Comments on: Lawmakers Expected To Dig Into Election Problems http://www.northescambia.com/2018/11/lawmakers-expected-to-dig-into-election-problems Local News for Molino, Bratt, McDavid, Century, Walnut Hill, Cantonment Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:31:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: David Huie Green http://www.northescambia.com/2018/11/lawmakers-expected-to-dig-into-election-problems/comment-page-1#comment-377184 David Huie Green Tue, 20 Nov 2018 22:38:30 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=344314#comment-377184 REGARDING: "So is this what an “under vote” is? It is odd that “under votes” only seem to be a real issue in a hand recount and mostly in Palm Beach and Broward." An undervote is a ballot showing no choice in a given race. An overvote is a ballot showing more than one choice in a given race. They only come up in hand recounts because those are the only ones counted in a hand recount. If there is clearly no vote, it is settled. If there is clearly a vote, it is counted. If there is a clear vote and clearly a stray marks, it is voted by agreed intent. If there is a clear multivote, it is rejected and no count. If there is a dispute, it is determined by a group of people who are not all of one party and they decide with their decision recorded so everyone can see and agree or disagree. Poor old Dr. Snipes in Broward county did many things wrong, but those watching her tended to agree it was due to incompetence. Her ballot form allowed a bunch of incompetent voters to not notice they weren't voting for the senatorial race. It didn't take long to realize the undervotes were real no-vote ballots, though. The paper clip on the ENTER button in Palm Beach county was also incompetence and stupidity. It happens. Other states also had problems with voting but were not so evenly divided so nobody much cared. David for better people REGARDING:
“So is this what an “under vote” is? It is odd that “under votes” only seem to be a real issue in a hand recount and mostly in Palm Beach and Broward.”

An undervote is a ballot showing no choice in a given race.
An overvote is a ballot showing more than one choice in a given race.

They only come up in hand recounts because those are the only ones counted in a hand recount.

If there is clearly no vote, it is settled.
If there is clearly a vote, it is counted.
If there is a clear vote and clearly a stray marks, it is voted by agreed intent.
If there is a clear multivote, it is rejected and no count.
If there is a dispute, it is determined by a group of people who are not all of one party and they decide with their decision recorded so everyone can see and agree or disagree.

Poor old Dr. Snipes in Broward county did many things wrong, but those watching her tended to agree it was due to incompetence. Her ballot form allowed a bunch of incompetent voters to not notice they weren’t voting for the senatorial race. It didn’t take long to realize the undervotes were real no-vote ballots, though.

The paper clip on the ENTER button in Palm Beach county was also incompetence and stupidity. It happens.

Other states also had problems with voting but were not so evenly divided so nobody much cared.

David for better people

]]> By: Wilykyote http://www.northescambia.com/2018/11/lawmakers-expected-to-dig-into-election-problems/comment-page-1#comment-377117 Wilykyote Mon, 19 Nov 2018 20:38:37 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=344314#comment-377117 So.....turns out there were missing ballots down in Broward County....the Supervisor of Elections has resigned ( prolly get fired anyway ) and the Turn-out was right at 70% for Democrats Gillum & Nelson and some others. So…..turns out there were missing ballots down in Broward County….the
Supervisor of Elections has resigned ( prolly get fired anyway ) and the
Turn-out was right at 70% for Democrats Gillum & Nelson and some others.

]]> By: Dale Flowers http://www.northescambia.com/2018/11/lawmakers-expected-to-dig-into-election-problems/comment-page-1#comment-377022 Dale Flowers Sat, 17 Nov 2018 23:08:08 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=344314#comment-377022 Thank you, M in Bratt. I am better informed now. Thank you, M in Bratt. I am better informed now.

]]> By: M in Bratt http://www.northescambia.com/2018/11/lawmakers-expected-to-dig-into-election-problems/comment-page-1#comment-377011 M in Bratt Sat, 17 Nov 2018 19:36:52 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=344314#comment-377011 @Dale; Yours is a very informative post, but some errors. There are no "hanging chad" punch card machines left in Fl. They were all replaced after the first debacle in Palm Beach County,. ie; Gore Bush election. There is standardization in Fl. voting machines as they all have to have and retain a paper ballot, and none have been used in more than a few elections. There is standardization of how the under votes and over votes are to be evaluated, how mail in's are to be evaluated, time limits on counts, deadlines on counts etc. These standards are codified in the Fl. Statutes. What we need is some severe penalties for anybody that tries to bend the law in any candidates favor. We can go through a litany of things Snipes has done to interfere with a accurate and timely count, the latest being the technicians that flew in to work on the machines caught workers intentionally feeding paper clips into the machines to jam them and burn up the motors. Lock em Up @Dale; Yours is a very informative post, but some errors. There are no “hanging chad” punch card machines left in Fl. They were all replaced after the first debacle in Palm Beach County,. ie; Gore Bush election. There is standardization in Fl. voting machines as they all have to have and retain a paper ballot, and none have been used in more than a few elections. There is standardization of how the under votes and over votes are to be evaluated, how mail in’s are to be evaluated, time limits on counts, deadlines on counts etc. These standards are codified in the Fl. Statutes. What we need is some severe penalties for anybody that tries to bend the law in any candidates favor. We can go through a litany of things Snipes has done to interfere with a accurate and timely count, the latest being the technicians that flew in to work on the machines caught workers intentionally feeding paper clips into the machines to jam them and burn up the motors. Lock em Up

]]> By: Dale Flowers http://www.northescambia.com/2018/11/lawmakers-expected-to-dig-into-election-problems/comment-page-1#comment-377004 Dale Flowers Sat, 17 Nov 2018 17:48:20 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=344314#comment-377004 My understanding of this thing about the "under votes" and "over votes" is incomplete. I never paid much attention to it but after hearing the TV folks talk about it and doing a little Googling what I now understand about it is that "over voting" is when a voter marks more than one candidate per office. In that case the voting machine rejects those particular votes and in a hand recount it is also discarded. An "under vote" is the case where the voter, by error or by choice, does not indicate a choice for any candidate. In this case the voting machine registers no votes for any particular candidate. But the rub is that in a hand recount it is kind of up to the election supervisor I think. The supervisor can simply look at the ballot, see no vote and then count no vote. And as all 67 Florida counties can use whatever type of voting machine their budget allows and design their own ballots as to placement of candidates and the use of "fill in the dot" or "complete the slot" with a felt tip pen or use a stylus to poke out a chad, if there is an "under vote" the election supervisor can take it upon themselves to divine the voter's intention and complete the ballot where there are "blank votes"...that is, if there is the merest dent in the paper at or near a chad, or smudge of ink near a particular candidate because some person may have had difficulty coloring between the lines or following directions. So is this what an "under vote" is? It is odd that "under votes" only seem to be a real issue in a hand recount and mostly in Palm Beach and Broward. In past elections I have deliberately under voted on a few offices/candidates I cared nothing about or knew nothing about. I simply withheld my vote. That was my intention. I am happy I live in Escambia county where the election supervisor doesn't play voodoo with my vote. It's time for some standardization in the voting process across the counties. Time for more transparency and stiffer penalties too. I'd like to see election supervisors graded on their job performance and let the chips fall where they may in terms of their paychecks, retention and scrutiny for criminal prosecution. My understanding of this thing about the “under votes” and “over votes” is incomplete. I never paid much attention to it but after hearing the TV folks talk about it and doing a little Googling what I now understand about it is that “over voting” is when a voter marks more than one candidate per office. In that case the voting machine rejects those particular votes and in a hand recount it is also discarded. An “under vote” is the case where the voter, by error or by choice, does not indicate a choice for any candidate. In this case the voting machine registers no votes for any particular candidate. But the rub is that in a hand recount it is kind of up to the election supervisor I think. The supervisor can simply look at the ballot, see no vote and then count no vote. And as all 67 Florida counties can use whatever type of voting machine their budget allows and design their own ballots as to placement of candidates and the use of “fill in the dot” or “complete the slot” with a felt tip pen or use a stylus to poke out a chad, if there is an “under vote” the election supervisor can take it upon themselves to divine the voter’s intention and complete the ballot where there are “blank votes”…that is, if there is the merest dent in the paper at or near a chad, or smudge of ink near a particular candidate because some person may have had difficulty coloring between the lines or following directions. So is this what an “under vote” is? It is odd that “under votes” only seem to be a real issue in a hand recount and mostly in Palm Beach and Broward. In past elections I have deliberately under voted on a few offices/candidates I cared nothing about or knew nothing about. I simply withheld my vote. That was my intention. I am happy I live in Escambia county where the election supervisor doesn’t play voodoo with my vote. It’s time for some standardization in the voting process across the counties. Time for more transparency and stiffer penalties too. I’d like to see election supervisors graded on their job performance and let the chips fall where they may in terms of their paychecks, retention and scrutiny for criminal prosecution.

]]> By: Wilykyote http://www.northescambia.com/2018/11/lawmakers-expected-to-dig-into-election-problems/comment-page-1#comment-376988 Wilykyote Sat, 17 Nov 2018 14:19:42 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=344314#comment-376988 I’d get rid of coloring (completely ) in an OVAL to putting an “X” in a big box I’d also say if you show a pictured proof of address & who you are then signing shouldn’t be needed . I’d hold Amendments to 5 maximum and single issue only. I’d have 2 weeks of voting (Monday thru Saturday) instead of the thought (By many) of “VOTE DAY”. I’d require all candidates to state party affiliation or NPA . At the top of the ballot write your Name,Address, and date of birth. I’d then give Elections Offices until the next Friday to submit their FINAL results after the final day of voting . I’d have the Attorney General prosecute any Election Officials/employees breaking our Election Laws. I’d get rid of coloring (completely ) in an OVAL to putting an “X” in a big box
I’d also say if you show a pictured proof of address & who you are then signing
shouldn’t be needed . I’d hold Amendments to 5 maximum and single issue
only. I’d have 2 weeks of voting (Monday thru Saturday) instead of the thought
(By many) of “VOTE DAY”. I’d require all candidates to state party affiliation or
NPA . At the top of the ballot write your Name,Address, and date of birth. I’d then
give Elections Offices until the next Friday to submit their FINAL results after the
final day of voting . I’d have the Attorney General prosecute any Election
Officials/employees breaking our Election Laws.

]]> By: Grand Locust http://www.northescambia.com/2018/11/lawmakers-expected-to-dig-into-election-problems/comment-page-1#comment-376970 Grand Locust Sat, 17 Nov 2018 12:27:27 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=344314#comment-376970 Twenty five years ago, you never heard the national media making fun of Florida. How did we become the joke state in America? Elections are close in Florida. Recounts should be much more efficient and transparent. I just do not expect improvements. We have some of the goofiest people moving to the state as every misfit in America figures that Florida is messed up and they figure they will fit right in............mass shootings, people driving into houses, and that Florida guy making the news every week. Twenty five years ago, you never heard the national media making fun of Florida. How did we become the joke state in America? Elections are close in Florida. Recounts should be much more efficient and transparent. I just do not expect improvements. We have some of the goofiest people moving to the state as every misfit in America figures that Florida is messed up and they figure they will fit right in…………mass shootings, people driving into houses, and that Florida guy making the news every week.

]]> By: M in Bratt http://www.northescambia.com/2018/11/lawmakers-expected-to-dig-into-election-problems/comment-page-1#comment-376964 M in Bratt Sat, 17 Nov 2018 11:02:44 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=344314#comment-376964 I'm not sure we need to add more laws, We need to add severe penalties for Supervisors of Election that don't adhere to the laws that are in place. I’m not sure we need to add more laws, We need to add severe penalties for Supervisors of Election that don’t adhere to the laws that are in place.

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