Election Commission Update

On May 10, Election Commission Complaints were due.
See above for Harvie Branscomb's complaint letter.
Marilyn Marks' complaint  filing linked as follows:
http://www.glassballotbox.org/storage/MarksECDocument5.10.pdf

http://www.glassballotbox.org/storage/EC%20Complaint.zip

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The Aspen Election Commission met May 5 (the one year anniversary of the controversial 2009 Municipal Election) to hold its first hearing for complaints. The independent commissioners heard Millard Zimet's complaint regarding  non-anonymous election processing.
The video recording of the proceedings may be reviewed at:
http://www.grassrootstv.org/Show.aspx?ShowID=9062

Marilyn Marks has proposed that the Election Commission conduct a Re-scanning, and Re-Tabulation audit procedure intended to provide some mitigation  for the lack of pre-election and post election system testing.
That proposal is at http://www.glassballotbox.org/journal/2010/5/9/proposal-to-election-commission-for-re-scanningre-tabulation.html

Complaints are due to  the Election Commission Monday, May 10. They  will be posted here as they become available.

The City of Aspen announced that the District Attorney has opened an investigation into the May 2009 election. http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100507/NEWS/100509873
and
http://www.sfexaminer.com/breaking/das-office-investigates-aspen-elections-claims-93241559.html

Harvie Branscomb comments on news about Aspen Election Commission

From: Harvie Branscomb
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2010 10:21 AM
To: Curtis Wackerle (Aspen Daily News reporter)
Cc: Marilyn R Marks; Al Kolwicz; Ward Hauenstein; Bob Leatherman;  Jim True; John Worcester; Kathryn Koch; Harvie Branscomb
Subject: Re: May 8 deadline
(referenced article : http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/140270 )


Curtis
I realized after reading your well written article that I might have misled you slightly. The lock the key was left in unlocks a small door on the ballot box that allows access to two buttons that if simultaneously pressed will activate the override function that causes the voting machine to accept any ballot with any number of errors on it. My research shows that use of this function can lead to misinterpreted ballots.


I'm not sure you understand that the "ballot box" is the stand that holds up the voting machine. The ballots fall from the voting machine into the box. There are several locks on the box/stand that are opened by the same keys as Kathryn Koch confirmed at the second election commission meeting. Two of the locks open doors that allow access to storage areas for voted ballots. I don't think your article is written in a manner that will confuse and I don't think it needs any correction. I am only explaining this to you in case someone objects on technical grounds. No doubt Kathryn Koch will correct me if I am wrong. It is odd that the Mayor brought up this canard again at the end of the Monday night CC/EC meeting.

I think you listed two of the most easy to understand (and to resolve) issues. That was appropriate. Your readership will relate to those and perhaps they will remember other similar problems to report and come forward. You might have noted that the EC would like to hear about positive qualities of the election too. I plan to offer a number of those in my comments.
But I also want to point out four other issues that simply overshadow the procedural problems on or around election day.

Second Meeting of Aspen 2010 Election Commission- comments

At 3PM on Thursday April 8, 2010 the Aspen Election Commission met with 5 people in attendance- two of them the Aspen City Attorneys and other others being Jack Johnson (ex-City Council and currently a candidate for County Commissioner), Elizabeth Milias (ex-Aspen Election Commission) and Harvie Branscomb (Eagle County Canvass Board and editor of this blog).

The meeting was very calm and reasonable and productive.  The Commission decided to take in written complaints/compliments/suggestions by May 8 and looks like it will have a public brainstorming session sometime after that. The Commission primarily discussed how it would interface with the public, how it might help avoid any retribution for coming forward with complaints, and whether or not it would weigh in on the method of IRV voting or the choice of voting methods. Apparently one conclusion was to wait for a determination of what voting system would be used in the next election before further discussing IRV related details, but in the mean time to ask citizens to come forward with comments.
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[Here are comments on the meeting by Elizabeth Milias, followed by an email sent by Harvie Branscomb to the Commission following the meeting.]

I found the following to be interesting points made at yesterday's meeting of Aspen's Election Commission:

• The "confidential memo" that outlines the EC's roles and responsibilities (as prepared by City Attorney John Worcester) remains confidential and privileged. The EC has received a copy, but its contents are not yet available to the public. It is up to Council to release this document to the public.

• The EC has determined that its individual members can have private meetings with citizens who wish to discuss election issues.

• The EC recognizes that there exists the potential for reprisals against citizens who bring forth election complaints and challenges, but the commission will not be part of this behavior.

• Citizens are welcome to write, call, present to, and lobby EC members regarding election issues, and despite Marilyn Marks being deemed "corrupt" for doing just this following the May 2009 election, this is now ok.