Re: [CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote
-Caveat Lector- What Lassey - Gore Won? I demand a recount. Bet Polls today would show Bush a winner by a landside if the elections would be held today. Never underestimate the Gentlemen C's, Lassey..remember the Scarlet Pimpernell? Saba Can't believe it - Washington Post said Gore Won? That means the Holy Man is Vice President and Gore will be executed in office? http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER == CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substancenot soap-boxingplease! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright fraudsis used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED] http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
Re: [CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote
-Caveat Lector- Saba, How dare you!!! The WASHINGTON POST says Gore won. Now we know that only the true gospel comes from the Washington Post. Right? Of course they think he won. All those gems of honesty and integrity that participated in the illegal stuff to 'rig' the election just CANNOT believe that their deeds were discovered. Read VoteSCAM. Florida was hand picked to lend a hand in November. They thought they had all the legal offices 'covered'. BUT, it flopped. PTL http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER == CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substancenot soap-boxingplease! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright fraudsis used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED] http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
[CTRL] Fw: [CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida
-Caveat Lector- Wrong. Two recounts took place. End of story. Get over it. Ake - Original Message - From: "Samantha L." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 11:54 AM Subject: Re: [CTRL] Fw: [CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida > -Caveat Lector- > > In a message dated 2/6/01 11:44:55 AM Central Standard Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > > That is why no accurate count can be made of > > ballots long after the fact of the election. > > HAHAHA!!! Too bad GW, his lawyers, and his slaves (the US SC) prevented a > count SHORTLY after the election. > > Samantha > > http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER == CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substancenot soap-boxingplease! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright fraudsis used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED] http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
Re: [CTRL] Fw: [CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida
-Caveat Lector- In a message dated 2/6/01 11:44:55 AM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > That is why no accurate count can be made of > ballots long after the fact of the election. HAHAHA!!! Too bad GW, his lawyers, and his slaves (the US SC) prevented a count SHORTLY after the election. Samantha http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER == CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substancenot soap-boxingplease! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright fraudsis used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED] http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
[CTRL] Fw: [CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida
-Caveat Lector- Yes, Steve, Gore will always be a winner with the communists and socialists as they march us right along to the gulag. It seems to all be a matter of perception and very subjective. That is why no accurate count can be made of ballots long after the fact of the election. Amelia - Original Message - From: "Steve Wingate" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 3:57 AM Subject: [CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida > -Caveat Lector- > > --- Forwarded message follows --- > Date sent: Mon, 05 Feb 2001 12:27:35 -0800 > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject:SNET: Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Copies to: Cosmic Comentary <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED], > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > World Socialist Web Site www.wsws.org > WSWS : News & Analysis : North America : US Politics > > Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote > > By Patrick Martin > 5 February 2001 > > Two newly published studies of the ballots cast in the US presidential > election confirm that Democrat Al Gore was the choice of more Florida > voters than Republican George W. Bush, who was installed as president > after an unprecedented and anti-democratic intervention by the US > Supreme Court. > > One study was conducted by the Washington Post, the other by Tribune > Co., which owns the Chicago Tribune, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Fort > Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. The Post endorsed Gore editorially in the > November election, while the Tribune endorsed Bush. > http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER == CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substancenot soap-boxingplease! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright fraudsis used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED] http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
Re: [CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote
-Caveat Lector- Now if the World Socialist website says Gore won, we have a deposed King sitting on the sidelines that nobody wants and the more they see this stuffed turkey the more they wish he would go home to Russia to roost with David Duke. I put Duke, Clinton, Gore, Putin all in the same camp.David Duke was no Klansman - and now he is in Russia taking on Russian Jews? Keep remembering this Jewish Mafia bunch in Columbus with all that neo nazi literatuare in their basements..imposters - but it does look like turkies do go home to roost.so look at Gores friends - World Socialists? More like World Losers? Bye Bye Blackbirds..there they go. Take Jesse too Saba http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER == CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substancenot soap-boxingplease! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright fraudsis used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED] http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
[CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida
-Caveat Lector- --- Forwarded message follows --- Date sent: Mon, 05 Feb 2001 12:27:35 -0800 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject:SNET: Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Copies to: Cosmic Comentary <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] World Socialist Web Site www.wsws.org WSWS : News & Analysis : North America : US Politics Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote By Patrick Martin 5 February 2001 Two newly published studies of the ballots cast in the US presidential election confirm that Democrat Al Gore was the choice of more Florida voters than Republican George W. Bush, who was installed as president after an unprecedented and anti-democratic intervention by the US Supreme Court. One study was conducted by the Washington Post, the other by Tribune Co., which owns the Chicago Tribune, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. The Post endorsed Gore editorially in the November election, while the Tribune endorsed Bush. The Post reviewed computerized records of 2.7 million votes in eight of Florida's largest counties to examine the pattern of the so-called overvotes, those ballots on which computer scanners or other vote-counting machines detected votes for more than one presidential candidate and discarded the ballots as invalid. The newspaper did not recount individual ballots, but relied on reports from county officials based on machine tabulation of the invalid ballots. The analysis found that of the more than 60,000 ballots in the eight counties showing overvotesthe bulk of the statewide totalGore's name was marked on 46,000, while Bush was marked on only 17,000. This includes several thousand ballots in which both Gore and Bush were marked. The 3-1 Democratic to Republican ratio among the overvotes was confirmed in the analysis of other votes cast by those voters further down the ballot. Three quarters of those who improperly cast a presidential overvote marked their ballots correctly for US senator. Of these, 70 percent voted for Democrat Bill Nelson, only 24 percent for Republican Bill McCollum, while 6 percent voted for third-party candidates. The nearly 30,000-vote margin for Gore among the overvotes dwarfs the 537 votes which was Bush's official margin of victory in Florida. On the basis of that minuscule and highly dubious number, the Republican- controlled state government, headed by his brother, Governor Jeb Bush, awarded him the state's 25 electoral votes and a four-vote margin in the Electoral College nationally. The eight counties examined by the Post included Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Broward (Fort Lauderdale), Pinellas (St. Petersburg), Hillsborough (Tampa), Marion (Ocala), Highlands and Pasco. Four of these counties went for Gore and four for Bush. The pattern of more overvotes for Gore prevailed in all the counties, however, regardless of who won the county overall. The notorious butterfly ballot in Palm Beach County accounted for 8,000 of the Gore overvotes, most of them double votes for Gore and far-right Reform Party candidate Patrick Buchanan, who was listed across from Gore on the ballot, with his punch-hole close to the names of Gore and Lieberman. Gore-Buchanan voters in Palm Beach County voted 10-1 Democratic in the US Senate race. In the other seven counties, the largest group of overvotes were for Gore and the candidate who followed immediately after him on the ballot, Libertarian Harry Browne. Such a combination is incomprehensible as a protest vote, especially one supposedly chosen by 6,800 voters. It more likely reflects confusion among voters who thought they had to cast votes for president and vice-president. Confirming the notion that the overvotes were largely intended for Gore is the fact that most of the third-party candidates on the ballot for president received more votes paired with Gore as overvotes than they did in their own right. In the eight counties, Socialist Workers Party candidate James Harris received a total of 300 votes, but his name was punched 12,600 times on ballots with Gore, Bush or another presidential candidate42 inadvertent votes for each intentional vote. The Republican head of the Florida Division of Elections, Clay Roberts, dismissed the Post analysis with an argument of stupefying cynicism, claiming that overvotes were intentional political choices. People who are engaged in politics can't understand why people would overvote, he said. But there are valid reasons for undervotes and overvotes. For some voters, that undervote or overvote is their decision. The Post also found more than 15,000 voters in the eight counties who cast no recorded votes for any office or referendum. This suggests widespread difficulty with voting equipment, or major errors in the computerized count, or both, since it is impossible t
Re: [CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote
-Caveat Lector- Interestingly, these newspapers were counting OVERvotes, when even the Florida Supreme Court never gave an order to count overvotes. Their order concerned undervotes. > > World Socialist Web Site www.wsws.org > > WSWS : News & Analysis : North America : US Politics > > > > Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote > > > > By Patrick Martin > > 5 February 2001 > > > > Two newly published studies of the ballots cast in the US > > presidential > > election confirm that Democrat Al Gore > > was the choice of more Florida voters than Republican George W. > > Bush, who was > > installed as president after > > an unprecedented and anti-democratic intervention by the US Supreme > > Court. > > > > One study was conducted by the Washington Post, the other by Tribune > > Co., > > which owns the Chicago Tribune, > > the Orlando Sentinel, and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. The Post > > endorsed > > Gore editorially in the > > November election, while the Tribune endorsed Bush. > > > > The Post reviewed computerized records of 2.7 million votes in eight > > of > > Florida's largest counties to examine > > the pattern of the so-called overvotes, those ballots on which > > computer > > scanners or other vote-counting > > machines detected votes for more than one presidential candidate and > > discarded the ballots as invalid. The > > newspaper did not recount individual ballots, but relied on reports > > from > > county officials based on machine > > tabulation of the invalid ballots. > > > > The analysis found that of the more than 60,000 ballots in the eight > > counties > > showing overvotes?the bulk of the > > statewide total?Gore's name was marked on 46,000, while Bush was > > marked on > > only 17,000. This includes > > several thousand ballots in which both Gore and Bush were marked. > > > > The 3-1 Democratic to Republican ratio among the overvotes was > > confirmed in > > the analysis of other votes cast > > by those voters further down the ballot. Three quarters of those who > > improperly cast a presidential overvote > > marked their ballots correctly for US senator. Of these, 70 percent > > voted for > > Democrat Bill Nelson, only 24 > > percent for Republican Bill McCollum, while 6 percent voted for > > third-party > > candidates. > > > > The nearly 30,000-vote margin for Gore among the overvotes dwarfs > > the 537 > > votes which was Bush's official > > margin of victory in Florida. On the basis of that minuscule and > > highly > > dubious number, the > > Republican-controlled state government, headed by his brother, > > Governor Jeb > > Bush, awarded him the state's > > 25 electoral votes and a four-vote margin in the Electoral College > > nationally. > > > > The eight counties examined by the Post included Miami-Dade, Palm > > Beach, > > Broward (Fort Lauderdale), > > Pinellas (St. Petersburg), Hillsborough (Tampa), Marion (Ocala), > > Highlands > > and Pasco. Four of these counties > > went for Gore and four for Bush. The pattern of more overvotes for > > Gore > > prevailed in all the counties, however, > > regardless of who won the county overall. > > > > The notorious ?butterfly ballot? in Palm Beach County accounted for > > 8,000 of > > the Gore overvotes, most of them > > double votes for Gore and far-right Reform Party candidate Patrick > > Buchanan, > > who was listed across from Gore > > on the ballot, with his punch-hole close to the names of Gore and > > Lieberman. > > Gore-Buchanan voters in Palm > > Beach County voted 10-1 Democratic in the US Senate race. > > > > In the other seven counties, the largest group of overvotes were for > > Gore and > > the candidate who followed > > immediately after him on the ballot, Libertarian Harry Browne. Such > > a > > combination is incomprehensible as a > > protest vote, especially one supposedly chosen by 6,800 voters. It > > more > > likely reflects confusion among voters > > who thought they had to cast votes for president and vice-president. > > > > Confirming the notion that the overvotes were largely intended for > > Gore is > > the fact that most of the third-party > > candidates on the ballot for president received more votes paired > > with Gore > > as overvotes than they did in their > > own right. In the eight counties, Socialist Workers Party candidate > > James > > Harris received a total of 300 votes, > > but his name was punched 12,600 times on ballots with Gore, Bush or > > another > > presidential candidate?42 > > inadvertent votes for each intentional vote. > > > > The Republican head of the Florida Division of Elections, Clay > > Roberts, > > dismissed the Post analysis with an > > argument of stupefying cynicism, claiming that overvotes were > > intentional > > political choices. ?People who are > > engaged in politics can't understand why people would overvote,? he > > said. > > ?But there are valid reasons for > > undervotes and overvotes. For some voters, that undervote or > > overvote is > > the
Re: [CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote
-Caveat Lector- Well we AL know that we can believe EVERYTHING these particular newspapers say. Sure we can-just like we can believe Willy and company. Strangely absent is any info about all the illegals and convicts who voted, the many people who voted more than once, the 'assisted' votes, etc etc. Notice, too, that the conclusions are based on 'analysis'-not counting-i.e, someone's interpretation. That's certainly reliable. Not worth my time to read it all thru. The only thing worthwhile in the Wash COMPOST is the cartoons and the advertisements!!! The rest is pure, predictable crap. That's why CNN and the rest of this ilk is going down the tubes. Can't fool us any more. Blab on, blab on. I walk part the Wash Post boxes every day and see the left over papers, while the Wash Times box is empty! On Mon, 5 Feb 2001 15:26:35 EST DIG alfred webre <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > -Caveat Lector- > > World Socialist Web Site www.wsws.org > WSWS : News & Analysis : North America : US Politics > > Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote > > By Patrick Martin > 5 February 2001 > > Two newly published studies of the ballots cast in the US > presidential > election confirm that Democrat Al Gore > was the choice of more Florida voters than Republican George W. > Bush, who was > installed as president after > an unprecedented and anti-democratic intervention by the US Supreme > Court. > > One study was conducted by the Washington Post, the other by Tribune > Co., > which owns the Chicago Tribune, > the Orlando Sentinel, and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. The Post > endorsed > Gore editorially in the > November election, while the Tribune endorsed Bush. > > The Post reviewed computerized records of 2.7 million votes in eight > of > Florida's largest counties to examine > the pattern of the so-called overvotes, those ballots on which > computer > scanners or other vote-counting > machines detected votes for more than one presidential candidate and > discarded the ballots as invalid. The > newspaper did not recount individual ballots, but relied on reports > from > county officials based on machine > tabulation of the invalid ballots. > > The analysis found that of the more than 60,000 ballots in the eight > counties > showing overvotesthe bulk of the > statewide totalGore's name was marked on 46,000, while Bush was > marked on > only 17,000. This includes > several thousand ballots in which both Gore and Bush were marked. > > The 3-1 Democratic to Republican ratio among the overvotes was > confirmed in > the analysis of other votes cast > by those voters further down the ballot. Three quarters of those who > improperly cast a presidential overvote > marked their ballots correctly for US senator. Of these, 70 percent > voted for > Democrat Bill Nelson, only 24 > percent for Republican Bill McCollum, while 6 percent voted for > third-party > candidates. > > The nearly 30,000-vote margin for Gore among the overvotes dwarfs > the 537 > votes which was Bush's official > margin of victory in Florida. On the basis of that minuscule and > highly > dubious number, the > Republican-controlled state government, headed by his brother, > Governor Jeb > Bush, awarded him the state's > 25 electoral votes and a four-vote margin in the Electoral College > nationally. > > The eight counties examined by the Post included Miami-Dade, Palm > Beach, > Broward (Fort Lauderdale), > Pinellas (St. Petersburg), Hillsborough (Tampa), Marion (Ocala), > Highlands > and Pasco. Four of these counties > went for Gore and four for Bush. The pattern of more overvotes for > Gore > prevailed in all the counties, however, > regardless of who won the county overall. > > The notorious butterfly ballot in Palm Beach County accounted for > 8,000 of > the Gore overvotes, most of them > double votes for Gore and far-right Reform Party candidate Patrick > Buchanan, > who was listed across from Gore > on the ballot, with his punch-hole close to the names of Gore and > Lieberman. > Gore-Buchanan voters in Palm > Beach County voted 10-1 Democratic in the US Senate race. > > In the other seven counties, the largest group of overvotes were for > Gore and > the candidate who followed > immediately after him on the ballot, Libertarian Harry Browne. Such > a > combination is incomprehensible as a > protest vote, especially one supposedly chosen by 6,800 voters. It > more > likely reflects confusion among voters > who thought they had to cast votes for president and vice-president. > > Confirming the notion that the overvotes were largely intended for > Gore is > the fact that most of the third-party > candidates on the ballot for president received more votes paired > with Gore > as overvotes than they did in their > own right. In the eight counties, Socialist Workers Party candidate > James > Harris received a total of 300 votes, > but his name was punched 12,600 times on ballots with Gore, Bush or > another > preside
[CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote
http://wsws.org/articles/2001/feb2001/flor-f05.shtml Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote By Patrick Martin 5 February 2001 Two newly published studies of the ballots cast in the US presidential election confirm that Democrat Al Gore was the choice of more Florida voters than Republican George W. Bush, who was installed as president after an unprecedented and anti-democratic intervention by the US Supreme Court. One study was conducted by the Washington Post, the other by Tribune Co., which owns the Chicago Tribune, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. The Post endorsed Gore editorially in the November election, while the Tribune endorsed Bush. The Post reviewed computerized records of 2.7 million votes in eight of Florida's largest counties to examine the pattern of the so-called overvotes, those ballots on which computer scanners or other vote-counting machines detected votes for more than one presidential candidate and discarded the ballots as invalid. The newspaper did not recount individual ballots, but relied on reports from county officials based on machine tabulation of the invalid ballots. The analysis found that of the more than 60,000 ballots in the eight counties showing overvotes—the bulk of the statewide total—Gore's name was marked on 46,000, while Bush was marked on only 17,000. This includes several thousand ballots in which both Gore and Bush were marked. The 3-1 Democratic to Republican ratio among the overvotes was confirmed in the analysis of other votes cast by those voters further down the ballot. Three quarters of those who improperly cast a presidential overvote marked their ballots correctly for US senator. Of these, 70 percent voted for Democrat Bill Nelson, only 24 percent for Republican Bill McCollum, while 6 percent voted for third-party candidates. The nearly 30,000-vote margin for Gore among the overvotes dwarfs the 537 votes which was Bush's official margin of victory in Florida. On the basis of that minuscule and highly dubious number, the Republican-controlled state government, headed by his brother, Governor Jeb Bush, awarded him the state's 25 electoral votes and a four-vote margin in the Electoral College nationally. The eight counties examined by the Post included Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Broward (Fort Lauderdale), Pinellas (St. Petersburg), Hillsborough (Tampa), Marion (Ocala), Highlands and Pasco. Four of these counties went for Gore and four for Bush. The pattern of more overvotes for Gore prevailed in all the counties, however, regardless of who won the county overall. The notorious “butterfly ballot” in Palm Beach County accounted for 8,000 of the Gore overvotes, most of them double votes for Gore and far-right Reform Party candidate Patrick Buchanan, who was listed across from Gore on the ballot, with his punch-hole close to the names of Gore and Lieberman. Gore-Buchanan voters in Palm Beach County voted 10-1 Democratic in the US Senate race. In the other seven counties, the largest group of overvotes were for Gore and the candidate who followed immediately after him on the ballot, Libertarian Harry Browne. Such a combination is incomprehensible as a protest vote, especially one supposedly chosen by 6,800 voters. It more likely reflects confusion among voters who thought they had to cast votes for president and vice-president. Confirming the notion that the overvotes were largely intended for Gore is the fact that most of the third-party candidates on the ballot for president received more votes paired with Gore as overvotes than they did in their own right. In the eight counties, Socialist Workers Party candidate James Harris received a total of 300 votes, but his name was punched 12,600 times on ballots with Gore, Bush or another presidential candidate—42 inadvertent votes for each intentional vote. The Republican head of the Florida Division of Elections, Clay Roberts, dismissed the Post analysis with an argument of stupefying cynicism, claiming that overvotes were intentional political choices. “People who are engaged in politics can't understand why people would overvote,” he said. “But there are valid reasons for undervotes and overvotes. For some voters, that undervote or overvote is their decision.” The Post also found more than 15,000 voters in the eight counties who cast no recorded votes for any office or referendum. This suggests widespread difficulty with voting equipment, or major errors in the computerized count, or both, since it is impossible to believe that so many people turned out at the polls, many of them waiting hours in line, only to cast a blank ballot. The Tribune Co. study examined ballots in 15 smaller counties—not including any of the eight in the Post study—that used paper ballots that were marked in pencil and then read by optical scanners. While much public attention has been given to the punch card ballots that proved so defective
[CTRL] Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote
-Caveat Lector- World Socialist Web Site www.wsws.org WSWS : News & Analysis : North America : US Politics Newspaper studies confirm Democrat Gore won Florida vote By Patrick Martin 5 February 2001 Two newly published studies of the ballots cast in the US presidential election confirm that Democrat Al Gore was the choice of more Florida voters than Republican George W. Bush, who was installed as president after an unprecedented and anti-democratic intervention by the US Supreme Court. One study was conducted by the Washington Post, the other by Tribune Co., which owns the Chicago Tribune, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. The Post endorsed Gore editorially in the November election, while the Tribune endorsed Bush. The Post reviewed computerized records of 2.7 million votes in eight of Florida's largest counties to examine the pattern of the so-called overvotes, those ballots on which computer scanners or other vote-counting machines detected votes for more than one presidential candidate and discarded the ballots as invalid. The newspaper did not recount individual ballots, but relied on reports from county officials based on machine tabulation of the invalid ballots. The analysis found that of the more than 60,000 ballots in the eight counties showing overvotesthe bulk of the statewide totalGore's name was marked on 46,000, while Bush was marked on only 17,000. This includes several thousand ballots in which both Gore and Bush were marked. The 3-1 Democratic to Republican ratio among the overvotes was confirmed in the analysis of other votes cast by those voters further down the ballot. Three quarters of those who improperly cast a presidential overvote marked their ballots correctly for US senator. Of these, 70 percent voted for Democrat Bill Nelson, only 24 percent for Republican Bill McCollum, while 6 percent voted for third-party candidates. The nearly 30,000-vote margin for Gore among the overvotes dwarfs the 537 votes which was Bush's official margin of victory in Florida. On the basis of that minuscule and highly dubious number, the Republican-controlled state government, headed by his brother, Governor Jeb Bush, awarded him the state's 25 electoral votes and a four-vote margin in the Electoral College nationally. The eight counties examined by the Post included Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Broward (Fort Lauderdale), Pinellas (St. Petersburg), Hillsborough (Tampa), Marion (Ocala), Highlands and Pasco. Four of these counties went for Gore and four for Bush. The pattern of more overvotes for Gore prevailed in all the counties, however, regardless of who won the county overall. The notorious butterfly ballot in Palm Beach County accounted for 8,000 of the Gore overvotes, most of them double votes for Gore and far-right Reform Party candidate Patrick Buchanan, who was listed across from Gore on the ballot, with his punch-hole close to the names of Gore and Lieberman. Gore-Buchanan voters in Palm Beach County voted 10-1 Democratic in the US Senate race. In the other seven counties, the largest group of overvotes were for Gore and the candidate who followed immediately after him on the ballot, Libertarian Harry Browne. Such a combination is incomprehensible as a protest vote, especially one supposedly chosen by 6,800 voters. It more likely reflects confusion among voters who thought they had to cast votes for president and vice-president. Confirming the notion that the overvotes were largely intended for Gore is the fact that most of the third-party candidates on the ballot for president received more votes paired with Gore as overvotes than they did in their own right. In the eight counties, Socialist Workers Party candidate James Harris received a total of 300 votes, but his name was punched 12,600 times on ballots with Gore, Bush or another presidential candidate42 inadvertent votes for each intentional vote. The Republican head of the Florida Division of Elections, Clay Roberts, dismissed the Post analysis with an argument of stupefying cynicism, claiming that overvotes were intentional political choices. People who are engaged in politics can't understand why people would overvote, he said. But there are valid reasons for undervotes and overvotes. For some voters, that undervote or overvote is their decision. The Post also found more than 15,000 voters in the eight counties who cast no recorded votes for any office or referendum. This suggests widespread difficulty with voting equipment, or major errors in the computerized count, or both, since it is impossible to believe that so many people turned out at the polls, many of them waiting hours in line, only to cast a blank ballot. The Tribune Co. study examined ballots in 15 smaller countiesnot including any of the eight in the Post studythat used paper ballots that were marked in pencil and then read by optical scanners. While much public attention has been given to the punch card ballots that proved
