Thursday, November 11, 2004

Counting the Votes?



This article summarizes the current state of affairs fairly well about the possibilities of recounts in New Hampshire. It is also rumored (via a Kos diary) that the third parties are going to ask for a recount in Ohio. I have followed all the evidence available in the blogosphere and on other websites with great care, and so far the few interesting data sets all have other possible explanations than the failings of the voting system. Though much is written about inaccuracies and even possible fraud, when you follow the references back to their beginnings you go back to those same few cases. And referring to Olberman's television program doesn't really help, because his sources are the same few cases, too.

This doesn't mean that everything is on the up-and-up, and clearly there were some obvious problems of vote suppression in traditionally Democratic areas in many places (long lines, fewer machines allocated this year than in 2000 despite much higher voter registration levels). But to talk about something else requires data which is hard to get hold of given the HAVA and its effects.

By the way, did any of you see Bush's Brain? Not that this movie has anything whatsoever to do with the topic of this post.

An addendum: It seems that Kerry-Edwards lawyers are also looking at Ohio, though they say they are not trying to change the winner of the elections.