Florida vote goes from chad to worse
Posted on 09/12/2002 3:31:32 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Florida vote goes from chad to worse
Glitches bedevil new system; Reno trails in Democratic primary
09/12/2002
MIAMI - Despite a $32 million renovation, Florida's new election system crashed in an embarrassment that, like the 2000 election, left residents wondering whether their votes counted, candidates pondering recounts and everyone asking who's to blame.
"You guys have NO idea what a mess this has been," state election monitor Mike Lindsey wrote his Tallahassee bosses in a pre-dawn e-mail Wednesday from Broward County. "The mess was the result of no planning, poor leadership, lack of 'process ownership' and passing the buck."
The debacle, echoing the 2000 presidential stalemate, drew even more scrutiny because, once again, Florida had a high-profile race that was too close to call.
With 3 percent of precincts still to report by Wednesday afternoon, former Attorney General Janet Reno trailed Tampa lawyer Bill McBride for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination by 19,000 votes out of more than 1 million cast.
The voting problems included technical and human error. Workers had problems starting up new touch-screen voting machines; ballot cards tore and couldn't be read on optical scanning machines; and technical problems delayed processing the electronic cartridges used in the touch-screen voting machines. In Miami-Dade, nearly half of the ballots that were still uncounted Wednesday were cast by black voters.
In addition, some poll workers failed to show up, several polling places opened late and some voters were wrongly turned away for not showing a picture identification.
In response to complaints Tuesday, Gov. Jeb Bush extended polling by two hours but that led to yet more abuses: In Hollywood, workers at one precinct who had not been told of the extension held the door shut and cursed at voters.
In all, 14 of the state's 67 counties reported voting problems, including six of the seven that were sued after the 2000 presidential stalemate.
On Wednesday, the blame game was fast and furious.
Voters and Mr. Bush pointed fingers at election chiefs in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, which bought touch-screen machines to replace punch-card equipment. All counties were required to get rid of punch-card ballots.
Others worried that Florida's troubles were a warning of more to come. Several states scrapped punch-card ballots, bought new equipment and changed their laws since the presidential race.
"It's not just Florida. It's a national problem," said Rob Richie, executive director of the Center for Voting and Democracy, based in Maryland. "We will have lots of problems in the next two months."
Ms. Reno met with legal advisers and contemplated legal action Wednesday.
She could demand a recount or sue to overturn the results. Secretary of State Jim Smith said the race may be tight enough to automatically trigger a statewide recount.
By Wednesday evening, with 99 percent of precincts reporting, Mr. McBride had 599,057 votes, or 45 percent, compared with Ms. Reno's 588,034 votes, or 44 percent. State Sen. Daryl Jones had 155,648 votes, or 12 percent.
Among other races across the nation:
Washington, D.C., Mayor Anthony A. Williams had a commanding lead at the end of the first day of counting write-in ballots in the city's Democratic mayoral primary. By Wednesday evening, Mr. Williams had 17,299 votes in his re-election bid, compared with 1,958 for the Rev. Willie F. Wilson. Poll workers were to return Thursday to continue counting.
Two-term New York Gov. George Pataki faced no Republican opponent but lost the Independence Party nomination to billionaire businessman B. Thomas Golisano. That means Mr. Golinsano's name will be on the November ballot, along with that of state Comptroller H. Carl McCall, who won the Democratic nomination a week after former U.S. Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo dropped out.
In Maryland, Democratic Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Republican Rep. Robert Ehrlich won their parties' gubernatorial nominations. State Sen. Christopher Van Hollen defeated Kennedy cousin Mark Shriver for the Democratic nomination to challenge eight-term GOP Rep. Constance Morella.
This is McBride's campaign strategy: 1. I'M A NICE GUY. 2. PLEASE GOVERNOR BUSH, DON'T ATTACK ME ANY MORE AND LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THE PAST. YOU WERE MEAN TO ME, JEB BUSH. 3. ATTACK GOVERNOR BUSH AND LIE about CUTTING, CUTTING, CUTTING.
Please pass this on, copy and paste this and tell people what we've got to look forward to. This is what McLawyer will say in a town near you. He's miscalculated how many Floridians think Jeb's a great Governor and not showing an ounce of respect for the Office.
Before that, he name dropped a fireman who died in the Towers and name dropped his machine gunner from Vietnam who lost a leg (just like election night). He's shameless and tacky and he didn't give any "specifics" except that he is aggressively going after Jeb. Clinton lessons? Probably.
If you aren't supposed to be on my ping list, please advise by bumping this to the top. I try to remove a name immediately but stuff happens. And everyone else on the USA-Florida ping list, hang in there with me until November. I promise low volume and am retiring this list after Jeb wins re-election! Yay! FV
All Floridians should want to get the vote out for Jeb. I could say more but I don't want to help the man if any of his goons are lurking here.
Reno can't face the humiliation of losing to a nobody so that is why she is dragging her feet on conceding.
TV reporter Michael Putney set the record straight immediately, however. He said Florida's Secretary of State offered to help to Leahy (Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections), and Oliphant (Broward Supervisor of Elections) last week and was told that no help was needed.
That said, I read today in the SHT that McBride has been declared the winner by FL SoS Jim Smith, and that "Education" is going to be the primary focus of debate between McLawyer and Jeb. So, summer, you have your work cut out for you, since you're the definite expert on this particular subject -- please keep Jeb and little ol' us'ns informed and erudite on this "issue"!
I'm scared to think what this might mean.
I took it to another level, skipping her form. McBride's done other things that shall remain off the record. If it comes out in public or Court, I'll do a thread. But, that could be a few weeks away.
Jeb's going to win in November in any event. But, we'll all be sick to our stomachs until November and then if Jeb is challenged after he wins the election. (Oh, and headaches too). FV
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