>Objectively speaking, I don't think the Dems have
>a case re: people who punched the wrong hole.
>Literal vote fraud -- miscounting of correctly cast
>votes -- is their only legitimate issue, IMO.
Actually, having looked over legal analysis of Florida case law, the case for overturning the Palm Beach ballot is surprisingly strong. The Florida Supreme Court said just two years ago that neither fraud nor intentional mistakes were necessary for courts to intervene. They argued that anywhere where peoples voting intentions were thrawted and the results changed the election result, the courts would have a role. What remedy is called for has not been fully litigated, but this is a real issue, given that the ballot violated not one but two separate legal rules on how to construct a ballot.
But more serious are the voting allegations of racial discrimination that the NAACP and others are pursuing. Bush can dismiss old Jewish voters, but I don't think he can dismiss allegations of racial violations of voting rights. See the following story from the MIAMI HERALD:
Black voters protest alleged improprieties SHARI RUDAVSKY, BRAD BENNETT and ANDREA ROBINSON bbennett at herald.com
Continuing their quest to have South Florida's voting results nullified, black activists and politicians on Thursday again voiced claims that some voters -- particularly blacks -- were unfairly denied their right to vote.
In Palm Beach, hundreds showed up at a rally led by the Rev. Jesse Jackson outside the county government center to protest the election and demand a recount. Jackson, who called for an investigation, told the crowd to modify its terms.
``In order for there to be a call for a recount in West Palm, there must be a first count,'' he said. ``We do not know who won or lost because we do not have a fair count on the first vote.''
In Miami, U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek, D-Miami, held a press conference at the federal courthouse, saying her office had received ``numerous complaints'' from residents about irregularities. Several of the complaints, she said, were from Haitian-American first-time voters who were turned away from precincts.
And representatives from the NAACP national office announced they will be in Miami on Saturday taking complaints from black voters who say they were not allowed to vote in Tuesday's election.
Kweisi Mfume, president of the NAACP, will be there to help collect complaints from anyone in the state who feel they were victimized. The session will start at 10 a.m. at the Visions of Victory building in Miami, 8400 NE Second Ave.
The NAACP says it has received complaints that blacks were harassed by police, turned away from the polls, and not allowed to sign affidavits that would have given them the right to vote after they couldn't produce identification.
The NAACP plans to file the complaints with the U. S. Justice Department and request a recount. ``We want to invite those persons who feel they have been victimized,'' said Adora Obi Nweze, Florida NAACP president, who met with members of the national organization on Thursday.
``We feel strongly that minorities needed to be counted,'' Meek said at her press conference. ``The system is not working for us again.''
Haitian-American activists continued to take complaints from Miami-Dade voters who felt they were intimidated or were prevented from voting, said Marleine Bastien, president of Fanm Ayisyen Nan Miyami, or Haitian Women of Miami.
Jackson said, ``Democracy must be open, free and fair. We take that message to Asia, Africa, everywhere around the world. That must apply to Florida as it does the rest of the world.''