Man or machine? Rossi-Gregoire recount prompts dispute over accuracy

Associated Press ^ | 11 December 2004 | David Ammons

[JosefK]

You can go to http://josef-a-k.blogspot.com for where the Marummy stuff came from...

[traderrob6]

Not hard to figure out, the experts are non-partisan, the SOS is no doubt extremely partisan

[Bar-Face]

A prediction on the Washington Governor's race recount of the recount of the count. Christine Gregoire will "win" and be certified before Christmas.

[Veto!]

Democrats believe the two previous counts have been flawed and that only human judgment can truly determine voter intent.

Yeah, but which human? Report is that in Dem King County, ballots for Rossi were tossed out if they were clearly marked for Rossi but had a pencil dot on the margin next to GregGore's name. That was during the machine recount, where ballots were reviewed manually. Hanky panky to the max, and they haven't finished monkeying yet.

[Publius6961]

compelling arguments on both sides and acknowledge that any vote-counting system has a tiny built in error rate.

Depends on your definition of "tiny", but yes, in the real world, the universe of reasonable human beings, it is (or was) a reality of life that there are no perfect processes.

The old opposition to the Star Wars missile defence: chuck it because it is not 100%. Same crowd, same mentality. Ignorance triumphs.

I am willing to bet the farm that in the last 20 years, the total criminal votes far exceed the unavoidable ones inherent in any human system. By a whole bunch.
These delusional clowns better be very careful what they wish for.

[Publius6961]

Report is that in Dem King County, ballots for Rossi were tossed out if they were clearly marked for Rossi but had a pencil dot on the margin next to GregGore's name.

I would expect whoever made that decision to be doing some serious jail time... soon.

[perform_to_strangers]

The only way I would trust a hand count would be if they gave different teams the same group of ballots and certify the count only after the teams independently reach the same tally. The problem then would be preventing the first counters from tampering with the ballots. Could they scan SAT type ballots and give everyone copies to count, keeping the originals locked away?

[Steely Tom]

Can you imagine the kind of statements the dumb's will come out with within approximately one millisecond of any tally showing Gregoire the winner?

"The People Have Spoken, Their Voice is Clear."
"Let Us Begin The Healing Process."
"A New Governor, And A New Mandate for Change!"

And if a Republican so much as utters a "but, but...," it'll be a full-throated chorus, from the lowest elementary-school librarian to the anchors of the major networks:

"How Dare Those Republicans Drag Out This Process Any Longer!"
"They Are Trying To Win In The Courthouse What They Couldn't Win At The Ballot Box!"
"Whose The Sore Loser Now? GOP Bigs Lawyer Up To Steal Election"

(steely)

[holyscroller]

I AM one of the official 80 Republican re-counters, and in the first two hours yesterday, my Democrat counterpart managed to put 6 Rossi votes in the Gregoire pile. I caught them. Her replacement later did the same thing and put 2 Rossi votes in the Gregoire pile in the afternoon. (I caught them also.)

It won't take very many more of these shennigans and Gregoire will be over the top. I believe the county is doing a good job to try to make this fair, but the possibilities for hanky pank are probably more than a dishonest Democrat can resist. There are 80 teams at counting tables, and if just ONE Rossi vote is switched per table (as above) in the next two weeks, to Gregoire, it's all over. The first thing I look for is to make sure Dino's votes aren't going to Gregoire, Then and only then do I start counting.

By the way, "somebody" turned in my Democrat partner, and she was fired.

[traderrob6]

Great to of of your diligance, keep up the good work

[JosefK]

All fearfully accurate ideas for headlines...

Oh and because it's outta the baggie: "While the conflict is well begun, it has only begun—we are still closer to the beginning than the end." SecDef Donald "Rummy" Rumsfeld

TAKE THAT, BAGHDAD BOB BERENDT!
(Beat Back Berendt, anyone?)

[JosefK]

cool

[JosefK]

God Bless You!

You are a true Lane Legionnaire!

Make sure you call campaign HQ at 425.646.7202 and tell them what's going on...

[ozzymandus]

If the stupid party lets the RATs steal this one, they'll do it every time there's a close vote.

[ozzymandus]

If the stupid party lets the RATs steal this one, they'll do it every time there's a close vote.

[JosefK]

That's the scary thing and why I respectfully believe the lack of intensity from the Rossi campaign let things get so close...

I mean, if most Washingtonians knew that Gregoire's office (links to my blog will end at a place where I have cited sources):

*Argued against transparent gov't and got in trouble for failing to disclose documents - http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002071957_gregoirepda25m.html

*Argued for the 7E7 deal that was against the state constitution - http://www.effwa.org/highlighters/v14_n2.php

*Lied about the true nature of an investigation - http://josef-a-k.blogspot.com/2004/10/gregoire-spins-some-more.html

*Disregarded and disrespected a whistleblower - http://josef-a-k.blogspot.com/2004/10/rossi-to-gregoire-stop-trashing.html

Oh and Candidate Gregoire campaigned with a LOT of uncosted promises - I did the research at http://josef-a-k.blogspot.com/2004/09/top-5-reasons-why-governor-gregoire-is.html

Betcha if more people knew that, they'd realize that Gregoire's another Deborah Senn. If they did, then woo-hoo!

[JosefK]

Friendly ping

[perform_to_strangers]

...in the first two hours yesterday, my Democrat counterpart managed to put 6 Rossi votes in the Gregoire pile.

Good grief! Even if we pretend to believe these were honest mistakes, with this rate of error, how will they manage to convince anybody that the hand count was more accurate than machine?? If no one trusts the final count, will it still stand?

Good on "somebody" for turning the cheater in.

[JosefK]

New thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1299630/posts

[JosefK]

I just posted your allegation at http://josef-a-k.blogspot.com/2004/12/news-tribune-responds.html

Any witnesses? And will you PLEASE call the Rossi campaign (425.646.7202)?

Thanks. Josef