CDR: Looking for statistically-unlikely surges in absentee ballots
I just heard Karen Hughes of the Bush Campaign express concern about the status of absentee ballots being mailed AFTER the outcome of the election was shown to be so close. In particular, after the legal cut-off date. This fits with what I just posted about concerns that Florida dual-citizenship residents of Israel, or tourists in Israel, sending in absentee ballots they had neglected to send in by the cut-off date. (Or, more ominously, ZOG conveniently postmarking them to match the law in Florida.) [By the way, I think in my ZOG piece I mentioned Palm Beach County. This is not the point, as the closeness of the vote is Florida-wide. This is what I meant to say.] The thing to look for is a _surge_ in ballots arriving in Florida absentee ballots as compared to other states. While other states may also have some degree of "after the fact absentee ballots," the incentives are higher in a razor-thin state like Florida. A surge of absentee ballots arriving two or three days after the controversy became obvious would be compelling evidence to justify further investigation. --Tim May -- ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, ComSec 3DES: 831-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, "Cyphernomicon" | black markets, collapse of governments.
On Fri, Nov 10, 2000 at 12:47:45PM -0800, Tim May wrote:
I just heard Karen Hughes of the Bush Campaign express concern about the status of absentee ballots being mailed AFTER the outcome of the election was shown to be so close. In particular, after the legal cut-off date.
Here's a link to the Florida law on absentee ballots: --- http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0101/SEC67.HTM&Title=->2000->Ch0101->Section%2067 (1) The supervisor of elections shall safely keep in his or her office any envelopes received containing marked ballots of absent electors, and he or she shall, before the canvassing of the election returns, deliver the envelopes to the county canvassing board along with his or her file or list kept regarding said ballots. (2) All marked absent electors' ballots to be counted must be received by the supervisor by 7 p.m. the day of the election. All ballots received thereafter shall be marked with the time and date of receipt and filed in the supervisor's office. --- I must be missing something. Sure looks like the deadline was Tuesday, with perhaps an exemption for overseas ballots elsewhere in the law? -Declan
At 2:20 PM -0500 11/11/00, Declan McCullagh wrote:
On Fri, Nov 10, 2000 at 12:47:45PM -0800, Tim May wrote:
I just heard Karen Hughes of the Bush Campaign express concern about the status of absentee ballots being mailed AFTER the outcome of the election was shown to be so close. In particular, after the legal cut-off date.
Here's a link to the Florida law on absentee ballots:
(1) The supervisor of elections shall safely keep in his or her office any envelopes received containing marked ballots of absent electors, and he or she shall, before the canvassing of the election returns, deliver the envelopes to the county canvassing board along with his or her file or list kept regarding said ballots.
(2) All marked absent electors' ballots to be counted must be received by the supervisor by 7 p.m. the day of the election. All ballots received thereafter shall be marked with the time and date of receipt and filed in the supervisor's office. ---
I must be missing something. Sure looks like the deadline was Tuesday, with perhaps an exemption for overseas ballots elsewhere in the law?
There are many, many news reports about November 17th, this coming Friday, being the deadline for all absentee ballots. This from election officials, state legislators, reporters, legal scholars, etc. So, yes, I would say that there must obviously be other language on this. If not, then you could have the journalistic scoop of the century, er, for a few days, until bigger bombshells fall. And this is the same situation, more or less, in other states. Language about ballot envelopes being _postmarked_ on or before Election Day. --Tim May -- ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, ComSec 3DES: 831-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, "Cyphernomicon" | black markets, collapse of governments.
At 11:36 11/11/2000 -0800, Tim May wrote:
So, yes, I would say that there must obviously be other language on this. If not, then you could have the journalistic scoop of the century, er, for a few
Not this time. Some additional research says that the federal "Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Voting Act" requires states to take special procedures for voters who are in the military overseas or:
a person who resides outside the United States and is qualified to vote in the last place in which the person was domiciled before leaving the United States; or a person who resides outside the United States and (but for such residence) would be qualified to vote in the last place in which the person was domiciled before leaving the United States.
Tourists abroad during that time need not apply. Further, state law anticipates this: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0101/SEC62.HTM&Title=->2000->Ch0101->Section%2062 As soon as the remainder of the absentee ballots are printed, the supervisor shall provide an absentee ballot to each elector by whom a request for that ballot has been made by one of the following means:... By forwardable mail to voters who are entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Voting Act. -Declan
participants (2)
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Declan McCullagh -
Tim May