Recount underway in Washington (unofficial)

[redsoxliberal]

<i>charlie G, Danny who originally posted the story about his experience at that caucus location has sent me an e-mail saying that they are at this moment investigating and recounting the votes in that particular district. If he reports back to me before he does to the blog I will state the outcome. The higher ups at DFA are also aware of the situation in this particular incident and are on top of it.

Posted by max in Raleigh NC at February 8, 2004 12:54 PM</i>

From the latest post on the official Dean weblog. About half way down.

[slinkerwink]

1. I'm glad they're doing a recount.....

[pezcore64]

2. heck yeah

Right on! They must do whats right and make sure no one got cheated out of the vote they casted.

I do wonder if anything will come of it though...they tend to do these things just for the sake of shutting people up ;)

[janx]

3. kick

Keep us updated if you can, please!

[redsoxliberal]

4. you got it

going through the blog right now.

[progressivebydesign]

5. If anyone had seen how the paperwork is handled, they'd freak!

OMG.. the caucus I attended had harried volunteers with rumpled pieces of paper, having a hard time keeping track of who got what. One guy was in the wrong precinct, but decided not to say anything because it was so chaotic. There were pencil marks and erasures on the forms.. it was a zoo.

The thing that struck me about Kerry's big win, is how many caucus locations that reported in on the radio, and had Dean as the winner, Kucinich next, and then Kerry. In my caucus, Kerry got only one more delegate in my precinct, but came in second to Dean in all the otheres.

I'd be curious to see how it goes with a recount. You know, the overriding theme of the day at the caucuses, is that they suck, and we need real voting next time. The way our lives are now, many people find it impossible to caucus, and the decision to send delegates in left in the hands of very few.

[Turbineguy]

14. The caucus I attented was also chaotic

but these things, almost by definition, are. There were parking problems. We had a woman in our group who was in the wrong precint. We got her squared away.

The important thing to note is "record turnout". There were far more people than expected.

One in my group asked me about my primary experience. "None. Reagan made me a Democrat and Bush got me here!"

The most experienced person in our group had gone to a caucus in 1980. There were a lot of older people there. There were young adults. There were families. The atmosphere was friendly and co-operative. I think everybody knew what they were there for.

[Capn Sunshine]

6. Of course no one want to know that here

the last thread referencing this was locked.

Good luck with this one; I think a recount makes sense owing to the circumstances.

And what is truly at stake.

[blm]

7. Good. I believe in accuracy.

.

[plurality]

8. Good, watching the results come in yesterday caused some serious concerns

Like when the number of precints reporting went up and Kucinich's delegate total went down. All I could say was :wtf:

[redsoxliberal]

9. Holy CRAP!

Breaking news from the blog at deanforamerica... 100% unconfirmed, but they say that some local news station is reporting Clark will drop out tonight to support Howard Dean.

Unconfirmed, but I'll keep you posted.


-----Now the person who reported it is now saying that it was just a rumor.----

[Democrats unite]

10. I wouldn't hold your breath

Tonight makes no sense.

[NashVegas]

11. Eh .. I Really Wish People Would Wait to See if That's True

before posting it.

[eleny]

12. Clark didn't sound like that at all just now on Blitzer

So, we'll have to wait and see. All I can say is that we have one heck of a field of candidates. Each one sounds more articulate and more sincere than the shrub on MTP!

[janx]

13. Where on the blog did you read this?

I went to look and could find nothing related to it--only talk about ads.

[redsoxliberal]

15. It's the one with yesterdays results in it

but it turned out to be bs.

[texasmom]

19. I think not...

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040208/pl_nm/campaign_clark_dc_5

[NashVegas]

21. Agreed

No matter what a treat it would be for Dean supporters, with Clark looking good in Tennessee, it wouldn't make any sense, at least not tonight.

[Toucano]

24. Edited on advice of others.

Nevermind!

[maryallen]

29. Objection:

Irresponsible posting and salacious rumors have no place in a thoughtful discussion of issues/candidates.

Similar to the unmerited "publicity" that Dean received from the media for "screaming," one cannot "unring the bell" once unfounded observations -- regarding General Clark -- are reported.

Such behavior compels one to question the motives of these posters.

[NashVegas]

16. More

OK, guys, I am not sure if anyone posted this already. I just wanted to get what I know on here. They are re-counting the 36th Leg. dist. votes today at noon, PST. I will be there helping count. Those of us that caucused here yesterday KNOW that we did better then 30%. All the caucus locations I have heard first hand accounts from, had the place mobbed with Dean people. They either split with Kerry or Dean won. I do not trust this system anymore. Believe me or not. I am sure we will update you when we are done. I am also looking into getting my leg. dist. recounted.

This thread may very well get deleted, but there it is, anyway.

[redsoxliberal]

17. And we have more, similar complaints from Seattle

Complaint from the 36th, Seattle: the PCO recorded the vote as Dean 3, Kerry 1, Uncommitted 1 (with a challenge by Kerry per instructions from the convenor).

The delegate chosen as Uncommitted left the building, as did most of the 199 people who attended.

Then, when the convenor was recording the votes, the Kerry person leaned over the table and told him that he had written it wrong and should be 3-2-0 and the convenor scratched out the old numbers (3-1-1) and changed it!

I protested that I (as Dean Location Coordinator) had been informed the vote was 3-1-1, with the Uncommitted to be appealed later, but that the Uncommitted delegate had left the room and that the caucus was over and it wasn’t fair
to change a vote after everyone was gone.

I went back and forth with the Kerry guy, then called Dean HQ and was told to ask that my complaint and the
controversy be recorded in the minutes. I relayed this information to the PCO who refused to add to the minutes.
I appealed to the Convenor who said that he had the name of the Uncommitted delegate so it was alright.

I felt that that was unresponsive so I pressed my case for the 8 people who had left the building thinking they had a delegate to Uncommitted, (yes, under challenge and appeal by the Kerry people, but still a delegate they elected) and now did not.

The Kerry guy was bullying and obnoxious and in caucus was unable to answer the Clark’s question about Kerry’s most admired accomplishments but could not answer, instead brought up the fear factor.

I asked everyone to vote for hope not fear – after all, we’re the party of hope that brought America the weekend – and everyone laughed happily at that after the diatribe on the evil that awaits us unless we vote for the electable, inevitable Kerry.

We were 47 in caucus 1704 & 199 in the building, a record turnout. 18 for Dean, 8 for Kerry.

Lovely speeches from the young about democracy.

All in all – it was a divisive experience for me. I’ll join with anyone who wants to defeat the caucus system – and take back the Democratic Party in Washington state.

I was particularly stung by the AFSCME betrayal. Unions are supposed to go to the wall with their friends and that's what they preach to get people to join the union. I know. I was a AFSCME union organizer (temporary for a special project) and admired their message. AFSCME just gave their opponents ammunition: "Don't join AFSCME - they don't stick with their friends when times get tough."

Posted by maryinseattle at February 8, 2004 02:03 PM

-----------------------------------------------------

In the official results thread, I think it's now the third one down, very near the bottom.

[SadEagle]

18. See also a report about weirdness in media counts

http://www.museworld.com/archives/001258.html

Pretty well documented

[NashVegas]

20. The Top Part

I saw that myself and thought it was bizarre.

[Mairead]

22. Some of those numbers can't be correct as shown

Note for example the typed-out and screenshot versions of the 140-precinct period.

[NashVegas]

23. Here's What I Noted (on another board) At the Time

Before:

John Kerry Dem 593 35.0% 0

Howard Dean Dem 486 28.7% 0

Dennis Kucinich Dem 432 25.5% 0

Wesley Clark Dem 66 3.9% 0

===

after:

John Kerry Dem 1,321 49.3% 0 ------ > 700 gain
Dennis Kucinich Dem 499 18.6% 0 ---- > 60 gain
Howard Dean Dem 487 18.2% 0 ---- > 1 gain ?!?!
Wesley Clark Dem 151 5.6% 0

[On the Road]

25. I am Not Charging Irregularitites at this Point

even though the anecdotal reports are interesting.

But just to sepculate, think of what would happen if widespread fraud by the Kerry organization WERE uncovered in the next few days. Think of the swing that could mean in the polls and the upcoming primaries.

THIS is the reason Dean is still in the race.

To paraphrase the bombmaker in Body Heat: there are 50 things that can go wrong in a campaign, and if you can even think of 25 of them, you're a genius.

It appears to be over, but then it appeared that way for a different candidate in December.

[bain_sidhe]

28. I'm starting to wonder about Iowa

after reading this thread. What if the huge "win" that sent Kerry and Edwards into the stratosphere were the result of things like this? God, I hate caucuses.

[slinkerwink]

30. same here too.....

[redsoxliberal]

31. Country-wide recount?

cheating sucks.

[NashVegas]

32. Doubtful

There were too many cameras and other eyes in Iowa. Besides, of what we did see from the live shorts shown were confirmation. WA, on the other hand, got no live coverage that I could find.

[bain_sidhe]

33. Too many cameras?

C-SPAN covered TWO caucuses - a rural one and an urban one. What happened in the rest of them?

Look, I'm not saying that anything untoward DID happen... but if something weird happened in Washington, it just gets me thinking. How would we *know*?

[Anwen]

26. God this is strange...

I am glad they are doing a recount. Plese keep us updated on the situation!!

[Old and In the Way]

27. I'm all for a recount.

We need to believe the results are accurate.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

34. What recount?

Can you provide a link to back up your statement? Yes my caucus, held at Heatherwood Elementry in Mill Creek, was also disorganized. However it sounds like the Dean supporters are trying to make lame assed excuses for their candidates second place finish in the Washington State Caucus.

Hey I'm a Clark supporter and my candidate did even worse in my state than Dean did yet I'm not crying any Crocodile tears

[salin]

35. I have been gone all day - and completely lost

as to what the heck folks are talking about.

[Myra]

36. My Seattle caucus experience, for what it's worth.

Caucused for Clark. Was the only Clark supporter in my precinct
so he wasn't viable. Final vote was roughly 50% Dean/Kerry.
Dean stickers on cars all over the parking lot.
Dean signs everywhere.

Went to the post caucus Dem HQ with hundreds of supporters
for *all* dem candidates to watch the returns.

Same story from everyone I talked to from every camp:
Kerry, Dean, Kucinich, Clark,...
Their caucus experience was exactly like mine; Clark/Edwards/Kucinich
weren't viable; Dean and Kerry split almost all the votes.
Dean led in many cases.

Based on this I expected Dean to win, or at least for
it to be *damn* close. But I didn't expect Kerry to win
by such a large margin, and it doesn't jibe with my
experience and observations.

Granted, I'm in Seattle, which is very progressive.
And other parts of WA are more conservative.
Still...it smells.