GOP flier questions new voting equipment

[puppeteer]

By STEVE BOUSQUET, Times Staff Writer
Published July 29, 2004

BOSTON - While Gov. Jeb Bush reassures Floridians that touch screen voting machines are reliable, the Republican Party is sending the opposite message to some voters.

The GOP urged some Miami voters to use absentee ballots because touch screens lack a paper trail and cannot "verify your vote."

That's the same argument Democrats have made but which Bush, his elections director and Republican legislators have repeatedly rejected.

"The liberal Democrats have already begun their attacks and the new electronic voting machines do not have a paper ballot to verify your vote in case of a recount," says a glossy mailer, paid for by the Republican Party of Florida and prominently featuring two pictures of President Bush. "Make sure your vote counts. Order your absentee ballot today."

Full Article

[gasperc]

1. hmmm, absentee ballots that find their way to the trash can

sorry I've become pretty cynical

[aquart]

4. Yah. My first thought was: they're experts on absentee vote fraud.

[progressivebydesign]

6. didn't the Bush campaign have a high-profile Floridian charged with that?

I can't remember his name.. but the guy was convicted of fraud regarding absentee ballots a few years before, and HE was in charge of some important absentee ballot issues in Florida.

[aquart]

13. Yes. Yes, they did.

The deposed Mayor of Miami.

[donco6]

2. You need to trim your post

Can't post the whole article. See the rules for the board.

[puppeteer]

3. Doh.

Edited, thanks. :)

[donco6]

9. Just chipping in to help a newbie.

Welcome to DU!

[Zorra]

5. This is the GOP. What is their ulterior motive? n/t

[ms.smiler]

7. After we win this election, they will suddenly discover these

Machines are problematic and then challenge the validity of the results.

[Sparky McGruff]

12. Perhaps this is "insurance" for when the machine vote is shown...

Perhaps this is "insurance" for when the machine vote is shown to be fraudulent. They want a higher percentage of absentee ballots voting Republican, so that if they get caught manipulating the computerized voting systems, they can then say that only the paper ballots should be counted.

[Zorra]

16. I wonder, can we see our absentee ballots after the election as proof

that they were counted and not discarded?

[KurtNYC]

8. Isn't it illegal to vote absentee if you are home?

I'm not completely up on Florida laws but many place won't give you an absentee ballot unless you are going to be "absent."

I note their solution is NOT to put paper trails on the touch screen machines.

[donco6]

10. Not here in Colorado

It's just a convenience, more than anything. You don't even have to give a reason.

[Rebellious Republican]

15. No, not here in Florida its even promoted as a form of early voting

Who Can Vote Absentee

All qualified voters are permitted to vote absentee under Florida law.
How to Vote Absentee
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/absenteevoting.shtml

[depakid]

11. The only reason that this is a partisan issue

is that the Republicans intend to cheat. Period. End of story.

[mom cat]

14. Welcome to DU. Enjoy the convention.Thanks for the post!