Election Shenanigans Watch: Pennsylvania and … New Jersey?
The TV guys are still focused on Florida and Ohio. Always fighting the last war. So far, things are generally holding up well in those states.
The early election craziness for 2008 seems to be in Virginia and Pennsylvania. We documented some of the problems in VA earlier today, but many of the same problems are happening in Pennsylvania.
In PA, voting machines are breaking down — apparently these things are made of out of the same stuff they use for the space shuttle — and people are voting by paper ballots. PA does have a statewide mandate for back-up paper ballots.
But once again, voters are being told that their paper ballot, which they are using because of a machine breakdown, will be counted as provisional instead of regular.
Counting those ballots as provisional is a violation of state election law. As we understand it, all paper ballots should be counted as regular ballots if voters are using them because of a machine breakdown.
Additional PA problems, and some surprising news coming out of New Jersey, after the jump.
Pennsylvania also brings us an early instance of poll observers being denied access:
A Pennsylvania judge previously ruled that court-appointed poll watchers could be NOT removed from their boards by an on-site election judge, but that is exactly what is happening, according to sources on the ground.It is the duty of election board workers to monitor and guard the integrity of the voting process.
Denying access to the minority (in this case Republican) poll watchers and inspectors is a violation of Pennsylvania state law. Those who violate the law can be punished with a misdemeanor and subjected to a fine of $1,000 and sent to prison between one month and two years.
But there are reports that Republican observers in Philadelphia are being kicked out of the polling places:
The Democrats are saying that the polling station is crowded and election board members need to cycle through the areas intermittently. … Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortes says this matter is already being heard in court and should be resolved soon. He says there was a dispute of the names of the poll watchers on record. This is a different story than the Democratic officials told Fox News earlier this morning.
There are also reports about students being denied the right to vote. Earlier today there was a 1,000 student strong line at Penn State, and many students were turned away.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey of all places, there are reports of voting machines breaking down disproportionately in minority areas. New Jersey! Also in the Garden State, first-time voters (again in minority areas) are showing up to vote only to find that their names are not in the signature books at their polling place. This is happening to people who registered via mail.
America baby! Who wants a piece of the “best-run democracy on Earth?”
A Repeat of 2004 Philly Voter Chaos, Fraud [Townhall.com]
Earlier: Election Shenanigans Watch: All Hell is Breaking Loose in Virginia
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first
Second. Why does it seam that everytime there is claims of election vote errors its in the minority areas. I think that this is overexegurated and getting annoying. People should just learn how to register and vote already.
Elie you are stupid as hell.
Why not post the video of the black panthers with clubs, blocking polling locations in PA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neGbKHyGuHU
Why does Philadelphia always have voting problems? Why do they need to violate the law and throw out republicans unless they are trying to cause fraud?
FOURSTY!!
#2 - maybe you should just learn to spell already.
"Earlier today there was a 1,000 student strong line at Penn State, and many students were turned away."
Man, it would suck to have to vote in Philly.
Is anyone else sick and tired of hearing minorities keep claiming that they are disenfranchised
RIP, ATL
#7, Maybe you should actually make a normal comment about the article instead of being an anal SOB.
In the: "It's not news because whites are the victims" category, we have this:
Black Panthers intimidating whitey at the polling booth.
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/11/04/black-panther-intimidation-at-the-polls/
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/11/04/billy-club-wielding-security-guards-at-philly-polls/
My wife and moved from out of state to a minority area of NJ recently. We both registered to vote about four weeks ago (we mailed in our forms at the same time) , she registered as a Republican and I did not select a party affiliation. I received my registration card a week ago. Her's never arrived.
"Is anyone else sick and tired of hearing minorities keep claiming that they are disenfranchised"
Yes. Especially in light of Cleo McDowell's ownership of a several fast food restaurants on Jamaica Blvd.
Voter fraud made easy in New Jersey . . . http://vimeo.com/2150205
What? Is someone suggesting that Philly has a democratic party machine? Next thing you know they is going to be suggestions that there might even be organized crime.
Don't worry non-South East PA residents, the voter fraud is mostly focused on local officials, if McCain gets screwed it will be purely by accident.
OH NOES! EVERYTHING SUXOR! LIFE IS SO BAD IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE!
- Elie Mystal
My girlfriend and I both registered for the first time (by mail, at roughly the same time) in NYC...We even got our friggin Registration Acknowledgement Cards. After a 1.5 hour wait her name was not on the list --- the monitor nonchalantly said "yeah, newly registered people don't make it on" and handed her a provisional ballot. This is the friggin upper east side of manhattan...i voted democrat, but walked away understanding why most americans want smaller gov't --> b/c it can't do SH*T right. Oh, and the incompetence of the poll workers was absolutely stunning.
Former Thelen partner Tom Glascock (aka Glass Cock) here, providing my endorsement for President:
Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho
How 'bout this ballot measure?
[ ] Peanuts
[ ] Cheese
[x] Peanuts AND cheese, bitches!
Just voted outside philly and it was very unprofessional I've been in 5th grade fire drills that were more orderly. I can't really complain because I was whisked to the fron of 2hr line because my last name started with an A, and apparently only people with S-Z were at my polling place!
Problems in New York, too. Giving people paper ballots but not following the regs for paper ballots.
9: Clearly, you are not a minority voter.
where i voted in princeton nj (with has, of course, a relatively small minority population) only one of two machines was working at 6:10am. ridiculous.
Has the thought ever occurred to you that the reason the machines are breaking down in minority precincts is because there is tremendous voter turnout. Stop editorializing and report.
Law school admissions standards have clearly dropped.
why does it matter what voters are told about their ballots? call it "provisional," "fake," or whatever you want, unless it will change the way a voter is going to vote then why do we care? a rose by any other name...
better that McCain steal it than Obama win
The Black Panthers are planning on attacking all K&E offices at 2:30 pm today. All white K&E employees are encouraged to rub black shoe polish on their faces in an effort to stave off violent reprisals.
Has it occurred to anyone that the reason for problems in poorer areas is because there's more of them living in a smaller and more concentrated area and they don't have the luxury of being a little late to work, or leaving early in order to vote.
"Let them eat cake, just not my cake."
Elie "Dildo Faggins" Mystal.
SERIOUSLY, PEOPLE! WHAT ABOUT THIS?
[ ] Peanuts
[ ] Cheese
[x] Peanuts AND cheese, bitches!
MysTTTal
27 b/c provisional ballots are only counted if the vote is close, basically as tie-breakers... but if a large percentage are cast provisionally, who's to say whether the election is close if they haven't been counted?
One of the "minority areas" in NJ where the polling equipment has broken down is Montgomery Township in Somerset County, NJ. While I can't tell you how people in Montgomery, NJ will vote today, Somerset County is a bastion of Republican supporters. Interesting that one of the largest towns in a predominately Republican county has polling problems.
By the way, Montgomery, a lovely suburban community that welcomes all, is not an urban, minority enclave. It has farms, excellent schools (better than where I live) and along with people of caucasian/European heritage, has many people of Asian and Indo-Asian heritage.
DAMNIT! PAY ATTENTION! WHAT ABOUT THIS, PEOPLE? WAKE UP!
[ ] Peanuts
[ ] Cheese
[x] Peanuts AND cheese, bitches!
4 - Obama has had a lot of support in the hip hop community. That's just Public Enemy spreadin the love. Yeah Boyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!
How about reporting on the voter fraud in Wasilla.
Philly is a phreaking mess on election day. I've done election monitoring there in the past. (Not this time, since I didn't need the phoney baloney pro bono creds.)
The damn machines in philly always break, the people working the polls are idiots who have no idea what the paper ballots and provisional ballots are for (they usually tell people to just come back later and try again) and WAY too often you see a group of old people being escorted in one-by-one by some shifty dude who is "helping them to read the ballot" (i.e., the four-legged voter).
It's philthy, but most of the shenanigans are saved for the local democratic primaries. Today the problem will be broken machines.
Ah, logistics.
philosophical question #1:
What are insufferable dusches good for?
14 - is that a Coming to America reference?
To everyone hating on Philadelphia:
"World F------ Champions!"
-- Mr. Chase Utley.
(Gobama)
BREAKING: CLUB WEILDING BLACK PANTHERS INTIMIDATE VOTERS IN PA:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neGbKHyGuHU
Obama volunteer, Farrakhan empolyed goons on tape.
better that McCain steal it than Obama win
BREAKING: CLUB WEILDING BLACK PANTHERS INTIMIDATE VOTERS IN PA:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neGbKHyGuHU
Obama volunteer, Farrakhan empolyed goons on tape.
14 - is that a Coming to America reference?
The Black Panthers just ransacked a GULC classroom.
30. Actually, I think the problem is that the people voting in those areas are idiots. It is my opinion that there should not be any poll watchers helping people to use the machines. If you cannot figure out the machine, it is incontrovertible proof that you are too stupid to vote.
I'm not sure I understand the problem with certain votes being "provisional." My understanding is that most polls will only count the paper votes if the number of paper votes cast is greater than the gap between the vote getters. In other words, if "Lat" has a 1,000 point lead over "Mystal," with 10 paper votes cast, the poll workers won't bother with the 10 paper votes because they couldn't make a difference anyway. While this rule was designed for Absentee ballots, I don't get why it would be a problem to apply it to paper votes cast b/c of problems with the booths. This seems to me like an efficient way to do things. No? What am I missing?
I voted in Philly this morning and the poll workers were handing out sheets with "recommendations" of who we should vote for and why (straight democrat recs).
I voted in Philly this morning and the poll workers were handing out sheets with "recommendations" of who we should vote for and why (straight democrat recs).
@ 46 - The guy in that video sounds like he would be intimidated by Urkel with a slide ruler in his hand.
52: You need to report that violation of election law. Now.
"As we understand it, all paper ballots should be counted as regular ballots if voters are using them because of a machine breakdown."
That's the law in Ohio for sure.
This is for commenter #2.
Answer: Because often the ballot machines break down in minority neighborhoods. Case in point: a NJ town where machines broke this a.m. is Willingboro (my hometown), which is roughly 80% Af-Am. And dear learned future lawyer, before you jump to making assumptions about education or lack thereof, please note it's home to many Claire, Cliff Huxtable, types. (Read: People who likely have more education than you but happen to be brown. Gasp.)
Anyways, ignorance is apaprently the sport of life, "Joe" so uhm ... thanks for playing,
- T10 Third Year (Real Life Cosby Kid)
A.P. Philadelphia, PA -- The Black Panthers are escorting white voters directly into the booths where they proceed to "suggest" who to vote for. One old woman was reportedly limping out of a booth with a black eye and a chicken bone stuck in her hair.
"World F------ Champions!"
-- Mr. Chase Utley.
"Now let's go loot something."
-- Fan.
I just voted in Philly and the guy at the desk announced my Republican party affiliation. Just said my name and party affiliation very loudly and then started laughing. Said "I guess I have to let you vote."
I f-ing hate democrats.
"World F------ Champions!"
-- Mr. Chase Utley.
"Now let's go loot something."
-- Fan.
59: That is how us democrats feel in 98% of Texas.
61: Move to Austin.
Texas hates Democrats.
God hates Texas and Mormons.
It all equals out in the end.
VA Repub
This is comforting. West Philadelphia, ladies and gentlemen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neGbKHyGuHU
DAMNIT! PAY ATTENTION! WHAT ABOUT THIS, PEOPLE? WAKE UP!
[ ] Peanuts
[ ] Cheese
[ ] Peanuts AND cheese, bitches!
[ ] write in ____ PRETZELS_____
64 -
You stupid f*ck. The location in the video is near 12th and Fairmount. I hope you are not paid to be observant or to listen for a living.
63,
What's with the cheap shot at Mormons? I don't get it. If it wasn't for the bigotry of Evangelicals, Romney would have gotten the nomination and we wouldn't be looking at 4 years with a socialist in the White House.
50 - I see your point and have two answers. The first is that because local elections often have very small margins, these votes should eventually be counted. The second is that some people may have a problem with their vote not being counted even if it would not change the outcome of the election.
With that in mind, it is important to distinguish between paper and provisional ballots. Paper ballots are what you are supposed to get if machines break down and you are registered to vote and at the correct polling place. They are to be counted like regular votes.
Provisional ballots are part of HAVA. they are to be cast if a person is not on the rolls or goes to the wrong polling place. The local elections board then decides if the person was eligible to vote and if so, then the ballot is opened and counted. States are split on whether to count votes cast in the wrong precinct - some may count votes only for races which were the same in precincts (ie President) and some states do not count these votes at all.
Additionally, any votes cast during "extended voting" hours, like if a state keeps polls open because of snow or because a bunch of machines were broken, most be cast provisionally. I do not htink that HAVA specifies what to do with these votes and if they even have to be counted.
If you're going to post election related stories, I'd go with:
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11/04/professor-resigns-admitting-theft-mccain-yard-signs/
Much more fodder for comment.
Dear 69: The professor is obviously too stupid to teach. (He stole McCain signs, then posted about it on HuffPo.)
I had a great time voting and being a Democrat in Austin so....maybe you don't know everything about Texas, 63 (read: you don't)
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