VOTING BEGINS IN FLORIDA:DNC/KERRY BALLOT COLLECTION CALLED 'UNLAWFUL'

[truthisfreedom]

yeah, yeah, i know it's drudge and he's no good. but humor me. this is important.

http://drudgereport.com/dnc47.htm

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX SUN OCT 17, 2004 19:04:58 ET XXXXX

CONTROVERSY ERUPTS AS VOTING BEGINS IN FLORIDA: DNC/KERRY BALLOT COLLECTION CALLED 'UNLAWFUL'

**Exclusive**

As early voting begins Monday in the sunburn state of Florida controversy has already developed around a Democratic National Committee/Kerry-Edwards election manual.
The election manual titled -- "FLORIDA VICTORY 2004" -obtained by the DRUDGE REPORT, advocates an apparent unlawful "BALLOT PICKUP" drive by campaign volunteers.

The DNC Kerry/Edwards manual states:

"In Florida, it is legal to handle ballots. This means it is possible for the campaign to canvass base neighborhoods, pick up completed ballots and deliver them to Early Vote locations. We will incorporate these deliveries into our Early Vote canvassing program."
But Florida State election law - as detailed at: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/absenteevoting.shtml - is in sharp contrast and conflicts with the Dem plan.

<snip>

It is not clear as this transmits, if any Dem operatives have yet collected ballots. A legal challenge will be filed to stop any action, top Republican sources tell DRUDGE.
<snip>

Developing...

[shockingelk]

1. it's not even the same frickin' thing

delivering a completed ballot from a voter:
"the campaign to canvass base neighborhoods, pick up completed ballots"

delivering a blank ballot to a voter:
"A designee may pick up an absentee ballot for a voter on election day or 4 days before election day"

[Dover]

2. Drudge and other GOPers are simply beginning the pre-emptive strike

ahead of the allegations of voting fraud that are sure to be leveled against them. The best defensive is a good offense. You know the routine. Create reasonable doubt then try and get it sent to a GOP-friendly court.

We saw this coming when Novak launched the first missile; he suggested on his CNN show that the Dems were trying to commit voter fraud in Florida (which was met with disgust and laughter by the other panel members).

[jackofhearts]

3. Absolutely correct dover...

The republican nazis are setting the stage for what will become their strategy in the event of a loss. They will NOT go down as Gore did...they will raise all kinds of allegations to prevent the election from becoming accepted. They will block the finalizing of election results and force some court ordered recount where the ballots can be more easily manipulated. Plus it gives them cover for the crimes they have committed.

Regardless of who wins, the election will not be over on Nov 3rd. This is going to get way uglier AFTER the election.

[truthisfreedom]

7. all the more reason to contribute to the dem fund for the recount!

keep this in mind, DUers!

[GinaMaria]

23. Where is this fund?

Where can we donate?

[AndyTiedye]

21. Gives the Florida Legislature an Excuse to Assign the EVs to Boosh...

...regardless of the popular vote. Repubs have the votes to do it --
they were all set to do so in 2000 if the Supreme Court had not ruled
for Booosh.

That is their trump card, it is on the table for all to see,
yet we still pour resources into Florida in the hope that it
somehow will go for Kerry. This cannot possibly happen, no
matter how many Floridians vote for him.

[mongo]

26. From Lurking over at FR

I can tell you that this is a now a common theme... MASSIVE voter fraud on the part of the Dems. They have been priming the sheep for a fight.

[teryang]

4. This is pure fiction

Just read his link, there is no conflict with the statute.

Also keep in mind that the statutes referred to are the ones the Republican operatives in 2000 violated with impunity concerning thousands of ballots in various Florida counties. Two Leon county circuit judges simply ignored the statutes, allegedly on constitutional grounds. One of the operatives violating the statute was a CIA "retiree."

[Media_Lies_Daily]

6. I'd be willing to bet that no former CIA "retiree" will be willing to....

...help the NeoCons this year.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

5. The Florida GOP is going to look pretty stupid on this one...

...since nothing illegal has been done, or will be done.

[snippy]

13. The GOP is making the point that democrats are violating the law.

The fact that democrats are not violating the law and that the GOP allegations are lies is irrelevant to the GOP and republican voters. The GOP often intentionally lies about democrats violating election laws. It does so knowing that more people will hear the lie than the subsequent truthful correction and that true republicans will ignore the subsequent truthful correction anyway. This is a long standing practice of the GOP.

[Demeter]

8. NPR Reported the Possibility of 6 "Floridas" This Election

NOt sure the nation could withstand that kind of abuse, damn sure the GOP shouldn't survive that scenario.

[jody]

9. Drudge's assertion is about picking up absentee ballots, see FL law below

The 2004 Florida Statutes
101.62 Request for absentee ballots.--
(1)(a) The supervisor may accept a request for an absentee ballot from an elector in person or in writing. Except as provided in s. 101.694, one request shall be deemed sufficient to receive an absentee ballot for all elections which are held within a calendar year, unless the elector or the elector's designee indicates at the time the request is made the elections for which the elector desires to receive an absentee ballot. Such request may be considered canceled when any first-class mail sent by the supervisor to the elector is returned as undeliverable.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
(4)(a) To each absent qualified elector overseas who has requested an absentee
* * * * * * * * * * *
(b) As soon as the remainder of the absentee ballots are printed, the supervisor shall provide an absentee ballot to each elector by whom a request for that ballot has been made by one of the following means:
1. By nonforwardable, return-if-undeliverable mail to the elector's current mailing address on file with the supervisor, unless the elector specifies in the request that:
* * * * * * * * * * *
4. By delivery to a designee on election day or up to 4 days prior to the day of an election. Any elector may designate in writing a person to pick up the ballot for the elector; however, the person designated may not pick up more than two absentee ballots per election, other than the designee's own ballot, except that additional ballots may be picked up for members of the designee's immediate family. For purposes of this section, "immediate family" means the designee's spouse or the parent, child, grandparent, or sibling of the designee or of the designee's spouse. The designee shall provide to the supervisor the written authorization by the elector and a picture identification of the designee and must complete an affidavit. The designee shall state in the affidavit that the designee is authorized by the elector to pick up that ballot and shall indicate if the elector is a member of the designee's immediate family and, if so, the relationship. The department shall prescribe the form of the affidavit. If the supervisor is satisfied that the designee is authorized to pick up the ballot and that the signature of the elector on the written authorization matches the signature of the elector on file, the supervisor shall give the ballot to that designee for delivery to the elector.

[DemocracyInaction]

11. This is about picking up a ballot for someone and delivering it to them

But, I imagine just like the absentee ballot I filled out in my state, I can have someone take my sealed envelope and deliver it to the clerk's office for me. They just check and sign it and the clerk okays it when it is delivered. I can sign that I have given permission for this person to deliver my ballot and that matches my signature on the envelope.

[snippy]

15. Correct. The law limits the number of blank ballots a person can obtain.

It does not address completed ballots. But the Bush campaign knew this when it decided to spread this lie.

[demokatgurrl]

10. I'll wait till it's reported in a reliable news outlet-

never mind, I'm not even sure there is such a thing.

[FlaGranny]

12. ??? I'm confused -

brain not working too well this morning. The local Dem campaign headquarters gave me applications for absentee ballots for me and my husband. They said to fill them out and return them and they will take them to the elections office. Then we should be mailed absentee ballots, which we are then to fill out and mail in or deliver ourselves. They didn't say anything at all about picking up the ballots from us.

[gratuitous]

14. The all caps should have tipped me off

But it's early on a Monday morning for me. So in the future, would you kindly lead off your subject line with "DRUDGE" so I'll know not to waste my time on a post?

Thanks. I'd appreciate it.

[truthisfreedom]

16. sure! i woulda put it in the title but there was no room.

8^)

[CatWoman]

17. and this is LBN????????

I wish you people would stop this shit.

Besides -- the story is a day old.

[truthisfreedom]

18. yeah, yeah, hate me. it wasn't 12 hours old when i posted it.

besides, it's important to know your enemy. i see something coming, i post it.

[CatWoman]

19. it's also important to follow the rules

LBN isn't the only forum on DU -- however, it's the most up-to-date and informative.

[truthisfreedom]

28. i try!

don't i?

[topgun77]

20. We need to change these laws when we get control

These laws are ridiculous!

[newyawker99]

27. Hi topgun77!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[The Chronicler]

22. lmao @ that picture

[napi21]

24. There is a difference between early vothing & absentee ballots.

At least there is here in Ga. Absentee ballots are mailed sheets of paper (and could be collected I suppose). Early vothing MUST be done at an early voting location and the voter uses the voting machine there!

[Robbie67]

25. I guess Drudge

has no interest in all the scandals involving felon lists or Jeb Bush's complicity in ignoring vote problems