ACTION: Ask for Recount of Double-Bubble Ballots!

The "double-bubble" ballot requires Decline-To-State voters in Los Angeles County to not only request a Democratic ballot, but also fill in a separate, special bubble indicating that they want their presidential primary vote to count.

19% of California voters are registered as "Decline-To-State" rather than with a particular party - only LA County requires this extra step for votes to be counted!  

A manual recount of all DTS ballots is the only fair way forward - please call and/or email CA Secretary of State Debra Bowen, Acting Registrar Dean C. Logan and the DNC to support a recount (links and contact info after the jump)

LA Times:

In Los Angeles County, problems for independent voters were compounded by a unique voting system that required them to mark the party designation in addition to the candidate.

SF Chronicle:

The Los Angeles system requires that decline-to-state voters not only ask specifically for a Democratic ballot - but also fill in a special bubble on the ballot specifically indicating their desire to vote on the Democratic presidential ticket. Failure to fill in the bubble voids their presidential ballot.

Contact:

Debra Bowen
CA Secretary of State
[phone]
contact form

Dean C. Logan
Acting Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
1-800-815-2666
[e-mail]

and the DNC

•  I volunteer

  Tomorrow I will walk down to my precinct and ask to do an internal audit and hand count the ballots for accuracy.  Somehow I doubt they will let me in.  I am sure they will just recount them and let me know if they match their first count.  I love me democracy, USA style.

  by DrFaustus on Tue Feb 05, 2008 at 11:05:18 PM PDT

•  In all honesty

  Filling in that bubble isn't that confusing. The ballot clearly says to fill it in. It's not hidden, it's right there are the top of the ballot. If someone didn't follow the rules, that is clearly their own fault.

  by SaintPeter on Tue Feb 05, 2008 at 11:06:17 PM PDT

  •  Also

    Just for the record, I agree that having to fill that extra bubble in is kind of a dumb idea, but IT IS THE RULES of the balloting, and you have to follow the rules in your designated precinct.

    by SaintPeter on Tue Feb 05, 2008 at 11:09:18 PM PDT

    •  My concern is

      That it appears to have only been in L.A. County for some reason. So it seems un-needed, and therefore not a reason to discount a vote.

      What is weird, is I am "Decline to State".  Have been for 20 years.  So I have done this for every primary I can vote in.  What was different this time, was that I  was just given a Democratic Ballot, when normally I would be given a modified non-partisan ballot.  Even though I had the Dem ballot and went to a Dem booth, I still had that bubble in the ink-a-vote "book" type ballot...meaning all Democrats would have to have selected it as well. It was right above the Democratic nominees, so I saw it and selected it without thinking, but if it had been on another page, there would be even a larger potential of lost votes than there is now.

      by EvilPaula on Tue Feb 05, 2008 at 11:26:11 PM PDT

•  Yep.

  I don't care who wins, who loses, who benefits or hurts from it, those voters' intent was crystal-clear and they deserve to have their votes counted.

  by mistersite on Tue Feb 05, 2008 at 11:10:51 PM PDT

•  it's the principle

  count the votes.  

  people have enough to worry about (1 or more jobs, lack of health insurance, for instance) - nobody needs an extra hurdle or unnecessary rule.

  by texan in exile on Tue Feb 05, 2008 at 11:17:46 PM PDT

•  I will support this position

  even though it means changing the rules in midstream, because I think disenfranchising voters is wrong ...

  IF

  you support seating Florida's delegates.  All the candidates were on the ballot, and none of them campaigned.

  Deal?

  No?  Why am I not surprised?

  by dhonig on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 05:26:01 AM PDT