RILEY (R) TO BE ANNOUNCED NEW ALABAMA GOVERNOR 11:00 A.M.

Insider Source | cww

[CWW]

Dewey Defeats Truman -- Riley to pull out victory from the jaws of defeat due to 6,000 electronic error in Baldwin County

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Last night Alabamans went to bed with the incumbent Democrat Governor announcing victory by a slim margin of 3,000 votes. I was at the Republican victory party working the Attorney General campaign when the call came in from Republican candidate Bob Riley's son telling us that 6,000 votes had been improperly counted for the democrat in Baldwin County, a Republican stronghold. This morning, I have learned that Rob Riley was right -- there was a cartridge error on one of the voting machines which will flip 6,000 votes to Republican Candidate Riley. The Probate Judge will certify the votes this morning and the Secretary of State's Office will certify Riley as the winner at approximately 12:00 p.m.

BTW, THIS IS A REPUBLICAN PICK UP OF A GOVERNOR'S SEAT!

[CWW]

GO RILEY!!!!

[6ppc]

Do we have a public source yet? I thought something was funny last night when Riley's 8 vote lead suddenly switched to a 6000 vote deficit. Also, APTs website was reporting Riley and Seigelman's numbers reversed from the numbers on the TV stations...literally identical number but with Riley's name next to the higher total and Seigelman's next to the lower total.

[commish]

The issue in 1994 was that the Absentee Ballots were never counted (at least not at first). Also there was the Truck full of Ballots that DISSAPPEARED and then REAPPEARED in the back of the lot of a company run by a big Dem Donor.

The Dems tried to get the Absentee ballots thrown out, then produce3d this truck full of UNSIGNED ballots and tried to get those counted.

[yellowhammer]

I heard it from Bob Riley himself this morning on the Rick and Bubba show.

[commish]

Rick and Bubba, Rick and Bubba, The two sexiest fat men alive!

[yellowhammer]

I finally found an article:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/11/06/politics0400EST0609.DTL

[habs4ever]

Great headline!Congrats to Alabamastan! You can now leave the house to get another carton of smokes ;-)Watch where you step!

[Larry Lucido]

LOL! Well, then, Go Riley2004!!

[commish]

And of course the Liberal SFGATE article lies outright and gets the story completely wrong. Baldwin County NEVER REPORTED the 19,000 vote number, they have said it was 12,000 all ALONG. It was MISTYPED into the computer as 19,000 in the numbers that AP sent out.

REPEAT : BALDWIN COUNTY HAS NEVER SAID SIEGELMAN HAD 19,000 VOTES, THEY HAVE SAID 12,000 THE ENTIRE TIME.

[6ppc]

Singleterm bump!

[Quilla]

Nothing would please me more that to have Siegelman defeated (except maybe seeing The Gate Band play again).

[sweet_diane]

"REPEAT : BALDWIN COUNTY HAS NEVER SAID SIEGELMAN HAD 19,000 VOTES, THEY HAVE SAID 12,000 THE ENTIRE TIME."

As a Baldwin Countian that sure makes me feel better... I couldn't help but think of all the Floriduh jokes.

Siegelman was so sure he'd won when he made his 'victory' speech. I can't wait to listen to the 'Uncle Henry' show this afternoon! (WNTM 710AM 2-3pm...followed, unfortunately, by the Paul Slimbalm show).

Roll TIDE!

[sweet_diane]

oh well... the APT site is now saying that Siegelman is ahead.

[yellowhammer]

Those are the old numbers without the Baldwin County revisions. Singleterm should be at 667,718 now.

[jbg]

http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/newsflash/get_story.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?j7499_BC_ELN--AlabamaGovernor&&news&newsflash-al
Siegelman, Riley disputing results in governor's race


By PHILLIP RAWLS
The Associated Press
11/6/02 9:50 AM


MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- With both candidates for governor claiming victory in an extraordinarily close race, Democratic incumbent Don Siegelman and Republican challenger Bob Riley sent out supporters early Wednesday to check vote totals after a dispute arose over the tally in a GOP stronghold.

While most attention was focused on coastal Baldwin County -- which could swing the election to one candidate or the other depending on which vote tally was correct -- numbers were getting a closer look across Alabama.

"We are investigating all over the state," said Siegelman spokesman Rip Andrews.

Riley aide David Azbell said GOP supporters were fanned out "to make sure our votes don't get stolen" by Siegelman. The candidate scheduled a late morning news conference.

Election officials in Republican-dominated Baldwin County originally showed Siegelman with 19,070 votes, but later reduced his tally to 12,736. The change could be enough to put Riley in the lead in the razor-thin race in which the margin of victory would be only a few thousand out of 1.3 million cast.

The dispute threw the tight race into turmoil. Siegelman declared victory at a party in Montgomery, telling supporters, "How sweet it is." Meanwhile, Riley was also declaring himself the victor, telling supporters in Talladega: "We win. Alabama's got a new day coming."

Baldwin County's initial tally put Siegelman on top 674,052 to 670,913, a margin of 3,139. The revised number put Riley in the lead 670,913 to 667,718, a margin of 3,195. Libertarian John Sophocleus polled 23,242 votes by both accounts.

The 19,070 vote total for Siegelman was given in a printout of Baldwin County votes that was provided to news organizations, including The Associated Press.

But Capt. Marvin Ussery of the Baldwin County Sheriff's Department said Siegelman's numbers were lowered after voting machine cartridges from polling places were rerun because of a suspected error. Probate Judge James Reid said the lowered number would be certified as the official result later Wednesday.

Andrews said the governor believes his original tally was correct in Baldwin County.

The dispute stirred images of the presidential election in Florida two years ago.

"Do you remember what happened in Florida and how close the vote was and the hanging chads?" Riley said.

Alabama does not have a law providing for an automatic recount in tight races. Instead, a voter can seek a recount with each county canvassing board, but it requires putting up a security bond, said Chuck Grainger, attorney for the secretary of state's office.

Rain fell across the state throughout election day and a killer tornado hit Abbeville in southeast Alabama, but with 1.3 million votes cast, the total exceeded the 1998 race for governor, when turnout was 57 percent.

Riley, 58, was a three-term congressman making his first bid for statewide office. He accused Siegelman of presiding over a corrupt administration and promised "honest change" if elected.

Siegelman, 56, built his campaign around raising money for public education by making a second attempt at passing a state lottery and raising corporate taxes.

For many voters, the lottery was the main reason to brave the weather, and it played both ways.

Montgomery construction worker Steven Law said he voted for Siegelman after working in Texas and Florida and seeing how lottery revenues have helped their schools.

"They're way ahead of us," Law said.

Mary Dueitt, a 72-year-old homemaker who voted in Deer Park in southwest Alabama, said she got disgusted with both candidates for running negative campaigns, but ended up voting for Riley because she dislikes a lottery.

"I am not for that at all," she said.

[sweet_diane]

thanks yellowhammer :)

[LowOiL]

Wow, I went to bed last night after Riley went from 2500 ahead to 5500 behind in a matter of second. I knew something was amiss right then.

I sure hope you know what you are talking about. I will confirm that I recieved my email from Riley saying everyone needs to be in B'Ham for his 11 AM statement... But what I said was still an enigma... I hope what you suggest is it.

I know I will be hooting and hollering...

[Bay Minette Redneck]

He got my vote, being how he aint a lawyer!

[sweet_diane]

Votes certified.... 12,736 Siegelman 31,052 votes in Baldwin.

[sweet_diane]

Votes certified.... 12,736 Siegelman 31,052 Riley votes in Baldwin.