Kansas recount confirms landslide win for abortion rights, but highlights risk to democracy

[Nevilledog]

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Katie Bernard
@KatieJ_Bernard
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The recount is over, and the final count only changed by 60 votes.

But this saga probably isn’t over. The funder of the lawsuit says he’s filing a lawsuit, and won’t pay Sedgwick County unless they redo the recount. W/@jonshorman @byChanceSwaim #ksleg
Election workers sort out voter ballots at the Johnson County Election Office on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, in Olathe. Kansas’ largest counties will undergo a recount of ballots from the August 2, election in an attempt by Value Them Both supporters to overturn the state’s vote in favor of abortion rights.
kansascity.com

Kansas recount confirms landslide win for abortion rights, but highlights risk to democracy
“It’s a two-pronged attack. It’s attacking our election system and it’s attacking, specifically, the counties that didn’t vote the way that they wanted them to,” said state Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an...
3:26 PM · Aug 21, 2022

No paywall
https://archive.ph/sJwI6

Kansas reaffirmed its landslide vote to uphold abortion rights after election officials on Sunday finished a recount that never had any chance of changing the outcome but was sought by an election denier and anti-abortion activist advancing baseless allegations of fraud.

The exercise instead delivered a second victory for opponents of an amendment that would have stripped abortion rights from the state constitution.

But the recount of such a lopsided vote, rather than building credibility in the results, risks undermining trust in elections because the process provided fringe, diehard amendment supporters an opportunity to attempt to create an aura of uncertainty surrounding the vote when, in fact, none ever existed.

A hand recount in nine counties – including Johnson and Sedgwick, the state’s two largest – cost roughly $120,000 and burned countless hours as election officials scrambled to conclude the arduous process before a Saturday deadline. Kansas voters rejected the amendment, called Value Them Both by supporters, 59% to 41% with a margin of about 165,000 votes.

The partial recount ultimately changed the outcome by fewer than 60 votes —an infinitesimal fraction of the overall vote that included ballots from more than 922,000 Kansans.

*snip*

[elleng]

1. 'Risk to democracy' is insane people willing to spend all of their $ on assholery.

[Walleye]

2. Don't do any business with Republicans without getting all the cash upfront

[Racygrandma]

7. Someone put over 100 K on credit cards to pay for it.

I have a link to an article. He is from Colby KS, way out west on I 70.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2706840261739/abortion-opponents-charge-120k-to-credit-cards-to-demand-recount-in-kansas-referendum

[gratuitous]

3. How can a liar and a cheat create "an aura of uncertainty"?

The only way that happens is if the media lend credence to baseless claims. Once again, for the napping reporters in the back: You don't have to report a lie. Call them what they are, sore losers and enemies of democracy.

[FoxNewsSucks]

4. I'd like to know why they did the work without getting paid up front.

If anyone else wanted records, even a simple copy of one's drivers license, you don't get it until after you've paid.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

5. Election deniers will pull this shit everywhere.

They've crowded out experienced election workers by threats and harassment.

Roe, Roe, Roe your vote
against theocracy!
Republicans revoke your rights
and kill democracy!

[crickets]

6. For anyone else who is wondering...

This detail was buried way too far down in the article:

The recount ultimately resulted in eight additional yes votes and 49 fewer no votes, spread across the nine counties.

[MissMillie]

8. And, once again they are threatening to harass people in their homes.

They have ZERO right to do that.

Whether or not a person votes in an election is a matter of public record, it's on file with the town/county clerk or the Secretary of State's office.

Unless they have EVIDENCE of illegality, they cannot be questioning people in their homes.

Where the heck was it? Colorado? Showing up at people's home--ARMED--asking about voting... INTIMIDATION anyone. And you just KNOW they're not knocking on the doors of affluent white people.

I really am getting more than just a little ticked-off at all the fuss that has been made over one man's lie.