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Kansas Election Results: Why Not Audit?

8/4/2015

14 Comments

 
Starting the day after the election (November 6, 2014) I heard concerns, primarily from Republicans, that something was wrong, that there were too many complaints coming from voters who left the voting place less than confident that their votes were going to be accurately counted. Often the specific case was when they voted for Governor, clicking the Davis button then reviewing their ballot before submitting, it showed they had voted to re-elect Governor Brownback. They obviously corrected the mistake, feeling confident it wasn’t their error. I also picked up some of this here in Riley County but assumed that maybe this was driven more by disappointment than an actual issue. As the days and months passed, I continued to hear concerns that the numbers just didn’t add up, that something was wrong, and again, this was coming from individuals who I highly respect.

With the voting processes in control of those who liked the results, I couldn’t see how this could go anywhere, and I chose not to comment because it seemed like it would only come across as sour grapes.

But this idea changed for me, and for many others across the state, when Wichita State mathematician Beth Clarkson shared the findings of her multi-year and multi-state statistical analysis. Now, in recent weeks, it seems like more and more people are coming forward to raise concerns about the election results. From the accounts of poll workers to the editorial boards of a number of newspapers (including the Wichita Eagle and Manhattan Mercury), it seems to have raised plenty of eyebrows from reasonable Kansans of all political stripes who just want to confirm that the outcomes were accurate. For me, these editorials made this a real issue and one that deserves serious action.

For now, it looks like we may be poised for yet another critical legal battle for our state: this time it will be over access to the paper records from the voting machines in Sedgwick County. With all the focus on preventing voter fraud in Kansas, an audit—allowing an independent expert to take a look at the paper tapes, which do not include the names of the voters—seems to be a reasonable request.

For the future, I was also fascinated to learn that Kansas is not among the 50% of states where post-election audits are required by state law. If Secretary Kobach’s goal has been to make it, “easy to vote but hard to cheat,” an extra check for accuracy would make a lot of sense. In the meantime, in regard to Secretary Kobach’s pledge, I fear that we may be going backwards on both fronts.

I don’t say any of this thinking the numbers or the results of the last election can realistically be changed. But to not push for and demand a serious look into how Kansas elections are run does an incredible injustice to all Kansans who believe that their vote counts and have a right to know that it is done so accurately. Surely as Kansans, going forward, we can agree on that.
14 Comments
Debbie
8/4/2015 07:38:59 am

In those counties where the electronic voting machines don't have voter verifiable paper ballots, there's no point in doing an audit because there is no way to determine whether the votes were cast as the voters intended. An audit will just confirm the previously unreliable, non-verifiable report.

Reply
Robert
8/4/2015 07:58:27 am

But Sedgwick Co. does have the paper records, so the wsu professor (or someone) could at least look for the trend she's noticed for potential other explanations. Other states with audit laws can't look at voter intent either but they can at least make sure final counts are right. if a hackable 3g signal is all that stands between us and vote hacking i'd rather be sure.

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Debbie
8/4/2015 11:39:49 am

Voter verifiable paper records or just the print out from the voting machines.

John T
8/5/2015 12:33:43 am

The description of the problem by ex-Gov. Carlin about the voter who thought he marked the ballot for Davis and then found it indicated a vote for Brownback raises a CRITICAL issue. The paper trail would indicate a vote for Brownback if these errors were unnoticed and uncorrected, so the paper trail would be useless to find this fraud. As another poster said, a recount would only confirm the results that were recorded after the fraud occurred in the software.

Reply
David Soxman
8/4/2015 08:08:01 am

I agree that Sec. Kobach, if he is serious about stopping voter fraud, should put everyone's mind to rest and order the independent audit. What is there to be afraid of. Also, why can't all polling districts offer paper ballot records?

Reply
Debbie
8/4/2015 11:41:10 am

In Riley County you can ask for a paper ballot to vote with but one is not offered to you. I always vote with a paper ballot and I am not afraid of using technology; I'm just afraid that my vote won't be counted as I intended.

Reply
Greg
8/4/2015 01:02:51 pm

This article is as gently and reasonably worded as it could possibly be. I feel more urgency. It doesn't take proven electoral fraud to undermine democracy. Suspicion of fraud -- even this widespread suspicion that the state's chief election officer isn't adequately concerned about it -- is corrosive.

Reply
Abigail
8/4/2015 02:45:11 pm

I KNOW my vote wasn't counted. I requested my ballot in advance, since I would be out of the state, traveling, on voting day. Despite requesting the ballot in time, I did not receive it until after voting day. I was ticked off.

Reply
Eileen Jones
8/5/2015 02:02:55 am

Ph.D. statistician Beth Clarkson will need our support. We are all happy she has volunteered her expertise and time but this will likely be a long and expensive battle requiring many legal fees and thousands of hours of labor is she gets access to the data. I urge you to find her website and offer her your support in any way you feel is appropriate and possible. She is not doing this for herself; it's to preserve the integrity of our democracy and our confidence in it.

Reply
Deb Scanlon
8/5/2015 10:03:40 am

Thank you John, for looking into this for all Kansans

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Margaret Keehn
8/6/2015 02:30:16 am

An email address for Beth Clarkson can be found on her web page. I've emailed my offer of a donation. It will take much more than I can afford give, but if there are enough of us...

Reply
Kirk
8/6/2015 04:05:26 pm

I voted in advance. Then in the next school LOB election I did not receive a ballot by mail. When I inquired, I was told that I was inactive. On further inquiry I found that the reason was that I was still registered in another state where I previously lived seven years ago. The county election official said it was my responsibility to check my voter status before each election, and furthermore, it was my duty to cancel my voter registration in the other state. When asked when this occurred they just repeated that it was my responsibility, and would not tell me when I was deactivated. I suspect that I was deactivated on the day of the last state election, when the governor was re-elected. I would like to know how many other voters were deactivated, and what was their party affiliation.

Reply
Greg V
8/6/2015 05:08:15 pm

What would happen if all requested a paper ballot?

Reply
Marcia Blenden
8/8/2015 05:56:04 am

I always ask for a paper ballot. They should program the electronic voting machine to show the voter after the vote has been submitted who you voted for. How could the man who voted Davis know for sure the vote went to Davis even after the correction.

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    John W. Carlin​—​61st Speaker of the Kansas House, 40th Governor of Kansas, 8th Archivist of the United States, and student of leadership

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