Uh Oh...Not Again

I saw this posted over at MSNBC in the Hardblogger section of the site. All I could think of was "Here we go again?!?". Hope you find it interesting.


November in the Buckeye state? (David Shuster)

Four years ago, on the morning after the 2000 presidential election, I received a 4am phone call from the assignment desk at my previous employer instructing me to get on the next flight to Tallahassee, Florida. The sunshine state was headed towards a "recount." I would spent the next several weeks covering Fla. Secretary of State Katherine Harris, asking questions of James Baker and Warren Christopher, reporting on court decisions, and explaining ad nauseum, the intricacies of punch card ballot counting machines and why there were different types of "chads."

As an american, the entire episode left me deeply embarassed. We are the greatest nation on earth, a true beacon of democracy. And yet, for more than a month, our election "irregularities" (to put it politely) prevented us from determining who won. The US election system had become a world wide laughingstock. And even the US Supreme Court, as it settled the matter wrote, "it is likely that legislative bodies nationwide will examine ways to improve the mechanisms and machinery for voting."

Hmmm. Well, I suppose it was "likely" that Florida would re-examine things. And in fact Florida outlawed the punch card ballot system and replaced it. Congress felt the need to do something as well. So, in 2002 lawmakers passed the "Help America Vote Act," which was supposed to prompt state legislatures to update their voting systems and get away from "chads." But, the Act also allowed states to keep using punch cards. And guess what? For this coming presidential election, 19 states will use punch cards. Ohio will use punch cards in 70 percent of the state.

Ohio scares me. If you look at the latest polls, buckeye land is a "toss-up state." That means the Ohio is "too close" for pollsters to predict. Furthermore, if the electoral college vote is close again... neither candidate will likely be able to cross the 270 vote threshold without Ohio's 20 electoral votes. Under Ohio laws, a recount is mandatory if the statewide vote is within one quarter of one percent. So, let's say President Bush receives 48.5% of the Ohio vote... and John Kerry gets 48.3%. Hello recount!!! And by the way, it's not just a recount in some counties... it would be a recount across the entire state... State officials have said privately that such a recount in Ohio would be a "total trainwreck" and would make Florida 2000 look like a walk in the park.

None of this will matter of course, unless both Ohio and the nationwide election are close. But, watch out...