LETTER: Proper Procedures Could Solve Voting Ills

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Since the MicroVote voting machines were purchased many years ago the following has been the procedure used for early voting:

1. At the end of each day of early voting, the FULL TEAM of poll workers along with the AOE make sure the votes on the machine equal the number of applications for ballots that day.

2. That was recorded on paper by each poll worker for their machine.

3. The start cards for the machines and the paperwork for each machine was placed in a ballot box and locked with two (2) keys.

4. One key was given to a Democrat poll worker --- one key give to a Republican poll worker.

THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE PRACTICE DURING STANLEY DOBSON’S TIME IN OFFICE. NO LOCKS WERE PLACED ON THE BALLOT BOX.

Mary Lynn Bush put that back in practice during her brief time setting up early voting for the August 2, 2012 election. When Dorinda Mankin came back, she left everything as it had been set up to finish out the early voting period. THAT WAS A GOOD MOVE.

On July 21, 2012, I approached Matt Studd about this, as well as the Nursing Home practice used during Dobson time in office. I was scheduled to help with the Nursing Home voting the following Thursday, July 26th and I thought it would be a good time to start working together to get a good understanding of procedure.

Rather than work with others, Matt chose to go on line Cannon Courier July 21 and 22 and first denied that I had talked with him and then he said I did talk with him and then he misrepresented what was said and made light of any possibility of any need for improvement. In that article Matt Studd said the security bag would be used for the Nursing Home. This can be found under Fount Bertram letter to the editor “The Election Commission Beyond Being a Joke”.

Also, refer to letter to the editor: “Non metal Ballot Boxes” for the concern for Nursing Home voting.

One more thing: I would suggest purchasing locks for the ballot box that has a key that cannot be duplicated.

This seems like a good idea if: “The fox is keeping the hen house”. And since we can’t seem to figure out who the fox is--------LET’S JUST DO THAT.

Helen Minton
Woodbury, Tn. 37190

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August 15, 2012 at 8:29pm
Is there state mandated procedures in place for dealing with both early voting as well as regular voting to insure the integrity of all the votes? If so it should fall to the entire E C all five members to insure that the AOE as well as all poll workers are properly trained on all procedures. Any poll workers seeing these procedures not being followed would they not want to contact one or more commissioners from both political parties as soon as possible? Should these commissioners not then contact all commissioners as well as the AOE?

If there are no state procedures in place should the commission not set procedures and insure that the AOE as well as all poll workers are following them?

Jack
August 16, 2012 at 8:41am
Since 2009 and Stanley Dobson was put in as AOE, the obvious agenda was to discredit the previous administration. When you are so occupied with this in mind you don't have the time or the inclination to look at or follow the law. If your agenda is to intimidate, create paranoia and discredit someone you are not going to listen if it's staring you in the face. The poll workers are suppose to be trained by the AOE not the other way around.
August 16, 2012 at 8:56am
Yes, there is state mandated procedures for dealing with early voting as well as regular voting to insure the integrity of the votes. These were pretty well in place after several years of working together to perfect the process as much as humanly possible. Three years ago a time of confusion, false charges, no spirit of cooperation set in and it's been more of the same ever sense. There was no one to train the new AOE and since he was not open for suggestions and became angry if anyone tried to approach him on anything the confusion and chaos continues.


August 16, 2012 at 1:26pm
As to a poll worker contacting one or more commissioners from both political parties---these parties do not work together and usually a poll worker just does what they are told and assume that the people in charge know what they are doing. Since I've worked along side of my husband in the office for many years, I see things that just are not right. The basic check and balance of the system is good when set in place and maintained, whoever is in power. We did not see it as power --it was just "let's work together to get the job done in a legal and fair manner for the good of ALL".
August 16, 2012 at 4:05pm
Ultimately it will be the people who suffer when those charged with serving the public stop doing so. The state mandate must be followed and steps taken that the elections are done in a manner that eliminates ANY fraudelent practices.
August 16, 2012 at 4:51pm
The state mandate should be followed but until the local folks come together to make sure they are followed, we will continue on this road downward.
August 16, 2012 at 7:36pm


Perhaps I am confused, I thought the AOE worked for the Election Commission and that the EC had the final say on who worked at the polls. Is this not the way it works?

On this statement by MeMe1------“As to a poll worker contacting one or more commissioners from both political parties---these parties do not work together ” If one member from each party was contacted and they followed up by informing all commissioners then there might be a lot less finger pointing and a lot more problem solving. Is it not the responsibly of the EC to insure all state mandates are followed and that the AOE as well as poll workers are trained and doing the job properly?

When I was working and had employees working for me it was the employee’s reasonability to do the job properly, but more importantly I had the reasonability to insure they were properly trained and that they did the job properly. Other wise they would walk around doing what they thought to be right and all doing things differently.

Maybe the answer might be for commission to come together and work for ALL the people and not for the Republicans OR the Democrats or friends and family. I think it would be helpful if the commission as a whole would take the time to write a job description for the AOE as well as poll workers. In fact they might want to do the same for themselves.

Politics has no place in an Election Commission. A fair and honest election for ALL is a fair and honest election for ALL regardless of party affiliation.

Jack
August 16, 2012 at 9:05pm
Bingo---Somewhat---If you have division in the leadership and the side with the most votes come in inexperienced and making false charges and going back to problems of years ago rather than tackle the problems and responsibilities at hand nothing gets settled and very little learned about the whole process and we have mass confusion that we are all witness to today.
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