Glass Box Voting

In Iowa, disputes over control of voting equipment purchases.

Gov. Chet Culver wants more oversight of the purchase of voting machines by Secretary of State Michael Mauro.

Culver says Mauro should work with the Department of Administrative Services on the purchase of the machines. The department’s director, unlike Mauro, reports directly to Culver.

The governor’s request will be included in an amendment to a Senate bill that outlines Mauro’s plan to buy the machines. The $8.5 million plan calls for the state to pay for the new equipment so every county has machines with paper ballots that could be recounted if necessary.

Culver spokesman Brad Anderson said the governor, who was secretary of state before Mauro, wanted the added oversight to make sure the state got the best deal possible.

Instant-runoff voting in Minneapolis unlikely in 2009

Minneapolis probably won’t be ready to use a new voter-approved multiple-choice voting system in next year’s election, the city’s top election official said Friday.

“I don’t believe that the city of Minneapolis will be ready for a ranked-choice voting election with equipment in 2009,” said Election Director Cindy Reichert in an interview after giving the City Council a status report.

The system, also called instant-runoff voting, allows voters to rank three candidates for an office in order of preference. City voters approved it in 2006 for use in 2009, unless the council adopts an ordinance that spells out why the city isn’t ready.

The lengthy schedule for getting the equipment bought, certified by federal and state authorities and delivered makes instant-runoff voting unlikely in 2009, Reichert said.

 In real Diebold news:
United Technologies Makes Bid for Diebold

Update

I wonder how this news will affect the bid.

Four people forwarded this to me, haven’t had a chance to post until now:
Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early