Meet the new Katherine Harris: Kathy Dent, Sarasota Cty (Florida) Elections Supervisor (Repub)

[brentspeak]

Asked to explain why over 18,000 votes went unrecorded in the 13th Congressional district race between Republican Vern Buchanan and Democrat Christine Jennings, which was "won" by Buchanan by a margin of 368 votes, she said: "Why there's a discrepancy, I couldn't tell you. I heard from a lot of people that didn't care for either candidate."

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061108/NEWS/611080885

Later, Dent had another explanation: It was all the voters' fault for not voting properly.

"No way was this voter machine malfunction," she told the Herald on Wednesday. "It was voter error or voter choice."

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/15975831.htm

Then there's some stooge by the name of Jenny Nash, a spokeswoman in Tallahassee for the Florida Department of State, which oversees elections. She claims that the so-called undervotes might have just been "protest votes."

"I just can't put myself in the voter's mind," she said.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-flcontest0906nov09,0,104919.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state

All that was missing from that quote was the 'tee-hee!'.

But here's what was "in the voters' minds":

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061109/NEWS/611090312/1006/SPORTS

Across town at a church on Wood Street, Lowman, a Democrat, touched the screen for Jennings.

"It turned into the blue highlight around her name," she said. "But when I got to the review screen it indicated I had not voted in the Jennings-Buchanan race."

....Belle Heneberger went to the polls specifically to vote for Jennings. Yet when she reviewed her ballot, it showed she had not endorsed anyone in the congressional race.

"I was completely astonished," she said. "It's not an election I wouldn't have voted on."

She went back and cast her vote, blaming herself for the mistake until she heard news accounts of voting problems.

Here's more brilliant analysis by Jenny Nash:

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061110/NEWS/611100810

"No, I don't think we know that there is a problem," Nash said. "After an election, everyone is an expert. I'm not going to speculate ... People can't just look at 18,000 votes and say there's a problem."

How do these people sleep at night?

[William769]

1. Has this race been called yet?

[brentspeak]

2. I think they called it in favor of Buchanan, but there's going to be a recount

[William769]

3. Good!

[mcg]

5. donations are needed ...

DU thread:
FLA Dems need cash NOW to help with legal battle re: Harris's (former) seat - donate now!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2950989

[brentspeak]

6. Thanks for that link. Will donate.

[Cobalt-60]

4. She sounds like HAL-9000

"It must have been human error, Dave.."

[lpbk2713]

7. Is there something in the water in Sarasota?

Maybe they should have it tested. The world doesn't need any more Krazy Katies.