Maine: Senate panel votes unanimously to declare Hall winner

Boston.com ^ | 16 December 2002 | Glenn Adams

[SheLion]

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) A Maine Senate panel voted unanimously Monday to declare Democrat Christopher Hall the winner in a disputed election that will determine which party will control the Senate for the next two years.

After reviewing 44 disputed ballots in Hall's race against Republican Leslie Fossel of Alna, the Senatorial Vote Committee voted 7-0 with Democrats united with the three Republicans on the panel to recommend that the full Senate formally seat Hall.

[SheLion]

Before the ballot review got under way, the committee turned down Republican proposals to make the ballots available for public inspection and to ask for state supreme court intervention in the process. Both proposals were turned down by 4-3 party-line votes.

Of course! We figured that!

[SheLion]

Maine Ping!

[ozone1]

My republican state senator, who was on this kangaroo court, has some splaining to do.

[SheLion]

My republican state senator, who was on this kangaroo court, has some splaining to do.

And they won't open it up to the public. To let the public decide. Figures. (What do they have to hide?)

[Madame Dufarge]

the procedure was concluded quickly with virtually no partisan wrangling.

Oh, those gutsy "Republicans."

[dts32041]

You think taxes are bad now, and business is leaving the state along with Anguish.

Well the greens should love it everybody working in the state will own a T-shirt shop.

BOHINCA.

[SheLion]

Oh, those gutsy "Republicans."

Sure makes one proud, eh?

[ozone1]

The Republican Tea Club decided to vote with the rats so they could close this robbery once and for all.
Grrrrrrrr.

[ambrose]

Could I be so bold as to suggest that perhaps the Rat really did get the most votes in that race? The losing Republican wanted to look at "voter intent"... the same sort of BS that Algore tried to pull in Florida.

[SheLion]

The Republican Tea Club decided to vote with the rats so they could close this robbery once and for all.

Well, the true Republican's will have a rough road to go, you watch. And the rest of us as well.

[ozone1]

No, they were excluding votes because the voter used a black or blue pen (the red pen votes were counted) or if they wrote in a name on other contests.

[ambrose]

No, they were excluding votes because the voter used a black or blue pen (the red pen votes were counted) or if they wrote in a name on other contests.

If there were rules against this, and if these rules were applied evenly to both candidates, then I have no problem with that result.

[ozone1]

Go here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/795729/posts

[SheLion]

the same sort of BS that Algore tried to pull in Florida.

Well, if that's true, why don't they put them out for public scrutiny?

[One More Time]

bump

[Congressman Billybob]

The election rules say that ballots must be filled out in pencil. The ballots filled out with a red pen (which favored the Democrat) were counted. Those filled out with a blue or black pen (which favored the Republican) were NOT counted. No, the rules were NOT applied equally to both sides.

This Maine Senate contest was one of the three examples I used in my article, "Enrons Are Everywhere," which went on the UPI wire, and also was posted on Free Republic.

Congressman Billybob

[ambrose]

Then why did the three Republicans on the panel vote the way they did?

[SheLion]

Then why did the three Republicans on the panel vote the way they did?

I want to know who the three Republicans were. Do you know, ambrose???