Exclusive Breaking: 1,100 Florida Voters Disenfranchised Today

Election Law Center ^ | 8-14-2012 | Christian Adams

[smoothsailing]

August 14, 2012

Exclusive Breaking: 1,100 Florida Voters Disenfranchised Today

Christian Adams

Election Law Center has learned that 1,100 Florida voters will not be able to participate in today's state primary because of snafus by the government. 300 absentee voters in Martin County (FL) and 800 in Indian River County (FL) did not receive their requested absentee ballots in time to participate in today's important primary election because the United States Post Office treated the bulk absentee ballot mailings as third class mail. The ballots were deposited by Martin and Indian River County election officials with the United States Post Office nearly three weeks ago, but the USPS office in Jacksonville treated the absentee ballot mailings as third class mail.

Some of the voters just today received their absentee ballots by mail, and today is the day of the election. According to attorneys knowledgeable with Florida election law, these ballots may not be faxed, emailed or otherwise returned electronically. That means 1,100 voters who sought to participate in the election will not be allowed to participate.

Who is running? There are primaries for United States Senate, Alan West vs. Robert Crowder, State House, County Commissioner, Sheriff, School Supervisors, and other Congressional offices. Examine a sample ballot here.

[grobdriver]

Wait - let me guess...

The Martin and Indian River Counties are heavily Republican.

[FlingWingFlyer]

With all of the ballots floating around out there these days, they might want to go down to the local Post Office, go through the trash and pick up a few.

[Elle Bee]

they want to screw Alan West

... and noting will happen to anyone who was responsible... again

.

[smoothsailing]

Yep, here’s Martin County...

Registered Voters as of 07/30/2012 | Republican: 51,078 | Democrat: 25,943 | Other: 22,170 | Total: 99,191

http://www.martinvotes.com/content.aspx?id=148

Indian River County...

Active Registered Voters
as of 08/14/2012 Republicans:43,570|Democrats:26,155|Others:20,903|Total:
90,628

http://www.voteindianriver.com/

[freeangel]

They don’t seem to mind when our soldiers are “disenfranchised”., do they?

[philman_36]

I'm very interested in the final tally now. If the spread is miraculously about 1100 votes...
Oh, my!

[Red Badger]

Democrat union thugs in the Post office just ‘happened’ to treat them as 3rd class mail..............we are a 3rd world country, now...................

[smoothsailing]

Florida absentee ballot/Allen West ping

[chris37]

They can always go to the polling place and vote...

[MrB]

They can vote on a provisional ballot as well.

Even these states with “racist” voter ID laws provide provisional ballots.

If the race is close enough to need to count the provisionals, the people can come in with proof that they’re eligible and their vote will be counted.

[smoothsailing]

They can always go to the polling place and vote...

They can vote on a provisional ballot as well.

What if they're half way around the world serving in a combat zone, what do they do then?

[smoothsailing]

No they don’t. This may be targeted at Allen West, you know he would get just about every absentee military vote.

[MrB]

Yes, I understand that the ‘rats will always try to keep the military from voting.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

No accident as I've seen it firsthand back in the 90s. All voting materials were dumped on a table at the APO with catalogs and other junk mail. I thought they would have solved the ballot stupidity by now but I don't think they have any desire to do it.

[TornadoAlley3]

Go in person and vote or fill out ballot and have someone deliver it before polls close.

[bgill]

A practice run for November?

[ScottinVA]

What if they're half way around the world serving in a combat zone, what do they do then?

This is EXACTLY why our deployed military should NOT have to depend on snail mail to receive and/or send their absentee ballots. There should be a system in place allowing them to vote online. Perhaps it could be operated through Joint Knowledge Online (JKO).

[Elle Bee]

exactly

.

[smoothsailing]

[AuH2ORepublican]

Yes, Martin County is Republican. But since today they are holding primary, not general, elections, I don’t think that disenfranchising Republicans will help Democrats.

Of course, maybe they’re trying to disenfranchise voters who would be more likely to vote for Allen West for Congress, but given that West’s opponent, Bob Crowder, is the sheriff of Martin County, and that West does not currently represent Martin County, it seems like an odd choice if one wanted to hurt West.

So I think that plain-vanilla incompetence, not electoral chicanery, is to blame here.

[smoothsailing]

Could well be, and most likely targeted at Allen West today.

[smoothsailing]

That doesn’t do a deployed soldier any good.

[arrogantsob]

It is impossible to predict the outcome of this. It is good to put people on alert for November however. So lets go all Pollyanna here and turn those lemons into lemonade.

[DBrow]

What about military ballots?

[smoothsailing]

See post #20, Allen West is clearly on the ballot in Martin County.

[smoothsailing]

Precisely.

[RedMDer]

[mazda77]

If they can get them filled out and drop them off at the Supervisor of Elections office by 7 PM they will be accepted.

[Joe Brower]

Florida Freeper

[kempster]

What the hell is wrong with Florida? It’s like a third world country within our borders. C’mon Floridians get it together. You obviously have the wrong people in your city clerk positions.

[Servant of the Cross]

I believe this is a time to count every vote and not to run out the clock. This is not a time for delay, obstruction, and procedural roadblocks. ... ManBearPigalgore

[newzjunkey]

Amazing. I’m sure this will be a national outrage that Holder will investigate. /s

[smoothsailing]

Hey Joe, have you heard anything locally about this?

[JRandomFreeper]

If they can get them filled out and drop them off at the Supervisor of Elections office by 7 PM they will be accepted.

From Afghanistan?

/johnny

[TornadoAlley3]

I am so sorry, I didn't read entire article, thought these were ballots for locals.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I understand that the Allan West competitor is being funded by some arm of the DNC National organization...that is what I heard....

[Joe Brower]

No, not a peep.

[BAW]

This makes me sad.

Someone needs to get hauled in front of Congress to explain this. .

[MinuteGal]

The buck stops with the politically-appointed Postmaster.

He should be busted and made to go back walking a dog-ridden route in his little Bermuda shorts and pith helmet.

Leni

[Red Badger]

In politics there are no coincidences............

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Just a warning to military absentee voters. Don't return your ballots back here by friendmail ( the next person going back to the states or your local area ). In the 2000 election Dems challenged any absentee ballot that had a postmark that didn't match the APO/FPO and got away with it. I've heard nothing was done to change that since then.

[Marie]

“Go in person and vote or fill out ballot and have someone deliver it before polls close.”

What you are suggesting is impossible in a combat zone.

[Marie]

Ignore my last post! I see that you figured it out.

;-)

[smoothsailing]

Good advice, HGC. Thanks for posting. :)

[seekthetruth]

Florida Freeper ping!

[longtermmemmory]

This is not an accident.

Political mail gets tagged as super priority at the post office for various constitutional issues. (freedom of speech voting etc)

[TribalPrincess2U]

I agree with this poster comment:

‘The people in Florida who wanted an absentee ballot should have received one in a timely fashion, but when it comes to your making your vote count, you don’t leave it up to the election workers. You get your ass to the polls and vote.”

[1035rep]

“If the race is close enough to need to count the provisionals, the people can come in with proof that they’re eligible and their vote will be counted.”

bttt

[smoothsailing]

How does that work for deployed soldiers?