WHY THE INVESTIGATION AT THE ELECTION COMMISSION IS GOOD
FOR BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS
Most of my experiences with the many dedicated officials and staff over the years at the Shelby County Election Commission have been positive. They often work long hours during the election periods, and respond professionally in handling their tremendous responsibilities. I appreciate their efforts.
And, we all know, there’s always room for positive suggestions for improvement. That’s why whatever comes out of the current investigation should be viewed as , well, — merely another part of the process. Voting is our cherished right that was fought for, many died for, and others marched for. And, every citizen should feel confident that his or her vote will be properly counted without concerns of whether the voting equipment is properly calibrated, computer glitches, or even human error. There’s too much at stake.
Last year, an elderly voter came into my headquarters in the special election for Memphis Mayor very upset. He had tried to cast his vote for me , and another candidate’s name popped up. He complained at his poll, and was told he would have to go downtown to the election commission office to file a complaint. I helped him file a complaint with the District Attorney, the Dept of Justice, and the Election Commission. After a second complaint from another voter, I also spoke directly with election officials to inquire how many similar complaints were filed for that election. Imagine my concern when I was told that there was no formal process to record such complaints at the poll, that citizen telephone complaints to the office were often kept only as handwritten notes with no central file, and that I could not have access to such information until after the vote was certified (much too late to be of use to any candidate wanting to mount a serious challenge).
Herenton himself, in the 2007 Memphis mayoral election, called for a Dept. of Justice investigation of the early vote process, alleging technical errors with voters selecting one candidate but the vote being recorded for another, and even possible malfeasance. At this time this seemed like more of his well-known bravado, but now I have to ask did he know something at the time we didn’t know? Having come in a close second (within 7 points) for Memphis Mayor in 2007, and in light of the current revelations from the investigation at the Shelby County Election Commission, I for one, would like some answers.
Now, the recent report that there is a “manual override” capability in the Diebold software that could allow the vote totals to be altered should be fully explained by the Shelby County Election Commission to the public. Why is this on the equipment? How is it monitored, what procedures are in place, and how is it audited to ensure against tampering? When has it been used, for which elections, and for what reason? Can it be removed to ensure the integrity of future elections? If not properly addressed, could it impact on the outcome of the upcoming gubernatorial election, or perhaps the controversial proposed charter amendment on consolidation of governments?
This is not a republican or democratic issue. It is an American issue. We saw how one U.S. Presidential election came down to a few hanging chads. We have fewer and fewer citizens even bothering to exercise their right to vote because they have lost confidence in our election process with news pundits and pollsters claiming elections are over before they have begun, and with the continued questions about the integrity of the process. We must ensure that those who do choose to participate have confidence that their vote is actually cast and counted for the candidate of their choice. After all, that’s the American way.
