q: how to steal an election? (a: in lots of little pieces)

As I mentioned yesterday, electronic voting machines look to be headed for a heap of problems on November 4th (and are already causing problems), but that's not the only problem; the placement of the checkbox for President on North Carolina ballots is reportedly so confusing that in 2004, 90,000 people who went to the polls inexplicably did not vote for President. As that Huffington Post article notes, confusing ballots disproportionately affect the poor, the elderly, and first-time voters.

The article also describes how George H.W. Bush won the 1992 North Carolina race by less than 1 percentage point, and this year looks to be just as close. People are already starting to predict landslide for Obama, but considering the wash of dubious reports emerging from potential swing states (11,000 absentee ballots not mailed in Colorado, the White House pressuring the Department of Justice to have 400,000 new voters reregister in Ohio) I would be surprised if it's that simple.

As I was canvassing for Obama in Pennsylvania this past Sunday, knocking on doors of registered voters, letting them know when and where to vote and hoping to sway undecideds to vote Democratic, one guy asked me why I was out there, because "you know he's already got it in the bag." After the above reports, and seeing things like this I'm not so sure, which is why, after casting my vote on the 4th, I'll try to get down to Pennsylvania to help make sure Obama supporters get down to the polls.

You can find out how to get involved here: http://pol.moveon.org/obama/office.html
and get rides to Philly here: http://www.cbidems.org/bus-trips-to-philly

It's a lot easier than you think and you'll be glad you did.

In case you doubt the gravity of what is at stake, here's a video of what dancing will look like under the McCain-Palin administration: