Posted on 09/18/2003 5:31:39 AM PDT by kattracks
Even with the Oct. 7 recall election in federal court limbo, Californians have already returned more than 400,000 absentee ballots to local election officials -- the clearest sign yet that voter interest has reached a level not seen in recent history.
In urging the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday to reinstate the Oct. 7 election date, Secretary of State Kevin Shelley reported more than 2 million requests for absentee ballots have been received by local election officials so far.
The total of absentee ballots already sought is equal to more than one-fourth of the total number of people who voted in the governor's election last November. And registered voters have until Sept. 30 to apply for one by mail.
"This is the most phenomenal election event we've seen in years," said Mark DiCamillo of the Field Poll, which has been tracking elections for more than 50 years.
"We are seeing interest by people that is usually reserved only for close presidential elections, and this is only a California issue. People are talking about this election in bars, at backyard barbecues -- everywhere they meet."
In Los Angeles, the number of requests for absentee ballots is nearing an all-time high -- already nearly 50 percent more than sought for last November's election.
Kristin Heffron, chief deputy registrar-recorder, said the county has received and processed more than 41,000 absentee ballots already out of requests from 397,900 voters. That compares with 275,000 requests for the same period last year.
"It is amazing to see," Heffron said. "None of us can remember anything like this."
Heffron said because there are only four issues on the ballot -- the recall of Gov. Gray Davis, choosing a successor and two ballot propositions -- the county has been able to print and process requests quicker than in past years.
And while it is still too early to determine if there will be any impact because of Monday's court ruling, Heffron said the ballots are coming in by the thousands.
"On Tuesday, we received 12,000 absentee ballots," she said. "We got another 13,000 on Wednesday. They keep coming in."
The registrar's office is verifying the signatures on the envelopes and setting them aside to be counted if the election is held. If it is delayed, the absentee ballots will be thrown out and the whole process will have to be repeated for a new election date.
Absentee ballot requests will be processed through Sept. 30 and can be mailed in prior to the election or brought to a polling station of the registrar's offices on Election Day.
"They shouldn't expect the election to be delayed," Heffron said. "They should turn in the ballots just in case it is still held on Oct. 7."
Heffron said the interest is a combination of factors -- from the historic nature of recalling a governor to the media attention given the election.
And then there is the Arnold factor.
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger's candidacy has driven interest to incredible heights.
On the day he took out his papers to run, there were more than 20 television crews from around the world to chronicle the event.
"You have to credit him with driving some of the interest, certainly the international interest," DiCamillo said.
"And there is the whole nature of this recall, where you have national broadcasts trying to explain this election to people in Nebraska and Utah and the people here see it and respond. It's an incredible dynamo that feeds on itself."
Counties also report thousands more votes are being faxed from overseas military bases and field posts, where approximately 7,000 Californians in uniform are registered to vote absentee. The state is allowing counties to fax and e-mail absentee applications overseas to meet deadlines already impossible by mail.
All this interest in absentee voting in what could be a tight race worries both Democrat and Republican operatives, who fret about thousands of voters who won't be able to change their minds to meet late-changing circumstances.
For Democrats, the concern is that some voters who might be persuaded to keep Davis in office have already cast absentee ballots to oust him.
For some Republicans, particularly those who believe Schwarzenegger is the party's most electable candidate, the fear is that supporters of Sen. Tom McClintock have already voted and aren't able to vote for Schwarzenegger if McClintock drops out.
"We talked about that at the (Republican) convention last week," said Kern County Republican chairwoman Karen DeWalt.
Once a voter has turned in a ballot, "they don't get to get it back," said Sacramento County elections manager Alice Jarboe. "But if they vote for a candidate who pulls out of the race and they haven't turned their ballot in, they can call our office and we will issue a replacement."
However, state law does provide an escape for voters who return an absentee ballot and then change their minds. If an absentee voter also casts a ballot at a polling place on Election Day, election officials will discard his absentee ballot as part of the verification process which occurs before the final election results are certified.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Rick Orlov, (213) 978-0390 rick.orlov@dailynews.com KEEP SENDING BALLOTS
Despite the appellate court challenge, Registrar-Recorder Conny McCormack has advised voters to continue mailing absentee ballots to the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Absent Voters Section, PO Box 30450, Los Angeles, CA 90030-0450. Absentee ballots can be requested through Sept. 30 by writing to the above address (include your name, home address, mailing address and signature), or online at www.lavote.net.
How secure is this process?
The California recall is paramount to a declaration of war against Democrat incompetence!!
Wonder how many of those are military ballots??
Voter fraud alert........
Half the state has Diebolt, forget ever catching voter fraud again.
Or gosh, is that too harsh?
Very interesting. On one hand, one thinks Rat county, Doofus GOTV effort BUT in the last election Grayout spent over $70 million and was on the ropes. As such, his GOTV effort was probably huge and logistically bigger than in this one. Methinks Arnold has struck a nerve. Recall and Arnold by 15 to 20 points is my call...
We better get the job done because failure to recall Davis will cost the taxpayers ...big time! Wonder how much we'd have to pay Clinton?
CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION ARTICLE 2 VOTING, INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM, AND RECALL SEC. 18. A state officer who is not recalled shall be reimbursed by the State for the officer's recall election expenses legally and personally incurred. Another recall may not be initiated against the officer until six months after the election.
"It is also accidental that the recall scenario pumped new life into a California Republican Party previously thought to be comatose. New voter registration, for the time being, is running four-to-one Republican. It has taken three Democratic judges to slow down the revival. "
Hehehehe....
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