Mystery of Lost Green and GOP Votes in DC Ward 5 DeepensThe DC Statehood Green Party Thursday, October 26, 2006 Contact: Mystery of lost Statehood Green, GOP votes in DC Ward 5 deepens Response of the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics to the recent complaint of lost Statehood Green and Republican votes raises new questions about D.C. election integrity
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- DC Statehood Green Party members responded to published claims that the mystery of lost Statehood Green and Republican primary votes has been solved, saying that explanations from the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics (DCBOEE) raised new questions about the integrity of D.C. elections. On October 23, the Statehood Green Party announced that former candidate Philip Blair, in routine review of votes after the September 25 primary election in Ward 5, discovered discrepances: only 89 votes recorded for 140 Statehood Green voters, with 51 votes apparently 'lost'; 40% of Republican votes also disappeared in the same Ward 5 primary (see "Voting irregularities discovered in Ward 5 primary election results in Washington, D.C." <dcstatehoodgreen.org/press/press.php?annc_id=167§ion_id=2> or <dcstatehoodgreen.org/press/>). On October 25, Mr. Blair sent a follow-up letter to his initial complaints, questioning the DCBOEE's certification process. The text of the letter is pasted below. (Mr. Blair has not yet received a response to his earlier complaint and request for an investigation.) In his letter, Mr. Blair noted, "If large numbers of Statehood-Green and Republican voters were, for whatever reason, voting illegally in the Democratic primary, then it seems that not one of the three primaries in Ward 5 -- Democratic, Republican, or Statehood-Green -- could have been legally certified, at least not without serious qualification." D.C. Statehood Green Party members agreed, and warned that if workers at many polling sites gave Democratic primary ballots to Statehood Green and Republican voters on September 12, then all three parties' results may be unreliable. "If 36% of Statehood Green votes and 40% of Republican votes in a primary election are lost, for whatever reason, then we have reason to question the integrity of the D.C. election system," said Anne Anderson, Ward 5 resident and Statehood Green Party member. "We should also worry about the accuracy of the September 12 Democratic Party primary. If the Statehood Green and Republican primaries are unreliable, that's bad enough. If Statehood Green and Republican voters are being given Democratic ballots and are voting in the Democratic primary, it means that Democratic primary results are also skewed." Mr. Blair only investigated the Statehood Green and Republican primary results, and only did so in Ward 5, because there were too many Democratic votes for one individual to investigate. DC Statehood Green Party members compared the lost votes to a 'canary in a coal mine,' expressing concern that if the outcome is unreliable for Ward 5 Statehood Green and Republican primaries, similar problems may also exist in other wards and elections. "We demand that DCBOEE fully investigate the September 12 primary, and assure us that Statehood Green and Republican votes be given the same treatment as Democratic votes," said Ms. Anderson. "The fact that a majority of D.C. voters are registered Democrat and that Democrats usually win elections is irrelevant. All voters deserve to have their votes counted accurately, regardless of party affiliation." * * * * * First, a question concerning the regulations that govern the certifying of election results. I have become aware of the District of Columbia Register, Chapter 8, "Tabulation and Certification of Election Results," pages 5062-5071, date-stamped May 14, 2004.There, at section 812, "Ballot Accounting," I find the following description of the process of "accounting" to be followed before the certification of the election results. << 812.1 Following the tabulation of all votes, a full accounting of official ballots shall be made prior to certification of the official election results. 812.2 The accounting of official ballots shall include the following: (a) For each precinct and for each party in a primary election, the sum of the number of ballots issued to the voters, less the number of spoiled ballots, should equal the total number of ballots cast in the precinct; (b) For each precinct, and for each party in a primary election, the sum of the number of cards issued to voters and exchanged for ballots, plus the number of special ballots, should equal the total number of voters; (c) For each precinct, and for each party in a primary election, upon completion of the election day count and exclusive of special and absentee ballots, the sum of the number of polling place ballots counted plus the number of special ballots cast should equal the totals from §§ 812.2(a) and (b); (d) For each entire selection [sic] and for each type of ballot used in it, the sum of the number of absentee ballots issued to voters by mail, in person, by affidavit (emergency), or utilized for any miscellaneous purpose, plus the number of absentee ballots remaining unused, should equal the total number of absentee ballots; (e) For each entire election and for each type of ballot used in it, the sum of the number of absentee ballots cast, absentee ballots spoiled, and absentee ballots not returned, should equal the total number of absentee ballots issued to voters; [...] >> Please confirm to me immediately (preferably by e-mail) that this quoted text in the box above is current regulation with the force of law. If it is, presumably there are written records of the accounting process required by this language. Do such written records exist? Are they available to the public? How might I, as a candidate and as a citizen, gain access to such records? I ask because this language mandates certain procedures that would answer many of the questions I have had about the conduct of the Statehood-Green Party primary here in Ward 5 and about the problems I have brought to your attention already concerning the Republican Primary for Ward 5 as well. These records would show if there were spoiled ballots and the number of such spoiled ballots by party and by precinct. These records would show if there were special ballots and would itemize the disposition of those ballots. In fact, these records would mean that much of the investigative work requested in my three previous complaints has already been done, as part of the procedure mandated by the regulations cited above. To the voter on the street it would seem that, if these accounting procedures were not followed, then certification of the election results would not be possible. Please help me to understand either, on the one hand, how I have misunderstood the legal regulations, or, on the other hand, what can be done to remedy the situation if an election has been certified without the required "full accounting of official ballots." The inconsistencies I have reported to you in my three previous complaints were discovered in the election results officially certified and published online by the BOEE, in the CD database sold to me by the BOEE, and in the original pollbooks themselves; I cannot understand how these inconsistencies could have persisted if the Ballot Accounting procedures outlined above had been followed. If large numbers of Statehood-Green and Republican voters were, for whatever reason, voting illegally in the Democratic primary, then it seems that not one of the three primaries in Ward 5-Democratic, Republican, or Statehood-Green-could have been legally certified, at least not without serious qualification. The second issue concerns expediency. I would also appreciate some indication of the schedule you foresee for finishing your research and replying to my previous complaints. To date, I have received only your letter of October 11 acknowledging my first complaint and confirming that you had begun an investigation. If, as WAMU has reported, you are encountering resource constraints in pursuing this investigation, I will be happy to coordinate an effort to bring citizen pressure on the Mayor's Office and the Council to see to it that you receive these resources which are necessary for you to do your job; I already have had a number of neighbors contact me after hearing the WAMU report, and they would be happy to participate in such an effort. Thank you for your efforts to resolve the issues that I have brought to you; again, please count on me to cooperate with you in any way possible so that all of us in the District of Columbia can rely on our voting system. Sincerely yours, Philip J. Blair, jr. cc: Steering Committee, District of Columbia Statehood-Green Party MORE INFORMATION The DC Statehood Green Party
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