FLORIDA REPUBLICAN VOTER COMMENT THREAD (Vanity)

Sept. 12, 2002

[JulieRNR21]

I've had a number of "Letters to the Editor" published - over two dozen - including the NY Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, Washington Times and several other, smaller newspapers. Maybe I'll take a shot at the Florida papers. Being from Maryland, I can fake a southern accent.

Absolutely agree...the best way to make the biased press 'fair & balanced' is by writing a letter to the editor! It's been my experience that 'followup emails' are sometimes required to get it printed. Persistance is the key!

[Ravenstar]

The democrat held counties of Broward and Miami-Dade will never get a voting system that can't be corrupted. The Democrats depend on a corruptible system to try to steal the elections by saying it is all the republicans fault even though each Supervisor of Elections has the power to run Elections the way they see fit. There is a computer system here in Brevard but you still fill out the paper ballot. The computer then reads your ballot and tallies the vote. If however the computer breaks down you could count the ballots by hand.

Broward and Miami-Dade intentionally went to the touch screen voting because there is no hard copy record of voting and computer media are easily corrupted even from a distance. They are having the problems they want to have. If either county Supervisor of Elections wants to refute me then change your method of voting to the one Brevard County has.

Ravenstar

[Ron in Acreage]

I voted in Royal Palm Beach, 13 miles west of El Rushbo. Had no problem whatsoever. Got to my NEW polling place at 1:30 pm. I was the only person there beside the 3 poll workers. One was half asleep in a chair, he was about 80yrs old. The other 2 were women working on the crossword puzzle in the Palm Beach Putz newspaper. Took a whole 3 minutes to vote. Never even saw the new voting machine before election day. My 3yr old could figure it out.

[sport]

He was where he was supposed to be. There was a area designated candidates or their representatives and he was on the boundary. Other than saying he saw the sign, he did not say anything. He was wearing a [candidate's name] Tee shirt.

I did not have any trouble with the voting machine.

I still do not trust the machines because there is no paper trail and the Supervisors of Elections are democrats.

[browardchad]

No problem voting in my precinct in Broward (ducking for cover). It was so easy, I voted three times (since there were no poll workers around) so I could test the different functions of the new machine, including the voice-acivation for the illiterate -- worked like a charm. I especially enjoyed the keyboard feature for the write-in votes, (although it wasn't clear how this feature might be used by the illiterate). I also discovered that if you press several buttons simultaneously, chads fall out.

On the way out, I caught a glimpse of Janet Reno driving by in her red pickup truck -- on the sidewalk of course.

South Floridians have the most fun.

[sarasmom]

Pasco County. I arrived about 7:10. I lurk on FR intermittantly during the day and so had heard via internet and local radio that precincts would be open till 9pm so I did not have to rush to vote after work.

A poll worker was sitting outside the building. The designated "candidate" area was deserted.I walked in and there wwere about eight election workers in view.First greeter asked me if I would like a demonstration of the new system. I said yes, and he demonstrated the new touch screen system very clearly.(I did not need the demo, but he was so proud to show me,so I let him do his job)

I walked to the lettered desk which had my voting registration list next.No problem. I showed my drivers license and SSAN card. Signed the list and was given my Republican slip.I went over to the bank of machines(I think about 8), a poll worker took my slip and offered to assist if I had a problem.I voted. Thanked them when I left for their work.And I also told them I was sorry they had to work untill 9pm.

I WAS THE ONLY VOTER IN THE PRECINCT BUILDING.

On the way back to my car I chatted with the outside poll watcher and told him what the latest radio news reports had said. He did not know exactly why they had to stay open late. I explained the South Florida Precincts problems,and the spurious reports of Dims getting Pubs ballots.

He did not even roll his eyes, he was trying to act so neutral.

I was very proud of my precinct workers.I have absolutely no idea if they were Dims or Pubs.

Sara was impressed by how quickly we were in and out.(it took a tiny bit longer and was more crowded in 2000.)

[Goldwater Girl]

I am a bona fide senior citizen- grandmother of 8- and deliberately did NOT get a demonstration of the new touch screen system. I had absolutely no problems following the instructions on the screen, voted without any hesitations in less than 3 minutes and was on my way.
Poll workers were prepared, courteous, knowledgeable. Ballot was easy to read and simple to use. I heard similar stories all day, from voters of all ages.
And my Supervisor of Elections is a Democrat- who does a professional nonpartisan job every election. We had no problems counting or reporting- it was smooth as silk.

65 of our 67 Counties got it right. Florida's election was chaotic only in Dade & Broward- just like in 2000.
Not all Florida seniors are incompetent or imbeciles- at least not in SW Florida, we're not. Send the reporters over here to talk to elderly voters who don't whine.

[windchime]

I'm a Republican who served as a poll worker in a county (Hillsborough) with a Democrat Supervisor of Elections. Our training was excellent and the clerk (do not know what party) in charge of my assigned precinct was exemplary.

Other people with whom I worked (also of undetermined party) were dedicated and intelligent. Some had taken "personal days" from work to perform their civic duty. All arrived on time (6:00am). We worked in close proximity and I observed the highest quality "customer service". There was no complaint when we were told the polls would be open an additional two hours. All machines remained active until 9:00pm at which time all workers remained to ready equipment for transport to election headquarters.

Voters, who ran the gamut in age, were pleasant and appreciative of our need to request information that seemed redundant. Anyone needing instruction received it on a demo machine (placed in a location separate from the actual voting equipment). We had a steady flow of voters and nearly all were processed quickly. The exceptions were those with address/name changes for which additional paperwork had to be done.

Precinct changes due to redistricting provided the other exception to quick processing. If they weren't in our register, the paperwork was done and our precinct clerk called the elections office to determine where they belonged. Some came to our precinct after going to another that was incorrect. NOT ONE VOTER was turned away. If they left without voting, they had a form in their hand and were on their way to the correct precinct. There were two complainers, both non-minority males, the entire day. One voted and the other was headed to his precinct with form in hand.

Even the most tentative voter expressed approval of the system's ease!

And.....Governor Bush just got blamed again on Hardball. They said he'd just blame it on the Supervisors of Election.
In fact, he praised our Supervisor in a TV interview and suggested she could show the two aberrant counties how to run the election properly.

Ragtime Cowgirl,if this is more than you EVER wanted to know, feel free to edit.

[I still care]

I vote in the Suncoast. Also, my boys and some friends carried signs at the polls for one of our candidates, so we hit a lot of polling places. We saw 2 problems.

At one of the precincts, we couldn't leave the boys, because they arrived late to open the polling place. There was no one there at 7! From what I understand they finally opened about 1/2 hr late.

The other problem (that ticked me off)was at my polling place. The democratic candidate was there, handing his literature to the people before they went in. His people were standing about 20 feet from the door, but he was running all over to make sure they got the paper, and actually got me when I was about 5 feet from the door. I told him he was too close and he said, no he wasn't. I went up to the poll person (an old lady)and she said he was in the designated area. Funny, it didn't look like the designated area to me. But being he was a former sheriff I guess he thought the rules didn't apply to him.

[Joe Brower]

[Tijeras_Slim]

I had no problem ...maybe because I live in New Mexico

LOL! That's because Grandma Woodward still has our 2000 ballots locked in her Tuff Shed!

[RollingThunder]

Amazingly, the Counties that had trouble are democRATic Counties. DemocRAT Supervisor of Elections, heavy democRAT turnouts.

Here in Pinellas County, I did have trouble when I voted. But it was corrected within a minute (the person who handed me the card didn't press one button. But I was given another card immediately, and voted with no problem.

But hold on to your hats folks (especially those of you in the Tampa Bay area. The St. Pete Times (Known to us as the Pravda West) actually ran an editorial in today's (9/13/02) saying not to blame Jeb for what happened on election day, but to blame the local supervisor of elections and the poll workers.

You know it's bad for the democRATs whem the Times doesn't attack Jeb for this.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Not all Florida seniors are incompetent or imbeciles- at least not in SW Florida, we're not. Send the reporters over here to talk to elderly voters who don't whine.

Thank you Goldwater Girl. I voted with a group of Florida seniors...as sharp as they come...including my own mother who would give any Dem. whiner a piece of her mind right now. By singling out the one cranky voter at my polling location I didn't mean to smear seniors or women (just Democrats (^:).

Begala, Clinton, Gore, Conyers, Jackson and co. have been doing their best to keep the "Dem. disenfranchisement" during election 2000 lie alive.

Worldnetdaily called the press's lack of coverage of the massive Dem. fraud and abuse during election 2000 the biggest untold story of that year. I agree. The press needs to hear from Republicans, in numbers that rival the leftist special interest organizations paid e-mailing efforts.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

The St. Pete Times (Known to us as the Pravda West) actually ran an editorial in today's (9/13/02) saying not to blame Jeb for what happened on election day, but to blame the local supervisor of elections and the poll workers.

Wow, great news, Rolling Thunder. Thanks.

Off topic, but sometimes I think God has a sense of humor... with the terrorist alert on Alligator Alley this morn Reno's sneakiness appears petty and untrustworthy. She and McBride have both underplayed the war on terrorism, and seriously underestimated the real cost we're all going to pay in the future, imho.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I wouldn't edit a word...that's exactly the detailed report we need to get to the press and the media. Thank you, windchime...and for serving as a poll worker. We need to get Republicans from Broward, Palm Beach and Miami Dade to work in Nov...retired military and Arnold-types would be good.

[bluewater bird]

Did anyone see Hardball with Chris Matthews, Pat Caddell and a GOP Congressman - all said Dem. primary was fixed by party bigwigs so McBride would win. Apparently this is accepted by the press and pols!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Freepers who did witness problems and/or mischief at the polls, or aren't sure:

Link

The 2002 Florida Statutes

Title IX ELECTORS AND ELECTIONS

Chapter 102 CONDUCTING ELECTIONS AND ASCERTAINING THE RESULTS

View Entire Chapter

102.031Maintenance of good order at polls; authorities; persons allowed in polling rooms; unlawful solicitation of voters.--

(1) Each election board shall possess full authority to maintain order at the polls and enforce obedience to its lawful commands during an election and the canvass of the votes.

(2) The sheriff shall deputize a deputy sheriff for each polling place who shall be present during the time the polls are open and until the election is completed, who shall be subject to all lawful commands of the clerk or inspectors, and who shall maintain good order. The deputy may summon assistance from among bystanders to aid him or her when necessary to maintain peace and order at the polls.

(3)(a) No person may enter any polling room or polling place where the polling place is also a polling room, during voting hours except the following:

1. official poll watchers;

2. Inspectors;

3. Election clerks;

4. The supervisor of elections or his or her deputy;

5. Persons there to vote, persons in the care of a voter, or persons caring for such voter;

6. Law enforcement officers or emergency service personnel there with permission of the clerk or a majority of the inspectors; or

7. A person, whether or not a registered voter, who is assisting with or participating in a simulated election for minors, as approved by the supervisor of elections.

(b)The restriction in this subsection does not apply where the polling room is in an area commonly traversed by the public in order to gain access to businesses or homes or in an area traditionally utilized as a public area for discussion.

(c) No person, political committee, committee of continuous existence, or other group or organization may solicit voters within 50 feet of the entrance to any polling place, or polling room where the polling place is also a polling room, on the day of any election.

1. Solicitation shall not be restricted if:

a. Conducted from a separately marked area within the 50-foot zone so as not to disturb, hinder, impede, obstruct, or interfere with voter access to the polling place or polling room entrance; and

b. The solicitation activities and subject matter are clearly and easily identifiable by the voters as an activity in which they may voluntarily participate; or

c. Conducted on property within the 50-foot zone which is a residence, established business, private property, sidewalk, park, or property traditionally utilized as a public area for discussion.

2. Solicitation shall not be permitted within the 50-foot zone on a public sidewalk or other similar means of access to the polling room if it is clearly identifiable to the poll workers that the solicitation is impeding, obstructing, or interfering with voter access to the polling room or polling place.

(d) For the purpose of this subsection, the term "solicit" shall include, but not be limited to, seeking or attempting to seek any vote, fact, opinion, or contribution; distributing or attempting to distribute any political or campaign material, leaflet, or handout; conducting a poll; seeking or attempting to seek a signature on any petition; and selling or attempting to sell any item.

(e) Each supervisor of elections shall inform the clerk of each precinct of the area within which soliciting is unlawful, based on the particular characteristics of that polling place. The supervisor or the clerk may take any reasonable action necessary to ensure order at the polling places which shall include:

1. Designating a specific area for soliciting pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subsection, or

2. Having disruptive and unruly persons removed by law enforcement officers from the polling room or place or from the 50-foot zone surrounding the polling place.

---

Voter Fraud, Florida State site w/ link to Voter Fraud complaint form.

[floriduh voter]

And, if you have any dirt on McLawyer, tell that to Janet too. I think Carville and Daley helped McLawyer over in Broward and Miami-Dade. How else could voting machines disappear? How else could supervisors not open their polling places on the day of a major primary? The one day they should know exactly what their job is all about.

Like Rush Limbaugh says, "Follow the money." DNC money...

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thanks for the info, bluewater. The Dems. are doing their dirty deeds in the daylight, it appears...the easier for the Sheep to see them by. (^:

[drgnwrks]

".....and watch your spelling and grammar; this is series business!!"

Your grammar sucks more than once as "Series" would imply. Try the right word in context - "serious" meaning "important" for the frequent "dictionary usage challenged".