As Presidential Voting Begins, Remember Florida?

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Seven years ago, it was hanging chads.  This year, it's computers that can break down or be subject to hacking. Have 3.9 billion federal dollars guaranteed accurate counts in US elections?  Is voter fraud at the polls a real problem?  How about sales of absentee ballots?  Which states are likely to be the next Florida? Also, after seven years, George Bush makes his first presidential visit to Israel, and an update from New Hampshire.

Making News

Bush Packs His Bags for First Trip to Israel as President ()

President Bush will set off tomorrow for eight days in the Middle East, starting in Jerusalem and Ramallah. He has a vision of "two states living side-by-side in peace and security." But he's already being asked how a week of personal diplomacy can make up for seven years of arms-length detachment.  Mark Silva, White House correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, has just arrived in Jerusalem ahead of the President.

Guests:

• Mark Silva: White House Correspondent, Chicago Tribune

Main Topic

Can Americans Expect Free and Fair Elections? ()

The results will soon be in for New Hampshire, but election officials around the country are haunted by shades of the year 2000. Tomorrow, Arizona, Ohio and 24 other states will be watching the US Supreme Court for arguments about Indiana's voter ID law.  Does it prevent fraud or disenfranchise poor and minority voters? Why do a third of all precincts nationwide use touch-screen computers, even though they're known to be unreliable? After Florida, 2000, Congress spent $3.9 billion on new voting technology.  Are US elections better or worse?

Guests:

• Todd Rokita: Indiana Secretary of State
• Rick Hasen: Professor of Law, Loyola Law School
• Clive Thompson: Contributing Writer, New York Times Magazine
• Ion Sancho: Supervisor of Elections, Leon County, Florida

Links:

• Commission on Federal Election Reform (Carter-Baker Commission)
• Thompson's cover story on voting technology
• Help America Vote Act (HAVA)

Reporter's Notebook

In New Hampshire, Independent Voters Hold Key to Victory ()

Before New Hampshire's votes have all been cast, let alone counted, there's no shortage of speculation about what might happen to which candidates, once the results are in. All the polls show that American voters fed up with partisan business as usual in Washington. In New Hampshire, Independents outnumber Democrats and Republicans. that's what the putative front-runners are banking on. Margaret Talev is national correspondent for McClatchy Newspapers.

Guests:

• Margaret Talev: Reporter, McClatchy Newspapers

Links:

• McClatchy-MSNBC Poll on New Hampshire primary

Host

Warren Olney

Considered the dean of Southern California broadcast journalists, Warren tackles the issues Southern Californians care about. Expanding that concept, To the Point deals with issues of national concern and is on air in most major metropolitan markets across the country. On any day, you’ll hear a fast-paced, news-based talk show featuring multiple perspectives on a single major issue, with Newsmaker and Reporters Notebook features, as well. 

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Sonya Geis, Dan Konecky, Karen Radziner

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