Won't know who President is Nov. 2

Neo · 10-21-2004, 11:07 AM

Absentee ballots may turn this election into a major headache. Key battleground states such as Ohio and Florida have extended the deadline by which overseas ballots must be received past Nov 2. They want to make sure as many votes are counted as is possible. So far the process has been a complete nightmare as Pentagon computer systems are unable to handle the influx of registrations. Complicated rules and voting regulations have confused many who live overseas. Initially the Pentagon system was only made available to the military which is causing states to reject them. Officers are strongly Republican but the new recruits are more evenly divided between candidates. The millions of civilians living overseas favor Kerry by 58%.

I can already see legal challenges by both sides as to the standards to use in which votes to accept and which to reject. I don't know if it will be possible to declare a winner on Nov 2nd with so many potential votes yet to be counted.

Professor S · 10-21-2004, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neo

Absentee ballots may turn this election into a major headache. Key battleground states such as Ohio and Florida have extended the deadline by which overseas ballots must be received past Nov 2. They want to make sure as many votes are counted as is possible. So far the process has been a complete nightmare as Pentagon computer systems are unable to handle the influx of registrations. Complicated rules and voting regulations have confused many who live overseas. Initially the Pentagon system was only made available to the military which is causing states to reject them. Officers are strongly Republican but the new recruits are more evenly divided between candidates. The millions of civilians living overseas favor Kerry by 58%.

I can already see legal challenges by both sides as to the standards to use in which votes to accept and which to reject. I don't know if it will be possible to declare a winner on Nov 2nd with so many potential votes yet to be counted.

I don't see it being decided right away either, ans the controversy surrounding it is going to be even worse because whoever loses is going to look for anything they could call fraud.

Also, could you please post the source for your 58% number, its not that I don't think its accurate but I doubt that it includes the 100,000+ military personnel overseas.

Fox 6 · 10-21-2004, 11:44 AM

Canadian elections are usually decided in a day or two. But we have less people.

Neo · 10-21-2004, 01:41 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/29/po...er=rssuserland

Neo · 10-21-2004, 01:41 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/29/po...er=rssuserland

Professor S · 10-21-2004, 02:49 PM

Good article, but like I thought the 58% did not include the military, it was a civilian pole. As for the assertion that military rank and file are split, I find that highly unlikely. I know several people in the military, and the amount of hatred towards Kerry is palpable. They don't necessarily like Bush, but they HATE Kerry, and I don't use that term lightly.

Neo · 10-21-2004, 02:55 PM

What I don't understand is why so many military people support Bush after he got himself transferred to the Guard. I mean he clearly used his family influence to get him the most cushy ride possible. How can Bush order a soldier to do something he wasn't willing to do himself? Kerry, on the other hand, actually volunteered to go to Vietnam. Do they hate him just because of his anti-war comments?