Florida Asks for Federal Election Observers

Fox News | September 19, 2002 | Miss Marple

[windchime]

I couldn't hear what he was saying because my daughter was screaming at him!

[gov_bean_ counter]

I think they were the cartridges that were put in upside-down.

[NautiNurse]

Bay News 9--I was dumbfounded. Hang on, I'll see if I can find it on TBO.

[Miss Marple]

Sorry I forgot to ping you to this! I am sitting here with a big smile on my face!

I love it when a plan comes together!

[justanotherfreeper]

Ping! Should have known Jeb wasn't going to let them steal this --

[JulieRNR21]

This is a very smart move by FL SOS Smith & Gov. Bush.....thwart the RATs from repeating their stupidity/voter fraud in November!

[BJungNan]

Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy (Carter)

[Utah Girl]

Didn't Daschle come out today also and say that the problems in the economy are all President Bush's fault too? The Dems can't even be original. Looks like trying to stall out the Iraqi war didn't work for the Dems, now they're back to the economy.

[Rome2000]

The Miami Herald | 09/18/2002 |

State asks for election help from Justice Department in November elections

TALLAHASSEE - The state asked U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday to send help to prevent a repeat of the botched primary election in two South Florida counties in November's general election.

Confidence in the state's efforts to reform its election system has been shaken by the problems in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Secretary of State Jim Smith said in a letter to Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Smith, Florida's top elections official, said the state is reviewing the problems and asked Ashcroft to ''take whatever steps you deem necessary to participate in this review.'' He also asked the Justice Department to assist elections supervisors in ensuring a smooth general election.

''Regrettably the difficulties in Miami-Dade and Broward counties have driven some to question the wisdom and effectiveness of these dramatic measures. Thus the fate of election reform in Florida -- and perhaps our nation -- rests upon an immediate and effective response,'' Smith wrote.

Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's brother, also sent Ashcroft a letter supporting Smith's request.

Earlier Wednesday, Bush and Smith said Broward County commissioners should take over the Nov. 5 general election from the county's elections chief to ensure against another botched election.

Smith said he would try and pressure Broward Elections Supervisor Miriam Oliphant to accept a proposal by Broward Commission Chairwoman Lori Parrish that the commission have county workers open polls, staff them and close them and that sheriff's deputies deliver ballot boxes to counting centers.

Smith and Bush had both earlier suggested that Oliphant might be removed from office, but Smith said Wednesday that move would be ''terribly disruptive'' leading up to the general election. Broward has nearly 1 million registered voters, the most of any Florida county.

'She needs help and she should consider taking up -- apparently the chairman of the commission has said 'we'll help you run the elections' -- I think she should take up Chairman Parrish's suggestion and that would give all of us a lot of confidence that we would be in better shape,'' Bush said at a campaign event in Hialeah.

Smith, speaking with reporters at the Capitol, said he'd push for the commission takeover.

''I hope -- and I'll put all the political pressure I can on (Oliphant) -- to let the county take this thing over,'' Smith said after a meeting of the state Elections Canvassing Commission, which certified Bill McBride as the winner of the Democratic primary for governor.

Oliphant's spokesman, Rick Riley, told The Miami Herald that the supervisor wasn't stepping aside.

''She is accepting assistance,'' Riley said. ``But in no way is Ms. Oliphant turning her office over to anyone. She is not relinquishing or doing anything with regard to giving up control of her office.''

Smith blamed lack of county poll worker training, a failure to practice using new voting systems and poor organization for election difficulties in Broward and Miami-Dade counties during the Sept. 10 primary.

''Sixty-five counties did a great job in the primary, two did a poor job and I'm hopeful, as the governor requested, the political leadership in those counties is coming together to do what is necessary to be done to make sure the general election performs the way that it should,'' Smith said.

He said unlike many other counties, Broward apparently didn't do enough testing of its new touchscreen voting system to make sure workers knew how to start them up and run them.

''When you practice you get it right,'' said Smith, who oversees the state Division of Elections. ``It is not any kind of failure in the technology. It has been a gross failure in training and practice.''

Bush said earlier this week that he hadn't ruled out removing Oliphant for malfeasance. But on Wednesday he said didn't want to.

''I just don't think it would be the right thing to do 50 days out of an election,'' Bush said.

He cannot remove Miami-Dade elections supervisor David Leahy, the only non-elected state elections supervisor. Leahy was appointed by Miami-Dade County, for whom he works.

Oliphant has asked county commissioners for money to hire more than 90 additional employees, boost poll worker pay and expand poll worker training.

Art Kennedy, chairman of a task force formed at Oliphant's request for help to prevent another election debacle, said Parrish's proposal sounds reasonable, particularly with Oliphant seeking more money from the county.

''She's a million dollars over budget and she's coming to them and asking for help. She's going to have to do it their way,'' said Kennedy, chief aide to U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla.

Parrish set a Thursday deadline for Oliphant to respond to the offer by the county commission to take over the election.

[deport]

Smith, Florida's top elections official, said the state is reviewing the problems and asked Ashcroft to ``take whatever steps you deem necessary to participate in this review.'' He also asked the Justice Department to assist elections supervisors in ensuring a smooth general election.

Hmmmmmm. Just a guess but this looks like it's an open ended type request. Help if you can or will but I'm not sure what the DOJ can do absent some lawsuits or whatever being involved......

Oh, I know, they can send in the Peanut Farmer to help oversee the voting along with the Klaymer who voted for the peanut farmer and together things will be just right..... yep just right. Problem solved.....

[Miss Marple]

Look at this! HA!

[A Citizen Reporter]

They were already in St. Louis, for the recent mayoral elections....

All of this comes at a time when the federal government, is watching elections in St. Louis, since allegations of voter fraud in November of 2000. Justice department officials are in St. Louis, on Election Day monitoring the process.

[JulieRNR21]

The problems last week were particularly bad in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Smith blamed lack of county poll worker training, a failure to practice using new voting systems, and poor organization.

Thanks for the ping.

[Eva]

Maybe we can extrapolote this request to include all areas where there were voter problems in the last election, including New Mexico and Wisconsion, oh yeah, Missouri, too. I forgot Philadelphia, maybe we should have federal observers in all Democrat presincts, while we're at it.

[twyn1]

Are you listening to RAT Harry Reid on Fox?

I heard him...what a whiner; "Boo-Hoo, I have a retirement plan too" (like he's really hurting--my butt !!)

When I read on here today that the Democrat "action plan" is to "talk about the problems with the economy" I honestly thought they wouldn't be that dumb, but it looks like are....Gore started it the other night (Where's the Surplus ??), and I've heard at least 3 others following the plan today, including "Puff"

[Rome2000]

Member Pages

District Information

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Florida Senate Senator Rossin, District 35

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2001

CONTACT: Damien Filer
(850) 487-5833

DEMOCRATS' COMMITMENT TO REAL ELECTION REFORM
REALLY PAYS OFF FOR FLORIDA

Tallahassee - Democrats' relentless commitment to ensuring real election reform for Florida before the next statewide election will pay off today when, after months of a Republican Governor and Legislature dragging their feet on election reform, SB1118 is signed into law.

"Democrats took a seat at the head of the table this year and were instrumental in ensuring election reform for the state of Florida," said Senate Democratic Leader Tom Rossin (D-Palm Beach). "Floridians have rightly demanded that what happened in last November's election never happen again. Thanks to the leadership and hands on involvement of Democrats, like Sen. Daryl Jones, real election reform will become the law of the land in Florida."

Largely due to the persistence of Democrats, the Legislature adopted most of the recommendations of a bipartisan election reform task force that will ensure every vote is counted in the next statewide election.

Some of the key provisions Democrats fought for and ensured were contained in the comprehensive election reform package include: eliminating punch cards, provisional ballots, automatic machine and hand-recounts, extending certification deadlines, a Voter's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, updating absentee ballot procedures, comprehensive poll worker training and recruitment, substantial funding for much-needed voter education and a "real time" voter registration database and website.

"We all know that when the Governor wants something from this Legislature, he gets it," said Rossin. "This year, Democrats ensured the people's voice was heard in spite of the Governor, who after all this state went through in November, made only a fleeting comment on election reform in his State of the State address, took no active role in his own elections task force and didn't include one dime in his budget to fix our elections system. Gov. Bush is only signing this bill today because he can't afford not to after the public pressure put on him by Democrats and by voters to ensure real election reform by our next statewide election."

###

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[Wait4Truth]

LOL! Just as well...it was all lies and John Gibson didn't do a very good job challenging him. Hopefully, Rove was watching this, though, because there was plenty of stuff to destroy Reid with.

[Wait4Truth]

You are NOT forgiven! LOL! Just kidding...this is really great news. My only fear is that if they just monitor those two counties, the RATS will just move their fraud to other RAT counties...hmmmm...

[mwl1]

What if Ashcroft declines the invitation to "monitor?" Just asking.

[Cable225]

Now, all Jeb needs to ensure a landslide win is to spend five to ten minutes on the phone with the King Of All Media and McBride is TOAST.

I gotta give you credit. You never miss a chance to whack PJ with that line, and I laugh every time I see it!