Woops We did it again...Fla. Democrats Say Ballot Confusing

Doglips · 08-04-2002, 12:24 PM

Ok I post a lot of Calf bashing news...can help it they do goofee stuff....but as a native floridan I will admit that at least they can count and vote.....

Fla. Democrats Say Ballot Confusing
published 07:46 AM - AUGUST 04, 2002 Eastern Time

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ The ballot for the high-profile Democratic gubernatorial primary has confusing instructions that could cause the same problems that marked the 2000 presidential election, Democrats said Saturday.

The ballot instructs voters to "Vote for One Pair," meaning a combined entry of governor and lieutenant governor, though none of the candidates has chosen a running mate.

Voters who took the instruction literally would "overvote" and nullify their choice, Democrats said.

Under the names of gubernatorial candidates Daryl Jones, Bill McBride and Janet Reno, the ballot reads "Not Yet Designated" in place of a lieutenant governor candidate.

Party chairman Bob Poe said Saturday he would ask Secretary of State Jim Smith on Monday to change the ballot language. Smith's office was closed Saturday and phone messages were not returned.

Poe also said the party is considering court action.

"This confusing language poses a serious threat to the integrity of the primary ballot," Poe said.

Poe said the language needs to be changed quickly because ballots are being mailed to overseas voters now for the Sept. 10 primary. Gov. Jeb Bush is unopposed for the Republican nomination.

New voting systems put in place after the 2000 presidential race catch overvotes and allow voters to correct them. Computerized "touch screen" voting machines in 15 counties make it impossible to vote twice. And new scanners in 52 counties with paper ballots detect "overvotes" before voters leave the polls.

The impact would mostly fall on thousands of absentee voters in all 67 counties because there is no mechanism that would catch an overvote, Democrats said.

Sarah Jane Bradshaw, assistant director of the office's elections division, said she wrote the new wording to replace language that was even more confusing.

"I feel very confident that we will be addressing and fine-tuning the rules after the election," Bradshaw told the St. Petersburg Times. "Election law is an ongoing process."

The instructions "Vote for Group" and "Vote for One Group" is blamed for prompting thousands of Floridians to vote for more than one presidential ticket in November 2000.

About 113,000 Floridians nullified their ballots with overvotes in the race between George W. Bush and Al Gore. More than 59,000 of those voters lived in counties where ballots told them to vote for a "group." Bush won by 537 votes.

"The whole world is watching us. A mistake like this is a total embarrassment for the state," said Nicole Harburger, campaign spokeswoman for Reno. "This ballot virtually guarantees that people in Florida will be overvoting and that ballots will be lost in the process."

"It's just incredible that they're screwing up another one," McBride campaign spokesman Alan Stonecipher said.

Hillsborough County on Saturday held a mock election to test its new touchscreen voting machines. The machines cost $12 million and are the first change in the voting routine in 26 years in the county, which has 516,000 registered voters and includes the city of Tampa.

Klaus · 08-04-2002, 01:19 PM

Harburger is wrong. It is not an embarassment for the state when the goofy Dems keep screwing up ballots; it is an embarassment for the Democrats.

wes · 08-04-2002, 01:22 PM

How hard can it be? "You want this guy? YES or NO!

8mm Vigilante · 08-04-2002, 05:44 PM

i guess this proves it, Democrats are idiots, and morons of the highest order!!!!

Sniper[MI] · 08-04-2002, 07:58 PM

How stupid can a person be to mis vote after all the BS the last time. And how stupid are the Dems creating another confusing ballot to stupid people.

ltcboy · 08-04-2002, 10:30 PM

Only in Fla. could this happen.

Oxford · 08-05-2002, 11:52 AM

To "vote for one pair" requires candidates to be listed together on the ballot, or else you pick two different individuals you want to pair up for your vote. That's about as simple as it can be said.

Florida's getting ready to screw up their elections again after overhauling their ballot system for over a year. Can't wait to see who gets s c rew ed this time.

Oxford
:nod:

Chris · 08-05-2002, 02:25 PM

well maybe it should be like this Nov 6:

If you like Reno put the blue circle in the sqaure hole*

*It may not fit, this means you are screwed

Oxford · 08-05-2002, 02:42 PM

Now if they were colorblind like me they'd unable to find blue if it was mixed in with grey or green or even purple sometimes.

Guess that's another ballot screwed up, too.

Oxford:nod:

Doglips · 08-05-2002, 02:54 PM

Oxford · 08-05-2002, 02:59 PM

Now that's a keeper ballot. One blue triangular ballot going into a blue triangular hole. That's even colorblind proof.

Chris · 08-05-2002, 04:04 PM

I like it!! I knew someone always thought something before I did!! LOL!!

Oxford · 08-05-2002, 06:27 PM

Yeah...we're part of the self appointed think tank on g&G.com. This is the kind of quality task force results we get with our blue ribbon beer committee.

Oxford :nod:

Big Dog · 08-06-2002, 07:32 AM

As a registered voter in the great state of Florida, I had no problem voting for who I wanted (NOT GORE!), and nobody I know here in Tallytown had any problem. If a small group of people in one small area have a problem, it's not the system. Find out why these few people can't get their **** together.
If they can't get it, let 'em try again in four years.

Oxford · 08-06-2002, 09:31 AM

Big Dog: No personal offense was meant by our above joking. I'm sure you're right in your implied comment that the majority of Floridians didn't have a problem voting.

However, the few that did get confused from one part of the great state of Florida seemed to have caused a lot of questions to be raised in the accuracy of the total vote count. I'm confident that your election officials have worked hard and long on solving that problem.

Oxford :nod:

Big Dog · 08-06-2002, 02:19 PM

No offense, Oxford. We just get kinda tired down here of those jokes still popping up on TV about Florida voting. A few idiots really messed things up. There were mistakes made on both sides of the political fence. We just wonder why all the hoopla over a system that has worked in most of the country for many years. In the county where the trouble occured, they had instituted a new system for people who apparently had some trouble understanding the old system. The new "Butterfly Ballots" confused them even more. It'll be interesting to see what happens with this newer system. There are plans to eventually go with a "touch screen" computerized terminal system. Lots of room for FUBARs there, for sure.

Doglips · 08-06-2002, 07:31 PM

Big Dog I dont mind the jokes because when the Darn yankees move down here and go "Well I was makeing $25 an hour as a janator in a union company" we get to smile and go welp we will pay you $6...oh the look on their faces is priceless.

08-04-2002, 12:24 PM	#1
Doglips Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cocoa Florida Posts: 9,089	Woops We did it again...Fla. Democrats Say Ballot Confusing Ok I post a lot of Calf bashing news...can help it they do goofee stuff....but as a native floridan I will admit that at least they can count and vote..... Fla. Democrats Say Ballot Confusing published 07:46 AM - AUGUST 04, 2002 Eastern Time TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ The ballot for the high-profile Democratic gubernatorial primary has confusing instructions that could cause the same problems that marked the 2000 presidential election, Democrats said Saturday. The ballot instructs voters to "Vote for One Pair," meaning a combined entry of governor and lieutenant governor, though none of the candidates has chosen a running mate. Voters who took the instruction literally would "overvote" and nullify their choice, Democrats said. Under the names of gubernatorial candidates Daryl Jones, Bill McBride and Janet Reno, the ballot reads "Not Yet Designated" in place of a lieutenant governor candidate. Party chairman Bob Poe said Saturday he would ask Secretary of State Jim Smith on Monday to change the ballot language. Smith's office was closed Saturday and phone messages were not returned. Poe also said the party is considering court action. "This confusing language poses a serious threat to the integrity of the primary ballot," Poe said. Poe said the language needs to be changed quickly because ballots are being mailed to overseas voters now for the Sept. 10 primary. Gov. Jeb Bush is unopposed for the Republican nomination. New voting systems put in place after the 2000 presidential race catch overvotes and allow voters to correct them. Computerized "touch screen" voting machines in 15 counties make it impossible to vote twice. And new scanners in 52 counties with paper ballots detect "overvotes" before voters leave the polls. The impact would mostly fall on thousands of absentee voters in all 67 counties because there is no mechanism that would catch an overvote, Democrats said. Sarah Jane Bradshaw, assistant director of the office's elections division, said she wrote the new wording to replace language that was even more confusing. "I feel very confident that we will be addressing and fine-tuning the rules after the election," Bradshaw told the St. Petersburg Times. "Election law is an ongoing process." The instructions "Vote for Group" and "Vote for One Group" is blamed for prompting thousands of Floridians to vote for more than one presidential ticket in November 2000. About 113,000 Floridians nullified their ballots with overvotes in the race between George W. Bush and Al Gore. More than 59,000 of those voters lived in counties where ballots told them to vote for a "group." Bush won by 537 votes. "The whole world is watching us. A mistake like this is a total embarrassment for the state," said Nicole Harburger, campaign spokeswoman for Reno. "This ballot virtually guarantees that people in Florida will be overvoting and that ballots will be lost in the process." "It's just incredible that they're screwing up another one," McBride campaign spokesman Alan Stonecipher said. Hillsborough County on Saturday held a mock election to test its new touchscreen voting machines. The machines cost $12 million and are the first change in the voting routine in 26 years in the county, which has 516,000 registered voters and includes the city of Tampa.

08-04-2002, 01:19 PM	#2
Klaus Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cypress, Texas Posts: 2,383	Harburger is wrong. It is not an embarassment for the state when the goofy Dems keep screwing up ballots; it is an embarassment for the Democrats. __________________ "Gee, Wally, Eddie Haskel's mom puts out!"

08-04-2002, 05:44 PM	#4
8mm Vigilante Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: South of Sanity Posts: 498	i guess this proves it, Democrats are idiots, and morons of the highest order!!!! __________________ Never succumb to tyranny Refuse/Resist! Mauser Kar98k 7.92x57 "Retreat?, Retreat hell, we just got here!!!!"

08-04-2002, 07:58 PM	#5
Sniper[MI] Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Future 51st state, "New Hope" Posts: 3,796	add to that How stupid can a person be to mis vote after all the BS the last time. And how stupid are the Dems creating another confusing ballot to stupid people. __________________ FNUH!

08-04-2002, 10:30 PM	#6
ltcboy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chicagoland area Posts: 496	Only in Fla. could this happen. __________________ Up Bin Laden's ***!

08-04-2002, 01:22 PM	#3
wes Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Loveland Co Posts: 1,906	How hard can it be? "You want this guy? YES or NO!

08-05-2002, 11:52 AM	#7
Oxford Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gladstone, Missouri Posts: 13,021 Blog Entries: 4	To "vote for one pair" requires candidates to be listed together on the ballot, or else you pick two different individuals you want to pair up for your vote. That's about as simple as it can be said. Florida's getting ready to screw up their elections again after overhauling their ballot system for over a year. Can't wait to see who gets s c rew ed this time. Oxford :nod: __________________ "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right".

08-05-2002, 02:25 PM	#8
Chris HMFIC Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,834,165 Images: 19 Blog Entries: 18	well maybe it should be like this Nov 6: If you like Reno put the blue circle in the sqaure hole* *It may not fit, this means you are screwed __________________ Rules \| Contributing Members No one has the right to deny my personal safety Please be descriptive in your thread titles!

08-05-2002, 02:42 PM	#9
Oxford Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gladstone, Missouri Posts: 13,021 Blog Entries: 4	That's not colorblind friendly (ha) Now if they were colorblind like me they'd unable to find blue if it was mixed in with grey or green or even purple sometimes. Guess that's another ballot screwed up, too. Oxford:nod: __________________ "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right".

08-05-2002, 02:59 PM	#11
Oxford Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gladstone, Missouri Posts: 13,021 Blog Entries: 4	Now that's a keeper ballot. One blue triangular ballot going into a blue triangular hole. That's even colorblind proof. __________________ "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right".

08-05-2002, 04:04 PM	#12
Chris HMFIC Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,834,165 Images: 19 Blog Entries: 18	I like it!! I knew someone always thought something before I did!! LOL!! __________________ Rules \| Contributing Members No one has the right to deny my personal safety Please be descriptive in your thread titles!

08-05-2002, 06:27 PM	#13
Oxford Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gladstone, Missouri Posts: 13,021 Blog Entries: 4	Yeah...we're part of the self appointed think tank on g&G.com. This is the kind of quality task force results we get with our blue ribbon beer committee. Oxford :nod: __________________ "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right".

08-06-2002, 07:32 AM	#14
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,205	What's the problem? As a registered voter in the great state of Florida, I had no problem voting for who I wanted (NOT GORE!), and nobody I know here in Tallytown had any problem. If a small group of people in one small area have a problem, it's not the system. Find out why these few people can't get their **** together. If they can't get it, let 'em try again in four years. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

08-06-2002, 09:31 AM	#15
Oxford Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gladstone, Missouri Posts: 13,021 Blog Entries: 4	The Florida voting problem shouldn't happen again Big Dog: No personal offense was meant by our above joking. I'm sure you're right in your implied comment that the majority of Floridians didn't have a problem voting. However, the few that did get confused from one part of the great state of Florida seemed to have caused a lot of questions to be raised in the accuracy of the total vote count. I'm confident that your election officials have worked hard and long on solving that problem. Oxford :nod: __________________ "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right".

08-06-2002, 02:19 PM	#16
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,205	No offense, Oxford. We just get kinda tired down here of those jokes still popping up on TV about Florida voting. A few idiots really messed things up. There were mistakes made on both sides of the political fence. We just wonder why all the hoopla over a system that has worked in most of the country for many years. In the county where the trouble occured, they had instituted a new system for people who apparently had some trouble understanding the old system. The new "Butterfly Ballots" confused them even more. It'll be interesting to see what happens with this newer system. There are plans to eventually go with a "touch screen" computerized terminal system. Lots of room for FUBARs there, for sure. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

08-06-2002, 07:31 PM	#17
Doglips Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cocoa Florida Posts: 9,089	Big Dog I dont mind the jokes because when the Darn yankees move down here and go "Well I was makeing $25 an hour as a janator in a union company" we get to smile and go welp we will pay you $6...oh the look on their faces is priceless.