Democrats Plan Extensive Voter Monitoring

Yahoo.com (Reuters) ^ | Oct. 8, 2002

[Alissa]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Party leaders said Tuesday they will launch an extensive effort to promote and monitor voters' rights on Election Day and will put "thousands" of lawyers in place to respond to voters' complaints.

After the difficulties in Florida in the 2000 election and during the Sept. 10 primary, Democrats said they will pay special attention to the Sunshine State.

"We are not going to stand on the sidelines while a third Florida election is bungled," said Democratic Party Chairman Terry McAuliffe, who exhibited a new toll-free call line that will allow voters to register problems and have their calls logged with local election officials and party workers.

After the bitter Florida recount battle in the 2000 presidential election, the state spent more than $30 million installing electronic voting and replacing punch-card systems.

But it still experienced widespread problems in September with new voting machines and voters who were turned away from late opening or early closing polling stations.

McAuliffe said the party will have monitors at problem polling sites. He said "thousands" of lawyers would be on notice to respond to complaints so "no one is intimidated into foregoing their rights."

[windchime]

"....and the botched primary was just a test to probe the weaknesses of the system, so they can prepare for the coming battle."


That's certainly their M O.

[Howlin]

I just don't understand why it's ONLY Democrats, do you? How could a whole state use the same machines and ONLY Democrats in certain precincts have a problem?

And, you know what, look at what happened in New Jersey this week; spoiled ballots may count this time.

[Howlin]

Here's what I think: if the Dems get away with this, the GOP should send in OUR LAWYERS, too!

And our lawyers should be checking CITIZENSHIP PAPERS.

[Brad’s Gramma]

http://cox.house.gov/

For those of you reading this and are in CA, maybe this man should be contacted!!!! He's one of the GOOD guys!

Heck, the rest of you, contact him and help us out, too. Pretty please? He's high enough up that he could do some good in this stupid mess.

[Mo1]

And our lawyers should be checking CITIZENSHIP PAPERS.

BINGO!!! .. and don't forget the dead folks too

[dalebert]

"THE FIX IS IN" Darn! I was going to say that.

[YaYa123]

Took me awhile to find it, but here ya go:

http://www.news-press.net/special_sections/election/electionSOS.htm

"State sends election SOS

Florida requests federal intervention to ensure smooth November vote
Associated Press

"TALLAHASSEE — The state sought the U.S. Department of Justice’s help Wednesday to prevent a repeat of last week’s botched primary election in November’s general election.

Confidence in the state’s efforts to reform its election system has been shaken by the problems in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Secretary of State Jim Smith said in a letter to Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Letter to John Ashcroft from Gov. Bush

Smith, Florida’s top elections official, said the state is reviewing the problems and asked Ashcroft to “take whatever steps you deem necessary to participate in this review.” He also asked the Justice Department to assist elections supervisors in ensuring a smooth general election, but wasn’t specific about what its officials should do. Gov. Jeb Bush, the president’s brother, also sent Ashcroft a letter supporting Smith’s request.

Justice spokesman Jorge Martinez said the department had just received the letter and would carefully review it. He declined further comment. Earlier Wednesday, Bush and Smith said Broward County commissioners should take over the Nov. 5 election from the county’s elections chief to prevent another problem election.

Smith said he would try to pressure Broward Elections Supervisor Miriam Oliphant to accept a proposal by Broward Commission Chairwoman Lori Parrish that the commission have county workers open polls, staff them and close them and that sheriff’s deputies deliver ballots to counting centers.

Smith and Bush suggested that Oliphant might be removed from office, but Smith said Wednesday that would be “terribly disruptive” leading up to the general election. Broward has nearly 1 million registered voters, the most of any Florida county. Bush and Smith are Republicans, Oliphant a Democrat. “I hope — and I’ll put all the political pressure I can on (Oliphant) — to let the county take this thing over,” Smith said after a meeting of the state Elections Canvassing Commission, which certified Bill McBride as the winner of the Democratic primary for governor.

Oliphant would not discuss Smith’s request of the Justice Department. “I will not relinquish my duty as supervisor of elections of Broward County to the Broward County Commission, but I will share my responsibilities with the Broward County Commission,” she said. Smith blamed lack of poll worker training, failure to practice using new voting systems and poor organization for election difficulties in Broward and Miami-Dade during the Sept. 10 primary. " 9/19/02

[windchime]

"Picture of McBride with url. No need to ruin this thread with his picture."

Either I'm in a light-hearted mood or people have got some really good one-liners today. Thanks for not ruining the thread.:)

[windchime]

"I bet the dem voter fraud handbook is as detailed as OBL's handbook."

There you go again. LOL

[okie01]

"Great...just what we need. Lawyers everywhere."

It's a new breed: ballot box chasers.

[theDentist]

I suspect they would even enter the voting booths if they could get away with it.

[Goldwater Girl]

Indeed- the terrorists use their playbook.

[Diddle E. Squat]

This is about PR. The Dem lawyers are there to come up with all kinds of inflammatory (but spurrious) allegations of voter intimidation, foul-ups, etc. to be reported on the noon news of election day. Intent on firing up their base and making sure they show up, by accusing the GOP of dirty tricks and "trying to steal another election." Dan Rather will come on at 6:30 with "serious and troubling developments from Florida".

I am convinced that there is a special place in hell for some of these evil bastards.

[Denver Ditdat]

Religious organizations are asking for prayers for the upcomming elections, but cannot actually say WHO to vote for.

That won't stop the "Reverends" Jackson and Sharpton from shilling for 'rats, I'm sure.

[river rat]

"Wait until those 'rat dopes find out about the touchscreen voting getting their fingerprints!"

What a delightfully evil idea......would that it be true.
Semper Fi

[windchime]

"Indeed- the terrorists use their playbook."

Terrorists is right!

[Goldwater Girl]

In truth- part of it is the sheer size of the counties- Nearly 2 million voters in Dade & Broward alone. Part of it the constituency- Dade has so many immigrants (they speak 140 languages/dialects in the school system there) reaching them is tough. Broward is just corrupt- still practicing northern machine style politics.
Because they are democrat strongholds- and the rest of the 65 counties aren't nearly as large, and more diverse politically, the problems are magnified there.
Clearly, Broward elected a pretty black lady with ZERO talent for the job- compounded by her arrogant dismissal of every person who knew how to run an election- it was an accident waiting to happen. She didn't bother to learn anything herself- or teach her senior staff- at the series of state workshops for supervisors. So how could she teach her poll workers? Or her voters? They protected her because of her race- but she is clueless, and everyone knows it.
Dade is a bigger mystery. The supervisor has been there for 25 years. He is technosavvy, and innovative. He is not a partisan hack, and is highly regarded by his peers. They say it was the vendor who messed them up- apparently was not at all prepared for ballots in 3 languages, more than 20 municipalities, and complicated individual ballots. Constant programming changes- right up until election time rendered the poll worker training obselete. I am at a loss to explain it all.
BUT- no one can explain 100+ poll workers just not showing up, in the 3 biggest democrat counties-- AND NO WHERE ELSE IN THE STATE. Palm Beach pulled county workers into the polls, and survived- but Dade and Broward drowned. Polls were understaffed, or didn't open. Workers had no clue what to do, because they were not crosstrained to do more than one task. I am not normally a back helicopter type- but this oddity continues to nag at me. It seems so deliberate- poll workers don't just stay home- and not 100 in each county.
You are certainly right about New Jersey- if the changes in Florida's voting laws don't keep us out of the courts this time- it will be a debacle. I am hoping the repairs are adequate for the task- but the Democrats always seem to have a new, more craven, plan ready to spring. And our courts are packed with 130 years of solid Democrat appointments.
GRRRRRRRRRRRR

[GOPJ]

You might be right:

Going to tie up close elections until enough votes are "found".

[Travis McGee]

SMART!! I like it!