Topic: Presidential Campaign 2008
"Paper or Plastic?" Why Paper Ballots Alone Won't Help Ron Paul
Although the Ron Paul Campaign has moved on, shouldn't concerned Americans oversee blatant vote fraud and corruption? Watch as spotlighted New Hampshire election officials squirm.
by creator
(libertarian)
Monday, January 28, 2008
♣ January 28th - I am still in a state of disbelief over the video I just watched.
I've written previously about the evils of electronic voting machines, but without controlled and witnessed custody procedures, paper ballots are not one bit better. A friend alerted me to this YouTube video from BlackBoxVoting.org. What I saw was enough to turn my stomach.
If this six-minute video -- "New Hampshire Primary - Sham Chain of Custody" -- doesn't turn your stomach too, maybe it's time to check your bona-fides as an American. If you care about the legitimacy of US elections, please invest six minutes and watch this video.
Courageous investigative reporter Bev Harris questions New Hampshire officials, including Secretary of State Bill Gardner, about obvious irregularities in the security of ballot handling. For more information about Gardner, you can read this piece from the New Hampshire Union Leader, or Google "William M. Gardner" for other images and stories.
Here's a partial transcript of the video in which Harris questions Gardner and other officials about a suspicious change in procedure:
Harris: "Why aren't they in the vault tonight? ... And the reason for the different procedure in securing the ballots is....?"
You will see on Gardner's face the expression of a deer caught in the headlights. You will hear his evasive answers.
Gardner: "Because the ballots are secure where they are - they're secure here, they're secure where they were last night."
Harris: "This room does not have a key card.... Is the vault full?"
Official: "We'll be setting the alarms on our way out."
Harris: "Why the change in procedure?"
Gardner: "Because they are as safe in there as they are where we put them last night."
In the video, two New Hampshire officials "witness" the room sealing by signing a flimsy piece of tape on the door while the Secretary of State continues to affirm the security of the entire procedure.
Subsequently on January 23rd, after losing sight of a van transporting boxes of ballots, the reporters return to the ballot counting building, finding both the building and the counting room unlocked and accessible by anyone. They enter and test one of the tape "seals."
On the tape you can see the laughably ludicrous insecurity of a "seal" that the average person wouldn't even consider suitable for sending a package through the mail.
I bring this to your attention simply so that you will be aware that your country is being stolen from you, right under your nose. If this angers you, please do something about it!
- Spread the word to fellow voters, regardless of candidate
- Learn more about the problem here and elsewhere
- Check back often with BlackBoxVoting for more evidence of fraud and for tips about how to check chain-of-custody yourself
- Witness election procedures - learn how to sign up as a precinct inspector
- Get out the vote for Ron Paul - read how here and sign up here
On January 15th, Concord Monitor columnist Ray Duckler made a big deal about a few Ron Paul supporters harassing the clerk of Sutton NH over 31 mis-reported votes. Will he write a follow-up story about Secretary of State Gardner and his shoddy handling of the ballots? Why not write to Duckler and ask him?
The Ron Paul Campaign is acting on the evidence of election fraud in the Louisiana caucuses, for which we applaud them. However, it is up to us as Americans to hold all of our election officials in every state accountable for the honesty and accuracy of vote counting and reporting.
I applaud Bev Harris and BlackBoxVoting for bringing the evidence of seriously deficient chain of custody in New Hampshire to light.
© 2008 Dann McCreary (aka creator)
- Permission to copy with attribution granted.
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Published: Monday, January 28, 2008
Last modified: Monday, January 28, 2008
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Reader Comments:
Posted By: Logical Premise
Date: 2008-01-28 16:35:20
"I bring this to your attention simply so that you will be aware that your country is being stolen from you, right under your nose. If this angers you, please do something about it!"
I find this statement absolutely hilarious, considering you stole this country from the original inhabitants and murdered most of them to boot.
As for the article? I am neither suprised nor unaware. You will ALWAYS find voting irrgularities, but they are less than 10% of the ballot total -- and the blasted thing is rigged anyway, the Electoral College is all that matters.
I'd worry more if I thought any of the candiates was worth a bucket of warm spit, but they aren't.
Posted By: huck
Date: 2008-01-28 16:49:23
it is sad.. people died for our right to vote, and yet we're finding multiple instances where votes are not being counted, ballots are not secured (for evidence for later recounts), rules are changed at the last minute to change the outcome, etc.. etc.. and yet the "old media" just ignores it. They've totally ignored the GOP rule switching in Louisiana that changed the outcome of the caucus.
Posted By: Joe
Date: 2008-01-28 16:52:53
Logical Premise you are wrong in saying we stole this country, unless there is a 300 year old American amonst us who actually committed murder, that is just as wrong as saying all Germans are anti-semitic which isn't the truth at all. Vote fraud is unacceptable no matter what the percent, no matter what you think the candidates are worth, if you value America and what it used to stand for than you should care about 10% or less of lying.
Posted By: the statist
Date: 2008-01-28 18:46:35
The "Old Media" ignores it, unless republicans were allegedly involved.
Posted By: Ivan from Oregon
Date: 2008-01-28 19:44:15
South Carolina is the most blatant - the SC Constitution says that "votes shall be in secret, but the counting shal not be secret. Voting macjines that tally the votes ar certainly counting the votes in secret in blatant violation of the state constitution. this is enough to anyone sick.
Posted By: mousepd
Date: 2008-01-29 01:44:41
Logical Premise
Strange name for someone that makes an illogical post.
You say that the Electorial College is all that matters.
Well, this New Hamsphire vote was for the Caucus. These are the primaries. These votes decide how many delegates each candidate collects and takes on to the Election. And the Election is decided on the total Electoral Votes collected and how many States are won.
So why would'nt anyone be concerned about possible vote fraud in any of the State's Caucus/Primary?
And as for stealing the country?
(I find this statement absolutely hilarious, considering you stole this country from the original inhabitants and murdered most of them to boot.)
Well, I guess you actually believe that had the whiteman not settled over here that the rest of the world (Chinese,Spanish,Africans,South Americans, etc) would have just considered North America "off limits". And just let it remain untouched.
You're the one who is hillairious. And illogical.
Drink your Koolaid.
Posted By: World
Date: 2008-01-29 09:31:34
Love the article. One would think that a small state with such an influence on the primary, by virtue of its early date, would be at the head of the class with regard to voting sanctity. They should clean up their act or move to the back of the line.