Can someone please explain...

[Naso]

what the hell is happening in USA?

I heard the news about the protest of Democrats, as I remember is the first time I heard something like this from States.

What will happen now?

I mean another vote, or what?

And another question:

I heard a little about miss Hilary (except for the oral problems of her husband  ), can you explain why is so hatred?

This questions are for my information, please don't start a flame, I asked just for understanding.

 

[Creamo]

Don't fret, a election means little, and regardless of the outcome, the end result is a POLITICIAN is President. We are still the strongest Nation on the planet, if things get wrong, we will save eveyones ass, AGAIN.

As far as Hilary, no one hates her more than say O.J.. They just wonder if in a brief affair with a fat intern, her Husband Bill could violate her with a cigar and think its OK, what he has done to poor Hilary after 20+ years of marriage!

I bet it's really cool sick stuff.

[Fatty]

Per Florida state law, as the final vote count is within 0.5% difference, a recount is required (there were close to 6 million votes with a difference of around 1000, more or less).  This should be completed within about 15 hours from now.

Aside from the above, there is some concern on the formatting of the ballots in south Florida.  All I can say is I wish I knew where a sample of the "confusing" ballots was so I could post a link, hopefully someone will if it comes to it.  I don't really think they will pursue this avenue if the recount confirms the original total, but we will see.

Additionally, an unknown (but less than 10,000) overseas votes will not be counted until Nov. 17th, giving them 10 days past the polling day of Nov. 7th to arrive, so long as they are postmarked by Nov. 7th.  These are not likely to make any difference, but if the recount is as close as the original, the final will not be truly official until those are counted as well.

edit note:  Not sure how close you've been following things, but the reason all of the above is so important, is without Florida, neither candidate can claim victory, with it, either has the majority they need to claim.

[This message has been edited by Fatty (edited 11-09-2000).]

[Nash]

Here's that ballot. Notice Gore listed 2nd, yet ya have to punch the number 3 hole, not two, to vote for him. For what it's worth (sign off by the Dems etc) this ballot is *illegal*.

 http://www.sun-sentinel.com/elections/palmbeachballot.html


Here's a URL showing a graph that dispays the result of that ballot:

 http://salon.com/politics/feature/2000/11/09/florida_vote/index.html

----edit----


Just want to add... there are reports of not hundreds, but thousands of votes that got disqualified because...upon realising their error, they punched another hole (for Gore)... thereby dooming their ballot to the trash can for having two votes per one card.

And I also want to say something. I must admit I'm an avid spectator of American politics. And I understand patriotism. So when I first heard of people in the parking lot, after they cast their vote for the wrong man and becoming hysterical... "wailing" when they realized thier mistake... Well, I get it. I would be outraged.

God help the guy who ends up taking office after this mess.




[This message has been edited by Nash (edited 11-09-2000).]

[SOB]

I couldn't disagree more about this "bad ballot" nonsense.  (nothing against you or your views Nash, just my opinion of the whole stink)

Look at the ballot again...it's perfectly clear, if you simply spend the time to look at what you're doing, where to punch out for which candidate...hell, there's a freaking arrow pointing to the proper hole for crying out loud.  While logically, perhaps, Al Gore is the second on the ballot, therefor he'd be the second hole, it only takes a brief inspection to show that that's not the case.

If these people felt that strongly about the voting process, they would have & should have given it more attention than a survey given to them at a grocery store.  It's just another case of people trying to blame others for their own mistakes.  If they were fortunate enough to realize their mistake before casting the ballot, they should have done the logical thing and called over one of the elections staff to ask for help.

As a side note to any conspiracy theorists out there, the ballot was designed by a registered Democrat.


SOB

[Toad]

CNN is reporting that they have tossed 19,000+ votes because people incorrectly punched TWO choices for President. That is an illegal ballot and cannot be counted.

While this is regretable, the rules are the rules. The ballots in every state are reviewed and reviewed again by the major parties. Party officials MUST "sign off" on the ballot design before the ballot is printed. The Republicans and Democrats signed off on this one in Florida.

Even my Union does the exact same thing. As a voter, YOU and YOU ALONE have the responsibility of marking your ballot correctly. Fail to do so and you lose your voice in the election.

It is too bad, but it is the only way this system can work.

However, in the macro view, this is a very, very tiny percentage of mis-marked ballots. Didn't Florida have 6+ million ballots? In a normal election, no one would even notice I suspect. However, in this one, every single vote assumes an increased importance.

I would love to know how many ballots were thrown out in the last two previous Presidential elections, both by % and total number.

[Naso]

ok, i understand better the problem now, thank you guys, and <S>!

In some way this recall me the usual end of each election day here in Italy.  

And Creamo, thanks for your Troll  

[Eagler]

This was not the first time this ballot was used. No complaints before. If the people can't read directions, who is to blame but themselves? Another spin tactic by the Democrats. What surprises me are these mystery ballots that somehow missed the first count with the numbers going for Gore. Just heard on the local news that Pinellas County just discovered "numerous" ballots that missed the first count. I have a friend who had her children with her at the voting booth. The volunteers who where distributing the ballots, gave her children half a dozen to play with while she voted! The ballots were not secured to the point I feel they should of been. If machines did the first count and machines are doing a second count and the numbers don't match, I think we need another recount. Best two out of three? I smell a democ - rat.

Eagler

[sourkraut]

Let's put the remark about folks being hysterical in context. Who reported that? A Democratic Senator. Was he actually there? Turns out where he voted didn't have a parking lot. He also claimed there were hundreds of elderly who got hysterical in the parking lot. Get real - don't you think the press would have been all over that on election day?

My parents spend winters in W. Palm Beach. Emailed my Dad today and he said he didn't think there was a real big issue with the paper ballot.

The 19000 ballots thrown out were for the entire state. I would guess that is a reasonable number of ballots out of 6 million over the entire state. I actually think that it is suprisingly low (~0.3%).

There are a couple of other accusations that are being made that are down right stupid. I am very worried about folks stating that others (never any first hand reports - ya notice?) were turned away from polling places because of a lack of ballots (but supposedly because of race). Whoever is making these accusations better damn well make sure that they are true before airing them. Otherwise we will wind up with tanks in the streets. Oh and if these accusations are in fact true, then someone better be breaking big ones into little ones soon.

Just my $0.02 worth.
Sour