Posted on 11/12/2018 3:26:10 PM PST by yesthatjallen
Democrats and Republicans are bracing for a protracted and volatile recount in Florida as election officials rush to meet a Thursday deadline to complete the process.
Recounts in three statewide races were in full swing, with the nail-biter race between Sen. Bill Nelson (D) and Gov. Rick Scott (R) taking center stage.
Votes are also being retabulated for the state's gubernatorial race between former Rep. Ron DeSantis (R) and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (D).
The unfolding drama, and the legal battles surrounding it, are reminiscent of Florida’s presidential recount battle in 2000 that resulted in the election of former President George W. Bush after an intervention by the Supreme Court.
Like in 2000, much of the attention is centered on Broward County and Palm Beach County, both areas with heavy concentrations of Democratic voters that are expected to be the focus of much of the litigation.
After suggesting last week that "election fraud" had taken place, President Trump ramped up his criticism, urging local officials on Monday to go with initial results from Tuesday's elections and call the races for Scott and DeSantis because "an honest vote count is no longer possible."
Meanwhile, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) called for the removal of Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes whom he had appointed to the post in 2003.
“What’s happening now is a boxing match between the two different parties and candidates,” said Susan MacManus, a political science professor at the University of South Florida.
“It looks to me like a repeat of 2000 in the way that everybody is filing lawsuits to keep open ... every potential avenue of challenge via the courts," she said. “To me, the real picture now is it’s a litigation battle.”
Scott currently leads Nelson by roughly 12,500 votes, or about 0.15 percentage point of the vote. Meanwhile in the gubernatorial race, DeSantis led Gillum by more than 33,000 votes, or 0.41 point.
Electoral officials now face a cascade of key deadlines, starting with the results of the machine recount due on Thursday at 3 p.m.
If the margin between the candidates ends up within 0.25 point after the machine recount is conducted, a hand recount will be triggered, which would need to be completed by Saturday.
The results would then need to be certified by Nov. 20.
Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher told CNN on Sunday it’s “impossible” to finish three recounts by the Thursday deadline.
Though the recount has yet to be completed, the legal battle had already started.
Both Scott and Nelson have filed legal actions as they lobbed accusations at one another. Scott has claimed Nelson is trying to “commit fraud” to win the election, while Nelson has accused the governor of seeking to block votes cast legally.
On Sunday, Scott filed two emergency injunctions against Palm Beach and Broward counties, but suffered a setback on Monday when Broward Circuit Court Judge Jack Tuter denied his request that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and county sheriffs impound and secure vote machines and ballots when not in use.
Additionally, Scott’s campaign filed a complaint in a Broward County court requesting that the county canvassing board halt the inclusion of ballots in the final tally if they were counted after the Saturday deadline. That was when counties submitted unofficial results, triggering the three recounts.
Meanwhile, a judge in a federal court in Tallahassee will hear a case on Wednesday regarding Nelson’s lawsuit to count mail-in and provisional ballots that were invalidated due to signatures that didn’t match.
Nelson’s camp is arguing that the state law requiring a signature on a mail-in ballot to match the one on record is “unconstitutional.”
The recount process has also been surrounded by sharp rhetoric from both sides.
Nelson on Monday called on Scott to recuse himself from “any role” in the recount process.
“Given [Scott’s] efforts to undermine the votes of Floridians, this is the only way that we can ensure that the people’s votes are protected,” Nelson said. “The reason he’s doing these things is obvious. He’s worried when all the votes are counted, he’ll lose the election.”
ETC...
Sure, but what do you think Trump will do?
This is an illegal action. What do you think his supporters want him to do?
Think about what he’s capable of doing.
It’s a theft disguised as a win.
A win is where actual citizens vote and all legitimate votes are counted, but no more.
And on top of what Trump can do, what do you think his supporters will do if the cowards try to force him out of office?
These criminals throwing around the words “red line” don’t know what a red line really is.
“When do the people withdraw the consent of the governed? “
If they do not withdraw it soon, it may be withdrawn from them against their will. That’s where the Democrats are going with their new “universal” (including illegals) suffrage.
AMEN!!!
What do they plan on recounting now that the criminal in charge has mixed legal and illegal ballots to create a collection much larger than what was originally cast?
Trump is going nowhere. His military will not allow an illegal coup by foreign-allied domestic enemies.
And behind the military are his sixty to one hundred million supporters. Fifteen or twenty percent of them would fight to the death. One percent could put to death all domestic enemies.
I don’t think Trump is sure the Marshalls would follow his order. What would be the result if that happened?
I don’t think Trump is sure the Marshalls would follow his order. What would be the result if that happened?
The President doesn’t need to do anything dramatic. The Constitution empowers the Senate to seat its own choice in case of disputed election winners.
Crimes and fraud can be prosecuted by the normal actions of US Attorneys at their own pace.
Mitch not seating a democrat? Hah! He wants the Dems to win. Just because he’s playing nice now doesn’t me he all of a sudden likes Trump.
Well, that’s the problem.
If the GOP won’t take action, we’re screwed anyway as these fraudulent votes will be small potatoes compared to what will happen in 2020.
It does.
But if the republicans are just going to play nice and roll over for the dems on command, they deserve what they get.
Unfortunately, it's good people like FReepers and Christians who will pay the biggest price.
But you know something? The dems can cheat and lie and steal and put themselves in power.
They can try to control what I do and what I say, but they CANNOT control what I think, nor can they control my relationship with my God.
And when all is said and done, I know where I"m going to spend eternity and they will never be able to influence me again, because in the end, Jesus wins, and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
And when justice is meted out and they get what they deserve, I will not shed a tear.
Well said and I agree. Ultimately, they will face the true JUDGEMENT. Jesus is King!
The signature match has been in place for decades. It is the only way to confirm, or sort of confirm a ballot.
They are really digging.
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