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CNN Live At Daybreak
Some Michigan Democrats Using Internet to Vote
Aired February 06, 2004 - 06:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: As you know, the Internet is a big player in this campaign season. Some Michigan Democrats are using the Internet for the first time to vote for the presidential candidate. There are some glitches, but they are being worked out, at least we think so.
Jeff Flock has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm putting in my user name and the password.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): It's not until Saturday...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm indicating here that I'm voting for Wesley Clark.
FLOCK: ... but 20-year-old Michigan State sophomore Adam Farnham (ph) is making his choice for the Democratic nominee now -- on the Internet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A couple of clicks, and it was all done.
MARK BREWER, MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN: That was the main motivation for having Internet voting, to make voting easier so more people can participate.
FLOCK: Michigan Democratic chair Mark Brewer says it's already a success.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have to have the ward and then the precinct.
FLOCK: Hotlines lighting up and party workers busy, sending out instructions on how to do it electronically, though you can still go to the polls Saturday if you prefer.
JACKLYN MACEK, INTERNET VOTER: It isn't working.
FLOCK: It hasn't been perfect. Jacklyn Macek had trouble reaching the site.
MACEK: And unfortunately, they have to deal with the glitches right now, but as it gets worked out, hopefully it gets better.
FLOCK: But if the 20-year-old Internet savvy Kerry backer had trouble...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Change at my age is difficult to comprehend.
FLOCK: ... imagine the folks here at Timber Ridge Assisted Living in East Lansing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here, us old folks, we aren't used to these new-fangled computers.
FLOCK (on camera): What has to happen to make this viable in a general election?
DAVID ROHDE, POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR: Well, I think by far the most important thing is solving the security problem.
FLOCK (voice-over): Michigan State University poli-sci (ph) Professor David Rohde says hack-proofing is job one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One thing the Democratic Party is about is equal access.
FLOCK: Joel Ferguson (ph) is also skeptical. He ran Jesse Jackson's successful 1988 presidential primary campaign in Michigan, and thinks Democrats are forgetting who's on the Internet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The majority of the community has 46 percent access. Minorities, both Hispanic and African-Americans, are in the 23 percent.
FLOCK: Oh, Jacklyn did finally get to e-vote...
MACEK: My vote was official: "You have voted for the following: John Kerry."
FLOCK: And don't try to do it twice. It will catch you.
MACEK: Overall, this works, yes.
FLOCK: I'm Jeff Flock, CNN, Lansing, Michigan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired February 6, 2004 - 06:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: As you know, the Internet is a big player in this campaign season. Some Michigan Democrats are using the Internet for the first time to vote for the presidential candidate. There are some glitches, but they are being worked out, at least we think so.
Jeff Flock has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm putting in my user name and the password.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): It's not until Saturday...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm indicating here that I'm voting for Wesley Clark.
FLOCK: ... but 20-year-old Michigan State sophomore Adam Farnham (ph) is making his choice for the Democratic nominee now -- on the Internet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A couple of clicks, and it was all done.
MARK BREWER, MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN: That was the main motivation for having Internet voting, to make voting easier so more people can participate.
FLOCK: Michigan Democratic chair Mark Brewer says it's already a success.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have to have the ward and then the precinct.
FLOCK: Hotlines lighting up and party workers busy, sending out instructions on how to do it electronically, though you can still go to the polls Saturday if you prefer.
JACKLYN MACEK, INTERNET VOTER: It isn't working.
FLOCK: It hasn't been perfect. Jacklyn Macek had trouble reaching the site.
MACEK: And unfortunately, they have to deal with the glitches right now, but as it gets worked out, hopefully it gets better.
FLOCK: But if the 20-year-old Internet savvy Kerry backer had trouble...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Change at my age is difficult to comprehend.
FLOCK: ... imagine the folks here at Timber Ridge Assisted Living in East Lansing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here, us old folks, we aren't used to these new-fangled computers.
FLOCK (on camera): What has to happen to make this viable in a general election?
DAVID ROHDE, POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR: Well, I think by far the most important thing is solving the security problem.
FLOCK (voice-over): Michigan State University poli-sci (ph) Professor David Rohde says hack-proofing is job one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One thing the Democratic Party is about is equal access.
FLOCK: Joel Ferguson (ph) is also skeptical. He ran Jesse Jackson's successful 1988 presidential primary campaign in Michigan, and thinks Democrats are forgetting who's on the Internet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The majority of the community has 46 percent access. Minorities, both Hispanic and African-Americans, are in the 23 percent.
FLOCK: Oh, Jacklyn did finally get to e-vote...
MACEK: My vote was official: "You have voted for the following: John Kerry."
FLOCK: And don't try to do it twice. It will catch you.
MACEK: Overall, this works, yes.
FLOCK: I'm Jeff Flock, CNN, Lansing, Michigan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
