The good, the bad, and the really ugly -- electionline.org issues a report
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports: A non-partisan clearinghouse for election-reform research has singled out Missouri as one of three states with the potential for big Election Day ballot problems.
The group, electionline.org, said Tuesday it will send researchers to observe voting in Missouri, Florida and Ohio.
"(Missouri) state officials have been assuring voters that there will be no repeat of 2000," said Elizabeth Schneider, a researcher for the group. "Despite those assurances, our report found that conditions are ripe for problems on Election Day."
She said one potential trouble spot for Missouri is the large number of voters who will cast ballots on punch card systems like the ones Florida did away with after its infamous recount fraught with hanging and dimpled chads. (In Missouri, 37 of 116 jurisdictions still use punch-card systems, including urban areas with a large swath of the state's voters in the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas.) She also cited security concerns about Secretary of State Matt Blunt's plan to allow troops in combat zones to vote by e-mail. -- | 10/19/2004 | Several states face likely voter problems for elections (KRT Wire via SunHerald.com)
The electionline.org report is available here.