States Brace for Election's Tech Snarls

Feds failed to notify officials of ballot machine failures

(NEWSER) - Little has been done to fix voting problems in some key states over the last few years, and voters in those states could have problems at the polls in November, CNN reports. Ten swing states—including Florida and Ohio—are likely to face voting day snarls, including shortages of voting machines, glitches with electronic registration poll books, and not enough provisional ballots on hand for voters who hit snafus. More»

(AP) - Hard-line incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was heading for a surprise landslide with nearly 80% of votes counted in Iran's stormy presidential elections, the Interior Ministry has said. But his pro-reform rival countered that he was the clear victor and accused authorities of fraud. Ahmadinejad's main challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi, is backed by a growing youth-oriented movement. A large turnout at the polls had boosted victory hopes for Mousavi supporters. More»

Voting runs extra 3 hours to accommodate volume

(NEWSER) - Both leading candidates for Iran’s presidency are trumpeting victory after Iranians swarmed the polls, forcing them to remain open an extra 3 hours, Reuters reports. Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad each claimed some 60% of the vote. Meanwhile, President Obama applauded the election, which he said heralded “robust debate” and a “possibility of change” in Iran, the AP reports. “You’re seeing people looking at new possibilities.” More»

Erratic record in state elections may arise in confirmation hearings

(NEWSER) - Sonia Sotomayor isn't much of a voter. She skipped multiple New York elections in the past decade, including three for state supreme court, reports NY1. The 2nd Circuit appeals judge failed to vote for governor in 2002 and 2006, and for court positions in 1995, 1999, and 2007. Sotomayor is not registered with any party and thus cannot vote in party primaries. She did vote in the 2008 general election, the one won by the guy who wants to put her on the Supreme Court. More»

Maoist guerrillas kill, kidnap electoral officials

(NEWSER) - Eighteen people have died as a result of attacks by Maoist guerrillas during the first day of voting in India's national elections, the Guardian reports. The guerrillas, called Naxalites, staged violent attacks today on polling stations, killing security guards and kidnapping at least four electoral officials. More»