Thursday, November 09, 2006

50/50

In looking at the 50/50 vote splits here and across the nation, I can't help but look at the genesis of the partisan polarization that continues to afflict us. With all the screaming about the "stolen election" I have my own take.

When George Bush and Al Gore were running for President, no one really cared all that much for either of them. Gore was wooden, and Bush was, well, a Republican. Polls showed a near 50/50 split right up to the election. Magazines wrote about it, astrologers made note of it. Pundits discussed Gore's unlikability and debated Bush's intelligence.

Incredibly, the election turned up exactly that, a REAL 50/50 split, such as no one could have imagined.

Then all the shouting began. Gore suddenly became beloved, when he had not been. And conversely, Bush became hated.

Gore's people asked for a recount of only the heavily democratic counties, when the only right thing to do was recount the entire state, but every recount came up with the same thing, a virtual tie.

Of the two only one could emerge a winner, and in this case it was determined by an unbelievably small number of votes, but there was a "winner" nonetheless.

Proof that every vote really does count. Same thing is true in Humboldt County today.

It is going to be interesting to see what happens when all the votes are counted.

But for now, it looks like the Salzman/localsolutions golden touch has turned to lead.

It's a sign that bodes well for future elections.

18 comments:

  1. He we go again..........

    Thursday, November 09, 2006
    Eureka Electioneering Unifies Democratic Party
    Illegal (?) electioneering
    has election 0fficials complaining and citizens up in arms.

    Elections May be Nullified
    Potential Penalties Up to Three Years in Prison

    Nov. 9, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    HCDCC URGES CONTACTING DA
    IF ANYONE BELIEVES
    INDIVIDUALS WEARING MARINA CENTER APPAREL
    INTIMIDATED OR COERCED VOTERS
    AT POLLING PLACES ON TUESDAY

    The Democratic Central Committee has urged citizens or candidates to contact Dist. Atty. Paul Gallegos if they believe that election results were affected by individuals wearing apparel with Marine Center logos who may have intimated or coerced voters at Tuesday's polling places in Eureka. In a resolution adopted Wednesday night, the HCDCC said that by contacting Gallegos, the "legal process provided to annul the results of such an election" could be launched based on complaints of "groups impeding voters and monopolizing public lists of who has voted," as reported by the Times-Standard. Humboldt County elections official Lindsey McWilliams has said his office has received numerous complaints of what he characterized as possible illegal "electioneering" in an interview on a local television news program Wednesday night.

    "I think the Democratic Party has a place in defending the democratic process," Greg Conners, principal author of the resolution, told the HCDCC meeting before it was approved unanimously. Conners is a member of the HCDCC's Communications and Education Committee.

    The complaints cited teams of employees of the Marina Center, the commercial project proposed for the Balloon Tract on the Humboldt Bay waterfront that would be developed by the Security National Corp., owned by Rob and Cherie Arkley. The City Council is faced with a decision on whether or under what circumstances to allow the development.

    Candidates for Eureka mayor and three City Council positions were on the Tuesday ballot. Candidates for District Four on the Board of Supervisors also were on the ballot, and the development was an issue in that election as well. Poll watchers were reported as saying that the individuals wearing apparel with Marina Center logos challenged voters who wore buttons on T-shirts advocating specific candidates on the ballot.

    The resolution states:

    Whereas the legitimacy of democracy depends on elections free of intimidation and coercion as provided for by law, and

    Whereas Humboldt County elections official Lindsey McWilliams has received numerous complaints of "groups impeding voters and monopolizing public lists of who has voted" (Eureka Times-Standard, 11/8/06), including a poll worker reporting that such a group at his poll was "strung around like a gang" and were "challenging people," and

    Whereas people involved in such "groups" were wearing apparel with "Marina Center" logos identifying them as associates of Security National Corp, a development company with project approval pending before the City of Eureka, and the Security National, its affiliates and ownership, have donated to various candidates in an attempt to influence election results, and

    Whereas the California Elections Code provides the public with the means to protect democracy when intimidation and coercion become factors in close elections (citations following),

    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee encourages any person or candidate who believes the outcome of the General Election of Nov. 7, 2006, in Eureka, CA, has been changed by intimidation or coercion to step forward, contact the District Attorney and begin the legal process provided to annul the results of such an election.

    RELEVANT CALIFORNIA ELECTION CODE CITATIONS

    California Election Codes provide the affected public the right to address this situation through local Superior Courts.The following code excerpts support and amplify HCDCC's 11/08/06 resolution. Electors who may wish to pursue legal action in the case of Eureka's November 7 election should read all applicable code sections.

    Section 14223(b): "Any person may inspect the roster while voting is in progress and while votes are being counted. However, this shall not be done at a time or in a manner which will impede, interfere, or interrupt the normal process of voting"

    Section 18370: "No person, on election day, or at any time that a voter may be casting a ballot, shall, within 100 feet of a polling place (d) Do any electioneering" and that "Any person who violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor"

    Section 18540: "(a) Every person who makes use of or threatens to make use of any force, violence, or tactic of coercion or intimidation, to induce or compel any other person to vote or refrain from voting at any election or to vote or refrain from voting for any particular person or measure at any election, or because any person voted or refrained from voting at any election or voted or refrained from voting for any particular person or measure at any election is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months or two or three years" and

    b) Every person who hires or arranges for any other person to make use of or threaten to make use of any force, violence, or tactic of coercion or intimidation, to induce or compel any other person to vote or refrain from voting at any election or to vote or refrain from voting for any particular person or measure at any election, or because any person voted or refrained from voting at any election or voted or refrained from voting for any particular person or measure at any election is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months or two or three years"

    Section 16204: "An election (may be) set aside on account of eligible voters being denied the right to vote, (if) it appears that a sufficient number of voters were denied the right to vote as to change the result"

    Section 16100: "Any elector of a county, city, or of any political subdivision of either may contest any election held therein, for any of the following causes:

    e) That eligible voters who attempted to vote in accordance with the laws of the state were denied their right to vote"

    Section 16400: "When an elector contests any election he or she shall file with the clerk of the superior court having jurisdiction a written statement setting forth specifically:

    (a) The name of the contestant and that he or she is an elector of thedistrict or county, as the case may be, in which the contested election was held.

    b) The name of the defendant.

    (c) The office.

    d) The particular grounds of contest and the section of this code under which the statement is filed.

    (e) The date of declaration of the result of theelection by the body canvassing the returns thereof"

    Section 16401: "The contestant shall verify the statement of contest, as provided by Section 446 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and shall file it within the following times after the declaration of the result of the election by the body canvassing the returns thereof:

    (a) In cases other than cases of a tie, where the contest is brought on any of the grounds mentioned in subdivision (c) of Section 16100, six months.

    (b) In all cases of tie, 20 days.

    (c) In cases involving presidential electors, 10 days.

    (d) In all other cases, 30 days"

    Section 16800: "When the election is annulled or set aside on any other ground, judgment for costs shall be given in favor of contestant and against the defendant."#

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  2. incredible ! when will it ever stop?

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  3. Get a life, Greg. You guys are losing and all you can do is thrash around looking for some way to strike back at the community that is rejecting HCDCC and Progs politizing every single little bitty thing they possibly can to divide the community.

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  4. Where was Greg when the reports of unusual numbers of newly registered voters came out after the Recall election? Reports of large numbers of people moving in to rentals that had normally housed 2 or 3 people - and zip, after the election, gone. Calling for an investigation? Get real.
    Answer - nowhere.

    Where would Greg be today if those were Local Solutions sweatshirts? He'd be defending their right to be there.

    But watch out - if we have seen anything it is that Gallegos will prosecute something like this, at the demands of his backers who like to use him as a weapon, while child molesters and wife beaters go unchecked.

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  5. Gallegos is busy hanging out with the likes of Jeff Swartz and Alan Dollison. Not to mention Richard Salzman and Ken Miller!

    Gag's is busy right now going after EPD. He has his obligation to Ken Miller! He has his marching orders. The rest is just a smoke screen for the time being.

    And now Larry Glass has an obligation to Ken Miller!

    Greg is just an idiot, with a computer! An adult bed wetter. He will snivel until the cows come home.

    And it seems like DDA Klien has already stepped in it with the court (today's paper).

    Doesn't Jerry Brown take over on the 1st of January 2007!! Get down Jerry!

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  6. One thing is for sure-if Gallegos goes with this-we will make national news. You know, film at 11.

    Sure to get the attention of the new Attorney General....

    If the DAs office is just a tool for his cronies and this is highlighted by outside press-sure to get ahold of the information you have posted Rose...can we help them with the links?

    Well, well, well-go for it Greg, Ken, Richard. You guys are going down with your good buddy, Paul.

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  7. It was what? $90 to buy those 6 Marina Center sweatshirts at the party a few Thursday nights ago. They weren't checking names at the door.

    If there is going to be some investgation into election tampering lets get some actual names of actual Marina Center employees who were wearing the shirts.

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  8. The whole thing is ridiculous.

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  9. Pretty scary there on Buhnetribune with Mresquan Mark Konkler counting absentee ballots. I sure hope those puppies are counted by more that one person. Gee, where's Greg Conners on this one. He would be screaming bloody murder if say, Brian Morrisey volunteered to count absentee ballots, now wouldnt he...

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  10. Good for buhne! The truth is a powerful thing.

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  11. Mark Konkler was an advocate for the Salzman slate, especially Nan Abrams... saying of Petrolia resident Ester Saunoras' $5,000 donation that "Well they expect to unseat the 3 council incumbants in Eureka and hopefully it'll work, and every resident in this county will all be better off for it."

    I believe Mark's other main issue is election accuracy, ala Florida, so that is undoubtedly the reason he is there counting, but even he should see that buhne and others are right to question his... well, what can you say? Bias?

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  12. "Bias" seems a little tame. It's reasonable to question his integrity.

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  13. 3:28 and Rose,I WAS NOT COUNTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS.See Carolyn Crnich's post under the first thread on fred's blog.She explains exactly what I was doing.I was participating in the manual recount.And no Kelly Sanders is not involved in the vote counting process either. The times-standard photograoher never asked me what I was doing.If you are concerned about it call the elections department at 445-7481.

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  14. I believe you, mresquan. And I believe you are sincere.
    AND, given your advocacy for the slate, it is reasonable for people to ASK what you are doing, and to question whether or not there is a problem.

    The point is more the hue and cry that would be blowing the roof off if the shoe was on the other foot - kind of like what the HCDCC is doing in a fit of rage.

    But, I believe you.

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  15. FYI - From Fred's blog:
    Anonymous (Carolyn Crnich) said...
    This is just the first place I will attempt to correct the incorrect information that appeared under the photo of Mark Konkler that appeared in the Times-Standard this morning. Mr. Konkler is NOT counting absentee ballots. The panel on which he is serving is performing the required 1% manual recount of a randomly selected precinct which happens to be in McKinleyville. (Recounting the ballots voted at a precinct, already counted by machine and totals reported election night)
    Only six people who ARE employees of the Elections Department have handled absentee ballots. Mark Konkler is NOT one of them.
    Carolyn Crnich,
    Humboldt County Registrar of Voters

    5:29 PM

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  16. Thank you Rose,I am very sincere about clean and honest elections,as I know you are as well.I have been outspoken in support of the progressives running and even knocked on nearly 900 doors for Nan Abrams who is a personal friend of mine.Honest and clean elections ensure our commitment to maintaining a democracy,and I want to be a part of the assurance.This is not the first time I have worked on the recount and have been a poll worker and precinct inspector regularly over the past few years.Also,there is no reason that someone who supports the other slate cannot participate.

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  17. Well, there wasn't "another" slate, except by default - because Salzman's crew chose to run as a slate it forced people into viewing the incumbents as a "slate."

    If you mean the conservative side, it's always seemed to me that the many precinct workers I have known leaned "conservative" which is to say they were older, had jobs and families and cared about things like fair and honest elections - pretty terrible, huh? Funny thing is - most of them were really very liberal, registered as Dems, and not defined by stupid labels.

    It's only since local solutions that we have discovered that for all these years - who knew - people were not being represented, and good people were not serving or running or anything - isn't it amazing? How have we survived lo these 230 years.

    I do believe you Mark - I appreciate your earnest sincerity and your desire to see clean and honest elections. And, I am happy to post the information that sets the record straight.

    Why did Nan choose to go with Salzman

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  18. On my blog I posted a comment made by Mark on Wednesday about what he was planning to do. He invited others to participate in the recount. I doubt he then showed up to have election department workers hand him uncounted ballots.

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