Posted on 11/10/2010 11:32:51 AM PST by rumrunner
Joe Miller is contesting at least 10% of all write-in ballots. Misspellings tend to be in the first syllable of Lisa Murkowski's name- some wrote "Mercowski" or "Mircowski."
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News on the mispellings from Anchorage Daily news:
Come on....I can see disputing hang chads....but even a Dem knows who they meant.
thanks for posting
Too bad the RNC didn’t know the meaning of a primary.
Did anybody vote for a MOOSE-KOW-SKI?...........
I am 100% for Miller here, but if the law of the land is intent of the voter, it is pretty clear they intended their vote to go to the Senator. I personally would want as much scrutiny as possible to help Miller, but it kind of is what it is. Miller screwed up with a sloppy campaign and the write-in campaign was well executed.
I thought I read that it was part of Alaskan election law that voter intent is not enough - the name MUST be spelled correctly or it is discounted. You can bet if this was a Republican write in, the law would be used to the max.
Interesting that the Rat party is there to observe? We all know who their dog in this race is.
I wonder what % of the ballots are not for the Murks?
These people were able to get a list of names from which they could copy the exact spelling that the law requires?
But if they used a list the ballot was supposed to be set aside because it may or may not be counted, since a judge hasn’t ruled on that yet?
Am I understanding this right?
If that’s the law, they should follow it verbatim.
I agree. I have no dog in this fight, but a voter in Alaska who writes “Mercowski” or “Mircowski” is obviously trying to vote for Lisa Murkowski. It’s silliness to argue otherwise. Those votes should count, IMO.
[but if the law of the land is intent of the voter, it is pretty clear they intended their vote to go to the Senator]
The law specifically states that the name must appear on the write-in ballot just as it appears are the write-in candidate application.
Too bad. The LAW states they have to spell it write or it doesn’t count.
“Under state law, the write-in oval must be filled in and either a candidate’s last name or the name as it appears on her candidacy declaration has to be written in. Miller’s attorney, Thomas Van Flein, said he intends to hold the state to that standard.”
But the law of Alaska is that the name on the write-in ballot must match the candidates name. If they can't spell Murkowski, too damn bad. They should be able to spell Polish-American names as easily as Anglo-American names.
- kosciusko51
You want to ignore the law then?
Posted by LachlanMinnesota in another thread:
Alaska Statutes - Section 15.15.360.: Rules for counting ballots.
(a) The election board shall count ballots according to the following rules:
(1) A voter may mark a ballot only by filling in, making X marks, diagonal, horizontal, or vertical marks, solid marks, stars, circles, asterisks, checks, or plus signs that are clearly spaced in the oval opposite the name of the candidate, proposition, or question that the voter desires to designate.
(2) A failure to properly mark a ballot as to one or more candidates does not itself invalidate the entire ballot.
(3) If a voter marks fewer names than there are persons to be elected to the office, a vote shall be counted for each candidate properly marked.
(4) If a voter marks more names than there are persons to be elected to the office, the votes for candidates for that office may not be counted.
(5) The mark specified in (1) of this subsection shall be counted only if it is substantially inside the oval provided, or touching the oval so as to indicate clearly that the voter intended the particular oval to be designated.
(6) Improper marks on the ballot may not be counted and do not invalidate marks for candidates properly made.
(7) An erasure or correction invalidates only that section of the ballot in which it appears.
(8) A vote marked for the candidate for President or Vice-President of the United States is considered and counted as a vote for the election of the presidential electors.
(9) Write-in votes are not invalidated by writing in the name of a candidate whose name is printed on the ballot unless the election board determines, on the basis of other evidence, that the ballot was so marked for the purpose of identifying the ballot.
(10) In order to vote for a write-in candidate, the voter must write in the candidates name in the space provided and fill in the oval opposite the candidates name in accordance with (1) of this subsection.
(11) A vote for a write-in candidate, other than a write-in vote for governor and lieutenant governor, shall be counted if the oval is filled in for that candidate and if the name, as it appears on the write-in declaration of candidacy, of the candidate or the last name of the candidate is written in the space provided.
(12) If the write-in vote is for governor and lieutenant governor, the vote shall be counted if the oval is filled in and the names, as they appear on the write-in declaration of candidacy, of the candidates for governor and lieutenant governor or the last names of the candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, or the name, as it appears on the write-in declaration of candidacy, of the candidate for governor or the last name of the candidate for governor is written in the space provided.
(b) The rules set out in this section are mandatory and there are no exceptions to them. A ballot may not be counted unless marked in compliance with these rules.
Pay particular attention to (a)(12) and (b).
Write in circle must be filled and write in name must match the declaration of candidacy...no exceptions.
That is Alaska Law.
The law of the land (i.e. the state of Alaska) is that the ballot must be marked correctly and the name spelled correctly as listed on the Write-in application.
First of all....Miller is one up just because he’s named after a beer....
We need more than 10% of the write-ins to be disqualified. We need at least 20% of the write-ins to be disqualified or for someone other than Lisa. If she gets 80% of the total write-in vote, OR LESS, she loses.
If Murkowski would have won the primary it would not be an issue.
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