Vote on paper even in MD

Many MD voters know that we have those stupid touch screen voting machines, and if you're nervous about them, you're right to be.

Here's the MD Board of Elections web site. It says you can request an absentee ballot up until October 28th.

You have to sign a statement saying you will not be able to vote in your precinct on election day. Since I'll be a poll worker and likely assigned to another precinct all day, no problem for me.

If you vote by absentee ballot, I would urge you to take the time to actually go to the board of elections, apply for the ballot in person, vote it there, and turn it in. No chance of getting lost in the mail that way.

Anyway, I just voted.

The election theft is already starting

A friend posted a link to this article on my Naomi Wolf interview post as a comment last night.

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Three Putnam County voters say electronic voting machines changed their votes from Democrats to Republicans when they cast early ballots last week.

This is the second West Virginia county where voters have reported this problem. Last week, three voters in Jackson County told The Charleston Gazette their electronic vote for "Barack Obama" kept flipping to "John McCain".

In both counties, Republicans are responsible for overseeing elections. Both county clerks said the problem is isolated.

A couple of points of advice for voters voting on electronic machines:

1) Take a digital camera or camcorder into the voting booth and record what happens when you vote.

2) Vote slowly and deliberately. Touchscreens do have lag times sometimes. Don't cause the problem yourself by rushing through the process.

And visit Vote411.org and know your rights. Don't let yourself be "caged" or turned away at the polls.