Dems, Republicans to sue over write-in lists (Alaska)

[Blue_In_AK]

Source: Anchorage Daily News

The state's Democratic and Republican parties are planning to sue over the decision by Alaska elections officials to provide voters who ask with a list of write-in candidates.

Sarah Mouracade, a spokeswoman for the Democrats' coordinated campaign, says attorneys will seek a restraining order this morning to halt the practice.

Both parties believe the providing of lists is unfair, with Democrats having alleged that election officials are trying to influence the outcome of the U.S. Senate race by providing the list. The director of the division of elections has viewed the practice as consistent with officials' obligation to provide voter assistance.

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski is running as a write-in after her loss in the GOP primary to Joe Miller, the nominee backed by the state Republican party.



Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/10/25/1517740/dems-republicans-to-sue-over-write.html

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Only the start of what's going to be a very contentious vote count, unless Democrat Scott McAdams can win this outright.

[pezDispenser]

1. I wondered about this

Does 'write-in' actually mean there is a blank line where I need to write in the candidates name? What happens if I misspell Murkowski? Seems like this is going to be all kinds of trouble.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Each race has a place for a write-in,

in other words, several different blank lines with ovals to color in. We had one case in the early voting, where a poll worker "helping" a voter with the write-in procedure, showed which line to put Lisa Murkowski's name, specifically mentioning her name.

This election is so fraught with peril, we probably won't even know who's elected until next year sometime, unless Scott can pick up 38% or so.

[AlbertCat]

3. What happens if I misspell Murkowski?

Write it on your hand before you go to vote.

Too bad the Teabagger candidate isn't the write in. Those folks have spelling problems!

Obviously, if your intent is clear, your vote counts. This might be a big problem if you have "Murkowski" and some candidates named "Mokusti", "Mowklutski" and "Mistophski" all as write ins at the same time.

[tkmorris]

4. If the Dems really wanted to fight dirty

They could dig up someone with a very similar name to Murkowski and have them announce a last second grass roots write-in campaign. Thus any misspellings of Murkowski could be argued to be for this other candidate instead, at least throwing enough doubt on the situation to get the votes thrown out.

I sure hope they don't do that. That would just be cynical.