FL-13. CQ's 3 choices for Congress. Which do you want Congress to do? Fri 12/22/2006 Update

This diary is part of a continuing series of diaries to focus attention on the FL-13 missing votes.

The House now has only 3 choices in a CQPolitics.com story.

The House will be forced to make this choice if a single member challenges Buchanan’s right to the seat. The members would then have to choose between seating Buchanan unconditionally, seating Buchanan conditionally "pending the outcome of an investigation" or leaving the seat vacant pending resolution of the dispute, according to a Congressional Research Service report.CQPolitics.com

much much more after the fold

Florida Voters To Next Congress: This Time, Let Us Finish Tallying the Vote By VoterAction, December 21, 2006,

"Florida voters are respectfully asking the next Congress not to stop the deliberate Florida process of deciding this election," said attorney Lowell Finley, Co-director of Voter Action and lead counsel in the non-partisan voters' lawsuit contesting the 7 November Congressional District 13 (CD 13) race where 18,000 votes went missing.

The new 110th Congress, which convenes in less than two weeks, will effectively shut down two election contests proceeding through Florida courts - one on behalf of candidate Christine Jennings and a second, nonpartisan lawsuit on behalf of Sarasota County voters - if it simply, and unconditionally, seats one or the other candidate. Voter Action and its legal partner organizations represent Democrats, Republicans, and those registered No Party Affiliation. This second contest on behalf of voters is not concerned with who wins the race - but with whether the final result accurately represents the voices of CD13 voters. Of broader national significance is whether the new e-voting systems used in CD 13, functioned properly. Mounting evidence says they did not. Voter Action Story

Interestingly, the ESS expert also said electronic voting machines disciminate against elderly voters.

When voters encountered screens with two or three, or more, Herron said those precincts tended to have a higher undervote rate. And he charted a higher percentage in precincts with large numbers of voters over age 75. Tallahassee Democrat Story

Washington Post - No (non AP) story since 11/29/06
New York Times - No (non AP) story since 11/260/06
Houston Chronicle - No (non AP) story since 12/7/06
Chicago Tribune - No (non AP) story since 11/21/06
Huffington Post - No story since 11/30/06?

Links

great link to vote counting news stories, updated daily
Voting news articles at VotersUnite.org

donate
Christine Jennings Recount Fund

No compromise, sign the Move On Petition
Move On Petition: Congress must call for a re-vote in Florida

Stories, Diaries and Editorials
FL-13, Jennings Contests Election in U.S. House of Representatives, Th 12/21/2006 Update
FL-13: FL Republicans thinks problem is that voters were "blind, drunk or on drugs" 12/21/06
FL-13, Christine Jennings won by as much as 3,100 votes, Wed 12/20/2006 Update
Tune In: Christine Jennings (FL-13 recount) on Lou Dobbs Tonight 6PM 12/19/2006
FL-13 Monday 12/18/2006 Update
FL-13: Carl Hiassen lays the smackdown, Sun 12/17/2006
FL-13 Sat 12/16/2006 Update
FL-13 18,000 Missing Votes, Noon to 1 PM Daily Protest Idea
FL-13 Democrats Giving Up the Local Media War? Not fighting back?
Sarasota Diaries
FL-13: RALLY FOR A REVOTE LIVEBLOG
FL-13: Fireworks ahead
Jennings, Voters Describe Voting Machine Failures in Sarasota County
FL-13 Bumper Stickers? Keep The Issue Visible!
Sarasota Election Day Video
ACLU sees clear case for a revote in disputed District 13 election
Story quote for the Democrat: won by at many as 3,100 votes
if it hadn't been for the undervote in the only county she carried, Jennings would have won by 3,100 votes.
Call to Action from Bradenton Herald

Background Reports. Laws, Polls, & Document Links
Full Text of Jennings "Notice of Contest" to Congress
Goofy Florida State Election "Test" of election equipment
Federal Contested Election Act
Only 3% of dKos readers want Congress to seat the Republican in Poll

Christine Jennings Links
Christine Jennings for Congress's diary
Christine Jennings for Congress web site

Other Links
Florida Democratic Party Web Page

A clear call to action from the Bradenton Herald.

Given the sacrifices that African Americans and American women have made to have the right to vote, a right summarily granted to white males, the vote should be protected from fraud, from question, from loss. If those who won the right for us to vote were willing to die or to go to prison for that right, as many of them did, then we should fiercely protect the value of our vote. The battles hard fought and dearly won to secure the vote help to ensure our freedom every bit as much as the historic battles fought on foreign soil. To have 18,000-plus votes unaccounted for, with only someone now branded as a "sore loser" crying out for some explanation, some fact-based explanation, to have those votes so cavalierly dismissed, diminishes those courageous battles. Bradenton Herald

•  tipjar

  only 13 days before Congress must decide

  by ca democrat on Fri Dec 22, 2006 at 08:38:31 AM PDT

  •  Thanks

    for keeping us informed of this story.  It is shocking the national media isn't doing more on it (oh, wait, did I say 'shocking'; I meant 'par for the course').

    by peteri2 on Fri Dec 22, 2006 at 08:43:53 AM PDT

•  the tallahassee democrat quote

  The text quoted from the Tallahassee Democrat would make more sense if you included the preceeding paragraph.

  For example:

  When voters encountered screens with two or three, or more, Herron said those precincts tended to have a higher undervote rate. And he charted a higher percentage in precincts with large numbers of voters over age 75.

  I asked myself, when voters encountered screens with two three or more what?

  It was only after viewing the article and reading this paragraph that it became clear:

  Herron offered charts showing the number of votes and different ballot designs in numerous counties. Generally, he said, if there was only one race - for instance, the U.S. Senate contest between Democrat Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris - on the first screen of a ballot, voters tended to be ''primed'' to expect one race per screen.

  I think this addition is needed in your diary to make it clear how "electronic voting machines disciminate against elderly voters".

  by meowmissy on Fri Dec 22, 2006 at 10:17:25 AM PDT

•  Great compilation

  by Roger Fox on Fri Dec 22, 2006 at 02:08:36 PM PDT