Count every vote! Count every vote! Count every vote!

[dude1394]

If it's for a democrat that is...

MIAMI (Reuters) - Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader's name can appear on Florida ballots for the election, despite a court order to the contrary, Florida's elections chief told officials on Monday in a move that could help President Bush in the key swing state.

The Florida Democratic Party reacted with outrage, calling the move "blatant partisan maneuvering" by Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's younger brother, and vowed to fight it.

dems suppress the vote..what else is new?

[LRB]

Wow hard to believe the dems wouls stoop to lawsuits to deprieve voters of their constitutional right to cast a ballot of the candidate of their choice. The DNC has hit a new low.

[Epitome22]

This isn't real news. The Democratic party has been doing everything it can to slow down, derail and sabotage the petition efforts of the Green Party and Independent Ralph Nader. As if they think they'll win over the voters they are competing with Nader for by deliberating derailing his efforts. You don't see Republicans trying to derail the Libertarians. It's just a first class weasel act.

[Drbio]

I'm impressed epitome. And I agree.

[u2sarajevo]

From Chiw@s....

Florida OK's Nader's Name on Election Ballot

Sep 13, 6:34 PM (ET)

By Jim Loney

MIAMI (Reuters) - Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader's name can appear on Florida ballots for the election, despite a court order to the contrary, Florida's elections chief told officials on Monday in a move that could help President Bush in the key swing state.

The Florida Democratic Party reacted with outrage, calling the move "blatant partisan maneuvering" by Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's younger brother, and vowed to fight it.

In a memo to Florida's 67 county supervisors of elections, Division of Elections director Dawn Roberts said the uncertainty of Hurricane Ivan, which could hit parts of the state by week's end, forced her to act.

The action came in an ongoing legal battle over whether Nader should be allowed on the Florida ballot as the Reform Party candidate.

Nader, an independent nominated by the Reform Party, was a presidential candidate in 2000 when Bush won Florida, and the White House, by 537 votes over then-Vice President Al Gore. Analysts said most of the nearly 98,000 votes Nader got in Florida would have gone to Gore had Nader not been on the ballot.

Florida Circuit Court Judge Kevin Davey issued a temporary injunction last week preventing the state from putting Nader on the 2004 ballot, siding with a Democratic challenge that the Reform Party did not qualify as a national party under state law.

A hearing on a permanent injunction is scheduled for Wednesday. But Roberts said Hurricane Ivan, which is headed for Florida's Gulf coast, had raised "a substantial question as to when such a hearing" will be held.

'PARTISAN MANEUVERING'

As a result, she said, Florida's Department of State had filed an appeal against the temporary injunction. The appeal application automatically lifts the injunction, allowing the counties to put Nader's name on overseas absentee ballots, which must be mailed by Saturday.

"I'm in disbelief," said Scott Maddox, chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. "This is blatant partisan maneuvering on the part of Jeb Bush to give his brother a leg up on election day."

"They are trying to get ballots printed with Nader's name on them," said Maddox. "I am astounded that Jeb Bush is willing to defy the judiciary to help his brother."

Maddox said if Nader drew votes away from any candidate it would be Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.

Gov. Bush said he agreed with Roberts' decision.

"It's up to the judge to determine, based on the law, whether Nader should be on the ballot or not," Bush said. "But while that process goes on, we cannot put ourselves in the position where the ministerial role of the supervisors cannot be fulfilled."

Maddox noted that Tallahassee, the state capital where Davey sits, is not expected to be directly hit by the hurricane. He said the circuit court could hear the case as scheduled on Wednesday and rule immediately.

In addition, the case is before the Florida Supreme Court, which could also rule at any time, he said.

[LRB]

"I'm in disbelief," said Scott Maddox, chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. "This is blatant partisan maneuvering on the part of Jeb Bush to give his brother a leg up on election day."

There is definitely blatant partisanship, but Maddox should look in the mirror to find it.

[kg_veteran]

Honestly, what good argument can the the Florida Democratic Party give for NOT wanting Nader on the ballot? I mean, I know they don't want to lose Florida, but that's not a good argument.

[dude1394]

They just keep up the "honest" work of "count every vote", "count every vote". IF it's a dem vote. As Hugh Hewitt says in his new book.. "If it isn't close they can't cheat". And oh boy will the dems cheat.

Dems fight Nader in NH
By KATHARINE WEBSTER
Associated Press Writer

CONCORD - Democrats filed a formal challenge Monday to keep presidential candidate Ralph Nader off the state ballot, alleging widespread fraud and deceit in his petition signatures.

"We know there are people whose signatures were forged; we know people were lied to when they were approached with these petitions," said Kathy Sullivan, state Democratic Party chairwoman. "The integrity of the ballot process must be protected."

[LRB]

Originally posted by: kg_veteran
Honestly, what good argument can the the Florida Democratic Party give for NOT wanting Nader on the ballot? I mean, I know they don't want to lose Florida, but that's not a good argument.

What will be funny as hell if all those who would have voted for Nader vote for Bush just to piss off the goose stepping DNC for trying to limit their freedom to vote for their candidate of choice. Most likely they won't vote for anyone, but a vote for Bush is much worse than vote Nader.

[dude1394]

More vote dis-enfranchisement from the democrats. Pretty good that oregon knocks nader off the ballot, when he probably has more support there than anywhere in the country. Get the details as well. Some 218 signatures short of the 15,306 were "flawed".

democrats practice "democracy" some more

Oregon High Court Takes Nader Off Ballot
By CHARLES E. BEGGS, Associated Press Writer

SALEM, Ore. - Ralph Nader (news - web sites) will not appear on Oregon's general election ballot, the state Supreme Court said Wednesday, overturning a lower court decision.

The high court unanimously upheld a ruling by Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, who determined that flawed petitions sheets left Nader 218 signatures short of the 15,306 needed to put him on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Marion County Judge Paul Lipscomb faulted Bradbury, a Democrat, for using unwritten rules to decide the validity of the petitions. The high court, however, said Bradbury acted within his authority.

Nader's campaign said it would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites).

[LRB]

I guess the democrats thinking is if their entire platform is "Anybody But Bush" then they need to make sure that their candidate is the only one on the ticket but Bush. As far as forgoing ethical and legal principles, that's never been part of the Democratic party for the last 40+ years, why start now.

[Epitome22]

Originally posted by: LRB
I guess the democrats thinking is if their entire platform is "Anybody But Bush" then they need to make sure that their candidate is the only one on the ticket but Bush. As far as forgoing ethical and legal principles, that's never been part of the Democratic party for the last 40+ years, why start now.

While I think the efforts to keep Nader off the ballot by Democrats are shady, when it comes to lack of ethical and legal principles, Republicans and their supporters are in a league all their own.

[Drbio]

This is a pathetic last gasp attempt by a dying dimocratic party.

totally pathetic.

[dude1394]

Democrats continue to use bannana-republic methods to keep candidates off the ballot. WHERE'S JIMMY CARTER!! WHERE'S JIMMY CARTER!! You would think he would be whining about the horribleness. He's all for convicted felons voting but not anyone who doesn't vote democrat.

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a last-ditch bid to put Ralph Nader on Oregon's election ballot.

Nader supporters had asked the court last week to block Oregon from printing ballots without Nader's name. The court declined, although Justice Stephen Breyer noted he supported the stay.

The court's action was good news for supporters of presidential candidate John Kerry, who feared Nader would draw votes from the Democrat.

Last week, the Oregon Supreme Court sided with state election officials who found flawed petitions left Nader short of the 15,306 signatures needed to put him on the Nov. 2 ballot.

[dude1394]

What a political party. Boo Hoo Hoo..

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The New Mexico Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered Ralph Nader's name to be placed on New Mexico's Nov. 2 ballot as an independent presidential candidate, turning back a Democratic challenge to his candidacy.

The court announced its decision after deliberating for about 90 minutes following oral arguments in the case earlier Tuesday.

The New Mexico Democratic Party brought a lawsuit against Nader after he was certified as a candidate by Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron. Nader filed nominating petitions Sept. 7 with signatures of about 31,000 voters - more than twice the required amount - to secure a spot on the ballot.

The ruling overturns a decision last week by state District Judge Theresa Baca, who said that Nader didn't qualify as an independent candidate in New Mexico because he's running in other states as the nominee for minor parties, including the Reform Party in Florida and Colorado.

[dude1394]

Getting dicey out there. Maybe the american people see what kind of party the democrats really are and don't quite think it's their cup of tea.

----------------
Nader off the Wisconsin ballot.
Madison.com reports:

A Dane County judge Tuesday kicked Ralph Nader off the Wisconsin ballot, prompting an immediate appeal by the independent presidential candidate with the state Supreme Court. While Judge Michael Nowakowski ruled Nader should be left off the ballot, he also prohibited the Elections Board from sending county clerks a certified list of presidential candidates until Wednesday afternoon to give Nader’s backers a chance to appeal. There was no immediate word from the Supreme Court whether it would accept the case. ... State Democrats sued to kick Nader off the ballot, claiming he had failed to comply with state law that requires presidential candidates to list 10 electors on their nomination papers. The statute says the electors shall include one from each congressional district and two at-large. One of Nader’s electors listed as living in one congressional district actually lives in another. Electors cast ballots in the electoral college to decide the presidential race.

[Drbio]

For every state that kerry and his band of merry men succeed in removing Nader from the ballot, there will be a Bush backlash from disgruntled voters.

Kerry is aloof if he thinks this is working in his favor.