I’m mad as hell!!!

In the Democratic Primary of 2004 the vote between Tom Umberg and Claudia Alvarez was separated by 365 votes when everything was counted.  I knew then that every vote had counted.  With all precincts reporting, probably with the exclusion of the paper ballots cast, 13 votes separate Lou Correa and Lynn Daucher in the 34th Senate contest. I’m now sure that every vote counts. 

I’m also sure that there is something suspicious when the majority of the lines, and equipment problems showed up in heavy Democratic or Latino precincts in the 34th Senate contest this time.

I do not know yet exactly how many precincts in the 34th had the problems I witnessed last night, but I know that the people who left because of the 2 ½ hour wait in line I watched creep along could very well have been deciding votes in this election.

After the 14,000 letters sent to Latino registered voters attempting to intimidate their votes and the 12 bounty hunters charged with voter registration fraud, I’m not far from seriously considering that the failure of the Registrar of Voters to have enough voting machines and/or paper ballots at polling locations in Garden Grove and Santa Ana was a calculated act. 

Whether it was a calculated action on the part of our chief elections official or evidence of utter and complete incompetence, Neal Kelley needs to be fired.Registrar of Voters, Neal Kelley

No one should be asked to wait 2 ½ hours to vote.  No one should be required to try and vote 4 times over the course of the day.  No election volunteer should be placed in the untenable position of being powerless to help. 

It was Neal Kelley’s job to ensure the ability to vote without impediment to ALL VOTERS.  For two statewide elections in a row, Neal Kelley failed to do his job. 

What does it take for the County CEO or the Board of Supervisors to do their job?

Why is it that we can conduct an election in war torn Iraq better than we can in Garden Grove or Santa Ana?

10 Comments

  1. Last night, a friend of mine had to convince someone to stay in line at the polls…
    Where I was at in Santa Ana, the line was so long that there were still people waiting to vote AFTER 8:30! Though I think that Lou will prevail in the end after all the provisional ballots are cast, I certainly agree with you that it didn’t help ANYONE that the voting machines in Central OC were few and far between (and some of the ones that were available broke down).

    Yep, this Registrar of Voters needs to go! He failed the parents of Capo Unified students by revealing their support of the recall effort to the trustees up for recall… Then he failed to do anything about the 100-500 illegally switched voters in SD 34… Then he failed to do anything about the Tan-gate Letter… And now, he failed the voters of SD 34 by keeping them in line for so long when it shouldn’t have been necessary!

    Ah, why must Orange County suffer from such an incompetent government?

  2. Stop complaining. Gloat about your freakin vitory nationwide.

    Neal Kelley has done an amazing job this election.

  3. Actually, we will complain about every race where voter suppression occurs. Most of the country is Democratic. Last night’s election results are proof that OC is way out of step with California and the rest of the nation.

  4. Adam,

    We’ll have at least the next two years to gloat about nationwide victories.

    How typically Republican of you to not be concerned about people not being able to vote or having to wait for hours to do so.

    No matter what measure you use, a Registrar of Voters is not doing an amazing job if people in minority precincts in central Orange County have to wait more than two hours to vote. Unless of course, that was the amazing thing he was supposed to do. Hmmmm?

  5. Chris,

    If you complain about vote suppression, the terrorist win 😉

    I waited in line 2 1/2 hours and would have waited twice that if necessary.

    It is amazing that we are able to see a winner within 5 hours of the polls closing.

    This is the greatest country on Earth.

    Can’t wait for Pelosi, Dean, Kerry, Kennedy and Obama to reveal their real feelings and blow the Dem’s chances in 2008.

  6. I haven’t decided if I prefer Republican sore losers or sore winners. Adam, this is what Jefferson liked to see every now and again. A little Revolution is good for everybody.

    With a couple of exceptions, I don’t really encounter Republicans who want to promote and protect the vote. If one person had to walk away from a crowded precinct with broken machines and no paper ballots – that is disenfranchisement.

  7. This isn’t a Revolution…its move back towards the center by moving to the left(when you’re so far right there is one one place to go). the Dems took the statehouse in Red State Indiana for God’s sakes…
    We’ve taken back a number of Governorships which will come in handy when the congressional districts are redrawn in 2010.

  8. I stand by Revolution – when you consider how far to the right we were – a return to center is downright revolutionary.

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