Posted on 10/20/2002 7:08:02 PM PDT by AlaninSA
Just hours after early voting began Saturday, Democrats identified problems with Bexar County's new two-page ballot and announced their intention to go to court Monday.
"Representing the state Democratic Party, we will ask a judge to examine today's ballots and give some sort of remedy," said county party Chairman Gabe Quintanilla.
According to Quintanilla, when he went to vote at McCreless Mall, he was given a two-page ballot that was not stapled or paper-clipped together. He also said he was not instructed to mark both pages of the ballot if he wanted to vote a straight-party ticket — a step that was added to the voting process this year for the first time.
Quintanilla said he had reports of at least four other voters who had experienced similar problems.
Bexar County had to print a two-page ballot for the Nov. 5 election because several races, including one for the Trinity Glenrose Groundwater Conservation District Aquifer, have been added. There is concern that requiring voters to mark their ballots twice if they want to vote straight party could penalize the candidates whose names appear on the second sheet — if those sheets are lost.
Bexar County Elections Administrator Cliff Borofsky acknowledged that the election judge at McCreless Mall did not receive the new instructions before the polls opened to bind both ballot pages, but he said the judge was quickly briefed and the problem was remedied.
"I don't want to dismiss the concerns, but today's voters appeared quite comfortable with the procedure," Borofsky said. "We need to remain positive and focus on getting people to the polls."
Borofsky said early voting was steady throughout the day around the city, despite rain.
Both gubernatorial candidates were in San Antonio on Saturday to rally their troops. Each made emotional appeals to get people to cast ballots.
At a West Side rally, complete with tamales and rice, Democrat Tony Sanchez told supporters that the election would make history, giving Texans a genuine voice in Austin.
Speaking mostly in Spanish, Sanchez said he was "asking respectfully" for their help.
"We need a governor who is sensitive to peoples' hurt, a governor who is sensitive to peoples' pain, not a governor who has been bought and paid for by special interests," he said.
Sanchez, who is running 15 points behind Gov. Rick Perry in a statewide poll released Saturday by the Dallas Morning News, said he is confident his extensive grass-roots network will make the difference on Election Day.
Perry made an afternoon stop on the North Side, where a crowd of supporters chomped on red, white and blue cookies while he hammered in yard signs and knocked on doors.
Perry said the race is about continuing his vision for excellence in education, expanding the state's transportation network and addressing the health-care crisis.
"I want you to act for the next two weeks like the future of the state of Texas is at stake — because it is," he said.
Perry said he wasn't banking on his lead in the polls, but he predicted he would get a significant percentage of the vote from many groups who do not usually support Republicans, including minorities and union members.
Early voting sites are open today and will be open every day until Nov. 1.
All these "morons", from the ones in this article to the "idiots" in Florida can all drive up to a fast food restraunt and order a freaking meal off the menu. Like the one above. Which is much more complicated than any election ballot. But if their candidate may be losing they turn into dumb asses.
>>Click here<<< and bookmark site.
Have barf bag handy.
"Seriously", maybe we should have drive up voting for morons. Put the candidates faces on the "menu". And have "package meals" for voting straight ticket.
We could have little toys we give them when they are finish voting. Like the kids get for "happy meals". Maybe AARP cards for the old folks and green cards for the illegals* that vote. That kind of stuff.
* I have a theory that this is why the fast food places have the "packaged meals". At least here in Texas. So people can just order uno, dos, etc.
cc: registered. Hey reg! What do you think of this fast food/ voting concept?
Texas is Bush Country, yes...but South Texas is a Blue Zone.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.