A recount? Maybe. But a request for a new election is more likely.
The Argus has a story this morning about the possibility of a recount this AM with regards to the Jerstad/Earley race. With electronic tallying, it's doubtful that it would make a difference.
But what does need to be looked at is the fact that for a while on election day, in a massive botching of the election process, a precinct in that legislative District had ballots for the wrong Legislative District:
Unfortunately, we're going to have the people who were totally oblivious to the problem. Then, we're going to have the people who didn't want the hassle of returning. And we're also going to have the group of people who just didn't care because those races weren't important to them.
Whether Jerstad likes it or not, the uninformed, lackadaisical, and those who consider the legislature unimportant have votes which count too. And because of that screwup by the Minnehaha County Auditor's office they were all denied that chance.
I think I heard a number around 37 or more ballots that were messed up before the problem was discovered. In a race that's down to 18 votes, 37 votes could have made all the difference in the world.
But what does need to be looked at is the fact that for a while on election day, in a massive botching of the election process, a precinct in that legislative District had ballots for the wrong Legislative District:
Democrat Sandy Jerstad said she spoke with Roust about the unlikeliness of results changing more than one or two votes.Read it all here. "if voters felt strongly about the election, they would have returned to cast ballots unless it was impossible" - that's sure a big load of B.S. that the former coach is shoveling. We're going to have people in a few categories who hadn't spoken up about the problem."From what I have been told, I believe I have a comfortable lead," she said.
Randy Frederick, South Dakota Republican Party chairman, said Wednesday that District 12 was one of two Senate races for which he would seek a recount.
and...Frederick noted the mishap at Sunnycrest United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls, where voters initially received District 11 ballots, and some voters left. Whether there is legal recourse to seek a new election because those who left and perhaps didn't return could have voted for Earley is premature, he said.
Jerstad said if voters felt strongly about the election, they would have returned to cast ballots unless it was impossible.
"Some people schedule time to vote," he said. "In my particular case, I would have waited to come back."
"He (Earley) could have gained a few. I could have gained a few," she said of votes. "It's impossible to say."
Unfortunately, we're going to have the people who were totally oblivious to the problem. Then, we're going to have the people who didn't want the hassle of returning. And we're also going to have the group of people who just didn't care because those races weren't important to them.
Whether Jerstad likes it or not, the uninformed, lackadaisical, and those who consider the legislature unimportant have votes which count too. And because of that screwup by the Minnehaha County Auditor's office they were all denied that chance.
I think I heard a number around 37 or more ballots that were messed up before the problem was discovered. In a race that's down to 18 votes, 37 votes could have made all the difference in the world.
Comments
I don't know how many of you have ever worked at polling places before on Election Day, but I can tell you at mine, and at every other polling place in Sioux Falls, we each turn away literally dozens of voters who are registered to vote somewhere else. We have no way of knowing whether or not they actually went to vote. We had one woman who very loudly proclaimed there was no way she would vote anywhere else.
We had voters who left in the morning rather than wait in line. We have no way of knowing whether they came back to vote or not.
We had a couple of provisional ballots. We have no way of knowing whether those will count or not.
You are, indeed, grasping at straws. The auditor made a mistake, and people affected by that mistake had the option of voting the correct ballots. If they chose not to do so, that would be their loss. And as pointed out by 8:50, they were more likely to be Jerstad voters anyway.
It's about time they see.
We were told that if wanted to vote, we could but that the offending sections (state reps) wouldn’t count. I saw about 12 to 14 people take them up on this while I was waiting. More could have taken this option before I showed up, but I can’t say for sure.
There were 25+ people in line in front of me when the correct ballots arrived, and I was number 53 in line…So we have around 16 votes unaccounted for. Not enough to come close to changing the results of the election. An unfortunate screw up by the county, but not enough to be crying voter fraud.
The scanning system in use is accurate and fast. In the Lincoln County precincts, we had a one vote change, only because a spoiled ballot got thrown into the county. There was no change in the Minnehaha County results.
As to the Lincoln County auditor's office, our recount was done fairly and by the book. There were too many people there for hankypanky to go on--and too many good people--Yes Republicans even--to let something like that happen.
Was this a screw up in the Jerstad/Earley race? Yes. Did it likely favor Jerstad? As the first poster points out, not very likely.
Until there is objective proof to the contrary, trust the voting system in South Dakota.
Todd Epp
S.D. Watch: http://thunewatch.squarespace.com
Earley lost by 18 votes----Could 26 ballots make a difference--oh yes!
There is someone who has a record of all the names of those who chose to vote the wrong ballot.
Remember that everyone knew that this was a close race, that this has happened in this district before, and that the County Auditor is a Democrat who is not very pleasant to Republicans in the court house.
Maybe I'm waiting for some financial reports? Hmmm..? Or did we not think of that?
He just needs to go to the Republican controled senate, tell them that improprieties changed the outcome of the race, and ask the legislature to seat him instead of Jerstad.
With Republicans in control, he will be seated. The legislature is the sole judge of whom to seat.
The same can be done for Latterell.