Davis recall election sparks Florida fears for top Democrats

[Judi Lynn]

July 31, 2003, 11:54PM

Davis recall election sparks Florida fears for top Democrats
By ERICA WERNER
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Democratic Party leaders warned Thursday that the Oct. 7 recall election against Gov. Gray Davis could result in Florida-style problems of disenfranchising poor and minority voters.

The chairmen of the California Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee told reporters that the consolidation of precincts in some counties could result in some voters not being able to get to their polling places.

"What I fear is what happened to us in Florida when many black and Latino voters were denied the right to vote because of mix-ups," said California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres.

Counties including Los Angeles County are eliminating polling places to save money. Los Angeles County had 5,000 polling places in the last countywide election but will have about half that in the special election, officials said.

"This election may very well be invalidated" because people do not have access to voting booths, Torres said. (snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2022198

[dmr]

1. This is legal?

It is immoral to deny a tired, working, or a transportation challenged voter access to the voting booth. This is incredible! It sounds too well orchestrated!

Counties including Los Angeles County are eliminating polling places to save money. Los Angeles County had 5,000 polling places in the last countywide election but will have about half that in the special election, officials said.

"This election may very well be invalidated" because people do not have access to voting booths, Torres said.

Spelling edit.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. Republicans are such weasels.

And transparent.

[davidinalameda]

3. the whole thing is so screwed up

I think the Dems should start an absentee campaign

that would delay the results for days!

[MGKrebs]

4. Damn.

I remember thinking that if I were a millionaire, I would have liked to have started a recall campaign for Jeb Bush or Sonny Perdue. That way, every tactic that the GOP uses along the way could be mirrored. Might make for some interesting legal arguments. Alas, too late now.