December 4, 2011

SandBox Comments: Glass Ballot Box "Blowing up Democracy with Unverifiable Elections"

A must read.

As usual, the depth of insight and the power of the information just reaches out and grabs your attention.

What started out for Marilyn Marks as a simple hometown request to view public information ballots has turned into an epic proportions battle to secure all Coloradans rights to election transparency.

Yes, a must read.

"Journalists may initially disbelieve that this story could be taking place in 21st century Colorado, while Colorado is in the national spotlight as a 2012 swing state. However, the attached memo should provide adequate documentation of the developing situation here.  

Election officials are not only trying to roll the FOIA clock back 40 years, but far worse, many are claiming that their election processes  can trace voted ballots back to the individual voters, violating Colorado’s  constitutional guarantee of anonymous, untraceable ballots, which assure voter privacy. It is alarming that election officials in numerous counties unhesitatingly acknowledge their ability to know how individual voters voted.  Their claims are being made in an effort to promote state legislation to close down public and press access to voted ballots, on the theory that if ballots are open public documents, the press and public, (not just government insiders), will know how voters voted.

The co-authors and I hope that you will be as concerned as we are about the threats to voters’ civil rights and the  threatened dilution of the media’s first amendment rights and the public’s ability to verify its elections.   Please contact any of us for more information.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this issue."
(Marilyn Marks)

 
(Read this terrific memo?  Click title.  Comment to discuss)
"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident." 

SandBox Comments: Aspen Daily News "How much is your vote worth?"

"Let’s cut to the chase.

Imagine asking a politician how much he/she would pay for your vote. No worry about your party affiliation, or how you’ve voted in the past. No messy TV ads to mislead you, nor scripted robo-calls. In short, no B.S.

How much, please?

It’s not as far-fetched as you’d think. Estimates put the total amount to be spent on all 2012 U.S. elections at between $6 and $8 billion. In the 2010 off-year cycle, political spending reached $4.2 billion. Certainly you’re worth a tiny sliver of that, aren’t you? That’s a bunch of stimulus spending to spread around...."
(Dave Danforth)

(Read more?  Click title.  Comment to discuss)
"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."

SandBox Comments: The Mountain Mail "New date set for ballot disclosure "

Cailey McDermott:

"To provide more time for a counter expert witness, the Dec. 1 court hearing about disclosure of 2010 voter ballots was vacated and a new date was set for 8:15 a.m. March 23.

Marilyn Marks of Aspen recently demanded ballot disclosures in Chaffee County to "make it clear that voted ballots are public records."

Chaffee County Clerk and Recorder Joyce Reno appealed the request.

Reno said voted ballots are required to be kept confidential under the Colorado Constitution and Colorado law.

Jenny Davis, county attorney, said the hearing was delayed because the county has an expert witness and Marks' attorney wanted time to obtain a counter expert witness.

Davis said the county fought the court delay and lost.

March was selected because Marks will be traveling in January and there were conflicts with the caucus in February, Davis said."

(Learn more?  Comment to discuss)

SandBox Comments: CBS Denver 4 "Steamboat Shop’s Ski Boots A Hit On The Slopes"

What an absolutely brilliant business model!

Congratulations to both Steamboat Springs for being so fortunate to have this small business join the ranks of all their other thriving folks (and) to Harry Martin and his crew at Ski & Bike Kare.

Good luck on this one!

(Read what all the excitement over in Steamboat Springs is?  Click title.)

SandBox Comments: Citizen Telegram "Working the family farm"

"NEW CASTLE — Theresa Rumery and Jared McDermott recommend rosemary, sage and thyme for a delectable holiday dinner.

And they would know. After all, Rumery and McDermott spend their days cultivating, growing and managing the fine, organic culinary herbs of Osage Gardens — one of Colorado's oldest farms west of New Castle...."
(Jenny Lavey)

(Read more?  Click title.  Comment to discuss)