NPR: Voting Problems in L.A. County

Voting Problems in L.A. County

Voting activists are busy crunching numbers today after balloting problems were reported yesterday in California, especially in Los Angeles County. It turns out that nine percent of the ballots cast in L.A. County showed no vote for president.

That's an unusually high number, and activists think it had something to do with confusion over ballots cast by independent or nonpartisan voters. Those individuals were allowed to cast ballots in the Democratic primary, but had to fill in a circle at the top of their ballots indicating that they were voting Democratic for their choices to count. A lot of voters complained they were confused and missed that step.

Late yesterday, the county's registrar-recorder Dean Logan issued a statement defending the procedure, noting that it was not new and had been explained in sample ballot booklets sent to voters. Still, Logan said his office would review the ballots to see if there was any widespread voter disenfranchisement. He said his office would try to determine if the problem had an impact on the outcome of the Democratic presidential contest. If it did, he said, his office would seek to count those ballots where the voter's intent could be determined.

Sen. Hillary Clinton beat Sen. Barack Obama in L.A. County. But, if you add all of the ballots showing no presidential choice -- 164,797 -- to Obama's total, he would be ahead by about 2,000 votes. Of course, that involves a huge assumption. It assumes that everyone whose ballot showed no presidential choice had wanted to vote in the Democratic presidential contest and that their choice was Obama.

--- Pam Fessler

2:41 PM ET | 02- 6-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

No matter where a person wotes and no matter what method a person uses to vote, it is the VOTER'S responsibility to know how to vote. Instructions for voting are always on display at the polling place and the officials working at the polling place are always availalbe to answer questions about how to vote but, of course, not who to vote for.

Sent by Theodore A. Carus, Jr. (Ted) | 3:42 PM ET | 02-06-2008

I think they should count the votes. To fail to do so fails the sniff test.

Sent by Chelsea Shure | 8:15 PM ET | 02-06-2008

Great! Another chance to discredit Hillary Clinton by some arrogant jerk who was to make "huge assumptions" just to see if she can get the ball rolling.

Gets some credibility and stop trying to get attention to yourself and something in which YOU want to decide what other's intentions were.

This is exactly why I can't stand Obama and his supporters.

All smoke & mirrors on the issues, an empty suit on policy, free bias media coverage saving him money, and simple arrogance just like the Kennedy clan that came out and did what? NOTHING! What is your blog all about? NOTHING!

Sent by Louis | 9:20 PM ET | 02-06-2008

It would be criminal not to count 164,797 ballots.

Sent by Donna | 9:47 PM ET | 02-06-2008

I appreciate you obvious support for Hillary Clinton, but your allegations seem far removed from reality. I don't think Hillary or Bill have ever struggled for equal air time, and I am quite certain you have done zero research regarding Obama's proposed policies or beliefs, yet you seem convinced they are "empty". This ignorant statement does little to win support for your canidate, but insteads makes me wonder if all Clinton supporters are as uniformed and delusional as you seem to be.

Sent by Dan | 1:28 AM ET | 02-07-2008

Wow Louis,

You are a beautiful example of the sorry desperation of the Hillary camp at this moment. Clearly the writer does not believe the votes were all for Obama -- she doesn't even believe they were all Democratic ballots. Reread her last sentence please.

Now, as one of the millions of Americans who likes BOTH Hillary and Barack, I really hope the Hillary camp wipes the froth from their mouths and calls off the rabid hounds that jump all over anyone who writes a balanced article (one that's not praising Hillary nor belittle Barack). You may not like the Barack camp, but most Americans do and the reason we do is because he and his supporters make us feel good -- like we *can* all get along. They don't have that angry, negative ferocity.

Sent by Tobias Bloyd | 8:03 AM ET | 02-07-2008

I am a nonpartisan, live in LA County and voted for Hillary. I marked my ballot 'nonpartisan' at the suggestion of a voting official!!!

Sent by J DelMonte | 8:20 AM ET | 02-07-2008

I was a pollworker on Tuesday, and was never at any time instructed to bring to voter's attention that they needed to mark the additional bubble to have their presidential vote count. When we started hearing about the confusion on NPR's "All things considered" show on our breaks, we began instructing voters accordingly. That was 4pm in the afternoon. Of course everyone should actually READ the voter information packets they send out, but many do not. That should not invalidate their vote or their voice.

Sent by Michelle Stark | 1:05 PM ET | 02-07-2008

Dean Logan is a stooge for the Republican party, and will do anything in his power to screw up Democratic vote counts in LA County. He was run out of town up here in Seattle for massive failure and manipulation of Democratic vote counts, only to get promoted and moved to a larger district. The GOP watches out for their little rising star, and he will continue to pull dirty tricks until he is stopped. If you believe in democracy, you'll stop your petty bickering and stop Dean Logan NOW.

Sent by wbrproductions | 2:28 PM ET | 02-07-2008

um... folks? this is a non-article about a problem that will have no lasting consequences. If Hillary beat Obama by over 162,000 votes, the uncounted votes are not going to change that win, it will only change the number.

As for negative and vitriolic commentary, both sides do a lot of it, and neither side does justice to their preferred candidates.

Its a crying shame that the system is complex enough that it disenfranchises 165,000 people, but that's nothing new in American politics either.

Sent by Rodney Smith | 5:12 PM ET | 02-07-2008

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