I can post a totally junk blog entry if I want to.

I dare you to watch this without laughing.

While reviewing the King County Elections site for information on electronic ballots, and electioneering, I found something that worries me a tad:

All observers and poll watchers may not:
Electioneer within 300 feet of the polling place entrance or exit.

What worries me about this is, during the 2000 election there was heavy pressure outside many polling places from PAC’s and other groups (I’m not bold enough to assume the pressure came from any candidates election team officially). This happened at my polling place (just up the street from my house), where I was pressured by firemen to vote for George W. Bush.

Electioneering is defined (dict.org) as “To make interest for a candidate at an election.” In other words, presenting handbills for/against a measure or candidate(s), speaking in a suggestive manor to any person waiting to vote - or having voted, displaying stickers or posters or any other materials on vehicles or polling locations suggesting for/against a measure or candidate(s).

Now here’s what worries me: Early polling monitoring has shown as much as five hour waits for voters. If the lines are so long, and the wait so lengthy, won’t voters be in line a distance greater than 300 feet? Potentially beyond the public land used as the polling place? If so, there’s nothing stating on the State elections Web site guarding the voters.

I haven’t yet learned whether electronic ballots will be used throughout King County (I have learned that advanced voting for accesible requirements does include electronic ballots). From previous elections, I understand some counties/states allowed for the request of a paper ballot wherever electronic ballots are used.

I’m a tech-head, and I still wouldn’t trust my vote to an electronic ballot. This coming from a person that lives off his ATM machines.

Update: Not an electioneering issue, but something of even greater importance: My wife just notified me (she learned from a mailroom notice) that the absentee ballots in WA require .59 cents in postage - so please don’t forget to check  your postage before mailing!

Years ago, I worked for the Fort Myers News-Press as a member of the Online department.

There were many proud days, many hard days, and during the 2000 Presidential election, the days (and nights) were often both.

Since leaving The News-Press in 2001, I have often checked the paper’s Web site, partly to keep up with events in Fort Myers, and partly to check on what code I’ve deployed still remains in use.

It saddens me to see advertising so blatent on the homepage of a newspaper Web site - especially when it’s political. Shouldn’t a newspaper be as neutral (as Fox News would put it “Fair and Balanced”)? I understand many newspapers endorse candidates, and even more flavor their news and information to their customers (ever heard your local paper called a “red” paper, or a “blue” paper?), but an advertisement (Flash, even!) of this size just makes me sad. And I’m even an Obama supporter!

Photo has been resized to fit (better) in your browser.

I’ve been bitching all campaign (as my father-in-law would say “that makes sense: you’re a liberal!”) about the Presidential candidates back and forth mudslinging. It seems that so much more airtime has been taken talking about the other guy than about themselves.

All I’ve wanted is for the candidates to talk about themselves, and only themselves. What are you up to? How’s your day? Got anything specific you want to tell me about your plans?

Well, Obama has done a fair job at that, but barely a fair job. McCain - nothing at all until I tuned into his Web site (the splash page videos were a good start). Now today I found the video below on The Huffington Post Web site, and I’ve got to say while there’s no specifics mentioned (”your investments? they’ll grow again…”), McCain at least kept Obama’s name (and his “friends”) out of the ad.

I love talking head ads that are 100% candidate - regardless of the script handed them.

I can’t believe I’m saying this: Score one for McCain. Take away half a point for the lack of specifics, but give the half back because it’s 100% McCain.