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.
I am also glad that Pubbie Smith lost his race to Sununu. I have no patience for RINOS either. Nice that McCain is startin' to support the POTUS at least in his rhetoric this week. How long has he been fighting with Dubya? Almost long enough to lose his base in AZ.
McBride's done other things that shall remain off the record. If it comes out in public or Court, I'll do a thread.
What are you up to, here? But thanks for the lowdown on your busy day. Hash browns, yum! Friday's soup and sandwiches for me, tomato and grilled cheese.
Oh,oh...I said cheese. Now some wise guy will bring up moose (^:
I-75 is still closed on that 20 mile stretch.....
They are still being retained for further questioning, etc.
The one guy's sister (in white muslim garb) said she thought the Georgia hero was LYING. Throw them all out. They are sympathizers of Al Quaeda. I don't know where the sister was holding her press conference from but you know, profiling, prejudice, blah, blah, blah.
And, the cops didn't release their names because I'm sure they're afraid someone is going to harm them and then the families are going to sue the cops.
If this lady from Georgia gets drug through the mud, we'll have to send her a letter of support somehow. She's now in the media spotlight and being accused of being prejudiced and a liar by people that I do not trust or have any respect for - WHATSOEVER. It's over for me with muslims.
Between the first report and the machine recount in Bush v Gore Palm Beach county magically found 10,000 more votes for Gore.
Also the election supervisor in Miami refused to purge his rolls of illegal felons, as instructed by the Secretary of State. Someone was doing a tally of felons who voted in Miami that was reported in our newspapers. The tally went up to 5,000 before the thing ended. Presumably, it is still the same. A local radio personality has been faulting Bush for not restoring all 60,000 voters who were purged. Most were correct, because the election supervisors doublechecked.
If you were to visit Miami, you would be hard pressed to see any Americans. It is overrun with illegals from South America, the Carribean, and Haiti. English is rarely spoken. However, it is not PC to ask how many voters were illegals. That is the big fraud that cannot be mentioned. It will be interesting to see how the Justice department reacts. A TV personality joked that Folridah go back to being a territory until they learn to hold elections correctly.
Yesterday, when Eunice Stone, the lady in Georgia that did the right thing in reporting what she overheard in Shoney's, was on FOX News, and she received high praise from several of their staff and guests. If the LIBS try to drag Eunice through the mud, I can GUARANTEE you that they will have answer to Bill O'Reilly !! That assumes that she's not found to be a racist (which I don't think will be the case). 
He's gonna help them find somewhere else to go, though. They said something about hate e-mails too. (I think I got all that detail right).
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