There’s more. The precincts that were counted were counted in many different ways, and a lot of them were confused. I’m planning to catch up on developments in this situation this evening and I’ll write a more detailed post.
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In the meantime, read my story about the spoiled state committee election in 2004 – we definitely had uncounted precincts in Boston in that one, that resulted in the office going to the candidate who got fewer votes.
stemcellularsays
It looks like we should start gathering folks for a weekend canvassing blitz to get the 500 votes necessary for a recount – call 617-785-4434 if you are interested in helping out.
ron-newmansays
It looks to me like the margin of alleged victory is small enough that the district-wide recount procedure applies. That requires only 75 valid signatures, for the entire district, and it doesn’t matter what wards the signatures are from.
First of all, there is no margin yet: 8 precincts haven’t even submitted tallies.
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p> IF were just considering the portion of the district that did submit tallies,
These procedures may be used only if the margin of victory is not more than one-half percent of the votes cast for an office or question.
141 / 11459 = 1.2%, which is greater than 0.5%
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(actually it’s a little lower than that, since 11459 is just the total votes cast for the four candidates who were running, but there were also a handful of stray write-in votes for other names – but it’s still not less than 0.5%)
goldsteingonewildsays
Hey Cos,
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Nice blogging yesterday.
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Do you have any sense of how many votes are actual handwritten ones, versus stickers with the write-in candidates pre-printed name? Are there any handwritten votes at all?
pcsmith32says
I’m hopeful that this may mean Wilkerson is out…but her claim of victory last night by 1200 votes has got me worried that she had knowledge of these “uncounted” precincts and was incorporating them into what turned out to be only a 141 vote margin….(I so hope i’m completely wrong on this)
willsays
but it’s just as possible the 1,200 number was … well, not from a reliable source.
My better half was working his poll assignment for Sonia Chang Diaz from 6:45am until closing yesterday. 2 highlites as recounted by me:
At 6:45am he started his time outside the poll with a Samiyah Diaz volunteer trying to take down the Chang Diaz signs and trash them in an alley–things got pretty nasty but the Chang Diaz signs went and stayed back up. (Samiyah Diaz had no signs up there to begin with and none went up all day).
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The other item of note is that when said spouse was directed last evening by the Chang Diaz campaign to go to another polling place at closing to observe the count and did so, the policewoman at that poll site was very nasty–both to him and to another nice guy who was from Chuck Turner’s contingent volunteering at that poll for Patrick.
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When polite requests were made by these citizen volunteers to observe the counting, addressed to the poll workers, they were kicked out by the policewoman in a not very nice way.
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p>
I sure wish Bonifaz had started his campaign sooner and won the primary for SOS… Who knows, maybe he’ll be needed to advise on this situtation as things unfold.
Hello! Nice to make another connection between a username here and a person in real life. I was the person at the Chang-Diaz campaign who sent him to that other polling place – we had two people available to observe the count and report tallies at the polling place where he was in the evening, and nobody at the other polling place. It’s so frustrating that even though he did get there, we still weren’t able to get their tally. I heard his story, and we were all surprised that someone as polite as he would be kicked out. There were actually a number of other polling places where they refued to let anyone observe the counting of the ballots, a trend I find very disturbing – even if they did count accurately (which they may have, but how would we know)?
Is that legal? I know they can kick rude unruly people out of polling places, but I thought if you were in by 8 pm any voter could observe the count….although at a recent Somerville election I was told by the police officer that I had to leave after I got my tape from the machine and couldn’t stay to see the (very few) write in ballot count. In this particular case I didn’t need to stay, although it made me mad enough to want to stay.
amicussays
Ann, that seems to be an unusual event. For the most part, the Diaz and Chang-Diaz poll workers got along great, albeit with considerable good natured ribbing and jockeying to get stickers into voters’ hands. No matter which side, there always seems to be a special bond between the grunts at the polls: they’re the people who give a damn and (usually) respect each other for it. Sorry to hear your other half ran into someone who was not of that mindset. It seems to be the exception from the stories I’ve heard. I remain a Samiyah supporter and a Sonia fan.
wechselsays
Maybe the Chang-Diaz signs were too close to the polling station? I was in the District on Primary Day and can assert that, if things got nasty, it certainly wasn’t so as a result of a Samiyah volunteer.
willsays
amicussays
willsays
ron-newmansays
Eight whole precincts?? How can this happen?
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Secretary Galvin, this is your chance to shine. Get on the case and stay on it.
Can anyone imagine this happening if John Bonifaz had been the Secretary of State for the past 4 years? I doubt it.
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We can’t give up on that awesome man… he needs an elected position somewhere, even if it’s in the state legislature.
heraklessays
I understand you like Bonifaz but there is little any SOS can do to prevent a nasty cop from being nasty. It is up for the campaign worker to know their rights and to forcefully advocate for them. Hang around enough precincts at closing time and you will see some interesting things.
What about Mayor Menino? Can’t we hold him responsible for anything? It is his city. It is his election workers. It is his police officers. I think he should make sure that they all know what they are supposed to be doing and that they do it.
for posting that.
There’s more. The precincts that were counted were counted in many different ways, and a lot of them were confused. I’m planning to catch up on developments in this situation this evening and I’ll write a more detailed post.
<
p>
In the meantime, read my story about the spoiled state committee election in 2004 – we definitely had uncounted precincts in Boston in that one, that resulted in the office going to the candidate who got fewer votes.
It looks like we should start gathering folks for a weekend canvassing blitz to get the 500 votes necessary for a recount – call 617-785-4434 if you are interested in helping out.
It looks to me like the margin of alleged victory is small enough that the district-wide recount procedure applies. That requires only 75 valid signatures, for the entire district, and it doesn’t matter what wards the signatures are from.
First of all, there is no margin yet: 8 precincts haven’t even submitted tallies.
<
p>
IF were just considering the portion of the district that did submit tallies,
141 / 11459 = 1.2%, which is greater than 0.5%
<
p>
(actually it’s a little lower than that, since 11459 is just the total votes cast for the four candidates who were running, but there were also a handful of stray write-in votes for other names – but it’s still not less than 0.5%)
Hey Cos,
<
p>
Nice blogging yesterday.
<
p>
Do you have any sense of how many votes are actual handwritten ones, versus stickers with the write-in candidates pre-printed name? Are there any handwritten votes at all?
I’m hopeful that this may mean Wilkerson is out…but her claim of victory last night by 1200 votes has got me worried that she had knowledge of these “uncounted” precincts and was incorporating them into what turned out to be only a 141 vote margin….(I so hope i’m completely wrong on this)
but it’s just as possible the 1,200 number was … well, not from a reliable source.
<
p>
Let’s count the votes.
My better half was working his poll assignment for Sonia Chang Diaz from 6:45am until closing yesterday. 2 highlites as recounted by me:
At 6:45am he started his time outside the poll with a Samiyah Diaz volunteer trying to take down the Chang Diaz signs and trash them in an alley–things got pretty nasty but the Chang Diaz signs went and stayed back up. (Samiyah Diaz had no signs up there to begin with and none went up all day).
<
p>
The other item of note is that when said spouse was directed last evening by the Chang Diaz campaign to go to another polling place at closing to observe the count and did so, the policewoman at that poll site was very nasty–both to him and to another nice guy who was from Chuck Turner’s contingent volunteering at that poll for Patrick.
<
p>
When polite requests were made by these citizen volunteers to observe the counting, addressed to the poll workers, they were kicked out by the policewoman in a not very nice way.
<
p>
I sure wish Bonifaz had started his campaign sooner and won the primary for SOS… Who knows, maybe he’ll be needed to advise on this situtation as things unfold.
Hello! Nice to make another connection between a username here and a person in real life. I was the person at the Chang-Diaz campaign who sent him to that other polling place – we had two people available to observe the count and report tallies at the polling place where he was in the evening, and nobody at the other polling place. It’s so frustrating that even though he did get there, we still weren’t able to get their tally. I heard his story, and we were all surprised that someone as polite as he would be kicked out. There were actually a number of other polling places where they refued to let anyone observe the counting of the ballots, a trend I find very disturbing – even if they did count accurately (which they may have, but how would we know)?
Is that legal? I know they can kick rude unruly people out of polling places, but I thought if you were in by 8 pm any voter could observe the count….although at a recent Somerville election I was told by the police officer that I had to leave after I got my tape from the machine and couldn’t stay to see the (very few) write in ballot count. In this particular case I didn’t need to stay, although it made me mad enough to want to stay.
Ann, that seems to be an unusual event. For the most part, the Diaz and Chang-Diaz poll workers got along great, albeit with considerable good natured ribbing and jockeying to get stickers into voters’ hands. No matter which side, there always seems to be a special bond between the grunts at the polls: they’re the people who give a damn and (usually) respect each other for it. Sorry to hear your other half ran into someone who was not of that mindset. It seems to be the exception from the stories I’ve heard. I remain a Samiyah supporter and a Sonia fan.
Maybe the Chang-Diaz signs were too close to the polling station? I was in the District on Primary Day and can assert that, if things got nasty, it certainly wasn’t so as a result of a Samiyah volunteer.
Eight whole precincts?? How can this happen?
<
p>
Secretary Galvin, this is your chance to shine. Get on the case and stay on it.
Can anyone imagine this happening if John Bonifaz had been the Secretary of State for the past 4 years? I doubt it.
<
p>
We can’t give up on that awesome man… he needs an elected position somewhere, even if it’s in the state legislature.
I understand you like Bonifaz but there is little any SOS can do to prevent a nasty cop from being nasty. It is up for the campaign worker to know their rights and to forcefully advocate for them. Hang around enough precincts at closing time and you will see some interesting things.
That’s what, 22000 residents? That’s a lot of disenfranchised people!
What about Mayor Menino? Can’t we hold him responsible for anything? It is his city. It is his election workers. It is his police officers. I think he should make sure that they all know what they are supposed to be doing and that they do it.
<
p>
Katie, you didn’t get the memo?
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p>
Answer: No.