(Jake Turcotte)
Hanging chads in Alaska primary? Don Young waits…
By Jimmy Orr | 08.28.08
We know this: one embattled lawmaker from Alaska has made it past the primary. He would be the longest serving Republican Senator in the history of our country, Ted Stevens.
His friend, Representative Don Young is, as new Democratic hero Governor Brian Schweitzer would put it, “dead-dang tied” with Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell.
It really is that close. With 437 out of 438 precincts in, the count shows Young leading by 152 votes - 42,539 to 42,387.
This raises the question - what about that other precinct?
Well, that precinct is in the town of Hughes which appears to be just northwest of smack-dab-in-the-middle in the nation’s largest state. And according to the Anchorage Daily News, the phones are out, and election officials haven’t been able to phone-in the results.
Hughes, according to Wikipedia, appears to be a good place to earn a living if you’re a guy. Not so much, if you’re female:
Males had a median income of $90,957 versus $0 for females.
So even if Parnell were to get all 63 of those votes, it would be over, right? Nope. And this is where the flashback to Florida begins.
There’s still the issue of absentee ballots. The state sent out some 16,000 and has received about 7,600 of them back. If they are postmarked by election day, they can be received 10 days after being mailed in (15 days for overseas ballots). That puts us in the second week of September.
Then there’s the issue of hanging chads. Yep. The Anchorage Daily News says there could be “between 5,000 and 10,000 questioned ballots that could be counted or disqualified due to people who voted in the wrong polling place, who didn’t have ID, or whose ballot had some other kind of irregularity.”
Ugh.
The guys over at SwingStateProject have dug deep into this race and determined that Young has the edge with those outstanding absentee ballots. It appears that of the collected absentee ballots so far, Young is outpolling Parnell by one percent.
One percent is a lot when you consider Young has a .16 percent lead in the regular vote count.
Right now, both Young and Parnell’s campaign have estimated there are around 4,000 absentee ballots left. Assuming the breakdown we saw with the nearly 5,000 counted absentee votes carries over, Young should exceed Parnell by approximately 40 votes among the remaining 4,000 absentee votes, and his lead should thus hold.
If Young clears this hurdle, then he’s not out of them Alaska woods. He’s got a formidable challenge in front of him. Former state senator Ethan Berkowitz is popular and sounding like a prize-fighter. “I’ll take either one of them,” he said. “I could beat either one of them.”
Then there’s that legal thing.
Young is under federal investigation for his ties to an oil company. This is the same investigation that resulted in the recent indictments of Ted Stevens. He, thus far, has reportedly spent more than $1 million in legal fees.
Barring a primary loss, general election loss, or indictment/conviction/prison, Young will breeze to a 19th term in the US House.
Geo Beach, the host of a popular History Channel program, has it right when he says things are “Tougher in Alaska.”
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2. Mim | 08.28.08
It is absolutly ludicrous, that problems exist with hanging chads or any issue for voting. The Presidential election is coming up, and these issues should have resolved already. I remember the fiasco in Florida several years ago, that prompted Castro of Cuba to make a comment - “I will come and monitor the election for you.” It is a shame, that the United States cannot even get the election process done in a proper manner.
3. 30yrAlaskan | 08.28.08
Alaska does not have a ‘hanging chad’ situation involving broken voting machines and a deeply flawed elections system as was seen in Florida. In Alaska, statewide elections are run through a single agency with a single set of rules for all citizens and locations, not the patchwork county operated system seen elsewhere.
In Alaska voters who happen to be in another town on election day (or who mistakenly go to the wrong precinct) can vote a ‘questioned ballot.’ These questioned ballots include only the statewide races and not the precinct level races. After the election the questioned ballots are checked against election rolls to assure that the person only voted once. If so the ballot is counted. In most races, the number of absentee and questioned ballots is insufficient to change the outcome, so a winner can be declared on election night. In cases where the race is particularly close, time for the absentee ballots to arrive must be allowed. This does not indicate a flaw in the system, but rather a demonstration that it is working as it should. In such a close race I would also expect a recount request from the eventual loser. This happens often and takes only a couple of days.
Now as to re-electing indicted suspects, that does show something else…
4. John | 08.28.08
I have friends in Alaska who are staunchly conservative for “moral” reasons yet support Ted Stevens and Don Young. They are vehemently opposed to welfare for the poor in any form yet take full advantage of the largesse visited upon them by their state, including the annual payments of “royalties” for oil made to each Alaska resident while muttering angrily about the free health care provided to Alaska Natives, as if what non-native Alaskans receive is not welfare but merely their hard-earned reward for being so individualistic and self-reliant.
I don’t get it.
5. gringovejo | 08.28.08
Neither of these two BLOCKHEADS are ‘real’ Alaskans. In the ‘old days’, both of them, along with ALL of their cohorts, would have found themselves ‘tarred and feathered’; and, thrown onto a couple of small fishing boats heading South. When you had men like Bob Bartlett and Ernie Gruening running, even though a Republican, I could care less about term limits, but with the easily tempted, unethical, spineless trash, that is filling up our local, state and national legislative bodies today, it is time to put some real effort in to
whom you want representing you and for how long. It is not just about money, folks!
6. Calaskan | 08.28.08
It has nothing to do with hanging chads. Nor did Florida.
Alaska uses optical scanning machines made by Diebold (now Premier). While ballots may be spoiled or mismarked with them this is also a factor with touchscreen systems where keys may be pressed incorrect, ignored, etc. For those who thing that we should be “all electronic” I would point you to the recent EVEREST study conducted by the state of Ohio which showed deep security and usability problems with many of the most common voting systems (http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/voterInformation/equipment/VotingSystemReviewFindings.aspx).
This came in the wake of California’s extensive report on the subject which found similarly critical security and usability problems as well as one potential violation of federal law. (http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vsr.htm)
Most recently Diebold disclosed that a software error that can cause lost votes has been present in their systems for years and gone unnoticed in ITA and state inspections. This error affects machines across the country and, for those places that do not maintain backups raises serious issues both with the error itself and the question of what else remains undiscovered. (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/08/21/ohio_voting_machines_contained.html)
With respect to Florida, the “pregnant” or “hanging” chads were the least of the problems. While they make for good television and referential material they were not what caused the problems.
As has been reported by the Washington Post and Scoop.co.nz On election night Gore was leading Bush by 3,000 votes to 62,000. However at some point a memory card containing -16,022 voted for Al Gore, as well as 10,000 votes for a socialist candidate all from a precinct with 600 voters. This negative upload (yes negative) dropped Gore back below bush and it is that which prompted him to withdraw from the race.
The problem was later “corrected” and Gore moved up in the totals but that withdrawl is what the U.S. Supreme court and the Florida Department of State used in their arguments that a full recount should not be permitted.
This problem was first reported by the Washington post (here archived on boston.com http://graphics.boston.com/news/politics/campaign2000/news/Tight_race_reveals_cracks_in_system+.shtml).
Subsequently a block of internal e-mails was accidentally released by Diebold that cast further light on the issue. Those e-mails are discussed here: (http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0310/S00211.htm)
It is this problem and not the “hanging chads” that caused the biggest problems in the race and, as it shows, reveals a larger problem with existing electronic voting systems. The chads should not be used as a catch all for “paper = bad” in reality the chads, at least, could be recounted, while the machines can add and remove negative votes without the source ever being found.
7. Calaskan | 08.28.08
It has nothing to do with hanging chads. Nor did Florida.
Alaska uses optical scanning machines made by Diebold (now Premier). While ballots may be spoiled or mismarked with them this is also a factor with touchscreen systems where keys may be pressed incorrect, ignored, etc. For those who thing that we should be “all electronic” I would point you to the recent EVEREST study conducted by the state of Ohio which showed deep security and usability problems with many of the most common voting systems (http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/voterInformation/equipment/VotingSystemReviewFindings.aspx).
This came in the wake of California’s extensive report on the subject which found similarly critical security and usability problems as well as one potential violation of federal law. (http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vsr.htm)
Most recently Diebold disclosed that a software error that can cause lost votes has been present in their systems for years and gone unnoticed in ITA and state inspections. This error affects machines across the country and, for those places that do not maintain backups raises serious issues both with the error itself and the question of what else remains undiscovered. (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/08/21/ohio_voting_machines_contained.html)
With respect to Florida, the “pregnant” or “hanging” chads were the least of the problems. While they make for good television and referential material they were not what caused the problems.
As has been reported by the Washington Post and Scoop.co.nz On election night Gore was leading Bush by 3,000 votes to 62,000. However at some point a memory card containing -16,022 voted for Al Gore, as well as 10,000 votes for a socialist candidate all from a precinct with 600 voters. This negative upload (yes negative) dropped Gore back below bush and it is that which prompted him to withdraw from the race.
The problem was later “corrected” and Gore moved up in the totals but that withdrawl is what the U.S. Supreme court and the Florida Department of State used in their arguments that a full recount should not be permitted.
This problem was first reported by the Washington post (here archived on boston.com http://graphics.boston.com/news/politics/campaign2000/news/Tight_race_reveals_cracks_in_system+.shtml).
Subsequently a block of internal e-mails was accidentally released by Diebold that cast further light on the issue. Those e-mails are discussed here: (http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0310/S00211.htm)
It is this problem and not the “hanging chads” that caused the biggest problems in the race and, as it shows, reveals a larger problem with existing electronic voting systems. The chads should not be used as a catch all for “paper = bad” in reality the chads, at least, could be recounted, while the machines can add and remove negative votes without the source ever being found.
8. from Texas | 08.28.08
You have got to be kidding me, people work in that state OR LEAVE. That means all the democrats left and will never return except on a cruise ship. Liberal democrats will not give away trips to Alaska, this is so funny Alaska in play. People work here, as for women. Men take care of their women here, not some fantasy about women in the work force. At home with the kids, not being masculine and pretending something else. Women always take care of the children unless they are not good women, working women have NEVER and will NEVER be good mothers, a FACT you can not ignore. Alaska in play, they work in that state, no liberals, guys or bad people allowed.
9. Jon Iscream | 08.28.08
If Young was a Dem, the Dems that protest too loudly would be cheering him on, saying that lying and cheating doesn’t really matter. It is ok to be completely devoid of character unless you are a Republican If Young is guilty he will be convicted. Just look at Martha Stewart. Do you think for one minute that Oprah Winfrey would have gone to jail for the same crime? If there is a group of people in the USA that are “above the law” it is Democrats.
10. Becca | 08.28.08
#8 Laughable………….totally abusrd. Where have you been dwelling while the DOJ has been comprimised, Wall Street bailed out w/o taxpayers permission, BUT WITH OUR MONEY……….AND ON, AND ON, AND ON?
I realize you just put the word Dems in place of republickon in your simple, silly, rant.
11. MplsEric | 08.28.08
Dear “from Texas”
>>”Women always take care of the children unless they are not good women, working women have NEVER and will NEVER be good mothers, a FACT you can not ignore.”
Wow welcome to the 21st Century and thank you for completely insulting 20 million women across the country. My mother is a thorasic surgeon and was my entire childhood. She is a great mother who raised all her children with extraordinary skill. Her three children are now a district school superintendant, an anesthesiologist and dental hygenist.
The mentality of your post (with it’s inchoherent incomplete sentences) shows that you are an idiot.
12. Esteban | 08.28.08
If Capitol Hill was under the scrutiny that Don Young and Ted Stevens are under there would be people disappearing left and right! Alaskans vote for Don and Ted because they understand the challenges facing Alaskans better then the other candidates. Alaska is still considered a hardship assignment by the military and some companies. The infrastructure is like the East Coast was back in the 1700’s. We have a long way to go just to catch up with the standard of living that 99 % of Americans take for granted, not to mention the 3 months of bitter cold and darkness! Why are we called greedy when most of us don’t even have water and sewer and many have no natural gas. We also pay more for fuel that any other state. Give me a break!!!
13. AK Constant | 08.28.08
Wow. Seems your first commentator has no clue. There has been no film or video clip made available, nor even described in any of the court papers on the case being referred to. Nope. Just paperwork questions as I have heard it, and I live up here.
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. thorninurside | 08.28.08
Water seeks its own level. Stevens loots the public treasury to fatten his own purse and sucks millions of dollars for useless pork projects. He’s caught on tape accepting graft, and then wins the primary with the overwhelming support of his co-conspiritors. Let’s hear it for Repugnantcan “family values”!