Pinellas (FL) ballot box sat ignored in office

[DoYouEverWonder]

November 16, 2004

The unmarked brown box sat unnoticed in the Pinellas Supervisor of Elections office until Monday, two weeks after the election, when an employee cleaning a desk stumbled upon it.

Inside were 268 uncounted absentee ballots.

"I think this is a very serious situation," Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark said Monday, vowing to fire or discipline any employee found to be negligent.

<snip>

Five days ago, Clark sent the state the county's final results for the Nov. 2 election. But her office had failed to perform a standard check to ensure that all ballots had been accounted for.

Now she will ask the state for permission to change Pinellas' official results. The canvassing board will count the missing ballots Thursday.

more...

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/11/16/Tampabay/Pinellas_ballot_box_s.shtml

[annabanana]

1. just a "little" glitch..............but SO MANY OF THEM

the whole process is stinky stinky stinky......

(We need a "stinky" smiley)

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. Here's another little glitch in Escambia county

Escambia voters had a great turnout - but not that great

A tabulation error had nearly 85 percent of the county's registered voters voting. It was more like 75 percent.

November 16, 2004

In the wake of the election, records showed that 84.9 percent of the storm-ravaged county's 189,833 voters cast ballots, well above the average state turnout of 72 percent.

Not true.

A problem with the way tabulation machines feed information into the computer system caused an inaccurate number, said Bonnie Jones, Escambia's supervisor of elections.

While the machines accurately counted the number of absentee votes, they began feeding an incorrect result into the office's computers, she said.

"It skewed the total vote," Jones said.

Elections officials noticed the problem almost immediately when the system showed that no one had voted yes on Amendments 7 and 8. That, she said, was a glaring error.


http://www.sptimes.com/2004/11/16/State/Escambia_voters_had_a.shtml

[Rose Siding]

11. The only way they catch these...

is if there is a GLARINGLY APPARENT error that just absolutely can't be overlooked. NOT confidence inspiring. I wonder about the statistical difference of likelihood between GLARING error and relatively SLIGHT (yet widespread) error.

"Elections officials noticed the problem almost immediately when the system showed that no one had voted yes on Amendments 7 and 8. That, she said, was a glaring error."

[librechik]

12. now THAT's a suspicious error!

[IndianaGreen]

13. All the glitches seem to favor the Republicans

Why is this?

:eyes:

[DiverDave]

3. To: Ms Clarke

From:
The Florida Elections Board.

You cannot change your vote count now.
The employee will NOT be sanctioned as we have hired them for the statewide office.
Just don't talk to the media about this, refer any questions to the state office.
Oh, and good job!

[whathappened]

4. just another

nail in there coffins

[Rumdummy]

5. From the linked article...

This is the third time since Clark became election supervisor in 2000 that her office has had problems handling ballots.

It seems to me Ms. Clark is the one who needs to be fired.

[vinessa4freedom]

6. Isn't it interesting

I find it enlightening that Clark is advertising for a scapegoat, instead of accepting at least a shred of responsibility.

[NJ_Lib]

7. That is the theme of our country...

Hey, it's not MY fault... It's the girl I hired for $5 an hour... She forgot to give me the box of ballots... But I promise, she'll be fired at once...!

Give me a fucking break...

[vinessa4freedom]

8. I'll see to it at once...

My apologies for not replying to your post earlier, but you see, it wasn't my fault. It was my secretary-his fault entirely. I will make sure that he is demoted and stripped of pay and dignity enough to compensate for this negligence. Or at least enough to take the heat off me...

I like to think we're not all that bad NJ, but I fear you've got it.

[Chimpanzee]

9. Force the bastard to have sex with you!!

Strip him of all dignity, and humanity. Then, when you're completely satified, FIRE HIS ASS!

[vinessa4freedom]

10. Laugh or cry

I'm not sure which to do these days-sometimes both, I guess. I live in a region where that has happened to loads of people. No health care anymore (or barely affordable), then their jobs get sent out of the country. The ever dominant theme of this administration-screw them and then beat them.

Have you heard more about this story? Will the found votes be chucked away? Has anyone checked Clark's fire place for bits of the ballots that didn't get found by maintenance staff?

[myrna minx]

14. With her type of incompetence, perhaps she should become

the next National Security Adviser. I saw an ad in the paper...

[Jo March]

15. LOL! I think she needs to be fired, exile and tarred and feathered

but I'm sure that wouldn't be harsh enough. ;)

[yellerpup]

16. Thursday, thanks...

it's too late.

[DoYouEverWonder]

17. I hope these jerks let her change the results

because then they will once again prove that the rule of law only applies when it is to their advantage.

Katherine Harris wouldn't let WPB have 5 more minutes to finish counting the votes, because of the rule of law. Let's see if Glenda let's Pinellas have until Thursday?