PA NIGHTMARE? Could NADER ABSENTEE ballot snafu hurt Kerry in PA?

[gauguin57]

Nader on SOME absentee ballots already sent out (right before state court kicked him off the ballot).

Could be an election NIGHTMARE! Dems. in Lanc. County asking for new absentee ballots to be sent!

http://www.lancasteronline.com/pages/news/local/4/9113

(very easy registration)

snip...

"Lancaster County (PA) was certainly not alone in mailing out thousands of absentee ballots with Ralph Nader’s name on them before a court decided he was ineligible. Some of the largest counties in Pennsylvania — Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia and Allegheny — did exactly the same thing. “We couldn’t wait for the Commonwealth Court to decide whether he stays on the ballot for fear we would disenfranchise people,” Michael Wojcik, Allegheny County’s solicitor, told The Post-Gazette newspaper.

"But Nader’s appearance on literally tens of thousands of absentee ballots statewide has touched off controversy in an already poisonous election-year atmosphere. It has also raised the possibility of a Florida-style fiasco.

“The head of Lancaster County’s Democratic committee, Bruce Beardsley, argues that Nader is not legally a candidate, and therefore should not appear on the ballot. ... "The effect is to circumvent the petition requirements of candidates for public office,” he said in a letter to the Lancaster County commissioners this morning seeking corrected ballots be mailed out.

"Beardsley has also alleged that the Republican-controlled board was politically motivated when it ordered the 4,500 absentee ballots mailed just hours before the Commonwealth Court kicked Nader off the ballot on Wednesday. They’re now worried that Nader will siphon votes from Kerry."

[Dogmudgeon]

1. Count on it!

If PA does not break for Kerry by more than 5%, this WILL cause trouble. You can take it to the bank ... or the SCOTUS.

On November 3rd, we're going to have about 20 of these brushfires (or should that be Bushfires) to put out.

--bkl

[aquart]

2. NYC just sent out 800 registration acceptance forms with the wrong date.

It's like nobody's ever done an election before.

[madmom]

3. Ohio has some (cinci area I think) that have..

Nader on, Kerry off.

[rockymountaindem]

4. I don't think so.

Kerry's opened up such a big lead there that something small like this won't hurt us.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

5. I voted absentee

And Nader was on my ballot. I am wondering now if my ballot will be tossed merely because of that fact (and I voted for Kerry), or is that just the ballots for Nader? The entire election will be even worse than 2000, I fear; "a little learnin' is a dangerous thing," and now that we're aware of so many problems it makes things very messy.

[Mixxster]

6. Your ballot won't be tossed.

What bothers me is that officials have said they will count Nader votes on "wrong" ballots as write-ins.

[JPZenger]

7. Should Send Out letters

The counties that sent out ballots with Nader's name should send out letters telling people that the votes for Nader will not be counted. Instead, at least one county said they will count Nader votes as write-ins. I don't believe that is legal.

[BlazeCarson5]

8. Just when are the absentee ballots are going to be sent out

Cuz I havent gotten mine yet and I'm in Colorado and flying home to vote is out of the question

[newyawker99]

9. Hi BlazeCarson5!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: