more creative, free-spirited, more likely to make mistake

by ziggy Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:34 am

Robert Hentges, a veteran Minnesota election law attorney not involved in this year’s recount, cautions that results rarely change in recounts of optical scan ballots, as are used in almost every county in the state, “Very few votes change,” he said, and “more often or not, for the winner on election night, the gap grows.”

While the conventional wisdom is that these recounted ballots should break the same way as the broader election results, Republicans fret that sloppy Democratic voters might mean Franken votes emerging as the recount continues.

“Democrats are thought to be more creative, free-spirited, so the idea is they’re more likely to make a mistake that the optical scan won’t pick up,” explains Hentges. “But when they recount the hard copy, those votes will be counted for Franken. If you talk to Republicans, they say it will be Franken’s advantage, because Democrats are stupid and will screw up ballots more often.”

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/politico/200811240616

by Aaron Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:10 pm

Seems to me the best thing for Minnesota to do would be to follow Georgia's lead and have a run off election minus the third party candidate that pulled in 15% of the vote and lets see who the people want between the Republican and the joke democrats ran.

by ziggy Fri Nov 28, 2008 5:27 pm

Does Minnesota election law provide for such runoff election?

by Aaron Fri Nov 28, 2008 7:57 pm

I have no idea. But I've posted on other threads that I believe, as the constitution allows, the United States Senate should unifiy all 50 states election procedures.

by ziggy Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:35 pm

Aaron wrote:I have no idea. But I've posted on other threads that I believe, as the constitution allows, the United States Senate should unifiy all 50 states election procedures.

I would like to see that happen- unified state election laws.

by **ohio county** Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:24 am

Why? You don't want local control of elections?

by sodbuster Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:34 am

I'd like to see them unified and everyone use the old paper ballots you put in a box and keep them in case it is close and you need a recount.

by **ohio county** Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:53 am

I'd like to see local control and what the people want locally. If the people in Jackson County want to see the rooster before they scratch it, fine.

by **Stephanie** Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:27 am

At a local level Sherm could have some influence on how elections are run, what type of ballots are used. I think rather than complaining to us about how he wishes he could use a paper ballot he should get involved in his county to make sure he has that option, like I do here in Putnam County.

The federal government controls too much already.

by ziggy Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:25 pm

ohio county wrote:Why? You don't want local control of elections?

I think that for national elections- for President and for Congress- the rules should be the same in each state. But the current rules, for example just for qualifications and procedures to get on the ballot (numbers of signature petitions for example), are very inconsistent from state to state. Even the definition of a "political party" varies widely from state to state.

But for state and local elections, I am not so much for state by state consistency.

by Aaron Thu Dec 11, 2008 4:48 pm

Local control is fine Jimmy but I agree the rules should be uniform for national offices.

Ga has a run off where the leading candidate got 49.9% of the vote and won by 3% because no one got 50% of the vote but Minnesota recounts where the two leading vote getters got 42% of the vote and an independent got 15%.

It makes no sense. Minnesota should have had a run off election without the independent just like Ga did.

At least that's the way I see it.

by **Stephanie** Thu Dec 11, 2008 5:59 pm

Why should West Virginians or Georgians tell Minnesotans how to elect their Senators?

by Aaron Thu Dec 11, 2008 7:21 pm

West Virginians or Georgians wouldn't be telling Minnesotans how to elect their senators. The United States Senate would be setting uniform election standards for their body, which the US Constitution authorizes them to do.

by ziggy Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:23 am

Aaron and I agree on something important.

I need a drink.

by **Stephanie** Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:36 am

I don't know about this. I've been pondering on it yet still feel as though the people of a state should decide how to elect their leaders, including to the Senate. I don't trust the Senate. They aren't supposed to serve themselves first, although that's what goes on. They are supposed to be serving the people they represent back home.

If we left it up to the Senate to decide how they are elected I can't imagine they'd come up with what is best for the people. Furthermore, I think that something that works for RI may not work in Alaska and that something that works well in WV may not be the best solution for nearby Deleware.

Guys, I'm preparing myself for my annual cookie baking extravaganza. lol Its the stuff of legends. My family has been talking about it for weeks and I've been planning and shopping for it for 2 months. I have Christmas cookies on the brain. I'd like to think about this after the cookies.

by Aaron Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:53 am

Nothing in electing the Senator changes. All that changes is what happens in the event of a very close race, that's all.

And I look forward to doing some Christmas stuff. I've been in New England all week so I'll be happy to get home and take a few days off.

by **Stephanie** Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:06 am

Oh I'm so jealous! WHat part of NE?

by Aaron Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:16 am

Oxford, Ma on Tuesday then to Canaan, Ct on Wed, Long Island out near the eastern end yesterday and today. It's rained in buckets. I'm thankful it's been 40 instead of 25 or I'd be here for the weekend at least.

I've been suprised at how mountainous CT was and how rural this part of Long Island is. It's been a pretty nice trip.

by **Stephanie** Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:20 am

It is very pretty up there....all part of the same chain. Would you believe I've never been to LI? lol

I'm such a New Englander. It snowed here last night and lots of counties, including Putnam, cancelled school.

by Aaron Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:44 am

You should drive back to RI some time and come out LI and take the Ferry from Block Island to Waverly. We came across from Bridgeport and it was pretty nice. I imagine it would be much more so in the summer.

by sodbuster Fri Dec 12, 2008 11:05 am

I had never been to NE till I started driving a truck about 4 yrs. ago.

I was also surprised at how nice NE is.

And how small.You can go thru a half dozen states like going thru a half dozen counties down here.

Last time I was in Maine in the winter they had to dig holes in the snow so you could see the stop signs but believe or not the roads were clear.

by **Stephanie** Fri Dec 12, 2008 11:07 am

There used to be a ferry that ran from New London to Long Island. I'm sure it's still running. It just seemed like whenever I'd plan to go something came up. You know how life is.

Bridgeport is a cesspool, or at least it was the last time I went. It has a beautiful zoo, though. It's sort of like an oasis in the middle of hell.

by **Stephanie** Fri Dec 12, 2008 11:08 am

Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont rock when it comes to keeping the roads clear & safe. Those folks know about snow, let me tell you.

by Aaron Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:13 am

Stephanie wrote:There used to be a ferry that ran from New London to Long Island. I'm sure it's still running. It just seemed like whenever I'd plan to go something came up. You know how life is.

Bridgeport is a cesspool, or at least it was the last time I went. It has a beautiful zoo, though. It's sort of like an oasis in the middle of hell.

Most of the 95 corridor in New England leaves a lot to be desired. As that was 99% of my travels in NE, I guess that's why I thought of that area the way I did.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised.

Something else I found out about LI before I left is that out towards the end, probably near where the ferry from New London comes over is they have a ton of wineries with tasting and they sell it pretty cheap.

by **Stephanie** Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:04 am

There is a very nice vinyard in Stonington, CT that does tours and tastings. There are a couple in RI too. They're scattered throughout southern NE.

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