Absentee Ballots Go Missing in Florida

RonnyJ writes "The BBC is reporting that 58,000 ballot papers have gone missing in Broward County, Florida. A police investigation has 'not uncovered any sign of criminal wrongdoing', however, the US postal service has said it is highly unlikely for 58,000 pieces of mail to just disappear. In 2000, Broward County gave Al Gore his biggest margin among Florida counties, winning 67% of the votes there."

Comments

Re:Hmm

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, it's funny now. But read up on Evangelicals and The Rapture. They want to fight WWIII in the middle east so they can be driving to work and just magically disappear leaving their empty clothes behind so they can totally party down, NAKED, in heaven where Jesus will make a little wine and introduce Creed.

Do you really want the guy with control of the nuclear arsenal to see nuclear war as "well if I'm right, that's good, and God's will so I'll be magic'd away. And if I'm wrong, the world will still end, so I'll just say 'I'm sorry' and then be magic'd away. It would so suck to not be invited to the party." When you hear stories about Bush not doubting, and not having any reservations about Iraq, believe them. And that is some scary shit.

Oh, and to your last comment

[porkchop_d_clown]

Your idea that tech was more important than politics in the 1990s is a reflection of your own self-absorption than of politics.

Let's see, Clinton was accused of sexual harrassment, rape, corruption, firing innocent civil servants to install his own cronies and the murder of one of his own staff members - and that was during his first term in office.

And who runs the county's election?

[crmartin]

Yes, it looks like the Democratic Party's operatives have screwed up again.

Check it out: the "butterfly ballot"? A Democrat County Clerk designed it. Broward County? Heavily Democrat, county government controlled by Democrats.

Hell of a scam: screw up as much as you want -- just blame it on the Republicans.

(The draft? Charlie Rangel (D) proposes it -- and they're still flogging the notion that it's Bush planning for a draft.)

Re:And who runs the county's election?

[deus_X_machina]

A Democrat County Clerk designed it.

Yes, and when a person circled "Al Gore" or punched "Al Gore" twice, a Republican secretary of state said "Hmmm, I don't know who they want as president... disqualified."

Heavily Democrat, county government controlled by Democrats.

In a state controlled by Republicans who refuse to uphold the law and constitution for their own political gain-- by having a statewide recount as is mandated by Florida law.

The draft? Charlie Rangel (D) proposes it -- and they're still flogging the notion that it's Bush planning for a draft.

Then you please tell me... where is Bush going to get the troops? We are clearly not winning in Iraq. These people are not going to give up. /Republican noise machine

Re:Slashdot description is intentionally misleadin

[CXI]

No, we don't know what's going on, it's typical hype. One story clearly says "some voters have completed and returned ballots mailed those days, hundreds of others have called to complain their forms have not arrived. It was unclear how many absentee ballots were affected."

Basically, they've got a few back, and people have called and complained about not getting them. This could either mean there is a problem or... there isn't. Whoopdeedo. There's nothing to indicate if this isn't just a ploy by an organized group to try and cast extra ballots for that matter.

Someone needs to stop reading and posting BBC tabloid stories on Slashdot.

Re:Just a Precaution . . .

[Otter]

Yes, that'd be an excellent illustration of my point -- the storyline has to be nefarious, Republican conspiracies (real, exaggerated or fabricated) and anyone who points to the major structural problem is a racist. That is _exactly_ the thought process that led to the Broward County mess now.

Look, the groups allegedly shredding voter registrations are a serious matter and it's crucial that they be investigated, and anyone found guilty be punished. (The voter list thing sounds like a complete non-issue, as I've understood it.) But the overarching problem is counties where votes systematically get excluded, and this "KARL ROVE ATE MY BABY!!!" bit does nothing to get it solved, and only causes the Republicans to dig in on the other side.

And who said anything about the media?