D.C. Held Election on Passover when Jews are not Allowed to Use Machines

[The Straight Story]

D.C. Held Election on Passover when Jews are not Allowed to Use Machines

Election officials in the District of Columbia have been criticized for scheduling a special election on Passover, a Jewish holiday that requires observers to avoid writing or using electronic devices, such as voting machines.

The problem became apparent a few weeks before the April 26 balloting for candidates running for city council and the education board. That’s when Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld of Ohev Shalom, the National Synagogue, reached out to the D.C. elections board and asked them to extend voting until 10 pm, because Passover did not officially end until sundown, or 8:40 pm.

Officials rejected Herzfeld’s request.

“Not only did the board deny my request, it reacted insensitively,” Herzfeld wrote in an opinion piece published by The Washington Post. “The board’s counsel said, ‘How were we supposed to know it’s Passover?’ They said our explanation for why we couldn’t vote that day was an ‘excuse’ comparable to someone being on vacation.”

http://www.allgov.com/Controversies/ViewNews/DC_Held_Election_on_Passover_when_Jews_are_not_Allowed_to_Use_Machines_110427

[FLAprogressive]

1. are absentee ballots / early voting options?

[CTyankee]

2. What is the matter with these people?

My guess is ignorance, probably coupled with anti-semitism.

[leveymg]

3. DC voters had until 4:45 Monday to cast absentee ballots. This is not unfair.

Seems like a ploy to get out the conservative side of the Jewish vote. I don't know about the alleged insensitivity.

[phleshdef]

4. Can you imagine an election being held on Christmas, Thanksgiving or on the 4th of July?

Cmon, you don't hold elections on widely observed holidays. I could understand it if it were something more obscure, but passover is a big one for Jews.

[leveymg]

6. Looks like someone screwed up. But, I don't think it was intentional.

Surprised this wasn't pointed out and resolved weeks ago, as it should have been.

[jwirr]

5. The Jewish community should have demanded write-in ballots. nt