It's been announced that the plaintiffs in the CA-50 election contest will appeal the dismissal of their suit requesting a recount based on the extreme security issues with the computerized voting system. The judge dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds, stating that once the apparant winner is sworn in, the jurisdiction shifts to the House of Representatives.

Donations to the appeal can be made via Velvet Revolution.

In related news, I'm completely irked that I missed Down for the Count on NOW last night. Honestly, I swear that sometimes it's on at 8:30 and sometimes it's on at 9:30. Just when I think I have it figured out they move it.

Jammed machines, rejected ballots, malfunctions that declare the losing candidate the winner...if this were occurring on American Idol, you can imagine the outrage, but it's happening with a far more important American institution: democratic elections. New election machines, as mandated and funded by federal law, may create a new election debacle instead of correcting the old one.

Ain't that the sad truth?

Questions about American Idol voting arise, and people are outraged. Questions about voting in democratic elections arise, and the people who say anything about it are conspiracy theorists.