60,000 Missing Absentee Ballots in Florida

[fearfulone]

Long lines, busy signals fuel voting frustration in Broward

By Jean-Paul Renaud

Staff Writer

Posted October 27 2004

The Broward County Supervisor of Elections Office pointed a finger at the U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday for nearly 60,000 missing absentee ballots, but took the blame for having a phone system that was being overwhelmed by calls from frustrated voters.

While the post office denied responsibility for the missing ballots, Broward County commissioners, anxious to avoid another failed election, offered to send county employees to help with the phones. Dozens of employees could begin assisting the elections office today to answer telephone calls and to process voters at the 14 early voting sites.

"What we are seeing is unprecedented, so if the supervisor of elections needs our help, we will help," County Mayor Ilene Lieberman said. "It's a week to the election, and voting is a basic right in our country."

Just six days away from the general election, the Supervisor of Elections Office has fielded hundreds of complaints from people that have yet to receive their absentee ballot. Countless more have been unable to get through to election officials to complain or get their questions answered.

"I tried for the last week or so to call the elections office and it's just busy continually," said Paula Zubatkin, 70, whose four-week-old request for an absentee ballot has gone unanswered. "I want to vote."

Election officials also said they launched an investigation and found that many of the missing ballots -- 58,000 of them -- were sent on Oct. 7 and Oct 8. The problem, they say, lies with the post office.

"That is something beyond our control," Deputy Supervisor of Elections Gisela Salas said. "We really have no idea what's going on. It's just taken an extraordinary amount of time. I would really encourage people to use early voting."

Post office officials say they are not at fault.

"We have employees that we assign to handle the absentee ballots that come in," said Enola C. Rice, spokeswoman for the Postal Service's South Florida District. "So all the absentee ballots that are received by the Postal Service are processed and delivered immediately."

She said most local mail is delivered in one day.

Some, like 68-year-old Myrna Davis, depended on her absentee ballot to vote. The Sunrise resident's husband has an artificial hip. After they waited weeks for an absentee ballot, they decided to go to an early voting site. But after a three-hour wait in line, they gave up.

"The heat was too great," Davis said. "Although there was air conditioning, there were so many people there, I couldn't tolerate it."

Local college students attending Florida State University in Tallahassee are frustrated because they have yet to receive absentee ballots and are unable to reach officials in Broward County. They have been calling Leon County's supervisor of elections, where the university is, to ask for help.

"Students have told us that they can't communicate with Broward County right now," said Ion Sancho, Leon County's supervisor of elections. "The only way that they can ask for an absentee ballot is electronically to Broward County: E-mail, fax or Web services."

Those living out of town can call Broward election officials and request another ballot, which officials said will be sent through overnight mail.

As of Tuesday, 126,220 absentee ballots have been requested from Broward County elections officials and 67,249 people have voted early, Salas said.

Broward election officials say they are overwhelmed. Their phone lines were never equipped to handle the volume of calls they have experienced, they say, and they blame their limitations on the confined spaces within the county administration building.

"It's a real, real problem," Salas said.

County officials say the elections office, which oversees more than 1 million voters, has 158 available lines. But throughout the day, voters who call the office are greeted by busy signals or filled voicemails.

"They're inundated, they're inundated," Salas said. "My phone mail is constantly full. I clear my voice mails twice a day and I have 30 each time."

In comparison, the Miami-Dade elections office, which manages slightly fewer registered voters, has 400 available lines, according to Seth Kaplan of Miami-Dade elections.

The possibility of adding more phone lines or staff before Nov. 2, election officials say, looks dim. Salas said there would be about 6,000 poll workers on Election Day. Miami-Dade will have 7,000, Kaplan said.

"I don't know that we could get any more people and more resources," Salas said. "At this point in time, training is coming to a close. Clerks are picking up their supplies on Friday. Everything is wrapping up by now."

At the Southwest Regional Library in Pembroke Pines, crowds swelled to the point where library officials asked for relief.

"The crowds had jammed the space," said Bob Cannon, director of Broward County's library system. "It's a mob scene. We asked the supervisor of elections to look at the problem. They rearranged the lines."

Pete Corwin, assistant to County Administrator Roger Desjarlais, said the problem at the early voting locations was not caused by a lack of voting machines, but rather a lack of laptop computers and poll workers to process the voters.

At Howard Forman Health Park in Pembroke Pines, the wait was about 2 1/2 hours by the afternoon.

Arlene Ruotolo, of Cooper City, said she requested an absentee ballot but never received it.

"I was not expecting such long lines," she said. "I went to the Hollywood courthouse this morning, and the line was even longer. I left because they were all standing in the sun."

Source

We all ready for a supreme court fight again?

dag nabbit, we're not going to know who's president until december again...

[Independent1]

Quick, John Kerry, call out the lawyers!!!

[girty1600]

That little project is already on the launching pad.

[Fluffybunny]

And do you guys honestly think that the republicans don't have their own attorneys there?

[4dplane]

It always seems when the Democrats show a little sign of muscle, Republicans get all bent out of shape over it. Why is this, why is it ok for the Republicans to play dirty but not the Democrats? It seems like Republicans think that their party is moral correct and can do know wrong, thus it’s ok if they play hard ball and break the rules because they have morals - they’re the good people who can commit acts of evil but still be fundamental good. Hmmmm… To me the Devil is at work here, convincing the masses that Bush and his cronies are morally correct when in the truth, they are obviously the work of pure evil. Remember that past – people who are righteous in front of the lord are surly to be doomed.

Edited October 30, 2004 by 4dplane

[stillcrazy]

Hey does anyone know where I can stash a truck load of ballots?

How the heck do you loose 60,000 of those buggers?

A box of 100 empty standard envelopes is a few inches thick, times that by a regular ballot it adds double the width, now times that by 600 boxes and thats a big pile to misplace.

[lego jedi]

Its politics which is never about the best man for the job, or what the people want, it is about who can manipulate cheat and kill there way to the top spot.

[vimjams]

Its politics which is never about the best man for the job, or what the people want, it is about who can manipulate cheat and kill there way to the top spot.

lego jedi...You took the words right out of my mouth.

And Stillcrazy...Isn't the word 'bugger' meant to be a rude word ?

I'd get a suspension if I had used it.

Vimjams

[Blood Angel]

Bugger isn't a bad word, i say bugger all the time....o_o

[Method]

I stole them, Al Gore helped me and John Kerry is suing me.

[Independent1]

And do you guys honestly think that the republicans don't have their own attorneys there?

329751[/snapback]

I am sure they do.

[Independent1]

It always seems when the Democrats show a little sign of muscle, Republicans get all bent out of shape over it. Why is this, why is it ok for the Republicans to play dirty but not the Democrats?  It seems like Republicans think that their party is moral correct and can do know wrong, thus it’s ok if they play hard ball and break the rules because they have morals - they’re the good people who can commit acts of evil but still be fundamental good. Hmmmm… To me the Devil is at work here, convincing the masses that Bush and his cronies are morally correct when in the truth, they are obviously the work of pure evil. Remember that past – people who are righteous in front of the lord are surly to be doomed.

329960[/snapback]

It does seem that way, doesn't it. Both parties are playing dirty, and unfortunately, this election will be decided based on who plays the dirtiest.

[firefemme1202]

It always seems when the Democrats show a little sign of muscle, Republicans get all bent out of shape over it. Why is this, why is it ok for the Republicans to play dirty but not the Democrats?  It seems like Republicans think that their party is moral correct and can do know wrong, thus it’s ok if they play hard ball and break the rules because they have morals - they’re the good people who can commit acts of evil but still be fundamental good. Hmmmm… To me the Devil is at work here, convincing the masses that Bush and his cronies are morally correct when in the truth, they are obviously the work of pure evil. Remember that past – people who are righteous in front of the lord are surly to be doomed.

329960[/snapback]

It does seem that way, doesn't it. Both parties are playing dirty, and unfortunately, this election will be decided based on who plays the dirtiest.

333407[/snapback]

It's men and women on a larger scale...a man and a woman can each sleep with 20 people, but the man is the pimp and the girl is a ****. Republicans will always be "the pimp" because they can do no wrong, therefore they can do whatever and not get blamed, and the Democrats are "the ****" because they have to work twice as hard and do it RIGHT just to be in the same spot as the Republicans. Quite frankly if Florida's system is messed up again this year, there's going to be a freaking riot again if Bush is re-elected. And I'll be one of the rioters

[waywardson66]

It's men and women on a larger scale...a man and a woman can each sleep with 20 people, but the man is the pimp and the girl is a ****.  Republicans will always be "the pimp" because they can do no wrong, therefore they can do whatever and not get blamed, and the Democrats are "the ****" because they have to work twice as hard and do it RIGHT just to be in the same spot as the Republicans.  Quite frankly if Florida's system is messed up again this year, there's going to be a freaking riot again if Bush is re-elected.  And I'll be one of the rioters 

333579[/snapback]

Wow I'm a "pimp" and didn't even know it! I thought to be a pimp you had to prostitute women for money.Didn't know the requirement was just to sleep with 20 women.

The Republicans can do no wrong?The Democrats have to work twice as hard and do it right?LMAO!It's just the opposite!With the ultra-left-wing media on their side the Democrats get away with murder and look like a bunch of choir boys!

There's going to be a riot if Bush is re-elected?How very 60's of you,very typical of the majority in today's Democratic party!"Give us what we want or we'll tear up the place"!"Free speech(unless you disagree with me or I don't like what your saying!)"Tolerance(for anyone except white heterosexual Christian males)!"

BTW,I'm a registered Independent.

[Independent1]

It's men and women on a larger scale...a man and a woman can each sleep with 20 people, but the man is the pimp and the girl is a ****.  Republicans will always be "the pimp" because they can do no wrong, therefore they can do whatever and not get blamed, and the Democrats are "the ****" because they have to work twice as hard and do it RIGHT just to be in the same spot as the Republicans.  Quite frankly if Florida's system is messed up again this year, there's going to be a freaking riot again if Bush is re-elected.  And I'll be one of the rioters 

333579[/snapback]

That's funny, Bush has gotten such great treatment from the media. CBS posting false documents, Michael Moore releasing an anti-bush movie, the "October surprise" published by the New York Times that explosives went missing in Iraq. Yeah, the Republicans can do no wrong.

And don't foget in 2000, with Bush ahead by 3 in the polls, the October surprise a week before the election was Bush's drunk driving conviction.

Both parties give as good as they get.

[Independent1]

"Free speech(unless you disagree with me or I don't like what your saying!)"Tolerance(for anyone except white heterosexual Christian males)!"

BTW,I'm a registered Independent.

333600[/snapback]

Boy, that seems to sum up the attitude of the Democratic party.

Quite frankly, while I am a moderate, I feel that the Democratic party has drifted way too far to the left, and as a result I am finding myself voting more and more Republican.

[firefemme1202]

You know I might be biased, because I'm a democrat living in TEXAS of all states and was raised in Midland, the home town of the president himself...and all I hear is how "great it is that the pres has florida backing him no matter what" and "texas will make sure bush keeps this war going" etc etc....so it's rather unnerving in my opinion that the largest state in America would say things like that, I mean, why are they saying things like that unless it was the media that put those ideas out there?

[waywardson66]

You know I might be biased, because I'm a democrat living in TEXAS of all states and was raised in Midland, the home town of the president himself...and all I hear is how "great it is that the pres has florida backing him no matter what" and "texas will make sure bush keeps this war going" etc etc....so it's rather unnerving in my opinion that the largest state in America would say things like that, I mean, why are they saying things like that unless it was the media that put those ideas out there?

333898[/snapback]

HUH?Are you saying that the people of the state of Texas are incapable of independent thought?That they only repeat things that the media tell them?

I hope this is only a "Texas thang" if true!

[firefemme1202]

HUH?Are you saying that the people of the state of Texas are incapable of independent thought?That they only repeat things that the media tell them?

I hope this is only a "Texas thang" if true!

334015[/snapback]

Wow, biggest instance of "putting words in mouth" syndrome.

Was STATING that Texas is a Republican state and democrats have to fight to be heard here.

[waywardson66]

HUH?Are you saying that the people of the state of Texas are incapable of independent thought?That they only repeat things that the media tell them?

I hope this is only a "Texas thang" if true!

334015[/snapback]

Wow, biggest instance of "putting words in mouth" syndrome.

Was STATING that Texas is a Republican state and democrats have to fight to be heard here.

334228[/snapback]

I didn't put the words in your mouth you did.When you make the statement"I mean, why are they saying things like that unless it was the media that put those ideas out there?"You are implying that the people are incapable of independent thought and only repeat what the media tell them.

If your intent was to say "Texas is a Republican state and democrats have to fight to be heard here" why didn't you say that in the first place?

How old are you really?Your profile says twenty but your posts say twelve.

[Independent1]

I can see how it would be tough to be a democrat in Texas, but I think it would be even tougher to be a Republican in San Francisco. For some reason, liberals view both conservatives and moderates as "fascists."

[waywardson66]

How old are you really?Your profile says twenty but your posts say twelve.

334699[/snapback]

This remark was rather unkind of me and I feel I should apologize for it.Sorry,had a realllllyyyyy bad day!

[firefemme1202]

How old are you really?Your profile says twenty but your posts say twelve.

334699[/snapback]

This remark was rather unkind of me and I feel I should apologize for it.Sorry,had a realllllyyyyy bad day!

336420[/snapback]

Thanks for realizing how completely rude that statement was. I'm sorry you've had a bad day. Since you're not clear on what I was saying, let me clear it up...

When I make reference to the media putting ideas out there it doesn't mean I'm saying it makes people incapable of independent thought. The prove they have it when they build on what the media says. That's what my statement means, that people, not only in texas, build off of what the media tells them. Same way how rumors spread in high school. One guy kisses a girl, next thing you know, they were having freaky sex. And you're right, I should have also made the statement of Democrats having to fight harder in this heavily republican state in the first post but I thought it was clear enough when I said I lived in Texas of all states, and Midland of all cities, the one state where bush is from and the city where his wife's family lives, his hometown aside from Crawford.

Not all people go off what the media says, I was saying what I've seen living here in texas, I might be wrong about why people say things and where they get their information, but being TWENTY, I see what people my age (give or take a couple years) say concerning this election and republicans and democrats, and when I asked a couple of them why they thought what they did, they said they heard it on the news or whatever. So a part of me is going against people my generation because they don't get on the internet to check things out and they don't do research and they don't get heavily involved aside from the debates they see on tv and what they hear on ABC, NBC and CBS. So yes, a part of me does think there are some people out there who lack independent thinking to form their own opinons, but who doesn't think that? And I repeat, only SOME. Not all. I prepared my knowledge on this election for the last year so it p***es me off when someone in Midland or Texas or in general say they want to vote for Bush because Texas is Republican, or "this war on Iraq will teach them a lesson" while they sit and sip their Starbucks and their biggest worry is how they have to pay an extra $5 every week at the gas station and they watch the news and think about the election a grand total of 5 minutes a week.

If I didn't clarify myself enough the first time, here you go, I know you said you were sorry about calling me twelve, and I accept it, but trust me when I say at least I'm passionate about this and you have people YOUR age who don't even know Kerry's running mate's name. This election has caused many people to debate and argue and I for one will be glad when a president is chosen because at least the bickering can stop for 4 more years

Edited November 2, 2004 by firefemme1202

[waywardson66]

This election has caused many people to debate and argue and I for one will be glad when a president is chosen because at least the bickering can stop for 4 more years

337014[/snapback]

AMEN to that!

Thanks for clarifying that for me.

[firefemme1202]

You know, don't be too surprised if there's a write in and Donald Trump becomes our new president I can totally picture him telling Bin Laden "you're fired"...Donald has become completely idolized with The Apprentice lol