Recanvassing shows NY-23 race tightens even as Rep. Bill Owens is sworn into House seat

Syracuse.com ^ | 11/12/09 | Mark Weiner / The Post-Standard

[paltz]

Washington -- Conservative Doug Hoffman conceded the race in the 23rd Congressional District last week after receiving two pieces of grim news for his campaign: He was down 5,335 votes with 93 percent of the vote counted on election night, and he had barely won his stronghold in Oswego County.

As it turns out, neither was true.

[Hawthorn]

Even margin of victory is important to things like a perceived ‘mandate’ and such.

Does *math* really decide if they shouldn’t count the absentees?

I agree with you. I wasn't trying to defend the policy of not counting mail-in ballots, but merely trying to explain what often happens.

And perhaps to illustrate your point, I believe it's within the realm of theoretical possibility that if New York and California had counted all of their absentee ballots for the 2000 POTUS election, then Bush might have actually carried the nationwide popular vote. Or at least the nationwide popular vote would have been closer than what has always been reported.

[org.whodat]

[Mojave]

Owens already served his purpose on Saturday.

“There is no doubt that universal health care is a worthy objective.” —Doug Hoffman

[Pravious]

“The information given is confusing, isn’t it? How can they give the results of an election before the mail-in votes are counted?”

It’s #349 in the “Rat Rules Of Order” – If you can declare a RAT a winner, do so. Count votes later. Republicans will lay down and whimper as you stomp their heads into the ground and ask how what they can do to make it up to you.

[Truth is a Weapon]

In some ways it could work to our advantage if Hoffman wins and Pelosi won’t seat him. The GOP would be able to freely talk about the voting fraud and count cheating that happened in NY-23. Hoffman should win in a landslide in 2010. The GOP can then say that we had 3 of 3 important races that show 0bama’s agenda is opposed by the American people.

The Dem’s tricked Hoffman by lying so much that he didn’t think he could overcome the difference with a recount.

[Sir Gawain]

btt

[stylecouncilor]

ping

[freekitty]

Distraction would be my guess.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“Oswego, into the wild, blue, Yonkers!”

[ChildOfThe60s]

Here is a lesson for all of you who think we are going to take the House back in 2010. It’s too late. The Dems aren’t giving up power via the ballot box.

[Just A Nobody]

Democrats are liars.
The democrat party is a criminal enterprise.
With voting fraud, the actual sovereign citizen is usurped.

Yes...yes...and absolutely. When will the sheeple wake up and begin filing class action lawsuits against the usurpers?

[Just A Nobody]

Democrats are liars.
The democrat party is a criminal enterprise.
With voting fraud, the actual sovereign citizen is usurped.

Yes...yes...and absolutely. When will the sheeple wake up and begin filing class action lawsuits against the usurpers?

[RGSpincich]

Absentee ballots are usually cast early, are they not? It seems Hoffman’s popularity surged after most absentees would have voted.

[ScottinVA]

“The Republican Party filed a lawsuit in Chelan County Superior Court contesting the election, but the trial judge ruled against it, citing lack of evidence of deliberate electoral sabotage.”

Right, but I’m not thinking the case here is as much sabotage as slow vote tabulating. The fraud would occur if, once all the votes are counted and Hoffman is declared the winner, Congress refuses to seat him.

[freespirited]

The fraud would occur if, once all the votes are counted and Hoffman is declared the winner, Congress refuses to seat him.

As infuriating as that would be, it would probably guarantee a Hoffman win in 2010.

Human Events reporting that he is seriously considering another run.

[onedoug]

Military and absenteee voters in general, I think, tend toward conservatism.

This should be interesting.

[COUNTrecount]

And Owens was sworn in, yet New York state hasn’t certified the winner yet!

How can his YES vote for health care be legal if he's not yet sworn in?

OK, I know the answer, I just wanted to pose a rational question before getting the DEM answer.

[TitansAFC]

Anyone have a way to keep-up with the count from here on.....?

[balls]

Anyone who throws in the towel too soon and enables his opponent to take his seat and make the deciding vote doesn’t deserve to win. What a dope!

[chimera]

It could, but experience shows that waving the bloody shirt, as emotionally satisfying as that is, may not be a guarantee of a sympathy vote. Rossi and the ‘Pubs in WA State tried that after the ‘04 theft and they got bombed in the ‘08 rematch. McIntyre got robbed in ‘84 in Indiana and had Reagan campaign for him in the ‘86 rematch and still got whipped. Political rematches seldom live up to their hype. Too much can happen between votes, the power of incumbency, etc. It has been my experience that once a ‘Rat gets in, they get very adept at handing out largess to voters (they are always much better at that than ‘Pubs) and so become very, very difficult to flush out.