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What Democratic Primary?
The Orlando Sentinel reports on how things are going down in Florida, our nation's capital for electoral mayhem (and that's a pic of the patron saint of Florida elections, former Secretary of State Katherine Harris, to the left there):
Sheneka McDonald spent 10 minutes trying to convince poll workers ... that she should have a Democratic ballot. She questioned poll workers when she was handed a Republican ballot but was told, "this is the only ballot we have.""I said, 'How can this be the only ballot,'" McDonald recalled. "That's when the guy chimed in from the back and said the Democratic primary was in March."
The poll captain eventually apologized to McDonald and told her they had forgotten to unpack all the ballots. "It was a little unnerving this morning," she said. "I don't see how you forget to unpack ballots. This is what gives Florida its reputation."
Note to Florida election workers: Although Florida has been stripped of its delegates, there is most certainly a Democratic primary today.
And TPM Reader KH writes in to tell the story of one man's triumph against incredible odds:
I voted in Lee County, Florida this morning - being in Southwest Florida, its a Republican stronghold in the state. The poll worker who opened the door for me advised "Just show your driver's license to the desk and you can vote." Only problem is that this is patently untrue, Florida providing for casting of provisional ballots and all. When I told the nice lady at the registration desk that I had lost my wallet and was going to cast a provisional ballot, she gave me the perplexed look of the uninformed. Fortunately, there was a gentleman at the "special services" desk who knew what to do and he got me on my way to voting. Then he told me that I had to "contact the supervisor of elections and provide proof of my right to vote or they will not count my ballot." Sigh. This also is not true in Florida - no proof is required if the only basis for casting the provisional was the lack of proper identification. The supervisor is suppose to run the driver's license number provided (which I gave them) against the state database and when they match the vote is counted.
I am fortunate enough to be both interested in the political process and fairly well educated. I can, however, imagine the very real possibility that such statements will lead a less informed voter to turn away thinking that her or she is not able to vote. There is, of course, nothing my experience to suggest anything but ignorance was the root cause of the misinformed statements of these poll workers. But when the general comes around next fall and we have these well-meaning yahoos speaking out of their asses like this it can become a real problem. Whether by design or by indifference, the result will be the same.
Josh
Zachary
Yet Florida is "advanced" enough to field a database of those who voted early?
Something just doesn't make sense!
https://election.dos.state.fl.us/fvrscountyballotreports/FVRSAvailableFiles.aspx
January 29, 2008 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm with you c92!
January 29, 2008 6:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Florida is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Republican Criminal Enterprise, Inc. This is just a small taste of what will happen across the U.S. in November. Be very afraid.
January 29, 2008 6:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
The more I think about this the madder I'm getting. I used to work the polls a few years ago in HI. At every polling place we had equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats.
Doesn't this sound like it is only Republicans working the polls? A Democrat would certainly know today is primary day and have made sure the ballots were unpacked.
What is going on in that state?
January 29, 2008 6:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Florida is anything like California, the primary candidacy isn't the only thing on the ballot (my ballot includes propositions/measures for transportation, school and hospital funding, and term limits, among others). So poll worker ignorance could disenfranchise voters on a lot more than a presidential primary that won't count. Not that it's acceptable to disenfranchise voters in any case, but from the description it sounded like the poll workers didn't think the Democratic ballots mattered.
January 29, 2008 7:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm going to be a poll worker Tuesday in California. We are supposed to leave our political leanings at the door. Well, really, outside a hundred feet from the door, where all electioneering/freedom of speech is allowed to take place. Don't wear your campaign tee shirt to my polling place - I'll make you go change before you vote. Repulsive/or not tee shirts that reference people/propositions not on the ballot are o.k.
Inside, oddly, freedom of speech is restricted: I may not 'help' anyone read the ballot, I may not advise them on how to vote or give any kind of interpretation of the things on the ballot, the list is long. Needless to say I won't be asking anyone for their driver's license, Cal ID, or passport. It is always interesting to try to convince people that California has closed primaries, and no, 'Publicans can not vote for Dems, nor can Dems vote for 'Publicans, but Greens and Independents can vote for any one, and we have ballots in Spanish, Chinese, Tagolog, and 3 other languages which I don't remember right now. I will be free to aid the blind get to one of the few braille machines in the area (but not to help them vote), and of course the polls are wheelchair accessible.
I'm hoping that the election auditors make it to my poll this time, but since it is a little, suburban poll, they probably won't make it, saving themselves for those places that have 3 precincts and more. The auditors and the GOTV folks were very nice, interesting people to talk to while waiting for voters.
Anyway, happy voting and I think there are fewer instances of election fraud than election poll worker stupidity (in my experience). Secretary Bowen has done a bang up job of getting this state on a reliable election footing. The poll worker training must be extremely expensive, but it is worth every nickel that the taxpayers pay.
January 29, 2008 7:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
DNC lawyers should be all over this right now as a preemptive move -- assuming there are any laws in FL that are at issue. No reason to think the DOJ cares.
January 29, 2008 7:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
People like Brad Friedman, Greg Palast, Bev Harris and hundreds of others right there in Florida have been warning of this for years now. YEARS. And they have been called irresponsible alarmists, foil-hat wearing conspiracy theorists, and whiners.
You are reporting absolutely nothing that wasn't anticipated. If the Democratic Party let it go for a 3rd time, they deserve every damn loss they get in the Fall.
January 29, 2008 8:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I requested a Democratic absentee ballot twice from Palm Beach Co. for this primary and never received one. Previous elections have not been a problem for getting an absentee ballot, although counting it may have been an iffy proposition in 2000.
January 29, 2008 8:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
And then there is is post mortem of New Hampshire:
http://www.populist.com/08.03.burns.html
January 29, 2008 9:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
And also this in Florida:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5624
January 29, 2008 9:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I voted today inMiami.
Yesterday I received a postcard in the mail from Miami-Dade county, informing me that my voting location was temporarily moved 2 miles away. Many of my neighbors didn't receive such notification before today. That seems a bit late.
The bigger ballot question is a property tax amendment to the state constitution. There were also 2 minor housekeeping amendments for the county (changing filing deadlines to conform to state law, and making the tax assessor elected rather than appointed by the mayor), and whether to allow slots at race tracks in M-D county.
Once I got to the polling place, everything went smoothly, but I'm in a 50:50 precinct. Reports are of both record early voting, and record turnout for a primary, even without democratic delegates at stake, but you couldn't have seen the latter at my precinct.
January 29, 2008 10:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
If the DNC places a scarlet letter on their OWN in Florida, can you imagine what they will do to we Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, Peace and Freedomers, etc. etc. if they win the White House?
This is a very, very, very, scary thought:(
January 30, 2008 12:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
If Harris isn't the picture of the wilted flower, the rum-soaked belle then I don't know what is. How far and fast this ones fallen.
As with most of chimps playpals, once the bills due, he's on to the next outrage, expecting you to pay and like it.
The horrible drunken sow.
January 30, 2008 1:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Come November, it might be a good idea to have Democrats stationed outside of all voting precincts, and instead of holding campaign posters, they should hold up signs informing voters of the election rules...especially in the right-leaning voting precincts.
After the stolen 2000 and 2004 elections, one can never be too careful where culture of corruption Republicans are concerned.
January 30, 2008 2:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Muckrackers, TPM Readers,
After sending words of encouragement to Rep Holt (D-NJ) for his stand against the PAA bill, I found out what else he has been up to lately.
HOLT INTRODUCES EMERGENCY BILL TO HELP
ENSURE ACCURACY, INTEGRITY OF 2008 ELECTION Legislation Would Reimburse State and Local Jurisdictions
That Opt in for Paper Ballots and/or Audits
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/nj12_holt/011708.html
"The bill would authorize $500 million to reimburse paperless jurisdictions that convert to paper-based voting systems in 2008, as well those that don’t fully convert to a paper-based system but provide emergency paper ballots that would be counted as regular ballots in the event of machine failure. "
January 30, 2008 7:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oracle, that's a good idea.
January 30, 2008 8:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's down to change versus status quo, hope and unity versus divisive old politics. Please read this editorial and vote: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/27/14512/4399/221/444226
January 30, 2008 9:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
gtash wrote on January 29, 2008 8:08 PM:
"If the Democratic Party let it go for a 3rd time, they deserve every damn loss they get in the Fall."
I agree completely, as far as this goes. Problem is, though, it doesn't go all the way -- because *we* do *not* deserve the losses, nor do the Iraqis, the Iranians, the citizens of every low-lying or island nation that will get deluged by rising sea levels, our own citizens whose lives will be invaded by spies in the employ of "our own" government, the workers whose jobs will be lost to countries that employ virtual (or actual) slave labor, and pretty much everyone else among humanity's 6+ billion besides Paul Theroux's infamous 5,000, who will always do just fine no matter who's in charge -- because it'll still be them, no matter whom we vote for.
January 30, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink