Hundreds of ballots! Thrown out!
There will be a recount in Guam. Apparently more than 500 "spoiled" ballots went uncounted, which dwarfs Barack Obama's 7-vote margin of victory.
Meanwhile, in other political news yesterday: "Democrat Don Cazayoux, one of a handful of Southern candidates whom Republicans have tried to associate with Obama, won a special congressional election in a Republican district... [The race] was closely watched to see whether Obama can play the same role in GOP demonology as Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy."
Don Cazayoux had help by running against an unlikeable opponent who ran semi-insane attack ads. Woody Jenkins kept running ads accusing Cazayoux, a former prosecuter, of wanting to release drug dealers. I also didn't see any ads trying to tie Cazayoux to Obama, but if it was done mostly through the mailings, I can see the GOP being smart enough not to try that in ZIP Codes that are part of LSU or student neighborhoods. I'm just glad that damn election's over with. I got sick of seeing those two on everything. I don't know how people in Pennsylvania put up with Hillary and Obama doing this.
Posted by: Mike's brother Matt | May 4, 2008 1:57:24 PM
re Guam: normally that would be an extremely, and suspiciously, high rate of Spoiled ballots. / In this case however, it may not be.
My guess: here's the problem. On the Green Papers page, click the link (it's a PDF) that reads DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF GUAM OFFICIAL BALLOT - DELEGATES. Review the rather Odd ballot, and read the instructions at the top.
See? / They did something that should Never be tried: have voters simultaneously (a) cast an Effective presidential-preference vote (i.e. one which allocates national-convention Delegate slots) AND also (b) vote to Elect the actual such Delegates for their Preferred presidential nominee, from a Competing field of candidates for the seats.
The Instructions:
The Columns, of course, are for the PresCands & Their competing delegate wannabes. And OF COURSE a lot of voters (in a Small electorate like Guam) are going to check their PresCand at column top AND THEN CROSS OVER to vote for oner or more of their Pals running for delegate in Another candidate's Column. Thus, per the instructions, rendering the entire ballot: Spoiled.
Never do that. :)
Posted by: Joe Loy | May 4, 2008 2:45:23 PM
re Guam: normally that would be an extremely, and suspiciously, high rate of Spoiled ballots. / In this case however, it may not be.
My guess: here's the problem. On the Green Papers page, click the link (it's a PDF) that reads DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF GUAM OFFICIAL BALLOT - DELEGATES. Review the rather Odd ballot, and read the instructions at the top.
See? / They did something that should Never be tried: have voters simultaneously (a) cast an Effective presidential-preference vote (i.e. one which allocates national-convention Delegate slots) AND also (b) vote to Elect the actual such Delegates for their Preferred presidential nominee, from a Competing field of candidates for the seats.
The Instructions:
The Columns, of course, are for the PresCands & Their competing delegate wannabes. And OF COURSE a lot of voters (in a Small electorate like Guam) are going to check their PresCand at column top AND THEN CROSS OVER to vote for one or more of their Pals running for delegate in Another candidate's Column. Thus, per the (unnecessarily draconian, btw) instructions, rendering the entire ballot: Spoiled.
You can Do that with a Touchscreen DRE of course, progammatically preventing the Columnjumping. But on a Paper Ballot? Don't even Think about it. :>
Posted by: Joe Loy | May 4, 2008 2:50:44 PM
sorry for doubling. / Ignore the First; read the Second. / jl
Posted by: Joe Loy | May 4, 2008 2:52:02 PM
Re: recount- ha, I called it! (Almost as accurate a predictor as Brendan...) Too bad Indiana won't be joining in the recount fun.
Posted by: Anonymous Hoosier | May 4, 2008 8:44:05 PM