Navigating the voting process can be frustrating for the new voter — sometimes even the seasoned voter — so having some basic information at your fingertips can be useful.

I am reminded of the presidential elections of 2000 and 2004 where voters were either discouraged or denied access to voting stations in the South, especially Florida. Votes had to be recounted in many counties, and it turned into a fiasco. The election of 2000 had to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. I am concerned that the GOP wants to win this presidential election badly enough to tamper with voters and vote results, enough to swing the election their way as was done in 2000 and 2004.

The following are direct links to statewide results for races that affect the Lodi and Galt areas from the June 5, 2012, primary

We combed through our coverage from 2012 and came up with some top quotes of the year.

If you are on Medicare, you probably haven't heard about the Medicare B premiums scheduled to increase. These provisions are incorporated in Obamacare legislation:

The Obama health care bill has only one parent — the Democratic Party. It was conceived in secret, behind closed doors. It was birthed in the middle of the night — out of public view. And, it has been repudiated by the Republican landslide of Nov. 2, 2010. President Obama is convinced his health care scheme is best for the country and is in denial of the evidence that a majority of American citizens do not want it. His denial mode began with the election of a Republican senator and two Republican governors in the Democratic states Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia. Given the president's pathological narcissism, he will continue in denial until his "dis-election" in November 2012.

Oh, my (yawns). I feel like I've been asleep for the last year. I certainly hope you enjoyed my kumbaya-ish hiatus. It was nice to switch things up and focus on nothing but the positive during an otherwise bleak 2011. But friends, it's 2012, and there isn't anything more important to me this year than the presidential election and the future of this country.

Officers for the Widowed Persons Association of California Chapter No. 6 were recently installed by outgoing President Amelia Ernst at a luncheon on Dec. 3 at the Woodbridge Country Club. The new officers for 2012 are Shirley Highsmith, president; Willo Schmidt, first vice president; Gwen Mello, second vice president; Carol Henderson, secretary; Earlene Sanders, treasurer; and Amelia Ernst, parliamentarian.

Liberty Oaks Pony Club held its annual sponsors meeting on a recent Sunday afternoon. New officers elected for 2012 are Steve Spears, district commisioner; Ann Fickert, Jt. DC; Janine Amario, secretary; and Sheryl Ravera, treasurer.

Members of the Alta Mesa Gun Club met on November 3 for their annual Bean Feed and Election of Officers. Elected officers for 2012 are Jim Kunz, President; John Navest, Vice President; Darryl Hoopes, Treasurer; Susan Maggy, Secretary; and Myron Miller, Range Officer. Board of Directors for 2012 are Steve Cecil (Chair), Bill Evans, Darryl Hoopes, Darrell Johnson, Susan Maggy, Becky Moitoso, and Alan Wagner.

How many of us as parents became upset when our children came home with a bad grade on a report card or a test simply because they were unprepared; you know, because they hadn't read the assignments as required?

The San Joaquin County Board of Education has elected Dave Sorgent as its president for the 2009-10 year. Jill Fritchen will serve as the board's vice president and County Superintendent of Schools and Fredrick A. Wentworth will serve as secretary.

(BPT) - We live in a visual age, consuming thousands of images every day via a range of devices that allow us to access the Internet and its vast resources quickly and easily. Just as with virtually every other aspect of our lives, journalism has also evolved to keep pace with our increasingly visual world.

(BPT) - This year marked a time of change, innovation, trials and hope. But what was the most memorable moment of 2012? A great place to look is online searches, as they mark the people, places and events that mattered most in a given year.

Jill De Herrera was recently inducted as the Lodi Lions Club’s 73rd president for the 2012-13 year. De Herrera, an executive administrative assistant for the Lodi Memorial Hospital Foundation, officially began her presidency on July 1.

In California, the unemployment rate is 12.1 percent. Only four states have higher unemployment: Michigan, Rhode Island, Oregon and South Carolina.

If I were President Barack Obama's advisor, I would tell him that after only 10 months in office, his reelection prospects are fading.

The Lodi Unified School District Board of Trustees will elect new officers at its final meeting of the year at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the James Areida Education Support Center.