The initial hand recount of 15 precincts from Anchorage’s April election was completed on May 14, but some races will be recounted for “clarification” — but recount observers note additional discrepancies, lack of training for recount workers, and the Municipality of Anchorage’s continuing failure to observe the rule of law in conducing the recount.

A handcount worker holds completed tally sheets from precinct 840 (Service High School) on May 11.

For the last several days, I have been engaged in observing the hand recount of 15 precincts from the botched April 3 Municipality of Anchorage election called for on May 3 by ten qualified Anchorage voters. I am one of those ten qualified voters; the others are Hal Gazaway, Barbara Gazaway, Joseph McKinnon, Zobia Kennedy, Dana Klein, Wendy Isbell, Steven McCoy, Kelly Walters, and Linda Kellen Biegel.  For the four days of the recount so far, both the Recount Group (or observers acting on our behalf) and from the One Anchorage campaign, which had sponsored the apparently failed Proposition 5, the Anchorage Equal Rights Initiative, had official observers present.

Yesterday, the Municipal Clerk’s office issued its Media Advisory 15, announcing that,

The initial recount of the votes cast in 15 precincts in the April 3, 2012 Anchorage Municipal Election has been completed. Tomorrow, May 16, at 1 pm in Room #155, City Hall, 632 W. 6th Avenue selected races in certain precincts will be recounted to clarify results.

The 15 precincts which we observed being handcounted from Wednesday, May 9, through Monday, May 14 (excluding the weekend) were:

• 215    Guening Middle School
• 220    Eagle River Lions Club
• 235    Mt. Spurr Elementary
• 240    Fire Lake Elementary School
• 340    Mountain View Elementary School
• 445    East High School
• 550    MOA Public Works Permit Ctr.
• 610    Northwood Elementary School
• 625    Steller Secondary School
• 660    Spenard Recreation Center
• 670    Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
• 675    Romig Middle School
• 830    Hanshew Middle School
• 840    Service High School
• 925    Huffman Elementary School

Of these, the Municipal Clerk’s office plans to recount the following:

• Precinct 235 — Proposition 4
• Precinct 550 — Proposition 7
• Precinct 660 — Another hand count of total ballots, since the number exceeds the AccuVote count
• Precinct 830 — Proposition 7
• Precinct 840 — ASD Race E and ASD Race F
• Precinct 925 — Mayor and Proposition 1

Unfortunately, the Municipal Clerk’s office is failing to address discrepancies in an  additional 11 races in 5 of the precincts that we identified in our own analysis.

The discrepancies I’m referring to were of totals of all votes tallied in a given race within a given precinct not matching the total number of actual physical ballots for that precincts. These disrcepancies resulted from errors made by the two-person teams of workers actually doing the handcounts. A major feature throughout the four days of handcount I’ve already observed showed that of the six handcount teams, three were observed to use procedures or otherwise have issues conducive to inaccuracy that were remarked upon by multiple observers independently of one another. Thus, I wasn’t terribly surprised to find, when I input totals tallied on their tally sheets into my spreadsheet that those teams made errors — errors in at least one race for every precinct that those teams counted. I supplied the Municipal Clerk’s office with the spreadsheets, noting all the discrepancies I had found, and our concerns.

The main problem that I saw was that the hand count teams received minimal instruction, and minimal direction in how to conduct their work. Each team was essentially left to figure out for themselves how to accomplish their tasks — instead of being trained in advance in well-designed procedures that would produce accurate results across the board.

This morning, the 10-voter recount group sent out a press release about these issues, and with a followup on a prior press release (issued on May 10) about the Municipality of Anchorage’s failure to follow the rule of law in its conduct of the hand recount.  Both press releases are included below. See also the attached letter mentioned in the May 10 press release:

• 10 May 2012. “Re: Hand Count” — letter to Barbara Gruenstein from Hal P. Gazaway, chair of Recount Group. A copy of this letter was also hand-delivered by Hal Gazaway to Ernie Hall, Assembly Chair, on May 10.

I will again be observing today as the Municipal Clerk’s office conducts its “clarification” recount of the races it has identified.

Press release of May 16

For Immediate Release | May 16, 2012

Hand Recount Leads To Flipped Race in One Precinct, Other Anomalies. Municipal Clerk’s Office Forced To Count Again
Hand Counting Plagued with Rampant Errors, No Clear Procedures, Security Breaches; Still Not Following Municipal Code

Contacts: Hal Gazaway – (907) 338-8111 – hpgazaway@gci.net
Linda Kellen Biegel – (907) 830-9458 – celticdivaak@yahoo.com

Anchorage, AK — The Municipal Clerk’s office announced in Media Advisory 15 that the hand count will continue Wednesday at 1:00 pm. The Advisory states that this will be a count of already hand-recounted precincts and that the results need to be “clarified.” In truth, this count is happening because observers from the Election Hand Recount Application Signers discovered that the results for certain races did not match the Accu-Vote counts and pointed this out to the Municipal Clerk on Friday and Monday.

These are not the first problems. On the first day of counting, Wednesday May 9th, the tally sheets were all off because the incorrect ballots were pulled from the ballot storage closet. In truth, there has not been one single day of the hand count when where at least some of the races if not entire precincts required additional counting due to inaccurate and inconsistent counting procedures:

1) According to members of the Election Board, there was no direction forthcoming from the Municipal Clerk’s Office on how to count the ballots for the hand recount. Therefore, each team of two ballot counters (unlike the four-person teams the State of Alaska uses) was forced to come up with their own counting method.

2) When it was pointed out to the Municipal Clerk multiple times by multiple observers that one team was plagued with errors, that team returned to count the next day and the next, bringing with them the same errors.

3) In precinct 925, Huffman Elementary, their hand count even flipped a race (Proposition 1 – ASD school bond).

4) The Election Hand Recount Application Signers have maintained from the beginning our concern that the teams were counting facsimile ballots rather than the originals from which the election board copies the information to scan it into the machine. This opens up a Pandora’s Box of potential inaccuracy and security breaches. A written comment on the tally sheet from an election board member counting Hanshew 830 stated that a facsimile ballot “did not match” the original.

5) The Municipality has so far refused to count the unused ballots. They have not provided them for visual inspection.

6) There are rampant security lapses.

a) Hanshew 830 had a note on the tally sheet that there was no “seal” on the ballot container when they started counting.

b) Hand Count Observers watched in shock on Monday while a Municipal Clerk Office employee entered the “ballot vault” in room 155 all alone with no other employee present.  We had been assured by Barbara Gruenstein that no fewer than two employees ever entered.

7) The counting teams start a precinct with a tally sheet that has the Accu-Vote total marked at the top.

8) The hand recount continues to violate the “Rule of Law”:

a) The Municipal Clerk compared the count to the Accu-Vote totals rather than the signed register, as is also required in AMC 28.90.040 “The election board shall check the number of ballots cast in a precinct against the registers…”

b) Assembly Chair Ernie Hall and Municipal Attorney Dennis Wheeler have not replied to either of Hal Gazaway’s letters as to whether they will do the recount of the absentee & questioned ballots required in AMC 28.90.040. “…and shall check questioned and absentee ballotsvoted against questioned and absentee ballots distributed.”

3) No one in the Municipality has responded to the group’s records request that submitted with our recall application on May 2nd, nor have we received any explanation for the delay, as required in AMC 3.90.060: “If the records and information cannot be located in time to make a response within two working days of the request, the requesting party shall be promptly advised, and, if the requesting party still desires the information or records, a reasonable and diligent search shall be made for it.”

The counting reconvenes this afternoon at 1:00 pm, City Hall Rm 155.

Press release of May 10

For Immediate Release | May 10, 2012

In Hand Recount, Municipality Fails to Follow Rule Of Law, Security Protocols
Hand Counting Procedures not Following Municipal Code / Recount Procedures

Contacts: Hal & Barbara Gazaway – (907) 338-8111 or 229-3089 – hpgazaway@gci.net
Melissa Green – (907) 250-1576 – yksinainen@gmail.com
Linda Kellen Biegel – (907) 830-9458 – celticdivaak@yahoo.com

Anchorage, AK — Wednesday was the first day of the April 3rd Municipal Election Hand Count of 15 precincts, initiated by 10 Anchorage qualified voters through the Election Recount process (AMC 28.90.010). The group’s official observers witnessed numerous issues:

• The ballots are stored in a closet with windows, an unsecured acoustical tile ceiling and a common lock on the door handle.
• The interior of the “ballot vault” appears to be a storage closet containing stacks of boxes, envelopes, drawings, ballot bags, and other items. Municipal Clerk employees had to dump out a box of manilla envelopes filled with facsimile ballots in order to find the correct precincts.
• When vote tallies in five out of the first six precincts counted did not match the Accu-Vote count the entire morning, it wasn’t until lunch time that Municipal Clerk & staff discovered they had brought out the wrong facsimile ballots
• Counters are working in teams of two with no one doing any back-up checking. An observer witnessed several mistakes getting through both members of one team and notified the Municipal Clerk

Hal Gazaway, one of the 10 voters who signed the Election Recount Application to initiate this hand count, documented more of the procedural anomalies in a letter today to Assembly Chair Ernie Hall – a follow up to a similar letter presented yesterday. Several of these issues are a flagrant violation of Municipality Election Law:

1. Failing to include absentee and questioned ballots for each precinct per AMC 28.90.040.C.

Wednesday, the election workers completed their count of Precinct 675. But the staff did not bring out for counting the ballots cast by early voters, absentee voters, or the questioned ballots. You acknowledged the Municipality keeps questioned ballots by precinct, but the Municipality does not count them in the precinct count. However, that does not exempt them for the requirement of a hand count in order to comply with AMC 28.90.040.C.

If the Municipality cannot separate by precinct the absentee and questioned ballots, then to be in compliance with AMC 28.90.040.C, the Municipality must count them all.

One of the issues Hal identifies is especially concerning. It deals with the practice of using “facsimile ballots.” These are created when any ballots that cannot go through the optical scan machines are copied onto regular ballots by poll workers. According to the 2012 Municipal Election Recount procedures distributed Wednesday to all poll workers, observers and some of the media:

Facsimiles must be kept with the original; after each race is tallied, the facsimile must be returned to the manila envelope with its original and placed inside.

According to hand count observer Mel Green, a temporary Municipal Clerk’s Office employee stated that some of the facsimile votes are kept in a manila envelope separate from the one holding the original ballots. This was witnessed by multiple observers yesterday. The worker also explained that the both the originals and the facsimiles were kept in the same order in their separate envelopes so they could be matched up if necessary. It was unclear how the facsimile ballots that were mistakenly distributed and counted would now be matched up after their order was changed.

Per Hal Gazaway:

Assembly Chair Ernie Hall and other members of the Assembly expressed their firm resolve to follow the “rule of law” when voting to certify the election. We insist that they display that same resolve and follow the “rule of law” during the hand count of the election.

Door to ballot vault in City Hall Rm. 155 (photo taken 9 May 2012)

Interior of "ballot vault" in City Hall Rm. 155 (photo 9 May 2012)

Temporary employee of Municipal Clerk's office holds manila envelope of facsimile ballots (photo taken 9 May 2012). At the start of handcount work on May 9, the incorrect facsimile ballots (based on questioned ballots) were brought for recount workers to count, instead of those which should have been brought out (facsimile ballots with the original unscanned ballots upon which they were based). This led to a great deal of confusion through the first two days of the handcount. (Unscanned ballots were ballots completed by qualified voters who had signed the register in their own precincts, but who were forced to vote on sample ballots, photocopies of ballots, or other substitutes because their precinct had run out of proper ballots on Election Day.)

Related posts:

1. Anchorage election: Former election coordinator calls for full handcount; voters file for handcount & audit
2. Anchorage Election Commission ignores broken security seals, recommends no independent investigation on broken election
3. Anchorage election: Duke confirms she told election workers not to worry about broken security seals on voting machines

“Ask Lambda Legal” is a monthly column on legal questions affecting members of the LGBT community. Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work.

Ask Lambda Legal
Out at Work

By Kenneth Upton, Supervising Senior Staff Attorney

Q: I just applied for a new job, and am not sure if I should be “out” during the interview process. I don’t think my state protects employees from being discriminated against based on their sexual orientation. Can I be out at my interview or at work without risk of being rejected or fired?

A: It depends. Currently many states lack laws that protect lesbian and gay employees from being treated differently from their co-workers by private employers. And federal statutes do not provide such protection currently. However, the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution contains the Equal Protection Clause, which prohibits public employers from discriminating based on someone’s actual or perceived sexual orientation. A public employee is someone who is employed by a municipality, a county, state, or federal agency, or state college or university or hospital.

Lambda Legal currently is litigating on behalf of Jacqueline Gill, who was denied employment as a professor at Tarrant County College in Texas because it was believed that she was a lesbian. Gill was hired in August 2009 as a full-time temporary professor at Tarrant County College’s (TCC’s) Northeast Campus in Hurst. At the time, she was informed that it was customary to hire full-time instructors on a temporary basis first, and that teachers who complete the one-year contract term successfully are uniformly hired when the positions are made permanent. Gill received high praise from colleagues, superiors, parents and teachers while at TCC, and had every reason to believe that she would be hired as a professor

Unfortunately, a student who had been disciplined for academic dishonesty by Gill, retaliated by falsely claiming that Gill flirted with girls during class. Gill was then subjected to a lengthy diatribe about “homosexuals” and about how “Texas and Tarrant County College do not like homosexuals” by English Department Chair Eric Devlin. Then, in June 2010, Gill was the only contract teacher who applied for a full time permanent teaching position who was not permitted even to interview, and was not hired. In September 2011, Lambda Legal filed suit on behalf of Gill, claiming that it was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution to refuse to permit Gill to interview for a permanent teaching position based on their perception that she is a lesbian. The case, Gill v. Devlin and Howell, is ongoing, and you can read more about it here.

Although there are a growing number of state law protections there is currently no federal law that explicitly forbids sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in private-sector (nongovernment) jobs. It is crucial that Congress pass the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) which would provide a clear federal standard prohibiting workplace discrimination for LGBT people.

Workplace discrimination remains the number one complaint among callers to our Legal Help Desk. If you have any questions, or feel you have been discriminated against because of your sexual orientation or gender identity/expression, please contact our help desk at 1-866-542-8336 or visit http://lambdalegal.org/help.

Pregúntale a Lambda Legal
En el trabajo

Por Kenneth Upton

P: Acabo de solicitar empleo para un nuevo trabajo, y no estoy seguro si debo esconder mi orientación sexual durante el proceso de la entrevista. No creo que mi estado protege a empleados de ser discriminados basado en su orientación sexual. ¿Puedo “salir del armario” durante mi entrevista o en el trabajo sin riesgo a ser rechazado o ser despedido?

R: Depende. Actualmente muchos municipios no cuentan con leyes que protejan a empleados lesbianas o gay de ser tratados de forma distinta que a sus colegas por empresas privadas. Y de hecho,leyes federales no proporcionan tal protección. Sin embargo, la Decimocuarta Enmienda de la Constitución de los Estado Unidos de America contiene la Cláusula sobre la Protección Igualitaria, que prohíbe a empleadores públicos de discriminar basado en orientación sexual, ya sea percibida o verdadera. . Un empleado público es alguien que trabaja para un municipio, condado, estado, o para una agencia federal,o una universidad, colegio o un hostpital del estado.

Lambda Legal actualmente representa a Jacqueline Gill: a ella le fue negado unpuesto como profesora en la universidad “Tarrant County College (TCC)” de Tejas, porque supuestamente se le consideraba lesbiana. Gill fue contratada en agosto 2009 como profesora temporal en TCC. En ese momento a ella se le informo que era costumbre contratar a profesores de tiempo completo provisionalmente, y que aquellos que completaran exitosamente el contrato original de un año, serían candidatos para los puestos permanentes cuando estos fueran disponibles. Gill recibió grandes elogios de sus colegas, supervisores, padres de familia y el personal docente de TCC, razon por la cual suponía que finalmente sería contratada como profesora en un puesto permanente.

Desafortunadamente, un estudiante a quien Gil sanciono por deshonra academica, , busco represalias acusandola falsamente que había coqueteado con otras estudiantes durante la clase. Gill fue entonces sujeta a una fuerte llamada de atención acerca de “homosexuales” y de cómo “en Tejas y TCC, los homosexuales no son bien vistos” por su jefe Eric Devlin. Meses despues, en junio 2010, Gill fue la única maestra provisional que solicito un puesto permanente y a la cual no se le permitio ni la oportunidad de una entrevista, y por ende, no fue contratada. En septiembre 2011, Lambda Legal presento una demanda a favor de Gill, argumentando que fueuna infracción a la cláusula Constitucional Estadounidense sobre la protección igualitaria el no haber permitido que Gill entrevistara para el puesto de profesor permanente basandose en la percepcion por la administracion de que ella era lesbiana. El caso, Gill V. Devlin y Howell, continúa, y puedes leer más acerca del caso aquí (en inglés).

Aunque hay un número creciente de protecciones por leyes estatales, no hay actualmente una ley federal que prohibe explícitamente discriminación basada en la orientación sexual y en la identidad de género en los empleos fuera del ambito gubernamental. Es crucial que el Congreso aprueba la Acta de No-Discriminación Laboral, (ENDA, por sus siglas en inglés) que proporcionaría un estándar federal claro prohíbiendo la discriminación hacia personas LGBT. La discriminación en el trabajo es el tema número uno cuando personas llaman a nuestra Línea de Ayuda.

Si tienes preguntas o has sido discriminado/a a causa de tu orientación sexual o identidad de género, llama a nuestra Línea de Ayuda al 1-866-542-8336, o visita nuestra página web: lambdalegal.org/ayuda

* * *

Click on the image below to watch the evolution of LGBT civil rights policies in the U.S. from 1972 to 2011 (animated .gif from Wikimedia Commons).

Related posts:

1. Ask Lambda Legal: The Affordable Care Act and HIV
2. Ask Lambda Legal: Transitioning at Work
3. Ask Lambda Legal: Public Accommodation

Related posts:

1. Bent News, 2012-04-20: Transgender panel of MSNBC; unequal tax burden for LGBT families
2. Bent News, 2012-04-15: Hate crime convictions in eastern Kentucky
3. Bent News, 2012-04-14: Handholding is “a gateway sexual activity” in Tennessee

North Carolina’s Amendment 1

Tuesday, May 8, North Carolina voters in the state’s Republican and Democratic primaries will also also vote on Amendment 1,  which states that “Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized.” Its effect would be to place a ban same-sex marriage (already prohibited by state law) in the North Carolina Constitution, but would also ban civil unions or any other form of “domestic legal union” for gay and straight couples alike. If passed, Amendment 1 would also strip away health care from children of couples currently in domestic unions, among other effects.

NC NAACP goes on air to oppose marriage amendment; pro-amendment group challenging other ads
North Carolina, Daily Journal, April 27, 2012

The [North Carolina] chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said Thursday it’s started running radio spots across North Carolina as part of a multimedia effort to defeat the [anti-marriage equality] amendment.

Bill Clinton Comes Out Against Amendment 1
North Carolina, Advocate, May 5, 2012

Former president Bill Clinton has come out against North Carolina’s Amendment One, which would constitutionally bar marriage rights and all other forms of relationship recognition for same-sex couples if voters approve the measure Tuesday.

Billy Graham Takes Out Full-Page Ad for Amendment One
North Carolina, Advocate, May 3, 2012

The famed pastor spent most of his life avoiding divisive politics but is in a full-page, antigay ad in 14 newspapers.

Wife of Amendment One Architect Makes it A Racial Issue
North Carolina, Advocate, May 2, 2012

The wife of a North Carolina state senator said the proposed amendment to ban marriage equality across the state is necessary to “preserve the caucasian race.”

A chorus of voices have arisen over the past few months to warn North Carolinians of the harms of Amendment One. Many of those voices can be heard in this video by the Coalition to Protect North Carolina Families. Watch:

Transgender workers now covered by federal nondiscrimination law

Federal agency says transgender people protected
Washington, Associated Press, April 25, 2012

In a groundbreaking decision late last week, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said a refusal to hire or otherwise discriminate on the basis of gender identity is by definition sex discrimination under federal law.

This story was also covered in an Anchorage story relating the EEOC decision with the apparent loss of Proposition 5, the Anchorage Equal Rights Initiative, in Anchorage’s bollixed April 3 election.  The story includes interviews with ACLU of Alaska attorney Tom Stenson and Bent Alaska editor Melissa S. Green:

• “Transgender Workers Now Covered by Federal Discrimination Law: Protections part of 1964 Civil Rights Act” by Lauren Maxwell (KTVA Channel 11 News)

Other news

‘Social Security Equality Act of 2012’ introduced, aims to end discrimination same-sex couples face in receiving Social Security benefits
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, April 26, 2012

The “Social Security Equality Act of 2012,” which seeks to end the discrimination same-sex couples face with respect to Social Security benefits, was introduced by U.S. Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) and includes 90 House co-sponsors.

Feds honor 66-year-old East Flatbush transgender woman
New York, New York Daily News, April 25, 2012

East Flatbush resident Victoria Cruz, a transgender woman who has been “out” since grade school, is a Justice Department 2012 pick as one of the nation’s top crime fighters.

The 66-year-old Latina, known simply as “Vicki,” advises abuse victims from across the city based on lessons she learned surviving years of sexual and physical torment during an era when homophobia was rampant.

Gay Son of Ex-Klansman Runs for Office in Kansas
Kansas, Advocate, April 26, 2012

Erich Bishop, 28…will run in the Democratic primary against state representative Jan Pauls of Hutchinson, who despite her party affiliation “has been as right-wing as any of her Republican colleagues on social issues”…. She recently has backed a bill that would allow state residents to opt out of laws that conflict with their religious beliefs, such as laws prohibiting anti-LGBT discrimination.

Court orders former B.C. lesbian couple to divide left-over sperm
Vancouver, B.C., Vancouver Sun, April 26, 2012

A lesbian couple from British Columbia divided all their assets when they broke up in 2006 but forgot about 13 tubes of sperm that were being stored in a sperm bank.

The sperm came from the same male donor, and was used for each of the women to have a baby — the first in 2000, and the second in 2002.

Lady Gaga Enters a Korean War with Christian fundamentalists
South Korea, Advocate, April 25, 2012

Lady Gaga is taking her Born This Way Ball to South Korea and some religious folks aren’t giving her the warmest of welcomes.

Combating Homophobia in Medicine
Advocate, April 27, 2012

Health care professionals are becoming increasingly attuned to the needs and concerns of LGBT patients. But The New York Times ponders: What about support for LGBT doctors and nurses?

Anna Paquin: Still Explaining The Concept of Bisexuality
Advocate, May 3, 2012

True Blood actress and Oscar winner Anna Paquin came out as bisexual last year in a spot for the Give A Damn campaign, right before her wedding to co-star Stephen Moyer. Though Paquin has been nothing but forthcoming about her sexual orientation, her announcement still has some scratching their heads.

Scales of Justice Tilt In Favor of Robert Champion Jr.
Washington, D.C., National Black Justice Coalition, May 2, 2012

This afternoon, prosecutors announced that eleven individuals have been charged with hazing resulting death, a third-degree felony, in the homicide of gay drum major, Robert Champion Jr…. Last November, Champion, 26, was found unresponsive aboard a band bus after the school’s biggest game of the year. Police ruled the death a homicide from hazing. Witnesses told the parents that Champion might have been hazed more severely because of his orientation.

New Legal Fronts in Marriage Fight
Nevada, Gay City News, April 11, 2012

For the first time, the federal courts will directly confront the question of whether a state that grants same-sex couples “the same rights, protections, and benefits” and “the same responsibilities, obligations, and duties” as marriage — as Nevada’s 2009 comprehensive domestic partnership law does — can deny them full marriage equality.

Missouri Republican lawmaker announces he is gay
Kansas City, Missouri, Reuters, May 2, 2012

Missouri state Representative Zachary Wyatt, 27, announced his sexual orientation in a news conference at the Missouri state Capitol in Jefferson City. Wyatt said later in an interview that he did so because he wanted to openly oppose a proposal to ban discussion of sexual orientation in Missouri public schools.

Related posts:

1. Sara’s News Roundup 4/25/12: Obama endorses safe school laws
2. Sara’s News Roundup 4/2/12: NAACP denounces NOM’s “cynical” racial strategy against marriage equality
3. Sara’s News Roundup 3/26/12: Juneau native Aidan Key now directs transgender advocacy group in Seattle

Trevor Storrs will be the Grand Marshal for Anchorage’s 2012 Celebrating Diversity Parade, Alaska Pride Fest announced Saturday. The Celebrating Diversity Parade, to be held on Saturday, June 9, is part of Alaska Pride Fest 2012. Bent Alaska joins Alaska Pride Fest in thanking Trevor for his many years of service to the Alaska LGBTQ community.

The following biography appears at the Alaska Pride Fest website:

Trevor Storrs, a community leader has worked and helped to build a stronger Anchorage over the past 15 years.  His commitment to systemic change and inclusion has reduced barriers faced by many disenfranchised individuals.

Trevor’s commitment to community engagement began as a teenager – volunteering with his mother at local social service organizations.  In 1994, he achieved a Bachelor’s of Art in Sociology from the University of Lethbridge and then went on to acquire a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling in 1997 from Gallaudet University.  Since his coming out in his early twenties, Trevor has been an active LGBT advocate.  For many years, Trevor has been a strong supporter in the fight against HIV/AIDS.  For nearly ten years, Trevor was the Executive Director of Alaska’s leading HIV/AIDS organization, the Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association (Four A’s).  Prior to his role as Executive Director, he was on the Four A’s Board of Directors for nearly 4 years.  Trevor also was a member of Identity’s Board of Directors.  Through the years Trevor has been a vocal member of the LGBT community, representing the community on various advisory boards and testifying before government officials regarding LGBT rights.  Most recently, Trevor was the Chair of the leadership team and spokesperson for One Anchorage – working towards establishing the same legal protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender residents and visitors to Anchorage as already enjoyed by their non-LGBT friends and neighbors.  When Trevor is not working or volunteering, he and his partner of 14 years, Steve, can be found attending various LGBT events and fundraisers.

Trevor’s level of community engagement has gone beyond LGBT issues.  For four years Trevor was a member of the Anchorage Municipality ADA Commission, whose mission is to ensure that Anchorage is an accessible community to individuals with disabilities. Trevor was a founding member of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness and has been its co-chairsince its inception in 2005.  He led the charge in implementing the nationally recognized Project Homeless Connect project in Anchorage, which has spread to four other communities in Alaska and served thousands of homeless individuals and families.

Trevor is honored to be Grand Marshal for Pride Fest 2012.  This year’s Pride is significantly important – over the past 8 months, community members came out in droves to make Anchorage a more equal city by supporting the One Anchorage campaign.  Pride Fest is an opportunity for our community to come together publicly to rejoice in the successes we achieved over these past months and to thank those before us who have paved the way.  It is an opportunity for us to not only show our pride in the LGBT community but all of Anchorage.

Related posts:

1. 2012 Alaska Pride Young Adult Recognition Award: Nominations due Friday, April 20
2. Pride Slide: Photos from Alaska Pride Fest 2011
3. Doug Frank: Grand Marshal for Alaska Pride Fest 2011

Make a cake, a batch of muffins or perhaps a loaf of bread to donate. Not a baker? Come along and bid for the goods — something for everyone’s tastes! Even eggs! — Sarha says the FoxDen will have Fresh FoxDen Egg gift certificates that you can bid on. The winner will get fresh eggs delivered to them every week for 2 months this summer!

Before he had to move away, Scott Turner organized an annual bake sale and bake-off to raise funds for the Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association (Four A’s): the newly named Scott Turner Memorial Bake Sale not only continues this great fundraising tradition, but also honors Scott’s many contributions to Anchorage’s LGBT community. We miss you, Scott!

• Date/time: Sunday, May 6, 4:00-6:00 PM
• Location: Mad Myrna’s, 530 E 5th Ave, Anchorage (see map
• Age restriction: Mad Myrna’s is a bar! Must be 21+ with valid ID to enter.
• Further info: see Facebook events page

Scott Turner (carrying sign) in 2010 Anchorage Pride parade with The Last Frontier Men's Club

 Photo by Melissa S. Green.

Related posts:

1. This weekend in LGBTQ Alaska (5/27/11): 3 Pride fundraisers & annual Memorial Day picnic
2. Community Bake Sale to benefit the Four A’s
3. Memorial & Open House for FKen – Aug 5th

Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens is an interactive, high-energy musical set in a seedy, futuristic cabaret bar on the planet Frottage III. All is not well at Saucy Jack’s: danger lurks in every corner as the cabaret acts are being picked off one by one by the relentless Slingback Killer — and only the Space Vixens can solve the crime!

This campy SciFi spoof has been winning over audiences since its creation in 1995 at the Edinburgh Festival, and has been performed before ecstatic audiences in all manner of venues from West End theatres to Victorian railway arches; tiny back-street bars to giant big-tops. Wherever it has played, it has consistently delighted people with its explosive energy and its unique relationship with the audience.

A history of the show explains:

Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens was created in 1995 for the Edinburgh Festival in an attempt to produce a piece of theatre that would appeal to people who might feel more at home in bars and clubs than theatres. Its frenzied involvement of the audience and its raunchy electronic score made it an instant success with sold-out audiences invading the stage nightly and refusing to leave the theatre. Enthralled reviews and crazy plastic-clad fans quickly led to a Fringe First award for ‘innovation in theatre and outstanding new production’.

The Anchorage production is directed by Mad Myrna’s own RJ Haywood.  The show had a preview performance on May 3 benefit Out North, and continues Thursdays through Saturdays through May 26.

Runs approximately 1 hour 30 minutes including intermission.

• Time/date: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, May 4-26. Thursday and Friday shows at 8:00 PM; two shows on Saturdays at 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM.
• Location: Mad Myrna’s, 530 E 5th Ave, Anchorage (see map)
• Cost of admission: Cost: $25.00. Tickets through Centertix
• Age restriction: Mad Myrna’s is a bar! Must be 21+ with valid ID to enter; or minors age 18-20 accompanied by parent.
• Further info: See the Facebook event page

Related posts:

1. One man with one guitar: Jesus Christ Superstar, Sunday at Mad Myrna’s
2. A Very Merry Comedy Hypnosis Show with Jay Her, Saturday at Mad Myrna’s
3. Safe space or “brain drain” at University of Alaska?

A new…ish resident of the Municipality of Anchorage calls the Assembly, Municipal Clerk’s office, and Election Commission on their dissembling about the botched April 3 election.

Assembly Chair Ernie Hall and Municipal Clerk Barbara Gruenstein at the April 24 meeting of the Anchorage Assembly.

Dear Municipality of Anchorage:

I moved here 6 months ago…ish. So far, I am less than impressed with the way you handle your politics. Why would you not want to conduct an independent review of an obviously fouled election? Wouldn’t just doing it, have been quicker by now? So much for having a voice. So much for transparency. So much for one of life’s greatest lessons being knowing when to gracefully admit having made a mistake, and then learning how to make right the wrongs.

In EMS, we undergo Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement. We learn from our mistakes, by means of supervisory review and peer critique. You, Municipality of Anchorage, have been given that opportunity, and squandered it. You insist, instead, on shoving your head into the sand for reasons I can’t fathom, not now and possibly not ever.

Were it up to just me (and, I suspect, more than a few would join me in this sentiment), those on the Assembly, and in the Municipal Clerk’s Office and Election Commission, that have dissembled in the name of saving face, would be on the hunt for new jobs, by now. Remember who you serve. Hint: It’s not your own happy ass.

No Love,
Me

Photo by Melissa S. Green

Related posts:

1. Anchorage election woes continue; the ball is now in the Assembly’s court
2. Anchorage election update, 11 April 2012: Anchorage Assembly meeting
3. ACTION ALERT: Anchorage Assembly refuses to authorize independent investigation

Former Anchorage Municipal Election Coordinator Guadalupe Marroquin recently wrote an open letter to members of the Anchorage Assembly regarding the botched April 3 Anchorage Municipal election. Her letter (edited for length) also ran as a Compass piece in the Anchorage Daily News. Below is the full unedited text of her original letter (also posted last night at The Mudflats).

Marroquin joins former Republican Senate candidate Joe Miller in expressing the seriousness with which we should regard all issues of election integrity — and puts to rest any notion that investigating the integrity of this election is a partisan issue.

Joining both Marroquin and Miller is a group of 10 Anchorage voters who have filed a recount application and public records request for a physical hand recount of paper ballots from 15 precincts and a full audit of the election.  The 10 voters — Hal Gazaway, Barbara Gazaway, Joseph McKinnon, Zobia Kennedy, Dana Klein, Wendy Isbell, Steven McCoy, Melissa S. Green, Kelly Walters, and Linda Kellen Biegel — raised amongst themselves $1,500 for the 15 precincts at $100 per precinct.  As noted in a Mudflats story earlier today,

Obviously a full audit and hand recount of all precincts is the most desirable result, and it should be noted that the Assembly CAN and SHOULD mandate this even without this request.

Further details below.

Open letter to Anchorage Assembly from Guadalupe Marroquin

Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 3:25 PM
Subject: Election 2012 Comments from Guadalupe Marroquin

Dear Members of the Anchorage Assembly,

The recent shortage of available ballots at voting precincts was the result of intentional failed planning, judgment, and execution on the part of the Municipal Clerk’s Office. After the ballot shortage situation was discovered on Election Day between 1:30pm – 5:00pm, there was an opportunity to respond. Up to 20 personnel (12 Troubleshooters & 8 in-house staff, according to the Clerk’s testimony during the Friday work-session) were available and on stand-by to distribute additional ballots from the 60,000+ ballots stored in the Clerk’s vault at City Hall to the 65 precincts in need – this was not carried out. The Clerk’s office was unable to neither manage the initial election nor execute a recovery; and, as a result, an unknown and unknowable number of people were disenfranchised.

Common sense dictates that each voting location begin the day with sufficient ballots plus an extra 10 – 20% based upon an analysis of past voting records, the number of registered voters per precinct, the anticipated turnout due to high profile ballot issues and the high turnout associated with most mayoral races.

The intent must be to never turn voters away at the polls or otherwise disenfranchise them. Plan, analyze, and distribute more ballots than needed at every precinct. The planning should always aim for and prepare for high voter turnout, as well as anticipate a response to slight shortages. This is how every election has been run in Anchorage history. An election worker stated in the news that during training the Deputy Clerk announced there would be fewer ballots distributed this year compared to previous elections. Her statement demonstrated a clear and deliberate plan to short the precincts. This was not an oversight; the shortage of ballots was intentional. This is unacceptable.

This event opened up a Pandora’s box, publicly revealing our recently weakened ballot testing practices (2010), our on-site election disaster planning, among other unknowns – that now question what affects our results, and more. This will also open the door to examining ballot testing requirement changes made by Alaska Statute that now affect the Municipality of Anchorage. This is an opportunity to clean up all of these critical issues before both the November 2012 and next MOA elections.

Furthermore, it doesn’t matter how many people were actually able to take the time and speak to the election commission to prove whether or not this is a problem – all that matters is that they showed up on Election Day.

Having your right to vote taken away from you IS a very serious problem that cannot be marginalized and swept under the rug. Hundreds of emails and many personal accounts are demonstrative of a serious issue. The people that testify and speak out usually represent a mere fraction of those affected. It’s one thing to “hear of” people who were turned away at the polls; it’s quite another to have several of my own personal friends speak to me about their experience of traveling to four or more precincts in a vain effort to cast their vote.

In addition, the Election Commission is not an investigative body of experts, they are just election workers who volunteered to be on the commission to follow a very short, specific set of code to determine what absentee & question ballots are counted. Since they are experienced election workers (some not so much) they do make suggestions that might improve the process. There are no prerequisites to serve on the election commission other than to be a registered voter and have poll worker experience. They are not knowledgeable or experienced enough about the entire process to make judgments. Since they work under the direct supervision of the Clerk, they cannot be objective. Based upon reports I have heard and read, the entire encounter seemed more like a one to one therapy session. In addition, Ms. Duke should not have been present to oversee this process. Her presence as the defensive person in power interfered with a process where citizens were sharing their personal perspectives and should have been allowed to speak freely.

Most importantly, any board or commission conducting an accountability review should not able to audit themselves – this is an obvious and complete conflict of interest.

Ballot programming integrity is also a serious concern. In 2010, the Municipal Clerk’s office removed the most important test group, the Data Processing Review Board. This group was made of IT professionals, who hand marked test ballots to intentionally challenge ballot programming for every race in every precinct, monitored the elections and then performed hand counts of 8 precincts on election night to compare totals to the AVOS. The loss of this critically important part of the process, removed by the Municipal Clerk’s office; combined with the 2012 Election’s careless and negligent treatment of an inordinate number of security seals protecting the AVOS memory cards, results in questionable ballot count totals.

It is my opinion that the only way to salvage and certify the 2012 election results, after all that has happened, is to perform a full hand count of every precinct’s ballots.

It’s taken me some time to write this email. I have been inspired by the many who stood up and told their stories. You, as members of the Assembly, must recognize how intimidating your position makes you to the average citizens of our city; and I appreciate that in this meaningful public discussion that we can all come together for our common concern, our right to vote. We need to thank our voters for coming forward and understand their experience. My track record running the MOA elections is well known and trusted. The manner in which Election 2012 was run – was completely unacceptable.

I am available for questions and would like the opportunity to make recommendations in order to restore trust in our elections.

Sincerely,
Guadalupe Marroquin
former Deputy Clerk, Election Coordinator/Budget Liaison, 2003–2009

Interview with Guadalupe Marroquin

On April 19, Steve Aufrecht of the blog What Do I Know? posted a 20-minute video interview with former deputy municipal clerk Marroquin. Among the topics Marroquin addressed was the importance of the security seals and other measures intended to guarantee the security and integrity of the election and the elimination in 2010 of the Data Processing Review Board. Watch:

Recount application

Accu-Vote memory cards (front & back): Security breach in the election

The recount and application filed under Anchorage Municipal Code (AMC) 28.90.10 calls for an audit and physical hand recount of paper ballots from the April 3, 2012 municipal election, specifying —

This would entail NO USE of optical-scan voting machines as the integrity of their vote count cannot be verified due to the following reasons….

— with several reasons cited, all coming out of reports and testimony since April 3 related to the security — or, rather, its lack — of the Diebold AccuVote voting system and memory cards used in the election.  The Anchorage Assembly could nevertheless decide that a recount should be done using the machines, essentially having a security-compromised system audit itself.  For this reason, the recount application specifically states that the application for a recount is rescinded if the condition for a hand recount is not met.

However, the application also includes a public record request under AMC 39.90.060 of election materials including spoiled and blank ballots, poll tapes, precinct rosters and voter index lists, absentee ballot requests, and more.  See the actual application for complete information.

The reason only 15 precincts were included in the application for a hand recount is that the applicant had to pay a deposit up-front of $100 per precinct, and only had time to raised $1,500 among themselves. If the results of a race or proposition change by more than 4 percent, or the winner of a race or proposition changes, the city must refund the deposit.

The 15 precincts included were:

• 215    Guening Middle School
• 220    Eagle River Lions Club
• 235    Mt. Spurr Elementary
• 240    Fire Lake Elementary School
• 340    Mountain View Elementary School
• 445    East High School
• 550    MOA Public Works Permit Ctr.
• 610    Northwood Elementary School
• 625    Steller Secondary School
• 660    Spenard Recreation Center
• 670    Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
• 675    Romig Middle School
• 830    Hanshew Middle School
• 840    Service High School
• 925    Huffman Elementary School

The applicant group included Hal Gazaway, Barbara Gazaway, Joseph McKinnon, Zobia Kennedy, Dana Klein, Wendy Isbell, Steven McCoy, Melissa S. Green, Kelly Walters, and Linda S. Kellen (Linda Kellen Biegel). Hal Gazaway was designated as chairperson of the group; Linda S. Kellen and Melissa S. Green were designated to represent the group at the recount.  (Disclosure: Linda S. Kellen (Biegel) writes for the blog The Mudflats, and Melissa S. Green is editor and contributor at Bent Alaska.)

According to The Mudflats:

How this will affect the scheduled vote to certify the election by the Anchorage Assembly tonight is uncertain. Some local observers maintain that the language in Title 28 will make it impossible for the Assembly to certify until after the recount is completed.

KTUU Channel 2 reported:

Assembly chair Ernie Hall was on a flight late Wednesday night, and could not be reached for comment, but past assembly chair Debbie Ossiander said the assembly may have to file an investigatory response to the recount application, which could affect its scheduled certification of the election on Thursday at 5 p.m.

Anchorage Assembly meeting on certification of election

The Anchorage Assembly meets tonight (Thursday, May 3)  at 5 PM in the Assembly Chambers located in the Loussac Library on whether to certify the election.

Bent Alaska will be livetweeting @bentalaska. See also the hashtag #MOAE (Municipality of Anchorage election).

References

• 19 Apr 2012. “Guadalupe Marroquin, Former Anchorage Election Chief, Talks About The Election” by Steve Aufrecht (What Do I Know?). Includes a 20-minute video interview with Marroquin’s observations about how the election was handled.
• 1 May 2012. “Mudflats Exclusive: Joe Miller Calls for Unity and Right of Citizens to Hand Count of Municipal Election” (The Mudflats).
• 2 May 2012.” Election fiasco wasn’t an accident —COMPASS: Other points of view” by Guadalupe Marroquin (Anchorage Daily News).
• 2 May 2012. “Former Anchorage Election Coordinator Calls for Full Hand Count of Paper Ballots” by Guadalupe Marroquin (The Mudflats).
• 2 May 2012. Recount Application requesting an audit and physical hand recount for 15 precincts of paper ballots from the April 3, 2012 Anchorage municipal election. Filed with the Municipal Clerk’s office, Municipality of Anchorage.
• 3 May 2012. “Voters File for Anchorage Election Recount: Move Could Delay Election Certification” by Jason Lamb (KTUU Channel 2 News).
• 3 May 2012. “Voters File for Hand Recount of Anchorage Municipal Election” by Jeanne Devon (The Mudflats).

Related posts:

1. Anchorage election hand recount leads to flipped race in one precinct, other anomalies
2. Anchorage Election Commission ignores broken security seals, recommends no independent investigation on broken election
3. Anchorage election: Duke confirms she told election workers not to worry about broken security seals on voting machines

Imperial Crown Prince and
Princess Ball XX:
“A Mariachi Masquerade”

Come join Prince Steve and Princess Alexis on celebrating the end of their reign as Imperial Crown Prince and Princess XIX of All Alaska!

• Date/time: Saturday, April 28, 9:00 PM
• Location: Mad Myrna’s, 530 E. 5th Ave. in downtown Anchorage (see map)
• Cost of admission: $15. Proceeds benefit the Imperial Court of ALL Alaska
• Further info: see Facebook events page

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2. ICP Ball 2011: Happily Ever After…A Storybook Masquerade
3. New ICP’s focus on Families, Fundraising and Scholarships