In Pursuit of Perfection

Voting Irregularities: Where do we go from here?

Let's begin with an understatement. The February 12th primary here in Chesterfield County could have been better.  Okay, fine.  Well why should we care about that now?  And what, if anything, should be done about it??

Synopsis

Three actions must be immediately taken to restore voter confidence and ensure that the record high turnouts that we know are coming in November go smoothly.

1. Confirm last nights performance was unacceptable.  Election Board officials must reassure voters that last night was not just "part of the process".  When voters get discouraged from voting due to lack of availability of ballots, inadequate parking/facilities at polling places; or when they leave, having done their civic duty, and are unsure as to whether their vote will actually be counted, we have failed.  We can and must do better.
2. Initiate a 3rd Party Investigation.  Election Board officials must request the Commonwealth Attorney's Office, or other properly empowered office, perform an impartial investigation into the glaring lack of insight which led to Chesterfield County's lack of preparation.  This investigation is honor bound to take into account all issues regarding our Election Board's failure; including issues of locality, demographics, political affiliations, and yes, even race.  Only tourists from another galaxy could have been caught as unawares by last night's turnout.  Previous state's primaries/caucuses should have had our election official on their toes.  Was this a failure of leadership?  Can current leadership right the ship in time for November?
3. Encourage community to part of the solution.  If we are to criticize our county officials when they underachieve, we should be as quick to offer solutions as well.  My wife and I volunteered this morning to be a part of the Chesterfield County certified election volunteers.  Our county Election Board officials should encourage more volunteerism from the community. I'm confident we are the kind of community that would respond, if only we are asked.

Follow-up on Long Lines: Wait Times Over 45 minutes in Chesterfield County

Election officials in Chesterfield County receive an "F".  Haake gets remedial Summer School.

(see photo album to the left, "PrimaryDay021208")

My wife and I just left New Covenant Presbyterian Church (Meadowbrook precinct for Dale District) here in Chesterfield County.  I spoke personally with the Chief Election Official, I think her name was Margaret or "Margie".  Margie was in pretty frail condition.  And though I was deeply disappointed with what I saw driving in (pictures tell the story), it did not seem appropriate to take it out on the her.  And from what Margie tell us, several folks have done just that.

Having said that, at a minimum, Chesterfield County Election Officials, led by Lawrence C. Haake, III, have done an abysmal job.  According to Margie, as recently as last Saturday she was be told by senior officials that turn out would be marginal at best...

blink.

Excuse me, but where have these people been?  Now I've been led to believe that Mr. Haake is a Republican.  Insert conspiracy theory here.  Whatever the motivations, this kind of inept incompetence cannot continue, and will not be tolerated come election time in November.

Raw data.  According to Margie, we learned the following:

• Around 12:30pm there were 435 total votes at this precinct, around 6:15pm there were 766
• An average Presidential primary at New Covenant yields less than 200 voters
• Estimated Republican turn-out at 6pm was around 150 total voters;  at this precinct at least, the election officials incompetence affected democrats almost 6 or 7 to 1 republican voters
• The process for national elections in November involves a much more efficient use of the voter roles and was easily available for the primary process today -- election officials decided against this.

We spent an hour and 15 minutes outside today and spoke with at least a dozen voters, a couple election officials, and even a candidate for Congress, Andrea Miller.  I could not begin to count the number of cars that pulled into the lot, witnessed the line, and turned around and drove away.  The same with would be voters who entered the building, some with children, most coming from work, waited in line a couple of minutes and after time gave up.  I don't wish to fabricate here.  I think conservatively, I witnessed 100 or more voters decide against voting in a hour and 15 minute period.

Anyone else have similar experiences?  What is Mr. Haake political persuasion??

Long Lines at Polling Places...go vote now!

Fair warning:

I just came from New Covenant Presbyterian Church.  It's the polling location for the Meadowbrook precinct in Dale district.  35 minute wait.  It's only going to get worse.  Plus, one of the ladies was saying that they're expecting a refill on ballots.  When I voted, around 12:15pm, they were up to 435 total votes.  That's more than they receive all day in past elections!  So ballots are low and turn out is high.  And frankly, the election officials were not moving all that quickly.

Get out and vote now.  If you get there after work...forget about it!