Volusia County/Bev Harris update

[AimeeMM]

Susan Pynchon, the Executive Director of the Florida Fair Elections Coalition (our new group that I keep mentioning...) has filed a lawsuit in Volusia County claiming that the results as posted by Deanie Lowe (Volusia Co. SOE - www.volusia.org/elections ) are not accurate and do not match the paper ballots. This happened this afternoon, I do not know much more than this, however, the lawsuit should be on our Clerk of Court website (www.clerk.org ) soon enough for all to see.

The local media did interviews with both Bev and Susan, along with the CNN interview of Bev. Of course, we have no idea who will air what, if anything, so let's hope the media comes through for us.

[IAMREALITY]

1. THANK YOU AIMEE!!!!

[GetTheRightVote]

3. Thank you for the posting, can not wait for througher updates.

[mirandapriestly]

4. WOW!

This is good news

[librechik]

2. good to see--let's everybody put this on alert status

post here if we see any Bev tape!

Thanks and welcome!

[MelissaB]

5. Wonderful new!

Thanks for the update!!

[Goldeneye]

6. Is this the development?

It's not posted on bbv.org yet

[redsoxliberal]

8. what I was wondering...

[AimeeMM]

10. I don't know -

I believe a good portion of what Susan's lawsuit is based on comes from what FFEC & BBV got out of the trash. BBV has been here in DeLand this whole time working on the situation, but I have not spoken to them myself. I am getting my info from Susan and other FFEC directors.

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. Let's see. In the Daytona Beach News-Journal we have

Judges vote to disband Domestic Violence Court

Orange City sues county over utility project

Sept. 26 trial date set in Deltona murders

Budget cuts pushing the mentally ill into prisons

Dog who longed for puppies nurses kittens

Man uses faux police car to slow drivers

Nope, no mention of Susan Pynchon or Florida Fair Elections Coalition yet. *tap, tap, tap*

Many thanks to you for keeping us updated!

[AimeeMM]

12. I think it will show up there sometime tomorrow...

The News-Journal isn't known for being expeditious!

However, WFTV (local ABC affiliate) apparently mentioned the suit on their 6pm broadcast, though no footage. Hopefully they will have more at 11pm.

[Winamericaback]

15. Finally

A station that I have will broadcast this.. I'll watch at 11

[lizzieforkerry]

35. Call them and ask if they will be airing it.

Tell them this is the most important story in Florida today and you don't want to miss the station that is covering it. Tell them you always watch them so you want to be sure you don't have to channel surf tonight to get your news. They love hearing this and it goes a LONG way in airing more stories. They project that every caller stands for a certain number of viewers. CALL NOW!!

[republikkkon]

9. thanks for the update!

[understandinglife]

11. Cross posted at dKos for you...

in the open thread and at:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/23/14248/605

Thank you.

[YellowDoginthehouse]

17. Thanks, Understandinglife!

The work that you and markusd are doing over there is awesome. I just automatically recommend your diaries to help keep the message out there.

[understandinglife]

25. Happy to do whatever possible .... thank you! (n/t)

[tex-wyo-dem]

13. Forward this to KO!

[KyndCulture]

14. thank you thank you!!!

Great wonderful fantastic news... I hope I can turn this tin foil hat into christmas ornaments now!!

I cross posted the info to the Randi Rhodes Board too...

You rock!!

[newyawker99]

42. Hi KyndCulture!!

Welcome to DU!!

[Winamericaback]

16. Info

Case InformationCase Style: SUSAN ROSE PYNCHON v. VOLUSIA COUNTY CANVASSING BOARD, ET AL

Case Number: 2004 11437 CIDL Category: Other Circuit Civil
Case Type: Circuit Civil Filing Date: 11/23/2004
Case Status: Open Related Cases: NO


Venue Information - 10 - C. McFerrin Smith, IIIProcessing Location: DeLand Court Location: DeLand


Disposition Information - PendingDisposition Date: Jury Trial: NO
Appealed: NO Contested: NO

UCN: 642004CA011437XXXXDL

[boi1946]

20. I think the floodwaters are

starting to rise in Washington.
Votergate just sprung a leak!

[rodeodance]

28. maybe a small leak in a big cement dam--at this moment

I say cause for the most part-aside from MNNBC Olbermann Countdown and an occassional local piece about local situation, the mainstream media has downplayed the fraud idea--and is off the radar screen.
But will see what Cnn has to say.

[rust1d]

18. Sweet!

I'm sure Deanie Lowe never expected to go to JAIL for her republican leanings...but she needs to be made an example of BIG TIME!

Hopefully she'll sing like a song bird...or jail bird.

GREAT WORK BEV!

Not This Time George!

Check out the coming attactions to the Dubya Movie starring Don Knotts!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

19. This is GREAT News!

Thank you so much Aimee for letting us know!

[jsamuel]

21. I wish she would just tell us HOW MANY VOTES DID BUSH GAIN?

From Volusia County due to the fraud...

COME ON! Enquiring minds what to know!

[witchhazl]

22. I don't know if this is the best place to ask this question --

or where the best place would be -- but it's AimeeMM's link that lead me to it, so I'll ask here.

I went to the volusia.org/elections link, and ended up looking at the precinct returns. http://www.volusia.org/elections/110204/GEMS%20SOVC%20R...

I don't know what "red flags" in general to look for in these things, but the only thing that stuck out to me was that a number of precincts had numbers very skewed to Kerry -- like he got 85- 97(!)% of the votes in these precincts.

These precincts all had over 200 up to almost 700 voters. Is this anything to be worried about? All I remember from college statistics 25 years ago is the professor always saying, "nothing in life is 90%." That's why I ask.

[jsamuel]

23. Well, If that is a Black neighborhood, it is VERY possible Kerry won 90%

[witchhazl]

24. Thanks. That's a reassuring thought.

I guess I should have thought of something obvious like that.

[Carolab]

29. Yes and "skewed" is only appropriate

in talking about ridiculous Bush numbers. THOSE are "skewed".

Why did you not stop to think that Kerry's wins in those areas are what should have been reflected ALL OVER FLORIDA?

[Verve]

26. One of the hypotheses running around this sight is that, strong Kerry

precincts are where vote fraud occured the most. They just increased Bush's votes a whole lot but still let Kerry win. Therefore people, except for us, wouldn't be suspicious.

[understandinglife]

27. Yeap, and I betcha if you looked in every "Blue" state....

...and in big "Blue" counties in whatever State you want to choose, you'd find Kerry winning, but....."Prove My Vote Counts, Now"!

Trying to get the folk in WA State to pay very close attention to this issue; I think the Rossi/Gregoire situation may actually provide an insight or two in the above hypothesized strategy.

Peace.

[Spangle]

39. That IS what happened here in Osceola

Places were Kerry should have SLAMMED big time, he bearly pulled it off.

But in Celebration.. the RICH neighborhood. Major republican area. Disney's pride and joy. The area democrats felt LONELY... Kerry won.

How twisted is that?

My guess is that they didn't think they had to mess with the results in Celebration. They assumed, just like we did, that it was for Bush. No questions asked.

My pct was a mix of people. Lots of hispanics. ALL new blood (less then ten years here), so no Dixiecrats. Lots from NY moved here. 4,500 reg voters. 50% democrat, 25% republican and 25% "other. (% are not exact) Heavy turn out and Kerry only got 167 more votes then Bush in THAT pct. ????

Confused? I am!

[AimeeMM]

30. What's "skewed" is that

I posted this a couple weeks ago in the Florida forum, see what you think:

In 2000 Gore won the county by 14,945. Kerry only won by 3,723. Further interesting notes:

Registered Repugs: 111,372
Total Bush Votes: 111,263

Registered Dems: 126,405
Total Kerry Votes: 114,986

Nader Votes 2000: 2910
Nader Votes 2004: 909

Registered NP or Ind: 70000-ish (I forget the number.)

Back to today's post (11/23/04):
I've lived in this county for 16.5 yrs. I was active in 1992 (as a high school junior), 1996, 2000, and 2004 presidential elections at a local level. I have NEVER seen so much support for Kerry & the Dems as I did in this cycle. This county did NOT move towards the right in the last four years and I do not believe that the results our SOE is posting are correct.

That said, I also do not believe that the SOE department as a whole are capable of pulling this off. It had to come from somewhere else and I really wouldn't be surprised if she had no idea of the fraud taking place right under her nose. The good thing is she retired this year, the bad thing is one of her best friends was elected to her post. Coincidence?

[liam97]

31. I am scared

that CNN may be picking this story to damage the whole effort in favour of republicans

[keepthemhonest]

32. the walls are crumbling down

let's hope

[halobeam]

34. I'm scared too... we'll shake together, After Zogby's sellout on msnbc

I don't feel very happy right now. I need to see that "u-haul" backing up to the white house too!... I'm trying not to hope, but it's impossible.

Damn Zogby!.. I'm not taking "little bits" he's allowing us to have or reading between lines anymore. I want it all out, and we all deserve NO LESS.... I don't care that he has a business, as some have said they understand him soft celling, so to speak.... I don't accept that. Our soldiers are dying, get a freakin' backbone Mr. Zogby, and retire if you have to, you certainly could. Ughhhh

rant over...sorry

[F.Gordon]

40. How do you know this?

This county did NOT move towards the right in the last four years and I do not believe that the results our SOE is posting are correct.

2000

Registered Republicans: 97,777 Votes Bush: 82,368
Registered Democrats: 110,877 Votes Gore: 97,313
Registered NPA: 39,778
Regisered Other: 5,642

You had a pretty big increase in NPA and Other registrations in the last 4 years. How much of an impact did this have in 2004? Haven't you also had an increase in affluent sub-divisions?

[txindy]

33. That's an interesting way to look at it

I think we'll find many more counties in Florida that have true results such as those. Then Junior, his brother, their thugs and their sycophants will find themselves overcome by the truth.

[Blue in the face]

36. kick!

[juajen]

37. The cages are rattling. Hallelujah

[JD Lau]

38. Kick.

[DeIndoctrinator]

41. It made the Daytona News Journal

It's a real hack job, though, confusing and twisting the issues. Guess we can't have the yokels actually be fully informed...


http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/New...

Rights group sues over election results
By JAMES MILLER
Staff Writer
Last update: November 24, 2004

DELAND -- The aftermath of the general election in Volusia County grew more tangled Tuesday, as a local voting rights advocate sued to throw out the results.

The suit, filed by DeLeon Springs resident Susan Pynchon, targets the race for supervisor of elections, alleging that former County Councilwoman Ann McFall's victory was based on "inadequate and incomplete information regarding election results."

While the suit focuses on the most prominent countywide race, it asks that all general election results in the county be set aside.

"What happens (if) that election is set aside, whether there's another election, we'll have to wait and cross that bridge when we come to it," said attorney Daniel Vaughen of DeLand, who filed the suit in circuit court in DeLand.

The suit comes one day too late to meet a state law requiring that such complaints be filed within 10 days of an election's certification, but Vaughen says an exception should be made in part because of delays in getting records from the Volusia County Department of Elections.

Late Tuesday, McFall, who prevailed by a 51.6 percent to 48.4 percent margin, lashed out at her opponent in the race, County Councilwoman Pat Northey, saying the suit "looks and smells like sour grapes to me."

Northey said Pynchon had contacted her, but she had not endorsed the lawsuit. She declined to comment on McFall's belief that she was involved.

Pynchon, who recently helped found an organization called Florida Fair Elections Coalition, said she sued because of concerns about how election records were handled. She acknowledged that she had been active with the Democratic Party but said her group is nonpartisan.

In part, her suit's claims are based on records Supervisor of Elections Deanie Lowe provided last week to Black Box Voting, a national elections watchdog group that is focusing one of several potential fraud probes on Volusia County.

Pynchon and Bev Harris, Black Box Voting's executive director, say copies of voting machine tapes they received last week are incomplete for 59 precincts. The tapes -- receipt-like records -- are one of several issues raised in the lawsuit.

"At this point, we're (Pynchon and her attorney) not accusing anyone of fraud," Pynchon said. "At the very least, I would say there's been gross negligence and ineptitude."

Harris said Black Box Voting played no part in the suit other than providing information.

Regardless of the lawsuit, Harris said her group will ask for public inspection of the ballots from the 59 precincts. Harris is being shadowed by documentary filmmakers. Although they have met before, Lowe declined to meet with Harris on Tuesday with filmmakers present.

"I'm not here to be part of a circus and a bunch of inferences and insinuations," Lowe said.

She said she would conduct a public recount if Harris asks and might conduct her own, just to set the record straight.

Lowe acknowledged that her office mistakenly provided incomplete copies of voting machine tapes from 10 precincts to Black Box Voting. Poll workers' signatures were cut off during photocopying, she said. But while Lowe said there might have been other errors in copying, she tersely rebutted suggestions of more serious problems.

"I think they're totally wrong," Lowe said. "There was no negligence and there was certainly no fraud."

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