Drudge reports 2000 votes already on voting machines. (don't overreact)

[ticapnews]

http://www.drudgereport.com/
It's a "developing" story.
"Before voting even began in Philadelphia -- poll watchers found nearly 2000 votes already planted on machines scattered throughout the city... One incident occurred at the SALVATION ARMY, 2601 N. 11th St., Philadelphia, Pa: Ward 37, division 8... pollwatchers uncovered 4 machines with planted votes; one with over 200 and one with nearly 500... A second location, 1901 W. Girard Ave., Berean Institute, Philadelphia, Pa, had 300+ votes already on 2 machines at start of day... INCIDENT: 292 votes on machine at start of day; WARD/DIVISION: 7/7: ADDRESS: 122 W. Erie Ave., Roberto Clemente School, Philadelphia, Pa.; INCIDENT: 456 votes on machine at start of day; WARD/DIVISION: 12/3; ADDRESS: 5657 Chew Ave., storefront, Philadelphia, Pa... A gun was purposely made visible to scare poll watchers at Ward 30, division 11, at 905 S. 20th St., Grand Court. Police were called and surrounded the location... Developing... "


My guess is these are the absentee ballots that were processed before the polls opened, but that doesn't make for a very interesting headline, does it?

I am just reposting this (with link) because someone else's thread was locked and there did seem to be interest in the story. Despite Drudge's hyperbole, I don't think there is a real story here.

[Goldmund]

1. My guess...

...is that they didn't reset the machines after they tested them.

[NVMojo]

18. What about early voters' votes???

[napi21]

2. Absentee votes would be my guess too.

Pa. doesn't have early voting, but they do enter the absentee info as the ballots are received.

[Tiberius]

5. why would absentee votes be entered into machines?

Wouldn't you think that they'd be counted in a central location, and if they are entered into machines, they wouldn't tabulate them on machines that would be used for live voting later?

Just wondering how that works...

[ticapnews]

11. In my town...

The ballots are fed into the machines and scanned automatically.

This morning at 7AM the town clerk invited a rep from the Dem, Rep and Green parties to the polling place to witness her opening the absentee ballots (she doesn't have to do this, she just believes in openness - and she's a Republican!) After being validated, each ballot is fed into the machine. The absentee ballots are already in the system when the first voter walks in at 8AM.

[napi21]

12. I know that's what they do here in ga.

That way, all local candidate results appear in the proper precinct reports.

[splat]

3. votes for whom? n/t

[indigobusiness]

4. Who those votes are for will be telling.

Could be cast to cheat. Or planted to frame an opponent and throw the election into question.

[PaDUer]

6. NEPA could decide race for president

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=13272158&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=415898&rfi=6

NEPA could decide race for president

[MacDo]

7. I thought

most states don't even count the absentee ballots, unless the number of them could change the outcome of the state.
They do this to save money. Am I wrong?

[WCGreen]

15. Wrong..

They count them first as soon as the polls close.....

They don't count provisional ballots unless there is a chance that counting them will change the results.....

[bigworld]

8. old lever machines?

These are probably the old lever machines that just weren't cleared out after the primary. It shouldn't be a big deal -- all the poll workers had to do (as they're paid to) is just reset them for the new election.

I love the lever machines, by the way. Love that sound.

[malachi]

14. Danaher machines. Most all the divisions reported as having votes

are in areas dominated by minorities. You don't think that drudge would be so low as to start rumors for the rnc about minority voters, do you?

[Charles19]

21. I voted on a lever machine just Norht of Philly

They probably were just going around clearing the tallies from previous elections before the polls opened. Drudge will do this all day to try and motivate more freepers to the polls.

[Memekiller]

9. Rove planted the ballots...

They've already tried to plant fake fliers of Bush in the Special Olympics in a Dem HQ, but it backfired - someone who saw them, threw them out. The next day, someone shows up to "discover" the fliers and report them to Drudge, but they were in the trash. So he asked to see one, then went to the media, and Drudge put up a siren. Classic Rove. He's done several instances of planting fliers, making them look like his opponent did it.

[Jersey Devil]

10. They are test votes - same totals as 2000 absentees

let's not jump the gun here - been discussed at GD04

[Ripley]

13. Someone is now saying Stern had breaking news they were for

Bush. So guess Drudge ratted on his buds. Haha!

[Fleshdancer]

16. MSNBC just talked about it....

My initial reaction was WTF? But then I had to remind myself that it's still early and this will be just one of the many potential things the GOP will use to muddy a Kerry win. I have to emotionally pace myself and not get too angry on just the first accusation.

Sad, isn't it? But really, did we expect anything less from a campaign that's gasping its last breath right now???

[pimpbot]

17. Foxnews just picked up the story also, surprise surprise

I bet their talking heads will call for a suspension of voting until its sorted out :)

[pimpbot]

19. Unconfirmed reports, coming from the PA state GOP

Way to report facts, foxnews jackasses

[pimpbot]

20. FOXNEWS: DA says early votes came from "total votes" counter

They were not votes from TODAY. They were from a counter that counted ALL votes EVER on that machine. HAHAH STUPID REPUKES

[Pale_Rider]

22. Nothing here to see ... move on ...

http://www.pnionline.com/dnblog/extra/archives/001182.html

Drudge: Wrong on Philly
From the Daily News reporter Theresa Conroy:

Dep. City Commissioner Ed Schlugen stood up just now and announced that there were NOT votes on the machines. The poll workers were looking at a counter on the back which tallies the total number of votes cast -- ever -- on the machine. It's called a "protective counter." He said there were no votes on the machines when they opened.

Also, Josh Marshall is printing a statement from Marge Tartaglione:

"Recent press reports have stated that machines in at least one precinct were not properly calibrated to ensure an accurate accounting of the number of votes cast."

"These allegations are completely unsubstantiated and have no factual
basis whatsoever."

The bottom line is this: The GOP is falling all over itself looking for something wrong in Philly, even if it's not there. If the past is any guide, Bush will carry the rest of the state by a small margin, and sink here in the city. So they're trying to cast doubt on the process -- from the very minute the polls opened.

UPDATE: Cathie Abookire, spokeswoman for DA Lynne Abraham, said poll workers misinterpreted numbers they found on voting machines before the polls opened. Abookire said the city's new electronic voting machines have two windows that display voting numbers - one that shows the total number of votes ever cast on the machine, the other that shows the number of votes cast today.

Some poll workers saw the number of prior votes from past elections on the machines and thought that meant votes had been planted.

"They misread the machines," Abookire said. "There were no planted votes

[still_one]

23. why do people give drudge business?

This has already been debunked

The voting machines keep historical votes tabulation, along with the current result

[Hello_Kitty]

24. If there were vote plants, they were most likely for *

It's not like Kerry's got a problem in Philly. Move along everyone, nothing to see here. :eyes:

[NJGeek]

25. MOD: PLEASE LOCK AND DELETE THIS GARBAGE THREAD

[Moderator]

26. Dubunked - locking

For Immediate Release

November 2, 2004


Statement of Philadelphia City Commissioner Marge Tartaglione


Philadelphia, PA—In response to online reports alleging voter irregularities in Philadelphia, City Commissioner Marge Tartaglione, the official responsible for overseeing elections in the city, issued the following statement:

“Recent press reports have stated that machines in at least one precinct were not properly calibrated to ensure an accurate accounting of the number of votes cast.

“These allegations are completely unsubstantiated and have no factual basis whatsoever.”