Posted on 11/11/2010 6:47:46 AM PST by SeattleBruce
Reporting from Juneau, Alaska — The tedious scrutinizing of the more than 92,500 write-in ballots cast in the U.S. Senate race in Alaska got underway in a chilly warehouse Wednesday, with observers for Republican Joe Miller's campaign determined to challenge any variation in the spelling of rival Lisa Murkowski's name.
And judging from the multiple derivations voters attempted — Lisa Muroski, LSI Murkswke, Lisa Mvrowski, Lesa Merkesken, Lisa M., along with at least one ballot cast for Jesus Christ — there will be no shortage of opportunities for argument.
"We expect to have a recount. We expect it may go to court," Lt. Gov. Craig Campbell told reporters. "I believe the counters are doing a legitimate job of trying to determine the intent … and if it's then challenged in court, the court may be the final arbiter."
--snip--
"The law is pretty clear that it has to be filled in just as it is on the declaration of candidacy," said Randy DeSoto, Miller's spokesman. "Our concern is the Legislature, when they made the law, wanted to get away from all this confusion by making it very clear."
State officials have said they are relying on at least two court decisions that require them to determine what a voter's intent was. If it's apparent that a voter intended to vote for Murkowski, even if there is a minor misspelling, Division of Elections chief Gail Fenumiai said she was counting it as a valid vote.
"If I can't make a phonetic understanding of the name, I say no," she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.latimes.com ...
Even after they fought like hell to have a printed list of write-in candidates??
Unbelievable.
Why have laws? It's a question I have every morning driving to work, watching drivers break traffic laws without a care in the world.
Even that criteria would eliminate half the ballots cited in the article.
I hurt my tongue trying for a "phonetic understanding" of that...
Hey, I want Joe Miller to win as much as you do, but are we ready to disenfranchise somebody who wrote-in “Lisa Murkowsky”
instead of “Lisa Murkowski?”
The next excuse for speeding, “But officer, it was my INTENT to drive the speed limit.” Hey, if it’s good enough for voting it’s good enough for other instances.
The Alaska state law is clear ... so how is it disenfranchisment to actually hold people to a standard? Also, where do you draw the line as to what is “close enough”? And what are the qualifications as to who can make that call?
Wow. Next thing you know they’ll actually be counting that one vote for Jesus Christ as an ‘intended’ vote for Murkowski.
They aren’t being disenfranchised!!!
The rules were clear. Murkowski spent millions educating voters on ths issue. They handed out wristbands with her name. They broke the rule and allowed printed write in lists available at polling sites. ANyone who couldn’t spell her name and fill in an oval has NO GROUNDS FOR COMPLAINT.
But yeah, like I said last night screw it. Conservatives arguing that rule of law shouldn’t be adhered to...unbelieveable.
Why didn`t they then just say, don't worry about getting the exact spelling right, because they will only need to be shown what your intent was.
So really they could have even said....it`s not a big deal doing a write in vote, even if you just come close to the spelling, will be just fine.
She should not have been allowed to run again after being defeated, especially after saying she would not!
I agree somewhat but where do you draw the line? The law states it has to be spelled correctly.
Does Lisa M work for you? That was one of the names listed above. It all goes down to where the line should be drawn and they did have to print the write in names that had registered didn’t they?
Did you see some of the other spellings/submissions? In any case, let’s see the military votes counted, the rest of the absentee votes (from which Miller reduced his deficit by at least 2,000 to date.)
From above article:
“Miller’s deficit to the number of ballots cast as write-ins — the majority presumed to be for Sen. Murkowski — had shrunk to about 11,300 votes by Wednesday as absentees continue to be counted.”
“Why have laws?”
Why have primaries?
Why can’t they accept just the Lisa part???
Why is it the liberals have no problem re-inventing the law when it suits their needs.
If you remember Bush v Gore, the main problem was that the Florida Supreme Court said that the election law could be changed during the recount. The US Supreme Court blasted them 6-3 and said "NO." The 5-4 vote was for the remedy.
So what is the cvount of actual ballots now counted. Who is ahead in actual counted votes? ... I do so detest media spin.
Wait just a minute. They allow a list to be in the voting booth with the correct spelling of the write in candidates names and yet they will allow misspellings as long as the “intent” is there? What about the intent to look at the list?
And who defines “phonetic understanding “???.
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