Just a thought, why don't we ask Debra Bowen to DEMAND a

[kster]

recount? Now that would be a twist!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=432169

[Wilms]

1. Sharp as ever, kster. Recommended. n/t

[kster]

2. The ON TV media wouldn't know

how to respond to a winner demanding a recount. They would be falling all over themselves, and it would definitely be fun to watch, thats for sure.

[satya]

3. That is brilliant. I hope she does it. nt

[emlev]

4. She says she has a plan! Not exactly to demand a recount, but...

From BradBlog 06/06/06

Blogged by Brad on 6/6/2006 @ 9:37pm PT...

BOWEN WINS CA DEM SEC. OF STATE NOMINATION! Ortiz Concedes...
Tells BRAD BLOG that 20% margin win is 'a major victory for grassroots organizing'
Plans to continue investigating reported problems in today's elections around the state...

Tells BRAD BLOG that 20% margin win is 'a major victory for grassroots organizing'
Plans to continue investigating reported problems in today's elections around the state...



1:04a PT... I just got off the phone with Senator Bowen where she's just heard from Senator Ortiz who has conceded!

It was a remarkable win, in many ways, given the 56% undecided in the state just a few days ago, and the fact that she was outspent by Ortiz, who also ran TV spots over the weekend (Bowen didn't run any, by the way.)

I asked her then to what she attributes this victory (with a whopping 20%+ margin) to?

"I think it's a major victory for grassroots organizing. People sent out messages to their email lists, to their friends. We used the net and the blogs to get our message out. I think it's also that people are beginning to understand if you don't make sure that elections mean something, you will lose your democracy."

(The BRAD BLOG was one small part of that netroots efforts with our recent endorsement and interview of Bowen, which was crossposted over at Huffington Post. You guys did all the rest!)

Was she surprised? "I really had no idea what to excpect. The 56% undecided a few days ago was rather...unnerving."

So what's the message that needs to get out between now and November? "People need to take a look at what's happened in the Secretary of State's office. The issues with voter registration and his certification of these voting machines....I mean look at what happened today with the problems around the state. I'm concerned about what happened in Kern County...and I won in Kern County!"

Will you be looking into it? Even though you won it? "You bet I will!"

Our kind of patriot.

--

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002919.htm

[kster]

5. Win or Lose, Bowen calling for a recount

as a winner of an election, would take the election reform movement to new heights. We all know "they" don't want the vote counting machines to be exposed. But they can kiss my ever loving ass on state and Madison if they don't like! Sorry (Chicago lingo).

[emlev]

11. I don't know if her plan to investigate includes recount EOM

[Peace Patriot]

7. We did our part here at DU for Bowen! I posted many alerts to Dem voters

over Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday through 7 pm. I discovered that there were DUers who didn't realize how important this race was (to my amazement), and so kept posting to catch last minute voters who weren't up on things and might have been turning to DU for info., and urging last minute postings to lists and blogs, and calls and emails to friends and family who hadn't voted yet. With such a low turnout (evident early on Tuesday) every vote counted (even if they don't count every vote--or maybe especially because they don't!). Brag, brag, brag! Yeah, I did my civic duty, and played some little part in this, one of the most important races in the country. Ms. Savvy vs. Ms. Clueless on the theft of our democracy!

I am joyous that she won--and won so big. That is indeed a huge victory for the grass roots. This race was inexplicably close in the pre-election polls. Bowen is a master of electronic voting and related open government issues; Ortiz truly was clueless (or worse?*) on electronic voting. And Bowen got the endorsement of 80% of the rank and file Dems at the state convention. Once again, the war profiteering corporate news monopolies misinformed, disinformed and just plain DIDN'T inform. One of the few articles I read on this race was all focused around the two candidates having the same name (Debra vs. Deborah). Cotton candy for the brains of voters. Unbelievable. One of the few that commented on issues, the Sacto Bee, I believe (corporate propaganda horn), said something to the effect that Bowen was "a bit too paranoid about electronic voting" (or quoted someone to that effect--maybe McPherson). So GUESS WHO was paying closer attention than the corporate news monopolies--the PEOPLE! God bless 'em!

-----

(*I actually don't buy the clueless excuse any more on electronic voting. I was being kind to Ortiz--who has been good on other issues, especially health care. But the electronic voting thing is so egregiously bad--Bushite corporations counting all our votes behind a veil of "trade secret" programming (I mean, come on....)--that Democrats who don't care should be presumed to be Democrats who are on the take in some way, or so full of fear of being "swiftboated" like Kevin Shelley, or Diebolded like Max Cleland, that they really shouldn't be in politics. No more benefit of the doubt.)

[emlev]

12. Thank you, Peace Patriot! EOM

[kster]

19. YES, Who or What are they

afraid of, they need to come forward NOW! I just can't find any excuse for the (Honest Dem's or Rep), to remain SILENT on the trade secret vote counting and stealing machines.

The time is now, to come forward!!!

[Peace Patriot]

6. What about this matter of 68,000 uncounted votes in the Busby race?

Absentee ballots. Here's a thread about it...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1377756

And about some hanky panky insecurity with the voting machines...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1376512

I can't say, demand a recount--when they haven't FINISHED the count yet. That's a huge amount of votes. Busby lost by only about 5,000. Anybody know if it's true? I did hear that 50% of Californians had requested absentee ballots--or it might have been 50% in L.A. (a huge county)--either way, AB voting is very big BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T TRUST THE MACHINES. If there are 68,000 outstanding paper ballots yet to be counted--or even 5,000!--how can anybody be calling that race?

[Awsi Dooger]

8. Can't be a large number of uncounted ballots

Look at the voting history. That district was created in 2003. The first election in November 2002 had 172,000 votes. The special election had 125,000. That's a standard percentage for a special election compared to a midterm, if not slightly higher than normal. There might be thousands but no chance it's 68,000. Besides, if it's absentee ballots we lose ground there much more often than not, especially in a red district.

[Peace Patriot]

9. I don't think it's true any more that absentee ballots are conservative.

They used to be quite a while ago, because conservatives tend to be rich and on vacations during plebian events like elections, but these days it's more likely Democrats who don't trust the machines. There has been a huge increase in absentee ballot requests this year--I heard 50% of the vote in California. It is something of a protest movement. Who would be most likely to be worried about machine fraud by the fascists?

I really don't know about the 68,000 figure--but others are saying that, yes, that many absentee ballots have yet to be counted in the Busby-Bilbray race--half the votes. It fits with other stats I've heard--50% AB voting in Calif, and 50% in L.A. County.

We forget that the war profiteering corporate news monopolies actually collude in this kind of "calling" of elections before all the votes are counted. We need to distrust everything they say. They lied through their teeth about the exit polls in 2004. What are they not capable of?

I've got to go to sleep now. But will do some more investigating tomorrow.

[Awsi Dooger]

10. We've done better recently in California absentee ballots

Early in the 2000 post-election period one of the minor points was denial by Jerry Falwell and Pat Buchanon, etc. that Bush would lose the popular vote. They were banking on the huge number of uncounted western absentees especially California to put Bush over the top. But those ballots split or broke slightly for Gore.

In the San Diego area I've got to believe the absentees go red, at least slightly.

[emlev]

14. Sorry I posted before I read your post. EOM

[emlev]

13. Pattern of absentee voting is changing

Used to be mostly seniors and more conservative than in-person votes. But many people are voting absentee for new reasons--work schedules, distrust of electronic machines--and I don't think the same assumption can still be made. At least not accurately.

Provisional ballots tend to be heavily democratic, as it's most often voters of color, young voters and urban voters who are forced to vote provisionally.

[Amaryllis]

15. For her own race? why, when she won by such a vast margin? Would make

her lose credibility. No one outside of ER would understand the rationale. But she should demand a recount of the Busby race.

[kster]

16. Yes, And I think just

the opposite, it could set a new trend if the winner wanted to let the loser have the confidence that they really did lose FAIR AND SQAURE.

[Wilms]

17. The heck with the loser...I wonder if Bowen got 80% of the vote.

;)

[kster]

18. The loser doesn't

have the votes to demand a recount, but the winner does have the votes, we ONLY need one winner to DEMAND a recount WHY? To prove that it was a FAIR CONTEST, In this country we should INSIST that the loser has the CONFIDENCE in the process that he/she has actually lost the contest FAIR AND SQUARE.

Anything else is unacceptable. Just my opinion.