LA County Registrar to Examine Independents' Ballots. Will count them if intent clear.

[flpoljunkie]

L.A. County registrar to examine independents' ballots; mix-up leaves many presidential votes uncounted
Confusion over need to fill in party bubble affects thousands

By Richard C. Paddock
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

February 7, 2008

Spurred by confusion over Tuesday's voting, acting Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan said Wednesday that his office will examine more than 94,000 ballots cast by nonpartisan voters to determine how many votes for presidential candidates may have gone uncounted.

Logan said he also will try to determine whether the uncounted ballots would make a difference in the way delegates are apportioned between the Democratic presidential candidates and, if so, will seek legal approval to count as many as possible.

The registrar's comments followed an uproar among decline-to-state voters in the county who discovered too late that they were required to mark a bubble on the ballot denoting which party primary they were voting in. Some complained that poll workers told them not to mark the bubble; others said they were unaware of the requirement, which is unique to L.A. County.

"We are going to go back and look at those ballots and make a determination of how many made a presidential selection without marking a bubble," Logan said. "If we can clearly identify the voters' intent, we will seek legal authority to count those votes."

[angie_love]

1. good news

[LiberalFighter]

2. Unique to LA County? Why is that ?

If they use a new procedure the Election Registrar's office should provide instructions of the requirement that are prominently displayed. And instruct the election workers at the seminar prior to the election.

Just because it is unique to LA County shouldn't matter because voters voting in LA County should only be LA County residents.

[Barack_America]

11. The election workers were likely overwhelmed by the turnout...

Or themselves confused by the new ballot.

I wonder how many independents have care about the Democratic primaries in the past?

[RoadRage]

3. Who would this favor? Clinton or Obama..

Does anyone know who was more heavily favored in this area?

[Kittycat]

4. I would think Obama

Based on density of population, and because he's the one that raised the issue.

[Onlooker]

5. Probably Clinton

It has 5x as many Hispanics than blacks.

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/06037.html

[TornadoTN]

6. Marginally Obama, but most likely a split

I don't see this really hurting or helping either campaign.

[flpoljunkie]

7. Let the votes be counted--no matter who it helps

[Barack_America]

9. Exactly my feelings...n/t

[Barack_America]

8. Good. They should do that....

In another article it was mentioned that as many of 50% of ballots cast by Independent voters may have been effected.

A 50% error rate clearly suggests that the problem was with the ballot and not the voters.

[TexasObserver]

10. The Nevada Teacher's Union just filed suit to stop them!

no they didn't

but it would be hilarious if they did!