National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Demands Investigation [FL and Reno]

www.commondreams.org ^ | Sept. 10, 2002 | National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

[summer]

Home > Progressive Community > NewsWire > For Immediate Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 10, 2002

CONTACT: National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
Miami Action and Media Center: Jubi Headley of the NGLTF,
202-320-1869

Ballot Debacle Again in Florida Election: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Demands Investigation Into Apparent Voter Fraud

MIAMI - September 10 - In today's Miami-Dade election that featured a historic gay rights ballot measure, registered voters have once again been denied the right to cast votes. Rampant breakdowns in new touch screen voting machines, failure to open polling places in a timely manner, untrained personnel, and refusal by election officials to provide paper "provisional" ballots when voting machines have malfunctioned have left voters and observers alike stunned and angered.

Worst of all, numerous complaints have been registered by voters who went to the polls to vote NO on the anti-gay ballot measure, but were prevented from doing so. In some precincts, there was no ability to vote on any initiatives. In others, voters have complained that when they voted NO on the anti-gay ballot measure, YES votes appear to have registered instead. Many polling places were not operative until after 1 p.m., more than 5 hours later than the scheduled 7 a.m.

"In 2000, African Americans in southern Florida were denied the right to vote and to have their votes counted. In 2002, the gay and Jewish communities are facing the same inexcusable fate," said Lorri L. Jean, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

While irregularities have been reported in precincts countywide, Miami's Jewish and gay communities have been disproportionately hit by voter machine malfunction and other irregularities. These communities represent some of the strongest opposition to a measure on the ballot that, if passed, would remove discrimination protections based on sexual orientation from the County's human rights ordinance.

"How many times must historically oppressed communities be denied the right to participate in elections under the watch of Jeb and George W. Bush?" demanded Jean. "Hundreds and potentially thousands of people in Miami-Dade have been unable to vote today because of malfunctioning machines and then have been provided no alternative means of voting. This is not a partisan failure, this is a leadership failure."

"After the last Florida voting fiasco, Jeb and George Bush promised the American public that they would make every vote count," Jean continued. "They have had two years to create a system that guaranteed full participation in the democratic process to all people and, as we now know, they have failed to deliver on their promise."

Therefore, NGLTF is demanding that the Governor employ all available communication devices and personnel at the state's disposal to let voters know that voting hours have now been extended until 9 p.m. and to encourage them to return to the polls.

"Further, we are demanding full and immediate investigations by the Governor's office and the U.S. Department of Justice into the failures of the Florida election system so that the gay community and indeed all Floridians will never again be denied that opportunity to vote and have those votes counted," Jean concluded.

[YankeeReb]

In 2000, African Americans in southern Florida were denied the right to vote and to have their votes counted. In 2002, the gay and Jewish communities are facing the same inexcusable fate," said Lorri L. Jean, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

Why is it whenever one of these "protected groups" has a vote go against them, there's always thousands who were either denied their right to vote, or their vote wasn't counted?

[Dimensio]

OK; it seems like it did pass

Er, I think that terminology is getting confused. When I say that it didn't pass, I meant that the attempt at repealing the existing ordinance didn't pass. That was what was up for a vote.

[summer]

"not breaking news"....it's not in breaking news...

[summer]

PS :)

[summer]

where aren't = why aren't

[summer]

Re your post #41 - And why does this only happen in Dem counties in FL, where elections are run by Dem Election Supervisors, and the voters are mostly Dem? Gov Bush was right to ask what they heck is going on with Dem voters in FL...

[summer]

Re your post #42 - You're right. My mistake. Thanks for clarifying the issue.

[A CA Guy]

But the common folks are not always in the know! Expect hay to be made from nothing over this by the same political hacks who say every Republican wants to take away SS.

"It's not the truth, but the false perception of the truth that hurts!"

There's FR's needed quote of the day, LOL! But that's a real issue Summer.

[phil1750]

Gays are allowed to vote?

[jackd]

Bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rdb3]

Oh, behave! ;-)

[summer]

The political hacks throw so much at Gov Bush. I honestly think a lot of FL voters ignore it. They know Gov Bush has done a good job here in FL. But, you may have a point - if people paid attention to that stuff. I just don't think enough of them do.

[Loyalist]

Amazing. Yet more voting machines that can automatically detect gays, Jews, or blacks. Incredible. They oughta patent that.

Which gets me thinking....

I think people would be more responsible in casting their votes if the secret ballot were eliminated and voters had to publicly declare their voting intentions. It would also weed people out of the electoral process who are too timid to openly express support for a candidate or plebiscite proposition.

We also hear much made of nebulous group votes which favour certain candidates and propositions. Yet with the secret ballot, we never really know what the strength of these electoral blocs really are.

Perhaps if the same information required on census forms were also put on voter registration forms for an open ballot system, these so-called group votes (women/black/Catholic/Hispanic/Jewish/homosexual/middle-class/lower-class/etc.) could be accurately tracked and the information used accordingly.

[jackd]

Was the interview delivered by a guy with a lisp, draped in a rainbow flag? They are a sneaky bunch those durn wackos! You can't tell the "spokeswomen" from the reporters without a scorecard (no pun intended) these days. Seriously though, WHY is it significant what, if anything, this amoral organization has to say? Query: If the aforementioned "gay blade" made a speech and nobody listened... would there have ever been a speech?

[summer]

I think what they have to say is very significant when you consider current events in FL - they are Reno's base of support; they live in the two counties where there were problems; and, they currently have no connection to the other Dem candidate, McLawyer. Obviously these gay voters are furious - and, where is Jessa Jackson, as Pat Caddell asked? Where are all the Dem big wigs who flew down to FL in Nov 2000? Pat Caddell thought what happened in the Dem primary was FARRR WORSE than anything that happened in Nov 2000, because here, in those counties, poll workers (Dems) simply did not show up for work. That sure is a way to depress Reno's support - and votes.

[montag813]

Why does GLAAD care about this? Janet Reno isn't a DYKE by any chance, is she?

[montag813]

Why does GLAAD care about this? Janet Reno isn't a DYKE by any chance, is she?

[summer]

Reno has publicly supported a lot of gay issues - gay adoption, for example. etc. Of course they are her base and they care about what happens to her candidacy. BTW, McLAwyer did not exactly "win" by a landslide. He may have lost had Reno's base been able to vote instead of arriving at polling precincts that were illegally closed (by Dem poll workers).

[jackd]

Thank you for your serious reply to a irreverent gut reaction.

[Dimensio]

Um...yes? Why do you ask?