Kris Broughton,
Atlanta, Georgia

Excerpted from Atlanta Journal & Constitution reports

The long lines for advance voting in Georgia last week generally gave way to an orderly procession through the polling stations Tuesday, with waits averaging less than one hour in most precincts most of the day.

However, some voters spent as much as three to four hours in line at some precincts, and voting rights groups received hundreds of calls reporting problems across the state.

In Clayton County, Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell took it upon himself to ensure as many votes as possible were counted. He sent a police helicopter into the air to look for long lines outside polling places, and dispatched four voting machines to alleviate crowding. Between 400 and 800 voters were at each of Clayton’s 58 precincts about 5:30.

At Morehouse College in Atlanta, students got in line to vote as early as 3:45 a.m. Wait times peaked at four hours around 9 a.m., with mostly students in line.

Voting went smoothly at Morehouse, but elsewhere, scattered problems.

In Clayton County, election officials were investigating reports that poll workers in three precincts refused to allow voters whose residencies were in question to cast provisional ballots. It is unclear how many voters may have been affected.

In a College Park precinct, poll workers were reported to be withholding provisional ballots from voters who did not have government-issued photo identification, said Clare Schexnyder of Georgia Election Protection, which is monitoring the area’s polling places.

State officials said government monitors found the report to be inaccurate.

Handel, the state’s chief elections officer, said at midday that “nearly all” polling places had opened “on time and without complication.”

Handel’s office is deploying about 150 investigators and technicians around the state to check on voting problems.

Are you having voting problems.  Tell us here.

Though many aren’t aware of this hidden fact,  John McCain has Black relatives.  Surprised?  We thought so.  While Barack Obama has offered stories and photos of both his White and Black relatives, McCain on the other hand—hasn’t bothered to introduce the world to his distant Black cousins.

As reported in an October article of the Wall Street Journal, John and his Black relatives share a history that traces back to slavery.  This could explain why John isn’t pressed to share this information with the rest of America. 

It’s possible that with his full schedule, John wasn’t made aware of the issue.  However, the ‘Journal also stated that Joe, John’s brother, visits the Black McCain’s annually for their family reunion.  Even still, John hasn’t even released a comment in reference to his family ties.

Is it shame or mere disregard for the truth?  Fact: most White Americans can trace their lineage back to a slave plantation and will probably find a Black cousin who shares their last name.  So should they all live in denial and disguise their past because it isn’t good PR?

Maybe if John had embraced his Black cousins, Black America could have found something in him worth taking to the polls. 

What do you think?  Tell us here.

Images courtesy of trustedpartner.com

(*The views contained herein are solely the views of their respective authors, and do not express the views of TV One.  TV One does not take responsibility for their content.)

VIRGINIA AND PENNSYLVANIA VOTERS FACE SERIOUS THREATS TO THEIR VOTING RIGHTS AT THE POLLS

Voters can call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) to report issues at the polls

November 4, 2008 – Voters are reporting major obstacles to casting their ballot in polling locations across Virginia and Pennsylvania, which could disenfranchise thousands of [state] voters. Long lines, broken voting machines, ballot shortages and misused absentee ballots are just some of the problems that threaten to rob thousands of eligible voters of their right to vote.

In Virginia:

• Dozens of polling places are experiencing varying degrees of machine malfunction. Some polling places are either completely closed or have been closed for hours.
• Thousands of voters may have been turned away illegally by polling workers.
• Voters have illegally been issued with provisional ballets where machines have been broken.
• Students at Virginia Tech, previously the victims of misinformation, have seen their polling place suddenly and unexpectedly moved six miles to a location with little parking.

In Pennsylvania:

• Voting machine malfunctions are widespread and at least a dozen locations, mainly focused on Pittsburg and Philadelphia.
• We have received reports of campaign materials are being illegally distributed at polling locations in Pittsburg.
• Voters across the state are reporting that they never received their absentee ballots, which is creating additional chaos at the polls.

Several other states like Florida, Ohio, Colorado and Michigan are reporting long lines due to problems with registration lists and poll locations.

Election Protection legal volunteers are working to resolve these issues quickly to ensure that no one leaves their polling location without effectively casting a ballot. Voting rights experts urge voters to stay patient and cooperative in the meantime and to report all instances of voter intimidation or disenfranchisement to Election Protection’s 866-OUR-VOTE hotline immediately.

All voters have the right to vote without intimidation or problems. There is no excuse for these sorts of problems, which not only threaten individual voters’ rights, but also the integrity of our election. The only way to prevent such failures in the future will be to institute comprehensive election reform to improve the registration process, voting systems, and administration and to prevent disenfranchisement of all voters.

If voters have questions about their rights, the 1-866-OUR-VOTE Hotline has thousands of trained Election Protection volunteers and legal experts available to provide direct assistance to voters in across the country. Experts can help voters understand their rights, verify their registration status, find their polling place, and resolve Election Day issues.

###

Election Protection is the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition, led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Through its 1-866-OUR-VOTE Hotline (1-866-687-8683) and dedicated team of legal experts and trained volunteers, Election Protection helps all American voters, including traditionally disenfranchised groups, gain access to the polls and overcome obstacles to voting, offering live assistance. The coalition has more than 100 partners at the national, state and local level, and is providing live voter protection services now through Election Day for all 50 states.

As of 12:30pm, Election Protection has received over 41,000 calls to the 1-866-OUR-VOTE Hotline since the phones opened at 5:30am this morning.

FLORIDA

Voters in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area have experienced numerous problems trying to cast ballots this morning. We have preliminary reports of voters being turned away from the polls for incomplete registrations and instances of the statewide problem of broken optical scan machines in some two dozen polling locations all across the state.

MICHIGAN.

Voters are reporting massive voting machine malfunctions across the state resulting in long lines and discouraged voters leaving lines without casting a ballot. In many cases, poll workers are asking voters to cast their ballot on paper and they will tally them later. Some voters are being asked to vote on paper using magic markers.

MISSOURI

There were multiple reports of swapped poll books (voter lists for a given precinct at the wrong location) in Kansas City, MO. This issue has been resolved.

Stay tuned for more updates.

As of 10am, Election Protection has received over 27,000 calls to the 1-866-OUR-VOTE Hotline since the phones opened at 5:30am this morning.

VIRGINIA

We have seen the situation on the ground in Virginia change drastically over the past hour.

MICHIGAN

There are widespread reports of line lines, lack of ample poll workers and general disorganization, resulting in waits as long as two hours. Machine malfunctions are also contributing long lines and in some cases poll workers administering polling through paper ballots. Some voters are expressing concern over the security of their ballots in these situations.

FLORIDA

We have received multiple reports that optical scanning machines are broken in Tallahassee, Tampa, Broward County and Miami-Dade County.

Stay tuned for more updates.