Posted on 11/03/2004 5:41:01 PM PST by ambrose
Culver: No Iowa Winner Until Next Week Local Panels Count Absentee, Provisional Ballots
POSTED: 4:26 PM CST November 3, 2004 UPDATED: 5:23 PM CST November 3, 2004
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa has yet to declare a winner in the presidential election -- even though Democrat John Kerry has conceded the election to President George W. Bush.
Iowa counties, Election 2004, red/blueA breakdown of Iowa counties on Election Night 2004: Red counties went to President George W. Bush and blue counties went to Sen. John Kerry./2004/1103/3888332.jpg/2004/1103/3888332_40X30.jpg/2004/1103/3888332_60X45.jpg/2004/1103/3888332_80X60.jpg/2004/1103/3888332_120X90.jpg/2004/1103/3888332_200X150.jpgIowa counties, Election 2004
Secretary of State Chet Culver told KCCI a winner might not be officially announced for Iowa until next week.
Culver said there was a record voter turnout, with more than 1.5 million Iowans casting their ballots. That means about two-thirds of the state's registered voters cast ballots.
With all the state's 2,079 precincts reporting, Bush has 50 percent to 49 percent for Kerry. If the outcome stands, it would mark the first time Iowa has voted Republican in a presidential race since 1984.
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But there are still thousands of provisional and absentee ballots to be counted. Culver said there were more than 13,000 provisional ballots cast in 90 counties, and that number could grow. There's also up to 50,000 absentee ballots that were mailed but not returned yet.
Video: Culver Says Iowa Still In Play
"There's a chance it could change the outcome," Culver said. "Our job is not to predict how those 50,000 votes are going to break, we just count them."
Culver expects the results to be final next Tuesday.
A win for Bush or Democrat John Kerry will not change the outcome in the election, but Culver said it's important to have a correct tally in Iowa.
"We have to be very patient to make sure every vote is counted and counted accurately, and we protect every Iowan's civil rights and voting rights," Culver said.
That said, Kerry Has to garner OVER 70% of the remaining Provisional and Absentee ballots to win. I THINK THE NETWORKS CAN SAFELY SAY BUSH WON IOWA!
As long as the ballot is Post marked Nov 2 it counts, it maybe a few days to a week before any ballots mailed back Monday or Tuesday get to the state.
Somewhere there's a Dem operative with a "Nov. 2" stamp.
Only if it is a military ballot does a ballot received after 2 November have to be counted. All civilian ballots have to be in the Board of Election by midnight on the 2nd. We researched that back in 2000 with Florida. There is no leeway granted for civilian ballots and the only reason for military is federal law. States only have to count the portion of the military ballot dealing with federal elections if the ballot is postmarked after midnight of the elections.
Chet "Eddie Haskell" Culver ...
Bush margin in Iowa 12,300 not called by MSM, Kerry margin in WI 11,800 called for Kerry ---- Hmmmmmm.
Chet is a Dem; so take everything he says with a grain of salt...but he is usually fairly honest. If it's Military vote uncounted; enough said.
I don't trust this guy at all. I'm becoming very suspicious about this holdup. If it's really because of the provisional ballots, why doesn't it have the same effect on all the races? Why were they able to call Iowa for Gore four years ago when the margin of victory was only 4000 votes? Why is it only Iowa with this holdup?
There will be future elections in this state and even if the final result will have no effect on W winning, I fear the real danger in this is regarding future elections.
Culver said there were more than 13,000 provisional ballots cast in 90 counties, and that number could grow.Democratic operatives are busy printing more. Like Japanese soldiers trapped in Pacific Island Caves, they haven't heard the war is over and they're fighting on.
fyi
Chet wants to achieve higher office. The longer he drags this out and is the center of attention the more news face time he receives. Plus this serves to ingratiate himself with the Dem machine in Iowa and nationally. The effect of Iowa finally being colored red on the map next week will be muted which is his and their goal.
Anything that Chet can do to put himself in the limelight, is good for Chet. You and I both know he wants to succeed Vilsack. Yesterday morning I thought he was taking his marching orders from the sKerry campaign. Now I think he's wanting to create the illusion that he's "Fair and Balanced". It's all about his future.
Chet will be the first one to $h!+ a brick when Vilsack goes back on his word to only serve 2 terms as Governor
It would be easy but misleading to underestimate the importance of this count. It is psychologically important for people to see voting patterns change and reverse themselves in order to understand trends and momentum in national elections.
My, we're up early this am, aren't we? I've thought the same thing about Cheat. This keeps him in the limelight and makes him look like he's only trying to be fair.
Why is it only Iowa?
Why wouldn't this have the same effect on other races they've already called?
A. As long as the absentee ballot is postmarked no later than Nov. 1, 2004 and it arrives at the auditor’s office by Nov. 7, your ballot will be counted.
Culver is doing this on purpose. Last week he allowed people to vote in precincts other than where they were registered. Add Culver to list of Dems that have to go here in Iowa.
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