Voting problems reported, already

Go J-Mac

Jeez, and it was so hard to predict that this was going to be an election with a record turnout. What were all these people, like the ones in VA who had no ballots(?!) doing for the last six months.

What I'm really interested in is the districts where these problems were encountered. Were they low income? Were they predominately students and young people? Black and/or Hispanic?

My bet isthat, predominately, they were.

This massive turnout was expected-why was it not dealt with?
Now when Obama wins all the right conspiracy theorists kooks who get all their 'news' and 'information' from forwarded chain emails, they are going to scream : conspiracy!
I hope Obama wins by such a large margin that even the racists idiots can't blame this on anything but democracy.

what a shock..voting problems in swing states that Obama has a chance to win this year...guess the Republicans are going to try to steal another

If these "glitches" are what it takes to reinforce common sense and get McCain elected, I'm all for it.

McCain/Palin '08 !!

SC YOU ARE AN EFFIN IDIOT. Leave America right now. I can live with a McCain victory as an Obama supporter, but ELECTIONS MUST BE CLEAN - THIS IS AMERICA DAMMIT.

The new Grand Old Party saying - "if you can't win it - steal it"!
I am moving to Canada!

Just because you do not vote for Obama, does not mean that you are a racist.
Lets Go Mac

hum star of the day who will it be ..i feel that with all the bs with he polls alot of the young voters will NOT want to WAIT it out in line to give obauma there vote...
some of the voters didn't even register to vote..gee i wonder if that will effect the vote count...
the undecided will vote for a proven leader quality person who loves America
A vote for mccain ....he has mine ...veteran here for McCain..

Non-issue...... toughen up. 10 whole minutes extra to cast your vote in the freest democracy in the history of the world????? Big deal...in other countries they kill you on the way to vote....they blow up polling stations, etc. This is a free country and these people are doing their best to make sure you are able to vote in a convenient manner. As a nation we bend over backward so that we (legal, illegal, American, foreigner, criminal, etc.) can all have our (mainly worthless) votes counted. Stop yer crying. The people at the polls are not to blame.

McCain is not as organzied to steal votes as Bush/Cheney was. He is haphazard in everything from bombing civilians, to hiding cheating on his wife, to hiding bribes from Keating to suspending his campaign for a socialist bailout to his last minute panic choice of VP. Instead of stealing Florida McCain's brother is complaining to 911 about traffic.

Here we go again, the Liberals already looking for law suits. Heaven forbid that a mechanical device has problems, call it a conspiracy........ make excuses.... if McCain actually pulls this election out why not riot in the streets as well and burn the inner cities................. you can always blame that on McCain as well......... Grow up people, mechanical failures happen, long as they repair them and let the people who are in line cast their votes our system will work as designed.......

Here, Here Kristah.... You said it WELL....Change needs to happen. Our children will continue to die in this endless war and Americans will watch all of their life time savings go down the drain. Our dollar is worth NOTHING to the rest of the world. George Bush has run America into the ground. In February, he'll retire in Texas a billionaire with all of the money he made on oil and the war. And the Invisible Man Cheney will also be counting his riches off of the money he makes from Haliberton in the Iraq war. OBAMA/BIDEN '08

Regardless of whom you support personally, voting problems are a problem for everyone. Democracy doesn't work unless everyone gets to participate, and problems that disenfranchise voters need to be dealt with fairly and swiftly.

And again, regardless of which side of the aisle you stand on, if you or your candidate or party believe that you have to rig elections in order to win them, perhaps you should instead examine your platform and why it doesn't appeal to voters unless you force it to by disenfranchising them.

Wow....so now I am racist because I voted for McCain......
I am going out on a limb here and say that many are racist for voting for Obama. I have heard so many people say "it's about time we had a black president". How come no one says that is racist?
Why is race even an issue in this election? This is 2008 and we still cant see past the color of ones skin?
Kristah....if you are going to call someone an idiot, at least use proper English...otherwise one wouldn't want to look like a hypocrite..... "even the racists idiots"?? "theorists kooks" what is with the double plural?
Thats like saying PARTIALS BIRTHS ABORTIONS....oops....did I say that out loud?
How could ANYONE dare question Obombya on his EXTREME abortion views??

It is inexcusable that automated voting machines are not tested and re-tested prior to election day. How can so many of these machines magically break down on voting day??

Sadly, we can easily tally millions of votes for American Idol and Dancing with the Stars but election after election we run into the same old voting machine problems...

Nothing like jumping the conclusions. If you want to complain about crooked stealing of elections start with John Kennedy

Did "The Boston Globe" forget about FoxNews reporting about The Black Panthers standing outside polling stations with nightsticks in Philadelphia?

Just thought I would ask since The Globe has such a high threshold of objectivity.

fancy pageant walking all year long!!

I don't get it, I voted this morning at the Boston Public Library and I had no problems at all. The wait wasn't that bad and voting was easy...on paper! I would not want to vote on an electronic machine, especially one that doesn't keep backup on paper. I like how MA does it's elections. I colored in the circle and that was it. No need to worry if I touched Obama's name on the machine and it thought I hit McCain. The country should keep it simple and there are just some things that just shouldn't go electronic.

Whoever thought it would improve journalism to let the general public add comments needs to die a slow and painful death, maybe by reading one of these fora.

I can't believe people are surprised by this stuff. The Repubs have been pulling this same vote supression deal since forever. Welcome to America.

There seems to be too many problems with these "electric voting machines"...I mean I know it's the 21st century, but wouldn't paper ballots be a bit more reliable (and a bit harder to tamper with?)

Hey Nate,
We're just making up for what ACORN did, you foolish liberal. The election is already as dirty as a certain candidate's skin color (oh no, did I say skin color???), and when LIBS go and take what Obama says as the word of God (oh no, did I say God???), it's time for someone to intervene and make sure the election turns out for the best of the country.

GO MCCAIN/ PALIN

Moot point, already rigged by ACORN. No one seemed to care when my McCain vote was changed to Obama when submitted. Must just be coincidence, I'm sure.

If McCain wins, I will personally drive all of you Idiots who want to move to Canada to the border. Ill even pay for gas. Just make sure you bring your wool socks.

Democracy in America is a freakin' fraud!

Why don't we have elections on a wkend or make the election day a holiday if it is so important? It is a holiday in the rest of the industralized world.

Most Americans can't afford to stand in line for 2-6 hours when they have to get to a job.

For hourly wage earners, contractors, and many blue-collar workers election day is practically a poll tax day. Every minute they waste standing in the line is money being taken away from their pay-checks.

We need a new Voters Rights Act.

Meyrav Levine

Go Steven...Kristah, way to show your ignorance.

Meyrav Levine, they can vote absentee. It costs $1 in postage.

ACORN made ZERO illegal votes. They are required by law to submit every REGISTRATION. Some of those are bogus but no FRAUD happens until Mickey Mouse actually shows up to VOTE with ID.

Hugo, I just checked the websites of 3 Phila. media sites (Philly.com, 3CBS and 6ABC) and NOWHERE do they report the Black Panther story you mention. They do mention reports of Republican intimidation of Democratic voters in Delaware County polling sites, though. Check it out yourself. Then, Hugo dear, please kindly close your lying piehole and go sit somewhere quietly so the grownups can conduct a decent election

99% of voter fraud is done by the left. There is a book where these accounts are DOCUMENTED from a scientific stand point. Fraud has been going on forever. It does not make it right.

Acorn is a democratic social activist group with 40% funding by the government. That should NEVER happen.

There will be laws put in place that give the left an advantage on every stage. It is squelching speach. I hope the hippies of the 60s & 70s can live with that. Think so.
sure fought for it back then.

People...we are a REPUBLIC..not a democracy. At least, that's what we were founded as. Your ignorance is really pathetic.

Tina, I'm sure no one will miss you. I will even pay for your moving expenses. if you don't want to be here, then leave.

Somebody asked why voting systems aren't tested and retested before use. I'm a software systems engineer and can tell you that no amount of testing can be thorough enough to cover all failures. Testing is necessary, but it is not enough. This is well known in and fundamental to software engineering. Certification processes for these systems should include provision of information about requirements analysis and validation, design, development methodology, verification (a.k.a. test against design specifications), and system validation (against requirements and by the people who established requirements, who cannot be the designers).

My guess is if you look into the process here you will find the fox guarding the chicken coop.

okay in response to what someone said.. whether the voters were black/hispanic should have nothing to do with the outcome of this election. Stop making it seem as though Obama was being voted for on race alone. Many blacks/hispanics have also voted for Mcain. Also, black/hispanic communities are not all lowincome so dont imply that thats why there were problems voting.
Obama is being voted for because of his potential capability as a president.

Vetran here for Obama, I voted for McCain 4 years ago if the Republican part likes him so much he should have won 4 years ago.

"99% of voter fraud is done by the left. There is a book where these accounts are DOCUMENTED from a scientific stand point."

Cite the book. I'd love a shot at critiquing it. I happen to know a thing or two about science.

I know a document called the Constitution and a book of letters called the Federalist Papers. I know the Founders' original intent regarding how elections are to be held, because I've read what they wrote. I know that the Florida Supreme Court had jurisidiction over whether to continue counting votes in terms of original intent, a phrase conservative jurists like to throw around. Except, of course, when the are staging a bloodless coup like happened in Florida eight years ago.

KenAmerica, you obviously can read. Your ability to critque what you read seems somewhat limited, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Read the Constitution and the Federalist Papers regarding elections, and you tell me who was guilty of vote crime in 2000. That is, if you can be honest.

And don't forget, I want to know the book.

Uh.....Frans'sBevy.........try clicking on the feed in the actual article this blog is based on. It's a FOX News report..........black panther intimidation......I actually love the guys response, when he stepped right between them to vote, as I would have done. But would some woman, alone on her lunch break stepped between them? I doubt it. It seems white on black racism is outrageous....but black on white racism is commonplace. The pendulum has swung back, only problem is it has swung too far. Why can't people see past skin color anymore?
Why is it legal for an "all black college" or an "all black fraternity" but not the other way around? I smell double standard. They have scholarships for Latino's and inner city African American kids, but my white, Irish Catholic daughters have to work their tails off to even get in, let alone get financial aid.

I watched the video and it was Black Panther members using intimidation and blocking voters from voting. Last time I checked the Black Panthers were not part of the GOP.

Hugo...try though we might, we'll never get this list of readers to look at anything but the mainstream media. You will not find the Blank Panther story in the mainstream media, CBS, ABC, et al...it would intimidate voters, poor little lemmings that they are.

kristah
it has nothing to do with race, and everything to do with incompetence

the man is simply not ready to lead a potato peeling brigade let alone the free world!

if your not cheatin', you aint tryin - mcsame
jk but seriously, we need strict oversight of this election so no one side steals it!
im in florida, in a small town and the polling station was nuts! cant imagine in a bigger town/city what it's like right now

From a Sandwich native, no problems here in balmy Virginia Beach. Touch screens worked like a charm.

Not like voting in this state matters. Its so left, you just keep walking in circles and nothing gets done. But as long as I vote, I can bitch about Obama screwing up the country later with his terrible tax policy, and illegal immigrant aunt. Ha, give the illegals and people who dont want to work everything, while the people who work hard get nothing, the democratic way. That said
GO MCCAIN. 27 Male Abington.

People, why not vote for change and the better of the country than vote because of fear, ignorance and bias. The republicans had their chance and blew it. They are walking away wth their pockets filled with the golden eggs and leaving behind a lot of empty shells. Republicans has fleeced America and destroyed it's integrity around the globe, it is time for a big change, not only for one people but all, where we can build a country for survival not poverty and greed.

Steven, you are so full of it, where in America do you see a white female having to struggle as hard as a woman of color, remove those bllinders and view America as it it.

Black Panthers? What's next? Malcolm X rising from the dead?

Oh, BMC - be sure to stand in line like everyone else to receive your free government gifties! Care of, the tax paying legion who takes nothing for free.

Dan writes : "we are a REPUBLIC..not a democracy"

Actually Dan, we are a Constitutional Republic, with right to vote protected by the Constitution.

Now go ask the right-wing radio hosts the difference between a Constitutional Republic or GOP's version of fascist state that you are advocating.

Meyrav Levine

Black Panthers blocking the doors in Philadelphia? What's next? Members of the Whig Party holding a same day registration? Hessians at the door in DC? Give me a break, Fox News! You are no better than MoveOn.org with your hysteria!

Hoping Obama wins and we get this country back on track.

Really sad to see the amount of nastiness in these comments. We're all in this together and we should all be against any manipulation of the vote by either party. This country ( by that I mean all of us ) will be in pretty sad shape tomorrow if the results are tarnished. I think we should all be able to live with the outcome if we are clear it is the will of the majority of the voters. What is truly troubling is that, given the expectation of a record turn-out, the various states did not adequately prepare for this election. Come on America, let's grow-up and stop insulting people just because we may disagree.

That was very well stated BMC. There have been white colleges and universities in the US since its creation... This country has long been slanted towards caucasians, and minorities form organizations to get some balance.

what happened to the landslide?

lets go johnny

Given that someone in Virginia was sending out fliers that said Republicans vote November 4, Democrats vote Nov. 5, I'd say that the GOP is out there intimidating voters too! How sad!

thanks to Acorn I voted 3x for johnny

ACORN should have been investigated and shut down about 6 months ago. Letting people who are not legally allowed to vote, cast a ballot in this nation is a travesty. And if they shut down ACORN, they should have subtracted every democratic vote cast early, because everyone in America knows ACORN is a socialist agency...

As Al Capone said... "vote early and vote often".... you'd think after the last debaucle, things would work a LITTLE smoother...

I wonder how many people going to the polls today being charged with incomplete registrations voted successfully in the primary. Just curious...

We are supposed to be talking about every Amercan's right to vote. This is not about race. Keep it clean for goodness sakes.

The vast majority of you people are idiots - saying that the Republicans are rigging the election and stealing this one; when we don't even know what types of voters are having issues (and even that would be stereotyping.)

So allow me to be the devil's advocate - everyone is bitching that the Republicans are causing the problem... well if Obama wins - that means it was automatically a legit win... thus negating that any voting problems ever existed?

Any errors are a result of the states not preparing adequately. Not some lunatic conspiracy (left or right.)

And to whomever commented that you're curious what areas/demographics are having voter issues... isn't it more than likely going to be low income. Way to make a point Captain Obvious.

All of the people commenting that they are going to leave the US are terribly disheartening. I am an American. I voted for McCain - but you know what, if the majority of the US votes for Obama and he becomes elected (as much as I don't want that to happen) I am OK with that. Our founding fathers set up this electoral system and I support that. Bailing because you don't get what you want (or threatening to) is childish and absurd.

Obama is borderline communist, inexperienced, a fourth trimester aborter (murderer), a self-proclaimed "loner", a terrorist friend, and someone who is going to hike taxes so high that you won't be able to breath. That's what you people want running your country!?

McCain/Palin 08!

If it's a Diebold machine, now called Premier Election Solutions, it's rigged for Repubs. They are run by criminals and Bush supporters.

Kristin has got to be the smartest person on here, those of you threatening to leave, be sure you follow through with your threats. Don't be telephone tough guys!

This is not news, this is dirty tactics by the Republicans to the end...typical!

I voted in California and experienced no problems. From the time it took them to check my name off to the time it took me to vote and turn my ballot in was 8 minutes. Granted, I went on what I thought would be an off time - early afternoon . . . However, my husband and a close friend went before work and only waited a half hour. They also experienced no glitches. There's hope yet people!

BMC:
Maybe in the 50-80's that would be the case.
In today's society, with affirmative action, scholarship programs for the poor, etc. a young black woman living below the poverty line, with average grades in high school can basically go to school for free. If you dont believe me, check for yourselves.....Check out the GW Carver foundation, and MANY others....How many scholarship funds do you see with appropriations for white Americans? Try ZERO, because it would be illegal. Ask my niece who graduated last year #1in her class, put in 20 hours of volunteer work per week at the local hospital, was president of her class, a competive dancer, and won national awards for teen literature. She was put on a waiting list at Yale....with ZERO financial aid packages or scholarships because her parents made a combined total of 98,000 last year. Now the girl who was #8 in her class, with ZERO work done outside of school, not an athlete.....nothing...she gets a full ride to Yale.....AND a job waiting for her at the bookstore.......why? Well she happens to be of African American origin.....poor kid....must be tough being a young black woman in today's society huh? Oh, and did I mention she also scored 78 points lower than my niece on the SAT's too?
Please BMC, cry me a big river....the days of "keeping the black man down" are long gone, find another race card to flash in my face.

as for the abortion issue- i opt for other alternatives but if abortion is not made legal, people will get an abortion anyway like they used to--in back alleys with coat hangers. then not only will we have 50,000,000 dead fetuses, but also 50,000,000million dead mothers. i know, i have seen it because i am a nurse. sara palin is an idiot '

There seems to be little statistical basis for the Republican fixation on voter fraud.

The few studies that have been done show fraud to be insignificant to the outcome of elections; it has been measured at levels as low as .0004% of all ballots cast.

Loraine Minnite, an assistant professor of political science at Barnard College, conducted a study of elections from 1992 to 2002 for Demos, a London- and New York-based public-policy think tank. Her analysis of the numbers showed that
"the incidence of election fraud in the United States is low and that fraud has had a minimal impact on electoral outcomes."

A 2006 report from the United States Election Assistance Commission, an independent agency created by Congress to "[conduct] research on election administration issues," calls Minnite's study the "most systematic look at fraud"

Meyrav

McCain is the man who called his wife Cindy a "c*nt" in a public forum. We need him like a bed needs bedbugs.

Morons - the "Panthers" were GOP Operatives. Just in time for the "Fake" news and before the final votes.

Hope they were paid well...

So I guess the Black Panthers at the polling station in PA were there to intimidate voters into voting for McCain. Go McCain 2008!

Meyrav Levine has spent way too much time on this article all day long. Get a life and a real job!

To reindeergirl:

Funny...I don't think anyone but those wearing straight jackets ever heard McCain refer to his wife with the c-word. Please either you or someone else enlighten me on this. You can't because you are not telling the truth.

AS WE EXPECT, DEWEY WiLL WIN!

:)

To Steven with the Niece-
Congrats on your Niece-- but what about the parents of the african american students? Might her socio-economic background be less advantageous than your neice's? And your niece probably has a chance to go any other schools while the african american girl probably cannot go to any school without a scholarship otherwise. I'm not saying this is the case for sure but from what I've seen being a recent grad, most of the minorities couldn't have made it without scholarship help. Regarding your niece volunteering and doing all that extracurricular activities-- do you think the african american girl might actually be working so many hours that she can't do the stuff that would pump up her transcript? Besides, the rank (out of how large a student body?) and the SAT scores are pretty close.

I can't give credibility to anyone who lists their name as
"Seriously don't know why you're bugging!"