Comments on: Discovery Recounts and Election Contests http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/ Champaign County Clerk Blog Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:53:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Anonymous http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/comment-page-1/#comment-109 Anonymous Sat, 08 Apr 2006 23:21:00 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/#comment-109 One would expect that any mistakes made by the optical scanner would be evenly divided among the candidates. I can’t see how one group of voters aligned with one campaign would consistently make a mistake with the new voting system. In examining undervotes, it seems that the most likely scenario is that someone voted for Beckett and not Wysocki (giving him 14 more votes than her), or voted for Bell and not Kirchner (giving her 30 more votes than him). If that’s so, “mistaken” undervotes would go to Wysocki and/or Kirchner, not Beckett or Bell. Could be way off base, but that would be consistent with the results. If that was accurate, any “new” votes discovered would likely add to Wysocki rather than Bell, keeping the election as it is now.<br/><br/>Once the discovery recount is completed, challengers would have to show that a different result is likely if a full recount is undertaken. That burden would be demonstrated if more than one new vote is discovered for Bell (assuming Wysocki gets no new votes). If the optical scan numbers are accurate after the discover recount of the 6 precincts requested, I doubt any judge would order a full recount.<br/><br/>Good luck Mark, it should be fun. One would expect that any mistakes made by the optical scanner would be evenly divided among the candidates. I can’t see how one group of voters aligned with one campaign would consistently make a mistake with the new voting system. In examining undervotes, it seems that the most likely scenario is that someone voted for Beckett and not Wysocki (giving him 14 more votes than her), or voted for Bell and not Kirchner (giving her 30 more votes than him). If that’s so, “mistaken” undervotes would go to Wysocki and/or Kirchner, not Beckett or Bell. Could be way off base, but that would be consistent with the results. If that was accurate, any “new” votes discovered would likely add to Wysocki rather than Bell, keeping the election as it is now.

Once the discovery recount is completed, challengers would have to show that a different result is likely if a full recount is undertaken. That burden would be demonstrated if more than one new vote is discovered for Bell (assuming Wysocki gets no new votes). If the optical scan numbers are accurate after the discover recount of the 6 precincts requested, I doubt any judge would order a full recount.

Good luck Mark, it should be fun.

]]> By: Champaign County Clerk http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/comment-page-1/#comment-108 Champaign County Clerk Thu, 06 Apr 2006 01:22:00 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/#comment-108 I think the judges have some discretion here. My guess is that reasonable assertions based on fact will be looked on favorably. But I don't know of any election contests ever in Champaign County and so I don't have much to look at to see what threshold the judge would be looking for. I know of one contest in Piatt County for a school district that came into Champaign County. I can't recall the year exactly. I think the judges have some discretion here. My guess is that reasonable assertions based on fact will be looked on favorably. But I don’t know of any election contests ever in Champaign County and so I don’t have much to look at to see what threshold the judge would be looking for. I know of one contest in Piatt County for a school district that came into Champaign County. I can’t recall the year exactly.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/comment-page-1/#comment-107 Anonymous Wed, 05 Apr 2006 23:20:00 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/#comment-107 Thanks for the responses!<br/><br/>So do Xes and checks count in the discovery recount too, or is the discovery recount just another trip through the optical scan machine?<br/><br/>And what's the criteria for a full recount? Any discrepancy at all, or is there some kind of threshold? Or whatever the judge feels like on the day he hears the challenge? Thanks for the responses!

So do Xes and checks count in the discovery recount too, or is the discovery recount just another trip through the optical scan machine?

And what’s the criteria for a full recount? Any discrepancy at all, or is there some kind of threshold? Or whatever the judge feels like on the day he hears the challenge?

]]> By: Champaign County Clerk http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Champaign County Clerk Wed, 05 Apr 2006 20:25:00 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/#comment-106 Xs and checks will count as votes in a full recount. Unfortunately, no system can make up for voters not following directions. Yes, I would still consider the outcome to be in doubt here. Xs and checks will count as votes in a full recount. Unfortunately, no system can make up for voters not following directions. Yes, I would still consider the outcome to be in doubt here.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/comment-page-1/#comment-105 Anonymous Wed, 05 Apr 2006 19:48:00 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/#comment-105 I don't understand. During the discovery recount, you're going go through looking for check marks. If you find any, that's enough to get the judge to order a full recount, right? So the results from the machine aren't really the results, they're only the results until there's a recount, and then the check marks count. And if you count check marks, x marks, and other things that the machine didn't count, there is no doubt the vote totals will change. So it sounds like we still have no idea who won in District 9. Am I right? I don’t understand. During the discovery recount, you’re going go through looking for check marks. If you find any, that’s enough to get the judge to order a full recount, right? So the results from the machine aren’t really the results, they’re only the results until there’s a recount, and then the check marks count. And if you count check marks, x marks, and other things that the machine didn’t count, there is no doubt the vote totals will change. So it sounds like we still have no idea who won in District 9. Am I right?

]]> By: Champaign County Clerk http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/comment-page-1/#comment-104 Champaign County Clerk Wed, 05 Apr 2006 17:38:00 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/#comment-104 This is the definition of a vote from 24B of the election code. <br/><br/>(1) The designated area for casting a vote for a particular ballot position on the ballot sheet is fully darkened or shaded in;<br/>(2) The designated area for casting a vote for a particular ballot position on the ballot sheet is partially darkened or shaded in;<br/>(3) The designated area for casting a vote for a particular ballot position on the ballot sheet contains a dot or ".", a check, or a plus or "+"; or<br/>(4) The designated area for casting a vote for a particular ballot position on the ballot sheet contains some other type of mark that indicates the clearly ascertainable intent of the voter to vote based on the totality of the circumstances, including but not limited to any pattern or frequency of marks on other ballot positions from the same ballot sheet.<br/>(5) The designated area for casting a vote for a particular ballot position on the ballot sheet is not marked, but the ballot sheet contains other markings associated with a particular ballot position, such as circling a candidate's name, that indicates the clearly ascertainable intent of the voter to vote, based on the totality of the circumstances, including but not limited to, any pattern or frequency of markings on other ballot positions from the same ballot sheet. This is the definition of a vote from 24B of the election code.

(1) The designated area for casting a vote for a particular ballot position on the ballot sheet is fully darkened or shaded in;
(2) The designated area for casting a vote for a particular ballot position on the ballot sheet is partially darkened or shaded in;
(3) The designated area for casting a vote for a particular ballot position on the ballot sheet contains a dot or “.”, a check, or a plus or “+”; or
(4) The designated area for casting a vote for a particular ballot position on the ballot sheet contains some other type of mark that indicates the clearly ascertainable intent of the voter to vote based on the totality of the circumstances, including but not limited to any pattern or frequency of marks on other ballot positions from the same ballot sheet.
(5) The designated area for casting a vote for a particular ballot position on the ballot sheet is not marked, but the ballot sheet contains other markings associated with a particular ballot position, such as circling a candidate’s name, that indicates the clearly ascertainable intent of the voter to vote, based on the totality of the circumstances, including but not limited to, any pattern or frequency of markings on other ballot positions from the same ballot sheet.

]]> By: Red State Wannabe http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/comment-page-1/#comment-103 Red State Wannabe Wed, 05 Apr 2006 16:54:00 +0000 http://blog.champaigncountyclerk.com/2006/04/05/discovery-recounts-and-election-contests/#comment-103 so all the undervotes will be manually recounted, and if an X is in the box the vote will count? so all the undervotes will be manually recounted, and if an X is in the box the vote will count?

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