It now looks like Ralph Nader will get his recount in New Hampshire, and Green Party candidate David Cobb is considering applying for a recount in Ohio. They both need our support to make this happen.
On Monday it appeared that the Secretary of State might reject Nader's request for a recount on a technicality, but today the Washington Post reported that New Hampshire's Secretary of State William M. Gardner might let the recount proceed: [LINK]
Under state law, if a candidate requesting a recount finished more than three percentage points behind, he must pay for the process. Gardner said that if the Nader campaign sends a check for $2,000 and promises to pay any additional charges, he will round up the ballots and initiate a hand count.
Spokesman Kevin Zeese said Nader was planning to send the check yesterday. "Either it will allay people's fears about the results, or it will open the door to looking at other states," Zeese said.
MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, one of the few reporters offering consistently strong coverage of post-election voting issues, also mentions that David Cobb of the Green Party might call for a recount in Ohio. [LINK] The question is whether Cobb and the Greens can afford to:
The central issue in both potential recounts appears to be money. Cobb, whose presence on the ballot in all 50 states is probably coming to your attention only as you read this, said in an interview with the Pacifica station in Los Angeles, KPFK, that a recount would cost the Greens around $110,000, on a basis of approximately $10 per precinct. As you’d probably guess, Mr. Cobb’s doesn’t have the money lying around - but as a presidential candidate, he does have the right. Whether or not he can raise the cash is the operative question.
The cost for Nader in New Hampshire is estimated to be about $50,000.
In any case, I can't think of a better cause for Ralph Nader to tackle. Think what you will about his Presidential campaign, but he excels as a crusader for citizens' rights. Only John Kerry has more power to force a recount than Nader or Cobb.
The Kerry campaign capitulated much too quickly in my opinion. When Kerry's team walked away from challenging the results in Ohio, most of the press lost interest. Yet the reports of vote count irregularities and possible fraud are numerous. If a recount in either New Hampshire or Ohio uncovers evidence fraud or voting machine inaccuracies, it could open the doors to recounts in all the other swing states.
We need to help Ralph Nader and David Cobb carry the torch and illuminate the problems with electronic voting and election tampering.
If you are concerned about the future of our elections process, I urge you to donate now and encourage Nader and Cobb to proceed with recounts in both New Hampshire and Ohio.
Please make donations for Ralph Nader's efforts at votenader.org and to the Green Party at gp.org. Bev Harris at blackboxvoting.org is helping Nader with his recount application, and her organization can use your support as well.
Let's help shine the light on voting problems in the U.S. and ensure fair elections in the future.
This story is gaining steam over the past few days.
See
http://www.moderateindependent.com/v2i21election.htm
A substory to this might be "what's wrong with the 'mainstream' media?" Finding out what Justin Timberlake is more important than enfranchisement of American voters. I fear the upcoming elections in Iraq will be less fraudulent than our recent presidential selection--er, I mean 'election'!
Posted by: jdjefferson | November 11, 2004 at 12:42