Missing Votes Break Florida Law!
Latest Status:
(Washington, DC) - Congressman Robert Wexler will hold a press conference this Monday, March 8, 2004 in front of the United States District Courthouse in West Palm Beach to announce the filing of his federal lawsuit over ballot printers. Wexler will be joined in his suit by Palm Beach County Commissioners Burt Aaronson and Addie Greene. The suit is being filed citing the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution and the precedent set by Bush v. Gore in the 2000 presidential election. Wexler claims that it is unconstitutional for 52 counties in Florida to have a means to conduct a recount, while 15 other Florida counties with touch-screen voting machines have a paperless system not allowing for one. More here
Related story: March 9 Atlantic City Council race ends in dispute
41 votes not recorded on paperless voting systems, and a race that ended in a 4-vote separation between winner and loser; recount impossible. More here
BACKGROUND STORIES:
Wexler Warned Secretary Hood Six Months Ago of Election Law Loophole
(Washington, D.C.) As controversy deepens over the recent special election for Florida House District 91, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) today expressed shock at the Florida Division of Elections seeming ignorance of state law governing manual recounts. According to an article in today's Palm Beach Post regarding the inability to count dozens of ballots that are recorded with no choice made, the Division of Elections claimed that "...this is the first time the manual recount issue has come up with touch screens."
January 9, 2004 Representative Wexler's Press Release is here
January 10, 2004 Wexler Warned Secretary Hood Six Months Ago of Election Law Loophole
January 13, 2004 Wexler Urges Governor Bush to Join Fight For Ballot Printers
Related stories:
Sun Sentinal opposes paper trail...
January 9 2004
Recount confirms Bogdanoff's victory in House race
Despite the fact that this failure of the electronic voting machines to accurately count the votes, and despite the fact that this failure thereby prevents Broward County from being able to satisfy the terms of election law (electoral wins by less than 1/4 percent of the vote MUST be recounted to verify the winner!), the Sun Sentinal has the nerve to write this on January 5 2004: Don't Require Paper Ballots. It is clear that the editors of the Sun Sentinal simply do not have a grasp of the requirements of Florida Election Law, nor do they understand the clear and undistinguishable evidence. These electronic voting systems are flawed and MUST BE FIXED!
Subsequent to the above outrageous editorial, Congressman Wexler penned the following response:
January 10, 2004
Not an exercise in expediency
January 13 2004
Tight Florida House race reveals flaws in Broward voting machines
January 13 2004
Bogdanoff certified as 12-vote winner
January 17 2004
Rep. Wexler sues in push for ballot printouts
Here is coverage from the Miami Herald. We praise them for their astute journalism, and editorial support for a paper trail.
Wed, Jan. 07, 2004
Votes from 134 residents were not counted
Fri, Jan. 09, 2004
Recount reminder of 2000 election
A recount in the state House District 91 race harkened back to the more infamous 2000 recount in Broward, and drew some of the same national attention.
Sat, Jan. 10, 2004
Board delays certifying vote
Left frustrated by confusing state instructions for a recount, Broward's canvassing board decided not to certify a House election until it has written guidelines from Tallahassee.
Tue, Jan. 13, 2004
Prevent future election debacles in Florida
OUR OPINION: ADD PAPER TRAIL OF VOTES TO ELECTRONIC VOTING PROCESS
Palm Beach Post
Saturday, January 10, 2004
Board votes to certify House 91 results
January 27, 2004
Paper-trail hearing set for Feb. 6
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