Verified Voting Coalition on election day

As you know, however, preparedness varies from one jurisdiction to another. New Era and folks from our coalition partners have been working to get the word out, through a press release and numerous media interviews, on where we may see problems, and to do what we can to alert election officials to the need for emergency preparations. In particular, Alex Blakemore of Virginia Verified Voting has done a tremendous job of tracking the numbers of election machines available per voter as the latest registration numbers come in.

His most recent figures, unfortunately, show a few small jurisdictions lacking the statutory minimum number of DREs per voter once the final registrations were added. But even localities that meet the statutory minimum may well see problems, because that minimum is a very poor 1:750 (compared to North Carolina, requiring one machine per 250 voters, and Maryland, at one to 200). Prince William County is the largest Virginia jurisdiction of concern, with one DRE per 600 voters. Those of you who will be working there should be especially alert to problems in areas with large numbers of naturalized citizens, who may be less informed about procedures in the case of machine failures and long lines. Long lines there and elsewhere may also create parking problems that could either discourage voters from voting or lead to ticketing by police.

Finally, as you have probably heard, the SBE issued a ruling that voters may not wear their campaign buttons, etc. into the polls. This is based on a code provision that we have always considered problematic under the First Amendment, and it is unfortunate that the SBE has read it broadly. Nonetheless, we are encouraging voters to comply for this election simply in the interests of keeping the lines moving tomorrow.

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