RE: voter intent and NOTA

["Paul Tiger - LPBC - Outreach" <outreach@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The vote is NOTA. If a voter screws up they can ask for a new ballot. Under
state law they can try three times with new ballots, after that we figure
that they are either Joe or Al or Neal. <{;^)

The scanners can see a vote for NOTA and register it accordingly by
bypassing the race in the tally. However, this is a good point and legally I
would bet that we would still have to determine voter intent. Thus jamming
up the works.

One of the things that Dick Lyons pointed out during the ERC presentation
was that state law requires that voter intent must be ascertained when paper
ballots are used. This could be something to address at the legislature next
session. Paper ballots are being discriminated against. We didn't have to do
this with punch cards, and it was the law before HAVA for paper ballots.

We should find it interesting that this law is still in place, while most
elections advocates are pushing for paper. Obviously, whomsoever created
this legislation was pushing DRE or punch cards. Counties with paper had to
suss out voter intent and cost them more time. However, we could do like
Denver in 03 and just ignore the law. They ignored several laws, but their
election was certified long before ours was. Wonder where Donetta lives?

paul

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul E Condon [mailto:pecondon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2005 11:07 AM
To: cvv-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: voter intent and NOTA

Suppose the city has NOTA on the ballot, there are two open seats, and
a voter puts a X by one candidate name and an X by NOTA. What then? Who
decides what to do with such a ballot? What _should_ be done with such
a ballot?

Just wondering...