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HomerRamone

(1,112 posts)
Thu Nov 5, 2015, 12:17 PM Nov 2015

Questioning the Unverified Computer Results of KY's Governor's Race: AGAIN the nightmare scenario

"We see, *AGAIN*, the nightmare scenario"

http://bradblog.com/?p=11430

It is a primal scream of a BradCast today, following what happened --- once again --- on Election Day yesterday. We see, again, the nightmare scenario I've warned about for so many years: a U.S. election where all of the pre-election polls suggest Candidate X is set to win, but Candidate Y ends up winning by a huge margin instead and nobody even bothers to verify that the computer tabulated results accurately reflect the intent of the voters. (Audio link to today's full show is below.)

That's exactly what happened in Kentucky on Tuesday, where Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway was leading by a fair margin (about 3 to 5 points) in almost every pre-election poll in his race for Governor, but then ended up being announced as the loser to 'Tea Party' Republican candidate Matt Bevin by a landslide (almost 9 points) --- according to the state's 100% unverified computer tabulation systems.

As detailed on today's program with my guest Karoli Kuns of Crooks And Liars, there are a number of reasons to question the reported results. Among them, as Kuns points out today at C&L, the Democrats running in the down ballot races --- for Secretary of State, Attorney General (Conway's current job) and even state Auditor --- each reportedly received tens of thousands more votes than Conway did at the top of the ticket!...

There are many other reasons for supporters to question the reported results in the KY-Gov's race, as I detail during the show. Of course, the reported results could also be completely accurate. But, without public, human examination of the hand-marked paper ballots (which, thankfully, now actually exist across most of the state!) and other related records, we have yet another unverified, 100% faith-based election to leave supporters wondering if they really won or lost.

We've seen this before, of course. Too many times. We've seen malfunctioning paper ballot op-scan systems report losers as "winners" until a hand-count corrects the record. We've seen how easy it is for hackers to game election equipment. We've seen election insiders, even as recently as last week, breaking in to computerized central tabulators. And we've even seen high-ranking election officials in Kentucky (including County Clerks, Circuit Court Judges and School Superintendents!) convicted for decades of insider election fraud, including the manipulation of electronic voting systems.

We've seen both Democrats and Republicans alike fall victim to similarly anomalous and unverified results. And, while none of it bodes well for 2016 and beyond, neither does it bode well for those immediately and directly impacted by Tuesday's elections --- such as the 400,000 Kentuckyians who stand to lose health care under a new Republican Governor who has vowed to shut down the state's expansion of coverage under ObamaCare by the very popular if term-limited and outgoing Democratic Governor.
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Questioning the Unverified Computer Results of KY's Governor's Race: AGAIN the nightmare scenario (Original Post) HomerRamone Nov 2015 OP
there was a third party candidate who took 4% dsc Nov 2015 #1
Everything is totally unverifiable HomerRamone Nov 2015 #2
He did run dsc Nov 2015 #4
"To his left"??? BradBlog Nov 2015 #10
Every Kos write up of the race said the candidate was left of Conway dsc Nov 2015 #13
The third party candidate (Drew Curtis) wasn't to "Conway's left" really, PoliticAverse Nov 2015 #8
Kickin' Faux pas Nov 2015 #3
I can't bring myself to 2naSalit Nov 2015 #5
Here's the real reason why he lost Reter Nov 2015 #6
Lower turnout in 2011 and Dem Governor won anyway. BradBlog Nov 2015 #11
Why doesn't the Democratic party give a shit about this??? xynthee Nov 2015 #7
Bevin 818,181, Conway 800,000 KamaAina Nov 2015 #9
Oh brother! MohRokTah Nov 2015 #12
Well, We could kiss democracy goodbye, but... RobertEarl Nov 2015 #14

dsc

(52,169 posts)
4. He did run
Thu Nov 5, 2015, 01:55 PM
Nov 2015

and he was polling at around that percent and he was running to Conway's left. That would explain the major issue Brad was bringing up, the fact that Conway had fewer votes than Grimes or Breshar.

BradBlog

(2,938 posts)
10. "To his left"???
Thu Nov 5, 2015, 11:55 PM
Nov 2015

That's not how the KY GOP seems to have seen things. Via RollCall:

Earlier on Tuesday, one GOP strategist thought independent Dale Curtis would need to be at 2 percent to 3 percent or less for Bevin to win narrowly. Curtis received nearly 4 percent and Bevin still won by nearly 9 points.


Always remarkable how difficult it is to convince folks, even Democrats, that counting ballots, rather than speculating about them, is a good idea.

dsc

(52,169 posts)
13. Every Kos write up of the race said the candidate was left of Conway
Fri Nov 6, 2015, 12:37 AM
Nov 2015

so that is where I got that. But my point is, that with three candidates instead of two in one race, then it makes sense for each candidate to have gotten less than those in the other races. Was the total number of ballots cast in the governor's race less than that for say Grimes' race.

2naSalit

(86,824 posts)
5. I can't bring myself to
Thu Nov 5, 2015, 02:37 PM
Nov 2015

automatically accept any vote tally anymore.

this is what I suspected when listening to all the spin placed on this "anomaly".

xynthee

(477 posts)
7. Why doesn't the Democratic party give a shit about this???
Thu Nov 5, 2015, 02:54 PM
Nov 2015

They WANT to win, right? I'm really beginning to wonder.

 

RobertEarl

(13,685 posts)
14. Well, We could kiss democracy goodbye, but...
Fri Nov 6, 2015, 01:09 AM
Nov 2015

It's been dead and buried a long time. Bernie has a chance to dig it up but it looks as if even that won't stop the electronic election zombies.

At least you tried, Brad. Thanks.

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