The “Chain of custody” begins at the Polling Place.  The Board Worker Manual is mostly a series of checklists for procedures to ensure that eligible Voters are able to vote, and that their votes are securely delivered and accurately counted.  For example, Ballots and Seals should be carefully inventoried, and their use recorded on the Precinct Ballot Report.

See: http://recorder.maricopa.gov/elections/electboard.aspx for online Board Worker Manual and Video.

Standard Voting Procedure (see p.27 of Board Worker Manual)

1).  Voter starts at the Signature Roster, announces name, and presents ID (see Acceptable ID list below).

• The Roster Clerk checks ID, and locates Voter in the Roster.  If Voter isn’t listed in the white pages (active Voters), the clerk should check the yellow pages (recent add-ons) in the back of the book.
• If the ID is valid (proof of identity), and the ID address matches the registration address (residence or mailing), the Roster Clerk reads the Voter’s register number aloud.

2).  The Poll List Clerk uses the register number to find the Voter‘s name in the Precinct Register, and copies the Voter‘s name into the Poll List.

3).  The Ballot Distribution Clerk hands the Voter a ballot and offers ballot-marking instruction.  (The Distribution Clerk has an extra Precinct Register which is used to look up party affiliation for Primaries, but isn’t needed in the General.) 

4).  The Voter marks the ballot, deposits it in the optical scanner, and gets a sticker.

Provisional Ballot Procedure (p.30 of Board Worker Manual)

A Voter who isn’t listed in the Roster, doesn’t have valid ID (proof of identity), or whose ID address don’t match the Roster, is directed to the Provisional Ballot Clerk, who helps the Voter fill out a Provisional Ballot Form.

1).  If the Voter isn’t listed in the Roster, Board Workers should help them ascertain their assigned polling place by helping them find their residence address on the color-coded precinct map, which should be posted on the wall.  Voters must vote in the polling place assigned to the precinct in which they’re registered.  Anyone has the right to vote a provisional ballot anywhere, but it only counts if it’s voted in their own precinct.
• If they’re in the wrong polling place, they should be directed to their assigned polling place, where they may be listed in the Roster, and may vote a regular ballot.
• If they’re in the right polling place, but not in the roster, they should vote a provisional ballot.

2).  Provisional Ballot: If the Voter has valid ID (proof of identity), the Clerk circles “YES” on the front of the Form.  Voter does not need to return with more ID.

3).  Conditional Provisional Ballot: If the Voter doesn’t have valid ID (proof of identity), the Clerk circles “NO” on the front of the Provisional Ballot Form, and gives the Voter a list of acceptable ID and a list of locations to bring the ID within five days (of General Election).  Voter can also bring ID back to the Polling Place before 7 pm.

4).  Whether 2). Or 3). Apply, the Clerk helps the Voter fill out the Form, including name & address changes.

5).  The Clerk folds a ballot in half, gives it to the voter, and attaches the Form to a manila envelope.  The top (pink) page of the Form is a receipt with a unique Affidavit Number (Aff#) which the Voter should keep, and contact County Elections to find out if the ballot was counted, and if not, why not.  The contact info is on the receipt.

6).  The Voter votes the ballot, seals it in the envelope, deposits it in the Provisional Ballot Box, and gets a sticker.

7).  A week or two after Election Day, the Voter calls the phone number or visits the web page listed on the top (pink) page of the Form with the unique Affidavit Number (Aff#) to find out if the ballot was counted, and if not, why not.

Acceptable ID
• If ID address matches one Roster address, Voter votes standard ballot procedure.
• If ID address doesn’t match one Roster address, Voter votes provisional ballot procedure, doesn’t need to return with more ID.
• If Voter doesn’t have acceptable ID, Voter votes conditional provisional ballot procedure, needs to return with acceptable ID.

The elector shall announce his/her name and place of residence to the election official and present one form of identification from List #1 OR two different forms of identification from List #2.
[A.R.S. § 16-579(A)]

LIST #1 – Sufficient Photo ID including name and address
•Valid Arizona driver license or non-operating identification
•Tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification
•Valid United States federal, state, or local government issued identification

LIST #2 – Sufficient ID without photograph bearing name and address
•Utility bill of the elector that is dated within ninety days of the date of the election. A utility bill may be or electric, gas, water, solid waste, sewer, telephone, cellular phone, or cable television
•Bank or credit union statement that is dated within 90 days of the date of the election
•Valid Arizona Vehicle Registration
•Indian census card
•Property tax statement of the elector’s residence
•Tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification
•Vehicle insurance card
•Valid United States federal, state, or local government issued identification
•Voter Registration Card / Recorder’s Certification
•Any “Official Election Material” mailing bearing your name and address

Barack Obama answered the 14 top science questions facing America, according to ScienceDebate2008.com, the group leading the effort to make key science issues a larger part of the election.

“Most of America’s major unsolved challenges revolve around these 14 questions. To move America forward, the next president needs a substantive plan for tackling them going in, and voters deserve to know what that plan is,” said Shawn Otto, CEO of the initiative. “We’re pleased that Senator Obama has provided voters with that substantive plan, and we’re hoping for similarly thoughtful responses from Senator McCain.”

Senator Obama’s full responses can be found at:
http://www.sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php?id=40

The top 14 questions address energy policy, national security, economics in a science-driven global economy, climate change, education, health care, ocean health, biosecurity, clean water, space, stem cells, scientific integrity, genetics, and research.

The 14 questions were developed from over 3,400 questions submitted by more than 38,000 signers of the ScienceDebate2008 initiative. The questionnaire is a joint effort led by ScienceDebate2008, with Scientists and Engineers for America, AAAS, the National Academies, the Council on Competitiveness, and several other organizations, together representing over 125 million voters.

“Ensuring that the U.S. continues to lead the world in science and technology will be a central priority for my administration,” said Senator Obama. “Our talent for innovation is still the envy of the world, but we face unprecedented challenges that demand new approaches.”

Recent national polls have shown that 85% of voters would like the see the candidates debate these challenges, and the majority of voters are much more likely to vote for a candidate that has a plan for tackling these issues.

“We are grateful for Senator Obama’s detailed responses and look forward to receiving the same from Senator McCain,” said Matthew Chapman, president of the initiative. “After that we hope the candidates will want to discuss their differences. Science Debate 2008 and its partners once again extend an invitation to both candidates to attend a televised debate or forum where these vital issues can be discussed in front of a broader audience.”

July 9, 2008 Wednesday 6:30pm

El Penasco Restaurant

19 E Broadway Rd. Tempe, AZ 85282

Speakers:

Ed Hermes, County Supervisor Candidate

Joel Sinclaire, County Supervisor Candidate

Karen Price, LD9 Senate Candidate

We meet together the first Wednesday (except Jan. and July when we meet 2nd Wed.) of each month. Bring a friend and enjoy an evening of politics, activist information, planning and friendly conversation .

Click here to RSVP.

In 2000, many legislators were hoodwinked into allowing payday loans in Arizona. The law is set to expire, or “sunset,” in 2010 but Senate Bill 1239 seeks to postpone the ban until 2012. The leadership of the Legislature is attempting to delay solving the problem.

Payday loans are legalized loan sharking with fees that equal interest of 400 percent to 500 percent a year. My ethical, moral and economic values tell me that payday loans are not a reasonable credit option. If you are not sure about that, do a Google search for the word “usury.”

…Payday loans are predatory lending at its worst and take advantage of working people with limited resources. Seniors and the disabled are emerging as the new targeted customers, according to a Feb. 12 article in The Wall Street Journal.

For more information please visit the Stop Payday Predators Web site at http://www.stoppaydaypredators.com.

The election is April 1, but you can vote by mail if you request your early ballot by the end of this week, March 21. To do that, go to [& see a map of the districts]:

http://www.srpnet.com/elections/

and put in your voter and property info. Everyone on the deed gets a fraction of the vote for that property, if they’re a registered voter.

This election can really make a difference, because there can be as few as 200 total voters in one SRP region, such as our SRP “Precinct 8″ (not to be confused with your ordinary precinct designation).

I don’t know about the other SRP regions, but in ours there is a good candidate I have met, Amanda Ormond. I haven’t talked with her or anyone else about my sending out this info, which I am doing entirely on my own. But she has a web site at

http://www.amandaforsrp.org/

if you want to see more about her. It’s a chance to get someone on the SRP board who cares about the environment and is not just put in by the farmers and developers.

- Bruce M., Tempe, AZ

Contact your county supervisor and tell them you want to get to the bottom of this waste of money!

Their phone number is (602) 506-3416 and insist THEY fully investigate this boondoggle.

Tempe Municipal EARLY VOTING IN PERSON is February 11 – March 7, 2008 (M thru F):

• Tempe Public Library, 3500 S. Rural Road (SW corner of Rural/Southern)
• City Hall, 31 E. 5th Street, 1st floor (5th and Mill)
• Maricopa County Recorder Office 111 S. 3rd Avenue, Phoenix
• Maricopa County Recorder Office 510 S 3rd Avenue, Phoenix
• Maricopa County Recorder Office 222 E. Javelina, Mesa

The hours of operation for early voting are: Monday-Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Friday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

EARLY VOTING BY MAIL – February 7 to March 7, 2008:
Internet Requests
Phone requests for a mail ballot can be made by calling the Maricopa County Elections Department at (602)506-1511 or (602)506-2348 (TDD).
Written requests may be sent to the Maricopa County Elections Department, 510 S. 3rd Avenue, Phoenix, 85034. Written requests should include: 1) voter’s name and residence address; 2) birth date; 3) election for which ballot is requested; 4) address where the ballot is to be mailed, if different than residence address; 5) signature of requester; and whether you want to be included in the permanent early voters list.

REQUEST DEADLINE:
ALL requests for an early ballot (written, phone or internet) must be received by the Office of the Maricopa County Recorder no later than 5:00 p.m. on the second Friday preceding the election (February 29, 2008).

VOTING DEADLINE:
In order to be valid and counted, the mailed ballot and signed affidavit must be received by the Office of the Maricopa County Recorder or the Office of the Tempe City Clerk, or deposited at any polling place in Maricopa County no later than 7:00 p.m. on election day (Election Day – March 11, 2008).

Tempe Municipal Election Day is Tuesday March 11, 2008

Source:

http://www.tempe.gov/clerk/Election/EarlyVotingInfo.htm

Watch the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfC8S70Ugq8

Read more at AZ Central “Sheriff’s office spent $30,000 for Honduras project”.
or PHX New Times “Sheriff Joe Arpaio pays for the training of Honduran cops with RICO funds to the tune of around $32K, and counting.”.

Vote for Dan Saban in this DailyKos poll:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/26/14254/6583/256/464507

Former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta told the candidates in a video last week that they need to come to Science Debate 2008 in Philadelphia – it’s important to the future of our country and to the future of the planet.

You can see John Podesta’s video here, along with videos to the candidates from John Porter, Neal Lane, Rita Colwell, and other high-profile supporters.

Over 100 major universities and other leading organizations have now signed on, as have the CEOs of leading tech companies including Intel, Texas Instruments and many others, over 70 university presidents, congresspersons of both major parties, present and former presidential science advisory committee members, and over 17,000 of America’s leading scientists, engineers, executives, and concerned citizens. The list is astonishing.

All told, we now represent over 125 million American voters. From the health of the economy to the health of our families to the health of the planet, Americans understand what the candidates have yet to fully grapple with: issues of science and technology are critical to our future.

Despite the importance of this discussion to all Americans, we haven’t yet heard back from the campaigns.

So we need your help. This is a unique moment in American history when you can truly influence the future direction of the nation and the world by helping us elevate science and technology in our national political dialogue.

We need you to contact the campaigns directly and urge them to accept our invitation, which they can see on our site, in case they have lost their copies. We suggest you watch the videos for ideas of what to say, or borrow from the written statements. We also encourage you to write letters to the editor of your local paper of 200 words or less, telling people about Science Debate 2008 and urging the candidates to attend for the good of America.

Please email, call, and write the campaigns here:

• Email, call the Clinton campaign at (703) 469-2008 and write to Hillary Clinton for President 4420 North Fairfax Drive Arlington, VA 22203
• Email, call the Huckabee campaign at (501) 324-2008 and write to Huckabee for President, Inc. P.O. Box 2008 Little Rock, Arkansas 72203
• Email, call the McCain campaign at (703) 418-2008 and write to John McCain 2008 P.O. Box 16118 Arlington, VA 22215
• Email, call the Obama campaign at (866) 675-2008, and write to Obama for America P.O. Box 8102 Chicago, IL 60680

Thanks for being a part of this important initiative.

- From The team at ScienceDebate2008.com

Sign the petition demanding McCain return the millions of dollars raised by lobbyists.

We use humor, we use pop culture, we use McCain’s insistent use of the word “friends!” We hope you will send it along to your friends, foes, and media outlets.

Best,
Robert Greenwald and the crew at Brave New Films