This AP story was just sent to me. If the Greens and the Libertarians need more money for the recount in New Mexico, we need to find it for them (including getting President-elect Kerry to contribute a large amount, as he has done in other recount contests.) We need to do that BECAUSE:
--- There have been numerous reports about suspicious vote counts/patterns in New Mexico.
--- A recount could easily find 5,989 more previously uncounted votes for Kerry than for Bush.
--- A recount could switch 2,995 incorrectly counted votes for Bush to Kerry.
--- Either one of these scenarios gives Kerry the New Mexico electoral votes.
Thus, it will be infinitely easier to "flip" the Land of Enchantment than Ohio or Florida. But most importantly, since New Mexico is a decidedly more sympathetic state and Bill Richardson is more honest/ethical than a yacht-load of Repuke governors, any fraud or intentional "glitches" found in New Mexico will demonstrate conclusively that the Busies committed fraud. THAT is what we are trying to accomplish at this moment.
I don't mind Bill Richardson (who should be our first Hispanic President BTW) posturing in a way that suggests that he would rather spend New Mexico dollars on other needs, because none of our states should have to be going through this process. We're not the ones who slipped the turd in the election punchbowl -- that was the Busies. That would make the fraud that we are "forced" to discover in New Mexico with our own money even more damning, IMO.
So please, communicate with any Greens/Libertarians, Kerrynistas and/or New Mexicans you know and tell them not to take "no" for an answer at today's New Mexico Election Board hearing. Hell, I'll sell some firewood here in Tennessee and contribute to the cause myself.
Don't let an undiscovered New Mexico "glitch" steal our Christmas, for lack of enough money at this critical junction. If you're buying me a Christmas present, I would rather have a nice card under the tree saying "I sent your gift money to New Mexico to do what's right to save our democracy." Well, you could buy me a cheap box of pinon incense also -- I wouldn't mind that. But send most of your gift money to the Land of Enchantment.
Now for the AP story:
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Monday, December 13, 2004
Election Board To Discuss Recount
The Associated Press
SANTA FE— The state Board of Canvassing meets Tuesday to decide the next step in a requested recount of ballots in the presidential race. The board's meeting is scheduled right on the deadline for notifying county election officials and precinct workers when to meet to start recounting ballots.
The Green and Libertarian presidential candidates have asked for the recount and deposited $114,000 with the secretary of state to defray the per-precinct and per-machine cost of the recount, as required by state law. On Friday, recount organizers urged state officials to expedite the new tabulation of votes.
"We are eager for the recount to get under way and be conducted in a meaningful manner so that we may ensure that democracy is served," Lowell inley, a lawyer for the candidates seeking the recount, said in a statement. The canvassing board is made up of Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron, Gov. Bill Richardson and Chief Justice Petra Maes of the state Supreme Court. Richardson has said he doesn't think a recount is necessary.
There could be an attempt at the meeting to potentially short-circuit the recount by requiring Green Party nominee David Cobb and Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik to pay more money before the recount is ordered. Vigil-Giron has said the requested recount could cost close to $600,000.
Candidates who apply for recounts must pay the costs unless the outcome of the election is changed. That's not expected to occur in New Mexico, where President Bush defeated John Kerry by nearly 6,000 votes.
The Greens and Libertarians withdrew a request for a presidential recount in Nevada after elections officials said the cost would be more than $300,000.
http://www.abqjournal.com/elex/272371elex12-13-04.htm