Disenfranchised - Where's Secretary of State Debra Bowen When We Need Her?

I believe I have voted in every election since I moved back to Pasadena 39 years ago. Being aged and infirm, I applied for permanent absentee status after receipt of my sample ballot for the April 17 election. I never received my absentee ballot. I e-mailed the mayor asking for an explanation. Some three weeks later I received a very comprehensive response from the City Clerk. The city's procedures for obtaining a list of permanent absentees from the County make it virtually impossible to have such permanent status become effective in the case of applications made after the receipt of the sample ballot. This fact was never made known to me before the election, notwithstanding that it is the policy of the City Clerk's office to so advise callers inquiring about obtaining permanent absentee status.

I could have gone to the polls on election day, an option I chose not to use, for various reasons. There were a total of 20 people whose circumstances were the same as mine. Another 14 applicants for permanent status availed themselves of alternative means of obtaining absentee ballots I presume because they were made aware of such alternatives. That number of votes is not a lot, but it is still too many.

The City Clerk indicated that she will institute measures to ensure better communication with people who contact her office and to modify the instructions contained in the sample ballot to reduce the ambiguities and omissions. I do hope they are effective in preventing what happened to me from happening to others.

Background: The primary election for Pasadena City Council District 1 resulted in a narrow few vote lead for Robin Salzer (Republican) over rival Jacque Robinson (Democrat) mainly based on absentee ballots. When it came around to the final election curiously the Democratic Party controlled Mayor's Office and City Council couldn't come up with adequate procedures to include absentee ballots in the runoff election. Traditionally, absentee ballot voters tend to vote conservative.

And where's the outrage and referral to the District Attorney's Office for this violation similar to the one over candidate Robin Salzer inviting people to his restaurant for a free dessert treat at a post-election party? See here: http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/article.php?id=4520&IssueNum=67.

And where is Secretary of State Debra Bowen (Democrat), who got elected on a "reform" platform, when we need her? Apparently, Bowen is only worried about "Republican" election improprieties. See here: http://www.debrabowen.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96&Itemid=30

1 posted on 05/30/2007 8:57:33 AM PDT by WayneLusvardi

It was incumbent on the voter to take steps to ensure their vote was cast on election day, all incompetence or perfidy of the elections office notwithstanding. Sometimes when the bureaucracy gives you broken glass you have to crawl over it.

2 posted on 05/30/2007 9:06:10 AM PDT by NonValueAdded (Fred Thompson in 2008 - there is no doubt about it!)

I don’t think Republicans can be disenfranchised, since they shouldn’t be allowed to vote in the first place. ;)

3 posted on 05/30/2007 9:06:41 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Enoch Powell was right.)

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