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2004 Election Weirdness Continues

I've read dozens of submissions about election anomalies in the last week and they show no sign of slowing so I've decided to post a few of the main ones here to let you all discuss them. The first is the Common Dreams report that shows that optically scanned votes have a strange anomoly in florida: the Touchscreen counties roughly matched up to party registration numbers, but optically scanned paper ballot counties showed strangeness like one county where 69.3% registered democrat, but only 28% of them voted for Kerry. Palm Beach County, Florida logged 88,000 more votes than there were voters; that machines in LaPorte, Indiana discounted 50,000 voters; in Columbus, Ohio voting machines gave Bush an extra 4,000 votes; in Broward County, Florida voting machines were counting backwards; Lastly, precincts in New Mexico gave provisional ballots that will never be counted to as many as 10% of all their voters.

42 of 2,013 comments (clear)

  1. Liars by Izago909 · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's all a democratic ploy to discredit or dethrone our duly elected Pope. The first rule of the Democratic process is: Do not talk about the Democratic process. The second rule of the Democratic process is: Do not question the Democratic process...

    1. Re:Liars by DarkHelmet · · Score: 1, Funny
      It's all a democratic ploy to discredit or dethrone our duly elected Pope

      So umm, how many electoral votes does our representative Jesus get?

      --
      /^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
    2. Re:Liars by LilMikey · · Score: 4, Funny

      So umm, how many electoral votes does our representative Jesus get?

      A third of them, duh. You obviously don't know religion!

      --
      LilMikey.com... I'll stop doing it when you sto
    3. Re:Liars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      We have a pope?

    4. Re:Liars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Stupendously. I am in a similar position, although different. I've an undergrad in Physics and Metaphysics, an MBA from the best Ivy League school, and graduate degrees in Ecology, Library Science, and Architecture. I'm currently a PhD candidate in Art History at one of the top 2 universities on Terra, and I'm 17 years old. I volunteer weekends at the local soup kitchen. My wife, kids, neighbors and dog adore me, and I although I am not white, I am a credit to my race. And get this: I voted for Bush!

    5. Re:Liars by systimax · · Score: 2, Funny

      "All I know is that his policies work"

      Based on that I hope to Christ that we never see something that you think doesnt work.

    6. Re:Liars by Lendrick · · Score: 5, Funny

      Faith based initiatives are antidisestablishmentraistic bullshit.

      Be honest here. This entire post was just an excuse to use that one word.

    7. Re:Liars by Himring · · Score: 3, Funny

      Ok, I was buying your shpill until you said you were married. Only an idiot does that....

      --
      "All great things are simple & expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope." --Churchill
    8. Re:Liars by rhesuspieces00 · · Score: 2, Funny

      and misspell antidisestablishmentarianistic.

    9. Re:Liars by Captain+Splendid · · Score: 2, Funny
      I don't give a flying fuck what Bush thinks about his God. All I know is that his policies work.

      It's a shame you posted as a coward, because I would really love to know which of W's policies are working.

      Either that, or tell me what the weather in La-la land is like.

      The problem isn't fundies voting for Bush, that's to be expected. The problem is for notionally rational and educated people such as yourself being completely and utterly hoodwinked. Enjoy the next four years, you deserve 'em.

      --
      Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
    10. Re:Liars by blamblamblam · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hilarious. Slashdot really needs to add in a "-1 Circle Jerk" mod option.

    11. Re:Liars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I'm an agnostic, a computer engineer with both a B.S. and M.S. from top engineering universities, and a current candidate for a J.D. in intellectual property. I work for a defense contractor and make a pretty decent living. I'm also only 23...

      In other words, you have a limited experience of the world, and have never known anything but inherited privilege your whole life. On top of this, you have never had anything approaching an honest job.
      No wonder you voted for Bush.
    12. Re:Liars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Typical Democrat liar. You voted for Nader but just don't want to admit it!

    13. Re:Liars by Bimikrash · · Score: 2, Funny

      "Well, to start you can look at all the red states occupying the middle of America where religion and vales matter more than facts." As opposed to the blue states who, as you have shown us, can't even spell "values".

    14. Re:Liars by Minna+Kirai · · Score: 2, Funny

      Damn, I feel old now. That kid is now like 12...

      And how old are the grandkids?

  2. I. Florida by BobRooney · · Score: 3, Funny

    Clearly the voting machines in my home state of FL were deployed pre-programmed to elect the Governor's Brother...until they took on a life of their own and started killing people.

    That is all.

  3. How not to write voting software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Officials found the software used in Broward can handle only 32,000 votes per precinct. After that, the system starts counting backward.

    Rule #1: Do not use signed shorts to count the total number of votes.

    1. Re:How not to write voting software by gnuman99 · · Score: 4, Funny
      Rule #1: Do not use signed shorts to count the total number of votes.

      They didn't. They just used "int num_votes" on the modern Windows 3.x platform.

    2. Re:How not to write voting software by I'm+Spartacus! · · Score: 2, Funny

      The main difficulty appears to be making sure your guy wins without making it too obvious.

      --
      "War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." -- Ambrose Bierce
  4. Don't forget this... by funny-jack · · Score: 3, Funny

    What about the real story, that George Bush is attempting to eliminate his enemies? This should be front-page news.

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    You probably shouldn't click this.
  5. Re:Big fucking suprise by chill · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't trust this government.

    I hereby revoke your membership in the tinfoil hat club. The correct phrasing is I don't trust government.

    Your statement implies there is/was/will be a government you trust. That thought is just plain scary.

    -Charles

    --
    Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
  6. Tinfoil hats by b1t+r0t · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is there anywhere I can invest in tinfoil futures?

    --

    --
    "Open source is good." - Steve Jobs
    "Open source is evil." - Microsoft
  7. It wouldn't affect the outcome of the election by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Kerry conceided, and there's no take-backs.

  8. How hard is it to write software that counts votes by nickmacey · · Score: 1, Funny

    int douche = 0; int turdSandwich = 0; if(voteFor = 'BUSH') douche++; else turnSandwich++;

    --
    --- nick
  9. 16 bit number? by microbox · · Score: 5, Funny

    Secretary of State spokeswoman Jenny Nash said all counties using this system had been told that such problems would occur if a precinct is set up in a way that would allow votes to get above 32,000

    Somebody PLEASE tell me that that has nothing to do with 32,000 being close to the maximum value of a signed 16-bit number.

    Who writes this software?

    --

    Like all pain, suffering is a signal that something isn't right
  10. John Titor was RIGHT! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Let's get ready to RUUUUUMMMMMBLE!

  11. Re:Random noise? by geoffspear · · Score: 5, Funny
    I have 2 pens on my desk. I could count them repeatedly for years without any sort of weird quantum effects creating any uncertainty in my measurement.

    We're talking about counting ballots. These are macroscopic measurements, and any actual physicist (not a pretend one, like you) should understand that there's no problem at all in measuring things accurately unless they're really tiny and moving really fast. Either you're a liar or the most incompetent physicist ever.

    I bet if you got pulled over for speeding you'd try to convince the cop that there's no way he could possibly accurately measure your speed and at the same time know what road you were driving on.

    --
    Don't blame me; I'm never given mod points.
  12. Re:Big fucking suprise by BarryJacobsen · · Score: 5, Funny

    Your statement implies there is/was/will be a government you trust. That thought is just plain scary.

    Yeah, I was going to trust a government that was run solely by me, but that was because I paid myself off...little do I know I'm double crossing myself, and won't really support myself when it comes time to vote.

  13. Re:False Alarm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...generally making both parties appear far more unappealing than they already are.

    That's possible?

  14. Re:False Alarm by tjstork · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe a lot of people -liked- what happened in the Bush administration.

    --
    This is my sig.
  15. Re:Black Box Voting by demachina · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hagel's name is circulating as a possible candidate for President in 2008. Don't be surprised if he wins :)

    --
    @de_machina
  16. VIVE LA REVOLUTION! by TiggertheMad · · Score: 4, Funny

    FRAUD! TOTALITARIAN MANIPULATION OF THE MASSES! TO ARMS! ANARCHY IN THE STREETS!

    The Republican dogs will be the first with their backs agains the wall, now that the revolution is he-

    Er, what was that? This is normal? Er, sorry. *blush* Disregard that last bit about the 'Revolution' and all. I blame the author of the article. They know how touchy we /.ers are about this sort of thing....

    --

    HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
  17. Re:Big fucking suprise by Chris+Burke · · Score: 5, Funny

    I hereby revoke your membership in the tinfoil hat club.

    Liar, you don't have the power. There's only one member of the Tinfoil Hat Club who holds the power to revoke membership, and he/she would never reveal himself to Them by actually using it.

    --

    The enemies of Democracy are
  18. Re:Here, I'll explain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Nevada has the best machines with paper trail for every vote.
    Bush won Nevada

  19. Re:False Alarm by gregeth · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yeah, that is why I only choose to do business with companies that store their credit card numbers on little sticky notes...much more secure.

    They even told me that they like to keep the said sticky notes in a "lock box".

    So, I feel really safe now.

  20. Re:you know the voting system is flawed when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    You know the voting system is flawed when you pull a lever to register your vote and the toilet flushes.

  21. See? by dtfinch · · Score: 2, Funny

    We're not sore losers. This election was stolen.

  22. Re:Just guessing.... by wx327 · · Score: 2, Funny
    Although how you screw up an optical scan vote is beyond my comprehension.

    Use a #3 pencil?
    Didn't fill in the bubble completely?

  23. Re:I've got the solution!!!11!1oneone!!1 by Zareste · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sounds great, but it looks a bit rushed. The East would bring back slavery and bomb the West for fear of WMDs, everyone going to Nader's Hawaii would forget their boats, and Badnarik's Alaska would be overtaken by Canada after three days.

    Hmm..

    --
    I am NOT a number! I am a - oh wait, I'm number 761710. Look! 761710!
  24. Re:Random noise? by Dolly_Llama · · Score: 4, Funny

    I have 2 pens on my desk. I could count them repeatedly for years

    Gotta love union jobs...

    --

    Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. -- Carl Sagan

  25. Settle down, now... by commodoresloat · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think it's inappropriate to refute his post with such floccinaucinihilipilification.

  26. Welcome the Neo-Cons by Walrus99 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I for one welcome our new Fundamentalist Fascist Neo-Con Corporate War Monger Overlords.