Protesters say presidential vote flawed

[k8conant]

http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/122804/b03p28rally.html
By LIZ SADLER
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: December 28, 2004)

Some 30 protesters gathered yesterday in front of the White Plains office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and demanded an investigation into what they called the disenfranchisement of black voters in the 2004 presidential election.

Bundled in winter coats and carrying bright neon signs, the protesters convened at noon at Mamaroneck Avenue and Bloomingdale Road. It was the third rally in recent weeks organized by political activists to protest "voter fraud and manipulation" in Ohio and Florida, said Nick Mottern, 65, a Peekskill carpenter and activist.

Yesterday's rally was the first to focus on black voters, he said.

"I'm here because I think the FBI should investigate," said Barbara Ehrentreu of North White Plains, a registered Democrat who said she got involved in political activism during this year's presidential campaign.

According to certified election results, President Bush defeated Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., in Ohio by 119,000 votes on Nov. 2, giving him that state's 20 electoral votes.

Charles Coca, the president of the Ossining chapter of the NAACP, said the problem of black voter disenfranchisement stretches beyond Ohio and Florida.

"It's a nationwide issue, Coca said. "Every state matters; every voter counts."

Mottern, a registered Democrat, dropped off a letter a couple of weeks ago at the FBI office in White Plains, calling for an investigation into the elections in Ohio and Florida. He mailed another letter to the FBI in Washington, D.C., that was signed by about 15 protesters, he said.

They have not received a response. An agent at the FBI's Cleveland office did not respond to a telephone message yesterday.

Jason Gooljar, 25, a Hartsdale resident who worked on Andrea Stewart-Cousins' campaign for the state's 35th Senate District, said he sees parallels between that race and the presidential election.

In the state Senate race, a state Supreme Court justice has ruled that the absentee ballots of 45 election workers and 450 paper ballots cast by voters who went to the wrong polling place will not be counted.

"When you don't count their votes, they're not being heard," said Gooljar, a Democrat.

[katinmn]

1. Excellent protest! Good for them! More like this!

The FBI hasn't gotten back with a response??

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[toopers]

3. I don't know about this.

If you can't make it to the correct polling place, should your vote be counted? It is difficult enough to validate whether someone has the legal right to vote, or has not voted already. I am mixed on the example provided.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[toopers]

7. No freeper here.

I was replying to a specific example in the article. Sorry I wasn't clear. Thanks for holding up the values that make the Dem party great!

[Name removed]

Deleted message

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[katinmn]

9. you're welcome. equal rights for all. that's it.

[katinmn]

5. FO!

edit: intended for toopers.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. You are really over the top (and the mods got 'ya!)

I have read just about all of your posts so far and I must say they are a bit too overdone.

edit: Ha ha! I knew you wouldn't last long!!!

[katinmn]

12. LOL!

[Mr. Sinister]

13. Troll exterminator

While I enjoy the eradication of trolls on DU, it's sort of
frustrating to not be able to read what they wrote that got them
booted. I of course understand why it's done. Though the rubbernecker in me wishes there were a troll archive. Well I guess I can always go to freepland if I want those kicks.

[TahitiNut]

14. "polling place" is unnecessarily restrictive.

What we're talking about here is not the skill of the voter in finding the polling place but is about the various elections on a ballot that the voter uses. It's a question of enfranchisement with respect to the specific elections on each ballot. The jurisdictional lines for school boards, state legislature, county commissions, judicial districts, townships, cities (incorporated), etc. are all different. A voting "precinct" is homogeneous in relation to all such ballot races and measures, but it's not necessarily unique. Other precincts may have identical ballots. In order to preserve the secrecy of the vote the voter must, at some point, be "identified" with respect to the various jurisdictional lines.

I see no reason on God's Blue Earth that any voter should be denied a ballot at the Election Supervisor's (or whatever it's called in any state) offices at the most local level, or at any voting precinct having the same ballot as the voter's 'home' precinct. Thus, registered voter's lists (where same-day registration is not in effect) should be common among the congruent precincts. Every ballot intended for any kind of mechanical/electronic tabulation should have a machine-readable identifier for its legitimate precinct and tabulation equipment should be designed to accurately tabulate the ballot depending on that identifier. Voter-oriented procedures would do well to ensure that geographically nearby polling places have a controlled stock of ballots for nearby precincts and, for dislocated voters, accommodate their vote.

[sandnsea]

15. Some were at the right polling place

Just directed to the wrong precinct line within the polling place. That's how stupid some of these precinct disqualifications are. I don't care if it takes 6 months to qualify every voter, qualify them and then count them. Then the Republicans will stop playing musical precincts and we won't have people showing up at the wrong precincts anymore.

[Eric J in MN]

16. Some voters were in the right room of the right building, but

a poll worker directed them to the wrong table.

Absolutely, their votes should count.

There is no reason to not-count presidential and senate votes just because a person voted at the wrong precinct.

The precincts can use a central database to make sure the person didn't vote twice.

[bpilgrim]

17. but what if you were sent to the wrong polling place?

that'd be wrong and worth investigating, right?

then there is the huge problem of the EXIT-POLLS not matching up with the paperless MACHINE TALLY'S.

this is a HUGE non-partisan issue which has been covered up for 4 friggin years and the dem leadership better start investigations and make changes, YESTERDAY.

make some noise :bounce:

peace

[koopie57]

19. I agree it is difficult enough to validate if someone can vote

but until there is a permanent voting place that is clearly marked, and well known, posted with dates and times and maybe a copy of the ballot behind a glass case and consistent year after year, people are going to be confused, especially the elderly. Voting should not be a game or an adventure, it should be a right that can be clearly understood and consistent. Maybe use local schools and the schools just plan that voting day is a holiday for the kids.

[gizmo1979]

10. go go go!!!!

[MasonJar]

11. How about all the voters, Dems of course, who were sent cards

naming the wrong day and/or the wrong voting locale?

[Vidar]

18. Way to go.