Letters to the Editors

Election debacle will resonate for years to come

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 23, 2001

Along with the striking story in the New York Times of July 15(Bush focus: Get in overseas votes) on Republican behavior during the Florida election crisis is a second story about Joe Lieberman. He, of course, was the Democratic vice presidential candidate who lost out along with Al Gore, possibly due to his own decency -- perhaps naivete -- in the face of the raw-knuckled political infighting of this ballot count.

The first story relates how the Republicans pressured Florida election officials to disregard faulty absentee ballots in Bush-leaning counties. The Times' six-month study reports that ballots were flawed because they had no witnesses as required by law, they were without postmarks or were postmarked too late, many were mailed from within the United States, and there were even ballots from voters who voted twice. Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris had declared that only proper ballots deposited on time should count, but she waived that requirement for overseas ballots which were known in advance to be right-leaning.

While the Republicans were launching their hardball campaign to get every last pro-Bush ballot counted -- proper or improper -- good-hearted Lieberman said on Meet the Press on Nov. 19 that he favored giving "the benefit of the doubt" to military personnel. He felt their votes should count. It all smacks of Leo Durocher, the hard bitten manager of the New York Giants in the 1950s, who snarled, "Nice guys finish last."

The dispute on Florida absentee ballots in 2000 will resonate for years as will the Republican effort to disenfranchise black voters. We can't kick George W. Bush out of office; that would be unconstitutional. But we can recall the 2000 debacle in 2004.
-- Edward Rapp, Inverness

Let states tackle election woes

Re: Another good idea for election reform, by Philip Gailey, July 15.

In a timely reminder, editor Philip Gailey references a report out of the Brookings Institution regarding election reform in which author Thomas Mann "warns against seeking a federal solution to a problem that is ... primarily a state and local responsibility." Mann also suggests "the federal government should create a new independent agency to assist states" seeking solutions to electoral problems.

As a Libertarian, I flinch from suggestions that the federal government should take on more tasks -- there is nothing in the Constitution that allows the federal government to do so. On the other hand, there is nothing in law or the Constitution that prevents the states, whether two or 50, from forming the Interstate Cooperative Committee on Ballot Technology and doing precisely what Mann suggests.

If there is to be a nationwide dialogue on how to run an election, let it be managed by the states rather than by Washington's bureaucrats. The Interstate Cooperative Committee won't be able to force a one-size-fits-all solution on its members, but the Federal Ballot Technology Administration might.
-- Frank Clarke, chairman, Pinellas County Libertarian Party, Oldsmar

How Bush will be remembered

Re: Bush focus: Get in overseas votes, July 15.

The article regarding the overseas ballots is not very surprising.

What is surprising is that White House spokesman Ari Fleischer believes "the election was decided by the voters of Florida a long time ago" when, in reality, the election was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

George W. Bush will always be remembered as the "selected" president.
-- Sandra Harris, Safety Harbor

Scanner system makes sense

Re: Voting machines.

I am unaware of the individual costs of the units under consideration, but there should be a great difference in the numbers required when comparing "touch screen" and "scanner" use. A polling place would probably require as many touch screen units as the punch card booths now in use. However, polling places would need two or three scanners, (more in high-activity polls) ensuring backup for failures. The scanner would be virtually as fast as dropping a ballot in the ballot box, except where a ballot is rejected. Even then, little time is lost at the machine! Voters would require only privacy stalls, much like those for the punch card system, in which to mark their scanner ballots.

Far fewer electronic devices are required, a "paper trail" is retained, and a "real time" count can be maintained and/or fed directly to an "election center" computer. Costs aside, the "scanner" system should require less inventory, maintenance and "glitch" worry. May common sense prevail!
-- E.C. Whipple, St. Petersburg

Times should stop obsessing

When will your paper stop obsessing about the Florida presidential recount? It's over. Your guy lost. Forget it!
-- Pat Jennings, Dunedin

A painful loss ... or theft

Re: Vote controversy turns to computer records, July 17.

Gov. Jeb Bush's communication director, Katie Baur, says it's painful to lose an election, but we should all move on.

Losing a precious possession would be painful, but if I suspected it had been stolen from me, it's unlikely I would just move on without an investigation, though I'm sure the alleged thief would appreciate it.
-- Kay Lawrence, Largo

Harris' role should be scrutinized

Re: Scrutiny of Harris' role revived, July 16.

Thanks for the excellent follow-up story on the shocking New York Times story on how the Republicans corrupted the recount of military ballots.

Note to Mac Stipanovich who says that some people believe Katherine Harris is "evil personified": Count me as someone who doesn't believe that, Mac.

Do, however, count me as someone who believes that if the Times' allegation that Harris allowed her non-partisan office to be used as a partisan "war room" during the recount debacle is correct, Harris should resign.

Pronto!
-- Jack McCarthy, Tallahassee

An elections chief with ethics

Re: Elections chief recuses herself, July 18.

What a concept, an elections chief with ethics. Deborah Clark is to be commended for taking the high road. It's refreshing to witness such character.

Too bad we cannot say the same for Katherine Harris. From the many articles I've read in the St. Petersburg Times and the New York Times, the screw-up with the overseas absentee ballots lay squarely on her shoulders.

As has been reported, state election law requires overseas ballots to be postmarked by Election Day. She knew this, she even reminded the supervisors of elections statewide in a public statement. But she allowed some 680 flawed (illegal) ballots to be counted. Ballots with late, illegible or missing postmarks. Overseas ballots with domestic postmarks. Ballots with no witness signature. Even absentee ballots that were not requested by the voter. Harris allowed her very partisan wishes (and possible ambassadorship) to blind her to the letter of the law concerning absentee ballots in Florida.

The governor saw the nature of the beast and realized the possible hint of a conflict of interest. He did the only thing he could do and stepped aside (even if only in public).

Now we learn that records on computers used in Harris' office during this period have been erased. Now this brings back some memories.
-- Gilbert A. Sullivan, St. Petersburg

Be sure your vote is counted

Once again, the liberal Times has seen fit to revisit the 2000 presidential election with articles on the counting of the military votes, Katherine Harris and so on. Will this never die? After the myriad lawsuits for weeks, the Supreme Court spoke and we swore in a new president -- George W. Bush -- on January 20, 2001.

It's over, kaput; you're beating a dead horse. Let's move on.

That said, let our voters, or those intending to do so, know that there are several essential steps they should take to ensure the proper counting of their vote. Remember, voter error is not sufficient cause for a recount. Familiarize yourself with the ballot you will be using, know what identification is required in order to cast your vote, know what precinct you are in and where your polling place is located, and then -- this is important -- know your candidates for the various offices. If any of these pose a problem, ask for help from a friend, relative, an attorney or your supervisor of elections. If people go to vote unprepared, they have only themselves to blame if their vote is not counted.
-- Jim Wright, Clearwater

We won! You lost! Get over it!

As a transplanted Yankee, I often see bumper stickers, etc., relating to a certain war that took place almost 150 years ago in America. Those who lost that war still bemoan the fact and insist that the war isn't really over at all. To them I say, "The war is over! We won! You lost! Get over it!"

Now, as a conservative Republican, I am seeing more and more articles in the Times bemoaning the fact that yet another study has been done concluding that those nasty Republicans did everything in their power to win the 2000 election, and though nothing illegal has been uncovered, the Democrats and the liberal media are just sure that some awful crime was committed. (Of course, to them a Republican in office is a crime.) To them I also say, "The election is over! We won! You lost! Get over it!"
-- J.R. Carrel, Safety Harbor

Encourage effective solutions

International leaders are meeting in Germany this week to resume negotiations on the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. President Bush has repudiated the United States' obligation to develop details on how the world will minimize global warming. During the president's recent European tour he pledged that he would not obstruct progress during the climate talks. I hope that Americans will hold President Bush accountable to his word, given that even without our participation, the Kyoto Protocol is a crucial step toward addressing this century's greatest environmental challenge.

As the world's largest emitter of climate changing pollution, the United States should take a lead in reducing emissions. Americans are renowned for innovative leadership in the business world, yet when it comes to acknowledging our role in global warming we have become an international embarrassment. We must encourage leadership from all elected officials to develop effective solutions to climate change.
-- Lyndy Worsham, Clearwater

An image that doesn't inspire

Why must you print, seemingly, a picture of President Bush with every article concerning him? We all know what he looks like, and his crafty face certainly does not attract readers or inspire them.
-- James Wilkins, St. Petersburg

Share your opinions

We invite readers to write to us. Letters for publication should be addressed to Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. They can be sent by e-mail to letters@sptimes.com or by fax to 893-8675.

They should be brief and must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Please include a handwritten signature when possible.

Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length. We regret that not all letters can be published.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright