this link was pulled.....

Is this standard operating procedure for the NC Times to pull a 4 day old story, or did they say too much and get orders from the Reich?

[BurtWorm]

45. The same AP story is at this link

http://mb4.theinsiders.com/faccboardsfrm1.showMessage?topicID=26193.topic

[BurtWorm]

47. And here's another link

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0604/155415.html

[sybylla]

48. That's interesting - I just loaded it

and sent the link around to all my dem friends.

[u2spirit]

46. If this happens

It's literally time for torches and pitchforks. This makes me sick to me stomach.

[asthmaticeog]

49. kick

[LuminousX]

50. New York was still able to have its mayoral election

Nothing should stop an election... Nothing.

[soup]

59. Hurricanes or other natural disasters

I've been searching, without much luck, for provisions in coastal states' election laws dealing with hurricanes. Haven't been able to find the pertinent statutes.

This is the only thing I've found so far (and it's a Russian site):

"The coastal states in the United States, such as North Carolina or Florida, have emergency provisions in their state election law that allow their election commission to suspend or adjourn an election in whole or in part due to «acts of god» according to specific criteria."
http://democracy.ru/english/library/comments/analysis_pres_el_draft_law/page2.html

Off to dig deeper in the statutes.

[LuminousX]

51. If they halt elections

we need to go to the county seats and demand that they take our votes.

If they halt the elections, I can see it leading to civil war.

[LuminousX]

52. Worst Case Scenarios

Let's say Chicago and Houston suffer a massive 9/11 style or worse terrorist attack. Why would that prevent the rest of Illinois or Texas, let alone the rest of the country from voting?

yeah, people would be devestated and turnout would suck, but the election needn't be halted.

This is very frightening to me.

[BurtWorm]

54. You know something, though, to reduce the level of alarm in this thread...

Having been in New York on 9/11, which was also a primary election day, I have to say that if a city is attacked, elections are impossible to hold. Whole portions of a city can be disenfranchised. Thus it makes sense to have a contingency in the event of such a disruption. However, the contingency should only be implemented if the election cannot be held because of disruptions that make it impossible for them to be held on schedule, and it should only hold for cities or districts that are directly effected. There's no reason whatever for San Francisco to go off schedule if it's Los Angeles that is in a state of emergency.

Thus, it's actually wise to have a contingency in place. But the word "cancel" was very poorly chosen. Elections should never be cancelled, only postponed. And the purpose of a contingency plan should be to resume the schedule as seamlessly as possible. For example, New York held its primary elections two weeks after 9/11. This meant a general election campaign that was abbreviated by two weeks; the general election date did not move. And Rudy Giuliani's offer to stay on as mayor till March was roundly rejected. That suggestion actually marked the beginning of the end of his period of sainthood.

[LeftHander]

56. Worse Yet...

What ever attack is orchestrated by "terrorists" it will take out most of the opposition (Democrats). It could be played as the "terrorists" trying to destroy our Democracy and that postponing election would be the most fair to allow time to identify a new "opposition" candidate which by then the voting process will be completely rigged.

Remember the anthrax letters during 911. "They" (terrorists?) tried to take out Dem leadership then. Why would any new attack be different.

Come on Plame Indictments. Please happen before conventions.

[Walt Starr]

53. Annie, get your guns!

:kick:

[GreenPartyVoter]

55. Oh, man!

[tom_paine]

57. The first shoe drops. Expect the second to drop in San Francisco later

this year, probably between Aug.-Oct, but I wouldn't rule out July for LIHOP #2: The Busheviks got the Jews and Blacks 3 years ago, now it's time for the Gays to be Terrorized, Bush-Bin Laden style.

Heads down, San Fransciscans, the Bushes and the Bin Ladens are in complete agreement on why they hate gays.

[soup]

61. Remember this?

11/13/03

Jeb Bush jokes people of San Francisco may be endangered
Mayor Willie Brown laughs it off

By JACKIE HALLIFAX
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Gov. Jeb Bush joked during a Florida Cabinet meeting Wednesday that the people of San Francisco may be endangered and, "That's probably good news for the country."

The subject was environmental land and Bush was looking at a map showing locations with a lot of different wildlife.

"It looks like the people of San Francisco are an endangered species, which may not be a bad thing. That's probably good news for the country."

People in the room broke into laughter

"Did I just say that out loud?" the governor asked.

http://ajc.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&expire=&urlID=8243099&fb=Y&partnerID=552

[tom_paine]

63. They are as open, ithe their own way, withtheir hatreds, as the Nazis

Just that in a different country with different traditions, different mores, in a different time, Jeb and the rest of the Busheviks must express it like this.

Yes, he will likely be smiling when LIHOP #2 occurs. And watching it from the start, as his Imperial Brother "saw the first plane hit".

Actually, I think Bunnypants* was actually telling the truth that time. He DID see the first plane hit.

It always amazes me for the victims of Tyranny to laugh and yukk it up with the Tyrants, even as said Tyrants reveal their Monstrous Minds.

Yah, SURE it was a joke.

Fucking Monsters!

[Walt Starr]

58. Kick for guns

CANCELING ELECTIONS!!!!

What a fascist concept!

Buy guns now!

[BurtWorm]

60. Walt, you're beginning to sound like Paul Ford in the Russians Are Coming,

the Russians Are Coming! ;)

[Walt Starr]

64. Just warning people

because the first thing that will happen in declared martial law will be to remove access to purchasing guns.

This is why I suggest shotguns as they are more difficult to try and remove from the general populace.

[GiovanniC]

69. Maybe Paul Revere

n/t

[TWiley]

62. How can an unelected A-HOLE be unelected?

The power that put him there illegitimately is only stronger today than it was 4 years ago. I have deep skepticism concerning the fairness of this next election. With the gerrymandering, screwball voting machines, homeland security, a full array of bush appointees (Kathleen Harris's one and all), and a leadership devoid of morality or even common decency.

I always felt that if things go wrong (for him) on election day, that he would resort to Martial Law and cancel the elections. There are plenty of RW gun nuts organized in militia's, church groups, and racist organizations that would be all to happy to pull the trigger for Jesus.

At any rate, I fully expect the banana republic tactics of the last election to be far more dirty and widespread this time.

[Endangered Specie]

68. Cancelling elections???? thats just poor form...

the trend nowadays in modern dictatorships is to at least still let your people vote (just 'persuade' them).

Sheesh, come on people, just plain cancelling... thats so 1930's.

</bad sarcacism>

[aden_nak]

70. Electoral Terrorism

I'm just waiting for it. On November 3rd, Rummy's going to come on television and announce:

"al Queda members may have tampered with the ballots in order to throw the election for Kerry, because these terrorists know that their most fearsome enemy is a nation united behind George W. Bush. In light of this unprecidented assault on Freedom and Democracy, the task of recouting and verifying the ballots will be performed directly by the Department of Defense. Dr. Kissenger has been appointed to oversee the operation to ensure an accurate count."

[chimpy the poopthrower]

71. Actually, disaster recovery plans for elections ARE needed...

...in my opinion. Terrorist acts are just one of many things that can go wrong. I'd rather get the procedures hammered out now than have something happen on election day and be thrown into chaos. I agree that the thought of cancelling elections is outrageous and terrifying. But we do need to think about how we would get elections back on track if something were to happen. And that's something that needs to be discusses mainly at local levels.

[cthrumatrix]

73. when you can't win with lies....you cheat (just like the 2000 election)

[Cicero]

74. It would have to take an Act of Congress

Article II, Section 1, Para. 4:

The Congress may determine the time of choosing the electors, and the day on which they shall give their votes; which day shall be the same throughout the United States.

Later,

[Andy_Stephenson]

75. There should never be a time that elections are cancelled.

Black Box Voting will be publishing a position piece on this soon. Stay tuned for more.

[BurtWorm]

82. I'm looking forward to reading that.

:toast:

[BevHarris]

76. DEMOCRACY does not stop for FEAR (pass it on)

Do not let people set the stage for the removal of democracy in this way. ANY time you hear discussion of halting elections due to terrorism, immediately state that we shall refuse to halt democracy for fear.


This needs someone like the great Nostamj starting a thread to put together great sound bytes to reverse the message before it gets any traction. We did exactly that with the meme that was growing "we can't do anything about the e-machines until after November. He started a thread on sound bytes, and a bunch of great suggestions came in -- I started using this one: "Why that's unAmerican! We just have to roll up our sleeves and do it!" That got aired on NPR and Lou Dobbs, and ya know what? I haven't been hearing nearly as much of that "we have to wait until after November."

We need short, snappy comebacks for this flawed concept of exchanging democracy for terrorism. You get a thread going, I guarantee I'll get it into the media.


Bev Harris
Executive Director - Black Box Voting
The first nonprofit, nonpartisan, publicly funded, consumer protection group for elections

[Individualist]

77. kick

n/t

[BevHarris]

78. PLAN B for elections / terrorism: Not cancellation, but PAPER BALLOTS

Plan B must be "all paper ballots all hand counted" -- NOT "cancel the election."

Yes, have a plan B. But if you back cancellation of elections, you are betting on the wrong horse. What we need to do is back a better Plan B. We can still buy pencils. Kinkos still does overnight copying. Who would count the votes? In case of terrorism, give a national day off for anyone who will help count a vote. NOw THAT'S a "Plan B."

Bev

[BurtWorm]

81. Exactly. "Cancel" is an abysmal choice of words.

Let's hope it was merely unfortunate and not what was actually meant.

[donhakman]

83. The means to legally cancel an election already exists

Any announcement of code red by the Justice dept./Homeland Security/ FEMA or the President would suffice.

[Walt Starr]

84. Yup, Martial Law automatically suspends the constitution

And to think, the Freepers were worried that a patriot like Bill Clinton would be the one to instill a dictatorship.

[Individualist]

87. Soaries was appointed by Smirk

I have no doubt whatever that he meant exactly what he said.

[Karenina]

85. Too bad paper is so flammable.

I put NOTHING past these maggots. N-O-T-H-I-N-G.

[GoneOffShore]

86. Kick

This needs to be forwarded to everyone you know.

:wtf:
We can't let them get away with 'POSTPONING' the removal of *!
:mad: