New Study Suggests CA's 2008 Prop 8 Election Results 'Probably Corrupted'

[BradBlog]

New Study Suggests CA's 2008 Prop 8 Election Results 'Probably Corrupted'
'Election Verification Exit Poll' analysis show tallies of 'Marriage Equality Ban' off by 7.5%, as high as 17.7% in some L.A. precincts...

In the November 2008 election, the tabulation of votes for California's Proposition 8 --- the controversial ballot measure which resulted in the repeal of marriage equality by, for the first time, amending the state's constitution to deny the rights of Californians --- was "probably corrupted".

That's the finding of a newly released study issued by a coalition of election integrity organizations, as based on their analysis of an Election Verification Exit Poll conducted in Los Angeles on the day of the 2008 general election. "An investigation is warranted," the study concludes, into the evidence which suggests a likelihood that either "fraud or gross errors" occurred in the tabulation of that specific ballot measure.

The poll was conducted on Election Day by the coalition and was designed and researched with the help of at least one well known exit pollster, Ken Warren of St. Louis University's The Warren Poll, for the express purpose of measuring the accuracy of the reported vote count. It functioned beautifully in general, by confirming the results of most of the issues and races on the ballot. On Proposition 4, for example, which concerned a similar hot-button issue --- parental notification for abortion --- polling results and official election results matched within 2%, well within the expected margin of error.

However, for Proposition 8 only, the official results varied from the Election Verification Exit Poll by an average of 7.75% in the 19 precincts polled. In some cases, the discrepancy was as high as 17.7%. That is, of course, far outside of the margin of expected error and certainly worthy of further investigation by officials…

FULL STORY: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7647

[Jackpine Radical]

1. But cheating to help God is a virtue.

Surest way to heaven is to tell lies for Jesus.

[ellenfl]

2. dang, and i thought it was to kill for jesus! eom

[Jackpine Radical]

3. I'm pretty sure that works too.

It's probly even better if you lie to people and then kill them for Jesus.

[Zhade]

23. *snort*

Well-played, sir.

[Downtown Hound]

4. I FUCKING KNEW IT!

Sorry, I'm okay now, but I've been saying this in trusted circles ever since election night. A lot of the counties where it passed used voting machines, and we all know who makes those right? All of the polls prior to election night had prop 8 losing, and so did the exit polls. It was 2004 all over again in CA regarding this one issue!

May all right wingers burn in hell, and if there's no hell, may we find a way to create one for them!

[EFerrari]

7. I said it here that night. Anyway, here's is an interview with emlev from last week:

http://www.opednews.com/articles/New-Study-Asks-Was-Prop-8-by-Joan-Brunwasser-100107-88.html

[Arkana]

5. Well slap me silly and call me Francois.

They stole it. The bigots stole it.

[defendandprotect]

21. Some suspicions already cast on the Evangelists re vote steals . . .pre Prop8 ...

Have they been the happy little helpers with GOP vote steals?

[Initech]

6. Fuck the fundies, overturn prop (h)8!

[EFerrari]

8. This is a new blog, launched by a DUer, dedicated to this issue:

http://www.wasprop8straight.org/

[Zhade]

24. Very clever title -- should get it some traffic!

I had a real feeling things were off. Still, it sucks there was enough bigots to make it close.

TO ALL EQUALITY ACTIVISTS: Please add this website to your sigline! Don't let this scandal vanish!

[EFerrari]

25. Apparently, there's nothing you can't buy in this joint.

[Zhade]

26. I'm sorry, but I don't get your comment.

I think you're commenting on the corruption? If so, it sure seems you're correct.

My two best friends were planning on getting married -- then this shit went down. I'm fighting for them, and everyone whose rights (including me) were denied!

[EFerrari]

27. Yeah, sorry to be unclear. It just seems like our elections aren't owned by us.

And if this went down in L.A. County, which I'm pretty sure it did, it didn't happen without some grease.

My best to your friends, Zhade.

[Zhade]

29. Ah, I suspected as much, no problem.

I live in LA, and I can tell you that while we have our bigots, this merits investigation.

Thank you very much for the well-wishing, same to you! : )

[defendandprotect]

9. k&r

[defendandprotect]

10. k

[apimomfan2]

11. Electronic Voting Fraud

Cheatin' for Jeebus

[jotsy]

12. Suspected as much and figured if anomalies were going to be found, it'd be you to find them.

Had been wondering what you've been up to, but with the holidays and occasional gigs filling in for Mike Malloy, I had hoped you might take a spell to kick your feet up. Glad you didn't.

After the elections of 2004, I was a mess for weeks because my country unanimously elected to discriminate where state measures were in play. I AM A STRAIGHT MOTHER OF THREE who believes gay marriage has ALWAYS been 100% legal, how it got put on the defensive this way makes it difficult for me to accept the society around me as capable of moving forward. But then there's you and the work you do to bring truth to light and it compels me to reconsider.

tyvm, Mr. Brad

[BradBlog]

13. I wish...

"I had hoped you might take a spell to kick your feet up. Glad you didn't."

Wish I had! I keep trying to. Not much luck at that. But thanks for noticing, jotsy :-(

More, on a related issue, coming soon I'm afraid...

[jotsy]

16. Sounds curious!

Perhaps you might consider taking in some down time up here in river city. It's an entertaining but relaxing place. You could visit our own celebrity progressive voice and I could cater!? I make a three cheese lasagna with sweet italian sausage and an awesome chocolate chip cookie.

Yes, I have an agenda! I would like to figure out what kind of revenue corporations have generated cashing in on what I understand is called 'dead peasants' insurance. I realize that's not your specialty, but would anticipate similar obstacles in terms of red tape and road blocks to obtaining the info I seek.

But first, kick your feet up and do nothing for no one for say...five minutes.

[emlev]

14. People who want to help this get more attention can...

• Alert your local GLBT groups. Ask them to endorse the website (www.wasprop8straight.org)
  
• Post to social networking sites
  
• Digg, Reddit, etc. the BRADBRAD BLOG piece linked above
  
• Write letters to the editor of your local paper! Use talking points from the site. (Did you know that the letters page is often the most read page of a paper, other than the front page?)
  
• Call in to talk shows. Ask them to interview the people involved int he study on the air.
  
• Put a sign in your car window or tape one to the back of your coat that says simply "WasProp8Straight.org."
  
• Post more ideas here

[Zhade]

28. Already posted on my Facebook!

NT!

[EFerrari]

15. .

[clear eye]

17. I am reminded of what Stephen Spoonamore said about Mike Connell during his interview

with Fitzrakis et. al. about what must have happened in Ohio 2004. Spoonamore was asked to describe Connell including his beliefs. He said Connell was a phenomenally knowledgeable systems expert (or something along those lines), and generally honest, but that he was fanatical when it came to social/religious issues like abortion. Heard this on your Velvet Revolution site, BTW.

Seeing the shenanigans re-emerge to pass DOMA makes me wonder if these attitudes have been the motivating force all along for Diebold, now ES&S, management to tamper w/ elections. Do they think what they are doing is a crusade? One of their first victims was the notably pro-choice Max Cleland who was running against the consistently anti-choice Chambliss. By contrast, the 2008 Presidential election pitted two men who both had records of opposing the elimination of Roe v. Wade. The Cleland/Chambliss outcome is very suspicious, while the McCain/Obama race seems in line w/ exit polls, etc. Fanatical social conservatives would see legal gay marriage as morally similar to legal abortion, i.e. as evil. Would Connell have killed himself (caused his own plane crash) to save all the fetuses if he thought his sworn testimony was about to endanger the conspiracy?

[TheMadMonk]

18. While cheating is a likely explanation, it is by no means the only one...

...for this discrepancy.

People knew the way they damned well should have voted and told the pollsters this is how they voted. However, in the booth itself they let the ick factor prevail and cast their vote against gay marriage.

I don't know if this would be enough to accout for the entirety of the discrepancy, but it may well have accounted for a damned large chunk of it.

[emlev]

20. Read at least the intro to the study and you'll see...

1. People did not talk to the pollsters. They filled out anonymous questionnaires and dropped them into a locked box.
2. The other reasons that the poll and the official results might not matched are addressed in the study, one by one.

[SoapBox]

19. Blog links following the trial...

If anyone needs links, these are from persons following the trial:

Prop8TrialTracker
http://prop8trialtracker.com/

Firedoglake
http://firedoglake.com/prop8trial/

[SoapBox]

22. Oh MY! And then this in Iowa today...

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14840/iowa-18-senate-republicans-introduce-bill-to-roll-back-marriage-equality

...Rushpubs at it again.