Holy smokes. 200K didn't vote in Florida because of ridiculously long lines.

[Direckshun]

You should not have to sacrifice half of a work day when you can't afford it to vote.

This demands reform. All states across the board should, at the very minimum, allow for early voting.

Thoughts?

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/...te-ken-detzner

Analysis: 201,000 in Florida didn't vote because of long lines
By Scott Powers and David Damron, Orlando Sentinel
January 23, 2013

Analyzing data compiled by the Orlando Sentinel, Ohio State University professor Theodore Allen estimated last week that at least 201,000 voters likely gave up in frustration on Nov. 6, based on research Allen has been doing on voter behavior.

His preliminary conclusion was based on the Sentinel's analysis of voter patterns and precinct-closing times in Florida's 25 largest counties, home to 86 percent of the state's 11.9 million registered voters.

"My gut is telling me that the real number [of voters] deterred is likely higher," Allen said. "You make people wait longer, they are less likely to vote."

Around the state, nearly 2 million registered voters live in precincts that stayed open at least 90 minutes past the scheduled 7 p.m. closing time, according to Sentinel analysis of voting data obtained from county elections supervisors. Of those, 561,000 voters live in precincts that stayed open three extra hours or longer.

And two of the five counties with the worst lines were in Central Florida. In Orange and Osceola counties, as many as 48 percent of those who cast votes on Election Day live in precincts that closed at least 90 minutes late, the analysis showed.

Elections supervisors have blamed the long lines and delays on the cutback of early-voting days from 14 to eight that was ordered by the 2011 Legislature, a record-long ballot that included 11 lengthy constitutional amendments and a 71 percent turnout for a hotly contested presidential election. Indeed, Gov. Rick Scott said last week he'd back legislation restoring the early-voting days and restricting ballot length.

But the Sentinel analysis also showed that — even in the worst-performing counties — long lines were the exception rather than the rule. In Orange and Miami-Dade, for example, more than half the precincts, including many large ones, closed before 8 p.m.

And some of the state's largest counties — notably Duval (Jacksonville) and Pinellas (St. Petersburg) — reported almost all precincts were closed by 8:30 p.m.

"As a whole and totality, with 8.5 million voters, I have to say Florida did a good election," said Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner. "But in isolated areas, I think we find there were some management issues that could have been improved upon."

Still, according to Allen's analysis of the data, the lengthy lines lowered actual turnout by roughly 2.3 percent per hour of delay.

Said Jennifer Bitz, who said she waited more than five hours to vote at her Cape Coral precinct, "I must have seen 15 people, at least, just give up and leave off the line. I was absolutely livid. People [in line] were saying it was some sort of conspiracy."

Lee County, where she lives, ranked worst in the Sentinel analysis. Its last precinct didn't close until 2:54 a.m. Wednesday — nearly eight hours late. In all, 54 percent of the county's voters were in precincts that stayed open past 8:30 p.m — and half, or 27 percent, voted in precincts still open at 10 p.m.

"It was clear we didn't have enough scanners," said Virginia Jones, a Sanibel Democrat who spent eight hours in line and didn't vote until 11:20 p.m.

In documents provided to the state, Lee elections officials conceded its resources were inadequate, and "what we deployed on [Nov. 6] turned out not to be sufficient." Despite a 70,000 increase in registered voters since 2008, the county slashed its number of polling places from 136 to 88 and dispatched fewer ballot-scanning machines.

"The biggest surprise is that people waited so long," Allen said of his review, saying he would have expected the length of the lines to discourage even more voters. Overall, the 201,000 voters he indicated gave up equaled 2.3 percent of the Election Day turnout.

In Florida, he concluded, the lost voters appeared to favor President Barack Obama. Of the 201,000 "missing" votes, 108,000 likely would have voted for Obama and 93,000 for Republican Mitt Romney, he said.

This suggests that Obama's margin over Romney in Florida could have been roughly 15,000 votes higher than it was. Obama carried the state by 74,309 votes out of more than 8.4 million cast.

Allen's first analysis of the impact of long lines at the polls was done in 2004, when he estimated that long lines in Ohio's Franklin County, where Ohio State is located, discouraged at least 20,000 voters from casting ballots in the razor-close contest between President George W. Bush and Democrat John Kerry. He has continued his research in every election since.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Maybe you can provide a plausible reason why they decided to restrict voting hours and polling places in states like Ohio and Florida.

In NH they allowed registration right up to the last minute. There were more votes than registered voters in parts of NH too. I was told there were more votes than registered voters by quite a lot in Merrimack too. NH never goes to some as left as Obama. Yet he won that one too?

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

In NH they allowed registration right up to the last minute. There were more votes than registered voters in parts of NH too. I was told there were more votes than registered voters by quite a lot in Merrimack too. NH never goes to some as left as Obama. Yet he won that one too?

It is probably something like the mysterious black people that showed up in Maine to steal the election. oh and don't forget they were black

Charlie Webster, the chairman of Maine's Republican Party, sees "dozens of black people" voting on Nov. 6 as evidence of voter fraud because "nobody in town knows anyone who’s black."

"Let's just look at what happened on Tuesday," he explained. "I mean, literally hundreds of new people came in. We don't know if they're residents or not but they came in and voted. And there's no way of knowing that."

"In some parts of the state -- for example, in some parts of rural Maine, there were dozens -- dozens of black people who came in and voted election day. Everybody has a right to vote, but nobody in town knows anybody that's black. How did that happen? I don't know, but we're going to find out."

When Carrigan pressed the party chairman for specifics about where fraud occurred, he vaguely referred to "several rural Maine towns" and promised an investigation to find out more.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I swear to freaking God you Lefties cry about everything during every election even when you win

You have to be trolling here. You can't possibly be that stupid and impervious to logic. I love the one line answers to well laid out arguments with facts and citations. You really impressing me that the extreme right wing has put a lot of thought into their position.

We could have Rick Scott on video admitting to trying to suppress the minority vote, and it still wouldn't make a difference to you. Your +18 logic shield still wins.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

It is probably something like the mysterious black people that showed up in Maine to steal the election. oh and don't forget they were black

I don't have any issues with Maine, except for the cheating by the GOP in the primary.
The info I have on NH was from family...and it was a significant number of more votes than registered voters.
It was in their press up there.

Also, I don't think this means Mitt won. I just think the actual election was very close much like the polls showed.

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

There were more votes than registered voters in parts of NH too. I was told there were more votes than registered voters by quite a lot in Merrimack too. NH never goes to some as left as Obama. Yet he won that one too?

Still shoveling this shit? Still not giving anything to back it up? Full of shit.

[patteeu]

Early voting is an abomination. The vote should take place on a single day for everyone who can vote in a given election.

If Floridians think their voting lines were too long, they should just buck up for more voting machines.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I swear to freaking God you Lefties cry about everything during every election even when you win

QFT

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Early voting is an abomination. The vote should take place on a single day for everyone who can vote in a given election.

If Floridians think their voting lines were too long, they should just buck up for more voting machines.

The Republicans have rejected more voting booths, more voting places, more voting hours, more voting days.

Why are they doing that? oh yeah...we know, to block minority voting.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

The Republicans have rejected more voting booths, more voting places, more voting hours, more voting days.

Why are they doing that? oh yeah...we know, to block minority voting.

I think you're making things up here. And to the extent you're not, you're not pointing out that democrats have also been rejecting more voting booths and more voting places. Those decisions are made at the local level not at some Republican conspiracy secret hideout.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by patteeu

I think you're making things up here. And to the extent you're not, you're not pointing out that democrats have also been rejecting more voting booths and more voting places. Those decisions are made at the local level not at some Republican conspiracy secret hideout.

Already did this with BEP. Go use those links or google it yourself.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Already did this with BEP. Go use those links or google it yourself.

There's no need. I already know you're wrong.

And btw, I don't see anything in your exchange with BEP that addresses my criticism.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Early voting is an abomination. The vote should take place on a single day for everyone who can vote in a given election.

If Floridians think their voting lines were too long, they should just buck up for more voting machines.

This is nonsense.

"The campaign debate isn't over?"

Of course it is. The campaign debate was over in freaking February. We knew where these men stood long before "the campaign debate." They both had spent four years crafting it.

Tell me 1 thing Romney or Obama said or did that was revealed in October that couldn't have been said or revealed at any time prior?

Really, nothing. The 47% tape of Romney was taped at May and obviously strategically released a week prior to the first debate. That could have been released at any point.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

This is nonsense.

"The campaign debate isn't over?"

Of course it is. The campaign debate was over in freaking February. We knew where these men stood long before "the campaign debate." They both had spent four years crafting it.

Tell me 1 thing Romney or Obama said or did that was revealed in October that couldn't have been said or revealed at any time prior?

Really, nothing. The 47% tape of Romney was taped at May and obviously strategically released a week prior to the first debate. That could have been released at any point.

I'll give you two. Obama's incompetent performance in the first debate and the fallout from the Benghazi debacle. There are a nearly infinite number of other examples. The race isn't over and the info isn't all in until Election Day.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Early voting is an abomination. The vote should take place on a single day for everyone who can vote in a given election.

If Floridians think their voting lines were too long, they should just buck up for more voting machines.

I agree and more polling places. That would handle it. Can't get there? Use the absentee ballot.
Simple. Just not for morons, who shouldn't even vote because to them it's too much work to do any of this.

BTW I read most of your link, quickly. I have to say I rejected early voting because I was undecided and wanted up to the last minute to make up my mind. Just as the article claims. It shortchanges any last minute information. Plus the low blows by the Obama campaign on Romney irked me.

[redsurfer11]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

You should not have to sacrifice half of a work day when you can't afford it to vote.

This demands reform. All states across the board should, at the very minimum, allow for early voting.

Thoughts?

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/...te-ken-detzner

Analysis: 201,000 in Florida didn't vote because of long lines
By Scott Powers and David Damron, Orlando Sentinel
January 23, 2013

Analyzing data compiled by the Orlando Sentinel, Ohio State University professor Theodore Allen estimated last week that at least 201,000 voters likely gave up in frustration on Nov. 6, based on research Allen has been doing on voter behavior.

His preliminary conclusion was based on the Sentinel's analysis of voter patterns and precinct-closing times in Florida's 25 largest counties, home to 86 percent of the state's 11.9 million registered voters.

"My gut is telling me that the real number [of voters] deterred is likely higher," Allen said. "You make people wait longer, they are less likely to vote."

Around the state, nearly 2 million registered voters live in precincts that stayed open at least 90 minutes past the scheduled 7 p.m. closing time, according to Sentinel analysis of voting data obtained from county elections supervisors. Of those, 561,000 voters live in precincts that stayed open three extra hours or longer.

And two of the five counties with the worst lines were in Central Florida. In Orange and Osceola counties, as many as 48 percent of those who cast votes on Election Day live in precincts that closed at least 90 minutes late, the analysis showed.

Elections supervisors have blamed the long lines and delays on the cutback of early-voting days from 14 to eight that was ordered by the 2011 Legislature, a record-long ballot that included 11 lengthy constitutional amendments and a 71 percent turnout for a hotly contested presidential election. Indeed, Gov. Rick Scott said last week he'd back legislation restoring the early-voting days and restricting ballot length.

But the Sentinel analysis also showed that — even in the worst-performing counties — long lines were the exception rather than the rule. In Orange and Miami-Dade, for example, more than half the precincts, including many large ones, closed before 8 p.m.

And some of the state's largest counties — notably Duval (Jacksonville) and Pinellas (St. Petersburg) — reported almost all precincts were closed by 8:30 p.m.

"As a whole and totality, with 8.5 million voters, I have to say Florida did a good election," said Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner. "But in isolated areas, I think we find there were some management issues that could have been improved upon."

Still, according to Allen's analysis of the data, the lengthy lines lowered actual turnout by roughly 2.3 percent per hour of delay.

Said Jennifer Bitz, who said she waited more than five hours to vote at her Cape Coral precinct, "I must have seen 15 people, at least, just give up and leave off the line. I was absolutely livid. People [in line] were saying it was some sort of conspiracy."

Lee County, where she lives, ranked worst in the Sentinel analysis. Its last precinct didn't close until 2:54 a.m. Wednesday — nearly eight hours late. In all, 54 percent of the county's voters were in precincts that stayed open past 8:30 p.m — and half, or 27 percent, voted in precincts still open at 10 p.m.

"It was clear we didn't have enough scanners," said Virginia Jones, a Sanibel Democrat who spent eight hours in line and didn't vote until 11:20 p.m.

In documents provided to the state, Lee elections officials conceded its resources were inadequate, and "what we deployed on [Nov. 6] turned out not to be sufficient." Despite a 70,000 increase in registered voters since 2008, the county slashed its number of polling places from 136 to 88 and dispatched fewer ballot-scanning machines.

"The biggest surprise is that people waited so long," Allen said of his review, saying he would have expected the length of the lines to discourage even more voters. Overall, the 201,000 voters he indicated gave up equaled 2.3 percent of the Election Day turnout.

In Florida, he concluded, the lost voters appeared to favor President Barack Obama. Of the 201,000 "missing" votes, 108,000 likely would have voted for Obama and 93,000 for Republican Mitt Romney, he said.

This suggests that Obama's margin over Romney in Florida could have been roughly 15,000 votes higher than it was. Obama carried the state by 74,309 votes out of more than 8.4 million cast.

Allen's first analysis of the impact of long lines at the polls was done in 2004, when he estimated that long lines in Ohio's Franklin County, where Ohio State is located, discouraged at least 20,000 voters from casting ballots in the razor-close contest between President George W. Bush and Democrat John Kerry. He has continued his research in every election since.

I had no problem this year. In and out in 10 minutes. The problem was the size of the ballot. I read the ballot days in advance. I knew what I was voting on before I walked in the door. Most people in Florida were too stupid to do this.