More polling place chicanery, this time in CA

[KamaAina]

Santa Cruz County, CA is a hell of a long way from Garland County, AR by any measure, geographical or otherwise. But they have one thing in common -- polling places suddenly closing right before crucial elections. In Garland County, it was the Dem senate primary between Lincoln and Halter (you remember, the one where we poured $12 million of our money down the drain :sarcasm: ) For some reason, only 2 of Garland County's 42 polling places were open -- one of them in a gated community!

Now let's head westward to Santa Cruz County, CA, one of five counties involved in a critical election to replace state Sen. Abel Maldonado, now Lieutenant Governor. Repuke assemblymember Sam Blakeslee -- a former oil industry employee! -- is hovering just below the 50 percent he needs to avoid a runoff.

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_15364002

Some voters, having gone to the polls just two weeks earlier for the June primary, acknowledged confusion Tuesday. Many didn't realize there was a special election, dismissing notifications sent to their homes as leftovers from June 8. Others went to their traditional polling site, only to find that it had been consolidated with another site as part of an effort to trim election costs.

"A lot of people just didn't get a chance to vote this time," said La Selva Beach resident Mark Reeves, whose voting location was moved to the neighboring city of Watsonville.

An elections official drove to Reeve's home Tuesday to tally his vote, but Reeves said others who encountered problems like him probably weren't so lucky.

Indeed. :eyes:

edit: It need scarcely be mentioned that this is the most liberal part of the district; the county seat is affectionately known as "the People's Republic of Santa Cruz".