Holt to Support Jennings Contest on House Floor

[cal04]

By Rep. Rush Holt Press Release
December 29, 2006

House Record to Reflect That Jennings Challenge is Justified, House Action Will Not Prejudice Legal Proceedings or Legislative Inquiry


Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) today announced that he intends to take steps to put the U.S. House of Representatives on record as recognizing the justification of the electoral challenge filed by Congressional candidate Christine Jennings regarding the disputed election in Florida's 13th Congressional District, and making clear that any House proceedings on January 4, 2007, will not prejudice legal proceedings or legislative inquiry regarding the election's validity.

"It is a matter of fundamental fairness, of good government, and of accountability that we get to the bottom of this election," said Rep. Rush Holt. "It is imperative that every election reflect the will of voters accurately. In the case of Florida-13, there is no way to know whether result presented by the Florida Secretary of State is valid - in fact, there is significant evidence that it is not. 18,000 missing votes in a race certified on the basis of a 369 vote margin is an overwhelming indication that something went wrong."

According to evidence provided in the Florida case, to date, 18,000 ballots cast on electronic voting machines did not record the voter's selection for the House of Representatives, more than enough to change the outcome of the election, which was awarded to Vernon Buchanan by a margin of 369 votes. Had all votes been counted, the outcome would have been different, according to Dr. Michael Herron, an independent expert hired by ES&S, the manufacturer of the electronic voting machines used in Florida-13.

"Christine Jennings has duly filed a legitimate contest to the certification of the election results of Florida-13. Ms. Jennings raises serious issues, and I think, compelling evidence. According to Ms. Jennings, the number of votes in question is 50 times greater that the number of votes representing the margin of victory. According to independent experts and the voting machine manufacturer, the results would have been different had all votes been counted."

On January 4, 2007, Rep. Holt will make a formal inquiry on the House floor immediately after the swearing-in of the new Speaker. The inquiry will ensure that nothing the House does will prejudice those proceedings or the legal challenge underway in Florida.

more
http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2150&Itemid=113

[madfloridian]

1. deleted.

[philb]

2. Analysis of results using conservative assumptions indicates Jennings was preferred by majority

but machine error or manipulation appears to have swung the results

assuming 2.5% intentional voter undervotes and surplus undervotes in each precinct distributed to Jennings and Buchanan according
the their vote percinct in that precinct, gives Jennings a net gain of 1103 votes

and a win by over 665 votes.

These assumptions appear conservative based on undervotes in Sarasota on absentees and in Dist 13 in general in neighboring Manatee County which votes on Opti-Scan.

Also conservative based on the fact that only Dem votes were observed disappearing by the voters, and the audit found that a substantial majority of the voters with undervotes were predominant Dem voters.

spread sheet calculations by precinct
www.flcv.com/d13panal.html

[nicknameless]

3. .

K&R