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Florida Democrats say primary ballot instructions could confuse voters
wach ^
Posted on 8/4/2002, 2:25:04 PM by chance33_98
Florida Democrats say primary ballot instructions could confuse voters
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Tallahassee, Florida-AP -- Florida Democrats are warning of a possible repeat of the same kinds of problems that plagued the 2000 presidential election.
They say the ballot for their September tenth gubernatorial primary is potentially confusing to voters.
The ballot instructs voters to "Vote for One Pair," meaning a combined entry of governor and lieutenant governor.
But none of the candidates has chosen a running mate yet.
Democrats say a literal interpretation could cause some voters to "overvote" and nullify their choice.
A party official says he will request that the ballot's language be changed, and, if necessary, will consider court action.
On the Republican primary ballot, Governor Jeb Bush is unopposed for the Republican nomination.
TOPICS: Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: Florida
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Only confusing if they lose...
To: chance33_98
That is whay they bring it up now... if they ose, they can then say, "See? We told them last August that they were confusing... we need to recount, based on voter intention..."
Just setting the stage... no real news here ;0)
To: chance33_98
FLORIDA
O - Democrat
O - Republican
O - Communist
O - Green
X - 2 Dumb 2 Vote
To: chance33_98
The party's inability to write ballot instructions which make sense is hardly because they are unable. It is done on purpose. Much like those ballot issues where voting against an issue is actually voting for it. If the whole mess doesn't go your way, you have a vehicle to express outrage and falsehoods to taint the outcome at worst, have it nulled at best.
To: chance33_98
democrats get confused about driving to the voting booth
Comment #6 Removed by Moderator
To: chance33_98
Florida Democrats say ... ballot instructions ... confuse voters...
As do grammar school mathematics, weather reports, road maps, tobbacco label warnings, the law of gravity, the infield fly rule, 10 items or less, dilitution of precision, newspaper horoscopes, the rule of eleven, the Ruy Lopez, unintended consequences, spherical trigonometry, the definition of tort, left turn only lanes, SPF-factors and Bill Clinton's paternity.
To: Lonesome in Massachussets
Anyone stupid enough to vote democrat is going to have trouble with any written instructions, no matter how clear.
To: thucydides
I understand that in some countries they use pictographic ballots. What'll they use, a big teat overflowing with government largesse for the Rats and a Slave Driver with a bullwhip for the Pubs? A roach clip for the Libertarians?
To: thucydides
AS a point of pride, I think I have an elementary grasp of all the topics in my post, except trying to understand Bill Clinton's paternity always gives me a headache.
To: chance33_98
"--Florida Democrats say primary ballot instructions could confuse voters--"
of course if that (supposedly) does happen they will blame republicans even though DEMOCRATS designed the ballots.
If scapegoating were a virtue the liberals would be saints.
Comment #12 Removed by Moderator
To: chance33_98
...Only confusing if they lose...The instructions say "Vote for one pair", and the voter is supposed to vote, not for a pair, but for only one candidate, not for a pair of anything.
It's not confusing; the instructions clearly tell the voter to vote for two candidates.
The instructions are plain *wrong* - of course they should be changed.
To: Flashlight
But - you figured it out :)
To: chance33_98
But Flashlight isn't a Floridian or a democRAT, is he?
To: chance33_98
The sun coming up in the East will daily confuse some of these voters. Some people should not be allowed to vote. The next best thing is to allow them to disqualify themselves by voiding their ballot with stupid mistakes. Go for it.
To: The Wizard
democrats get confused about driving to the voting boothDriving to the voting booth doesn't seem to be a requirement for Dems since so many ballots are cast for people who aren't here or there. It would also be impossible for a major Dem voting block since the cemetary doesn't provide cars for voters.
To: Lonesome in Massachussets
We used to use pictographic ballots here in the US. That's how we got republican elephants and democrat donkeys and dixiecrat roosters, etc. However, the parties would never want to be honest in their pictographs, but rather seek to project a winning image. This is hard to do due to the potential for misunderstanding, so I think this is why we just ended up with animals. Were it up to me, I would pick the hyena for the democrats, and zebra for the republicans, the first for obvious reasons, the second because republicans often try to defend themselves through camouflage, but often end up preyed upon.
To: chance33_98
...But - you figured it out :) So why can't I order a couple of combos at a fast-food restaurant without screwing something up, and getting a lot of questions like "So, you want the super-size diet coke *and* you also want the medium coke, *and* you also want a McChicken combo with a regular coke. Do you want it super-sized also?".
And I have to say, "Um, no, I only wanted a total of two pops...", and so on...
To: chance33_98
Yes, it is confusing because it has writing on it.
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