AZ recount of optiscans possible after ethics complaint withdrawn.

[Stevepol]

An AZ senator (a Repub, a Dem had issued the ethics complaint trying to stop the investigation!) might ask that the ballots be recounted in an election he lost. The primary election was counted on optical scanners and an IA computer expert had testified that there's no way to know if the machine counted correctly other than actually recounting the paper by hand. (John Gideon and VotersUnite)



Panel withdraws ethics complaint against Arizona state senator
Jan 17, 2006, 10:16 AM CST

A committee of the Arizona Legislature rejected a request to open an ethics investigation of a lawmaker's use of subpoena power in examining a close primary election.

The Senate's ethics committee voted 3-2 on Monday to withdraw a complaint against Republican Sen. Jack Harper of Sun City West that questioned whether he issued subpoenas to get information that provided a weekly newspaper with an exclusive story.

As chairman of a government accountability committee, Harper issued subpoenas to Maricopa County officials, demanding that they turn over ballots and other material from a 2004 legislative race in which a recount reversed the initial outcome.

snip

The report by Douglas Jones, an elections expert and professor at the University of Iowa, concluded that the only way to settle theories that ballots were altered or miscounted is to look at the ballots themselves.

Harper said he might use the report to seek a court order to get access to the ballots.

Link:

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4372270&nav=HMO6HMaW

Here's a further link to an editorial by a concerned elections activist that explains the situation in AZ more clearly. It's possible that this situation could lead to greater openness and transparency at a minimum and a possible showing of machine miscouting as well. The optical scanner makers claim that they are not "calibrated" properly if they miscount.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_michael__060117_election_integrity_i.htm

[Wilms]

1. Another great and overlooked story.

It's amazing to see the stories that get dozens of bouncy frogs, and the ones that only get crickets.

Let's see if anyone notices this case.

[Febble]

2. Interesting news. Thanks.

If you can't have ballots hand-counted in the first place you certainly have to have hand-counted audits!

[zbdent]

3. So, he's saying that he lost, but he can't get over it?

Hmm, guess that counting the votes only applies when a Repuke lost . . .

[mgr]

4. I don't think you get it.

The potential here is devastating to the argument that 2004 was a fair election.

The reports for Maricopa County in 2004 is laiden with reports of long lines, analogous to problems in Ohio. A pre-election poll suggested that Arizona could swing blue. This is an opportunity to see what went on in a non-battleground state, and whether or not Kerry was screwed here or not.

Mike

[zbdent]

5. I get it, I just find it funny

that a Repuke is saying "I WANT HAND COUNTS!" - the party that said "GET OVER IT - YOU LOST!" when they knew hand counts would validate Gore . . .

[Wilms]

6. It is ironic. n/t

[kster]

8. And do they realize how

long it will take to count all them Paper Ballots by Hand Geeze :sarcasm:

[nicknameless]

11. .

:thumbsup:

[kster]

7. K&R.......nt

[John Q. Citizen]

9. Great journalism on the case from the Phoenix New Times, a

weekly alternative newspaper.

Tons of other stories at the bottom of the article about this unfolding scandle. Definatly worth the read.

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/Issues/2006-01-19/news/dougherty.html

[autorank]

10. Stevepol, fascinating! If the machines can't determine the winner, what

use are they? Why not just count the paper ballots in the first place?

Oh, but I'm being a 'conspiracy' theorist by saying that, bad form auto.

Excellent post. RECOMMENDED.

[Wilms]

12. AZ: Senate ethics panel clears Harper in vote recount case

Senate ethics panel clears Harper in vote recount case

Chip Scutari
The Arizona Republic

Jan. 17, 2006 12:00 AM

A Republican-controlled Senate Ethics Committee dismissed a complaint against GOP Sen. Jack Harper on Monday, quashing a potential inquiry into his investigation of a legislative recount in a 2004 primary race.

Harper's critics had said that it appeared he let a local newspaper get a scoop because it paid for the investigation.

Harper, of Surprise, has been trying to investigate the recount in the District 20 primary contest. New Times, a weekly newspaper, agreed to pay up to $3,000 for a University of Iowa computer-science expert to examine voting machines used in the race. The expert, Douglas W. Jones, was allowed to inspect the machines last month as a result of Harper's subpoenas. The results of Jones' examination were first published Wednesday on the New Times Web site, about eight hours before senators received a copy of Jones' work.

snip

Harper has said the U.S. Justice Department should investigate the disputed election, in which John McComish defeated Anton Orlich after a recount found more than 400 new votes and reversed the initial outcome. Harper said he was disturbed by the possibility that someone tampered with ballots cast in the GOP primary.

snip

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0117harper17.html

[kster]

13. kick.nt