FL: CD-13 - Jennings challenges 369-vote loss in congressional race

[Bill Bored]

Jennings challenges 369-vote loss in congressional race
<http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/breaking_news/16059480.htm>

Thank goodness for "sore losers!"

Jennings challenges 369-vote loss in congressional race
BILL KACZOR
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Democrat Christine Jennings officially contested her 369-vote loss in the 13th Congressional District on Monday immediately after the Florida Election Canvassing Commission certified the results in the race.

A manual recount last week confirmed Republican Vern Buchanan was the winner over Jennings in the southwest Florida district being vacated by Republican Rep. Katherine Harris, who ran for the U.S. Senate and lost.

Legal papers filed in Circuit Court here ask that a judge order a new election, citing statistical and eyewitness evidence that touch-screen voting machines had malfunctioned in Sarasota County.

More than 17,000 Sarasota voters who cast ballots in other races Nov. 7 failed to vote in the congressional contest, a rate nearly six times higher than in the other District 13 counties or on Sarasota's paper absentee ballots, the suit alleges.

-snip-

[bluestateguy]

1. The Congress has the final say on who to seat

Florida's corrupt elections division can certify whoever they want, but the House has the final say on who to seat.

Tee hee.

[philb]

7. But it would be good to have good documentation to base decision on; will they be able

to do a serious machine audit to determine the ballot designs on the machines(and check for bias described by voters)

or to audit machines for settings and defaults and compilation software? given the partisan control of the system in Florida?

[bullimiami]

2. i think when the new house sits in january they can tell tell Fl-13 to revote or

they will leave the seat open until there is a special election, or they could seat jennings until a special election can be called. that is fair.

the busby court case affirmed their authority to seat whomever they choose to regardless of elections, democrats can use their power to affirm that corrupt elections will not be tolerated.

[Pab Sungenis]

4. The proper thing to do

is to leave the seat vacant pending a special election with indpendent monitors, preferably with paper ballots.

It may be tempting to seat our own person like they have, but we have the potential to take the high ground.

[Wilms]

3. The AP doesn't seem to understand VVPAT-less recounts.

"A manual recount last week confirmed..." :eyes:

[philb]

6. Was this a deliberate "mistake" or just a misunderstanding?

At a minimum it was a major error in the article as there can't be a manual recount where there are no paper trails.

Did someone write to the author to explain that he made a major mistake?

[philb]

5. Is "malfunctioned" the right term to use? Isn't it clear there was malfeasance by SOE&SOS?

Isn't it clear there was malfeasance by SOE&SOS in approving the obviously biased ballot designs?
why isn't this being talked about and having something done about it?
Is it ok for partisan SOEs & SOSs to approve and use obviously biased ballot designs?


This is in addition to the "malfunctions"
for which that probably isn't the right term either

[philb]

8. Same ballot design flaws/bias found in Dade & Broward that plagued Jennings in Sarasota

Affected Attorney General race in several counties, Dem lost close race
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/16042973.htm