Change the List

Made it to the destination for the next #changethelist project.

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 12:54:44 -0500

Made it to the destination for the next #changethelist project.

Passing through Birmingham. Any guesses where we are headed for...

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 10:36:09 -0500

Passing through Birmingham. Any guesses where we are headed for the next #changethelist story?

On the road early for the next CNN #changethelist story. Happy...

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 10:09:59 -0500

On the road early for the next CNN #changethelist story. Happy New Year!

Hawaii ties for last in voting

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:07:00 -0500

(CNN) — Hawaii tied West Virginia for 49th place in voter turnout in the November election — and I’m pretty pumped about it. That may seem like a strange thing to be excited about, or even to know about, but hear me out on this: Since September, I’ve been writing about Hawaii’s lowest-of-the-low voter turnout rate for a new CNN project called Change the List. The goal, as the project name spells out in even-Ke$ha-can-understand terms (sorry, Ke$ha, I’m sure you’re smart, but that dollar sign …), was to bump Hawaii off the bottom of that list. And I wanted to do that with your help.

Read the full story on CNN.com.

Petition aims to combine Election Day with Veterans' Day (Sign it!)

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:17:01 -0500

After I wrote a recent article for CNN’s Change the List about why Election Day should be a federal holiday, someone created a petititon to that effet on WhiteHouse.gov. I didn’t realize the White House’s website allowed for user-created petitions, but apparently it does, and a couple of you sent me this link on Twitter. It now has more than 7,500 signatures. Several similar petitions can be found on Change.org, but I’m highlighting the White House version because it seems to have the most support, at least at the moment. Take a look, and if you agree Election Day should be combined with Veterans Day, as The Atlantic first suggested, then take a second to sign it. I think it could go a long way toward making it logistically easier for people to vote, and symbolically reminding all of us of the sacrifices veterans made for that right.

Thanks! — John, CNN’s Change the List

No English ballots? Try Japanese

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:22:00 -0500

No English ballots? Try Japanese:

That’s basically what happened to voters at one precinct in Hawaii after a series of unfortunate events. First, the polling place at Hokulani Elementary School on the island of Oahu ran out of ballots. A two-hour line formed as polling workers tried to shuffle hundreds of people through a single electronic voting machine.

Next, according to Mike Kratzke, who was working the election, officials delivered more ballots — but they were the wrong ones, featuring the wrong local races. “Everyone stop! The ballots are wrong!” Kratzke recalls yelling over an angry mob.

Finally: A sorta-solution. Kratzke said he passed out Japanese-language ballots to some of the English-speaking voters. By comparing the Japanese ballots with those that included the wrong candidates, he said, the people of Hawaii finally were able to vote.

Read the full story on CNN.com.

Why Election Day should be a federal holiday

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:25:46 -0500

Why Election Day should be a federal holiday:

As The Atlantic has suggested, Election Day could be combined with Veterans’ Day to create “Veterans’ Democracy Day.” Smart idea. Sends a strong message about the importance of voting, and the sacrifices that have made American democracy possible.

"The defeat of the [Minnesota] voter ID constitutional amendment, along with the [state]..."

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 16:10:37 -0500

“The defeat of the [Minnesota] voter ID constitutional amendment, along with the [state] Legislature’s flip from Republican to Democratic control, is likely put that issue on indefinite hold. But it won’t end the debate over the need for some changes in state election law.”

- A lot of news Tuesday night, and oddly the presidential and senatorial races plus marriage equality and marijuana decriminalization initiatives got more attention than this. (Ha!)

But it’s worth noting that Minnesota’s Voter ID ballot initiative failed approximately 54 to 46 percent. In light of the fact that voter ID requirements generally are supported by upwards of 75 percent of the population, this was a huge win for voting rights activists. It just goes to prove that when you explain the issue and fight for the vote, you can win.

Even without photo ID, election system likely to see changes | Minnesota Public Radio News

(via electoraldysfunction)

Here’s the CNN Change the List story on why Minnesota is tops at voting.

Hawaii maybe-possibly-hopefully changed the list

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:21:44 -0500

Hawaii maybe-possibly-hopefully changed the list

"It’s now the morning after Election Day. And while it’s still unclear whether Hawaii..."

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:10:17 -0500

“It’s now the morning after Election Day. And while it’s still unclear whether Hawaii will finish last place for voting, preliminary estimates do offer a ray of hope. According to Michael McDonald, an election results guru at George Mason University, Hawaii likely will slip past West Virginia, handing over the title of the “state that doesn’t vote.” It feels too early and too odd to celebrate, though, especially given the calamity that ensued in Hawaii on Tuesday.”

- Read the full CNN.com story to find out why I’m not ready to celebrate the fact that Hawaii may have bumped itself out of last place for voting. Main reasons: Not all of the numbers are in; and Election Day, according to reports, was a mess in parts of Hawaii.

Woo-hoo! Thanks for sending in “I voted” images,...

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 20:33:33 -0500

Woo-hoo! Thanks for sending in “I voted” images, Hawaii. Click on the image to see the interactive map and to send in an image of your own. Here’s another pic, from the news site Honolulu Civil Beat. The polls are still open in Hawaii. Get out there and vote!

CNN wants you, Hawaii (Civil Beat)

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 20:06:23 -0500

CNN wants you, Hawaii (Civil Beat)

"The majority of the (Hawaii’s) 233 precincts opened on time this morning at 7 a.m. … The..."

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:25:04 -0500

“The majority of the (Hawaii’s) 233 precincts opened on time this morning at 7 a.m. … The only exception was in Leeward Oahu where a precinct at Mililani High School opened 10 minutes late because of “a misunderstanding” during the initial setting up process, said Rex Quidilla, state elections office spokesman.”

- Gregg K. Kakesako, Honolulu Star Advertiser. That’s good news, especially considering the trouble the Big Island of Hawaii had during the primary, with several polling places opening late. The bad news: Surf is high today. (Good news: You can surf AND vote).

“Where you at, Hawaii?” After you vote, take a photo...

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 15:39:00 -0500

“Where you at, Hawaii?” After you vote, take a photo of yourself with an “I Voted” sticker (homemade or otherwise) and upload it to iReport, Instagram or Twitter. Tag it #ivotedcnn and it could end up on this CNN map. We want the Aloha State to be included in the project. And thanks for voting!

— CNN’s Change the List

Mahalo for voting Hawaii! The Aloha State doesn’t have to...

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:40:40 -0500

Mahalo for voting Hawaii! The Aloha State doesn’t have to finish last for voter turnout this year. Get out there and vote! — CNN’s Change the List

"Who are you voting for on Election Day? What issue has you fired up most? Record your thoughts in a..."

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:50:36 -0500

“Who are you voting for on Election Day? What issue has you fired up most? Record your thoughts in a short video (no longer than 60 seconds). And if you’ve attended a campaign event, share your photos or video. The best submissions could be part of CNN’s election coverage. If you experience any problems at the polls, let CNN know. You can contact our voter irregularities hotline by calling 800-CNN-NEWS, texting CNN 55333, or emailing votewatch@cnn.com.”

- CNN iReport is asking for images/video from Election Day.

lilacina: Doing my part to help @cnnireport collect stickers...

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 09:42:00 -0500

lilacina:

Doing my part to help @cnnireport collect stickers from every state. Tag yours #ivotedCNN and join in! #cnnireport #election2012

Love this photo. Here’s mine. Send yours on Twitter or Instagram and be sure to tag it #ivotedCNN. It could end up in CNN’s Election Day coverage. Thanks for voting! — John/ CNN’s Change the List

Everything you need to know about Election Day

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 09:28:23 -0500

soupsoup:

Bookmark this for tomorrow, it’ll come in handy:

Where to vote

What time polling places close state by state

The most important races aside from the Presidential election

23 ballot measures to keep an eye on

Real time results, analysis and commentary

I’ll add this one: Find your polling place and ballot, from CNN+Google.

Are you voting tomorrow? Take a photo with your "I Voted" sticker and upload it to CNN iReport. It could show up in CNN's coverage.

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 19:54:18 -0500

Are you voting tomorrow? Take a photo with your "I Voted" sticker and upload it to CNN iReport. It could show up in CNN's coverage.

Early voting numbers are up in Hawaii

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:48:32 -0500

More evidence Hawaii doesn’t have to finish last in voting:

In 2008, 175,526 people voted early in Hawaii.
This year, about 180,000 people have done the same (so far).

These numbers are from Rex Quidilla in the state’s election office. They include early walk-in voting and absentee ballots that had been received as of Monday morning in Hawaii. ”We just hope people come out to vote tomorrow,” he said. CNN’s Change the List certainly hopes for the same. If all went as it did in 2008, Hawaii would need 11,466 more votes to hop off the bottom of the national list for voter turnout. You can do it, Hawaii.