Dade County Election Problems 

 

Analysis of over 1000 EIRS election hotline irregularity reports and other documentation, testimony, and media reports.         

  (See reported EIRS election hotline cases below from https://voteprotect.org              database)

 

Voter Suppression and Irregularities (Touchscreen switching votes, touchscreen defaults, glitches and freezeups;

broken machines, too few machines in minority precincts, long lines, widespread polling place changes in minority precincts

with inadequate notice and education, improper voter roll purges and identification problems,  widespread systematic dirty tricks

in minority precincts to cause minorities to vote in wrong precinct and lose their vote, student voting problems,  malfeasance and/or

misfeasance by officials or poll workers regarding correct polling places and election rights, malfeasance and/or misfeasance

regarding registrations, absentee ballots, and provisional ballots.   Resulting in as much as 45,000 lost votes or misvotes.   

 

 (Broward and Dade counties had the most reported irregularities in Florida, followed by Palm Beach county)

 

 

Widespread Touch Screen Machine Switching from Kerry to Bush and other machine ballot problems and glitches :

 http://www.flcv.com/EIRSFla.html

 

 

Registration problems and Provisional voting problems

http://www.flcv.com/daderpp.html

 

Apparently, thousands  filled out registration forms that were not turned in by county agencies such as DMV or other volunteer

organizations or were not processed by the Supervisor of Elections Office;

there was widespread late polling place changes, lack of adequate notification and help by officials and poll workers in advising

voters of the proper polling place, large scale apparently improper voter roll purges, systematic dirty tricks by party activists, lack of

uniformity and apparent bias in application of identification requirements and rulings, too few machines, machine problems, and

polling place problems, etc. that appear to have prevented thousands of mostly minority voters from voting or having their vote counted. 

 

(2/3 of provisional votes were rejected; apparently in large part due to official or poll worker malfeasance or misfeasance related to registration

 problems or polling place identification problems- which should not be a problem given current computer technology)

Dade County Absentee Ballot Problems (Analysis of EIRS election hotline reports:  hundreds of cases reported,

dealing with thousands of absentee ballots; plus other documentation and Hearing testimony)  

http://www.flcv.com/dadeab.html

 

Apparent Bias, Misfeasance, or Malfeasance re: absentees;  thousands who requested absentee ballots failed to

receive them in time to vote and irregularities in distribution, instructions, election day voting for those who did

not receive their absentee ballot and tried to vote. 

 

Florida Election Protection Hearing Sworn Testimony:

 

EP Hearing (affidavit) , Jeane-Andre Janveir, There were not enough machines in the 10 to 15 precincts of Little Hatii to allow all voters to be able to vote.

Haiti immigrants did not know how to use machines and were not given enough education on how to vote with them. 

 

EP Hearing (affidavit), Marie Cadet, Some poll workers intimidate Creole voters and didnt allow some to vote. 

 

EP Hearing (affidavit), Hannibal Rosa,  Many were asked for ID even though they had their voter card.  There was lack of facilities for disabled voters.

 

EP Hearing (affidavit), Hoyt Sexton, NAACP, Thousands of voters signed registration cards but were not on the roles, especially in minority precincts

and Little Haiti.  Registrations were being trashed of minority voters by someone.  Violation of voting rights.  SPARK was one fraudulent organization in

Pinecrest and Richmond Heights area. 

 

EP Hearing (affidavit), Rose Assinte, Many creole voters were not allowed to vote.  Some didnt know how to use the machines and didnt get help.

 Many could not read the ballots they were provided.

 

EP Hearing (affidavit), Jeffrey Fleisher, People need to know where to go to vote.  This was a big problem.  There were no facilities for handicapped

voting in some areas.  The line was a mile long at West Kendall Library on 10/31 and took 4 hours.

 

EP Hearing (affidavit), Muslima Lewis,  early voting lines were so long I was turned away.   Need to fix the provisional vote problem.  Votes should be

counted if the voter is an eligible voter.

 

EP Hearing (affidavit), Branford Broon, NAACP,  Dade had many problems with minorities being able to register and get voter card.  Voting was a very

difficult process for those who did not get their card. Many did not get requested absentee ballots.  Lines were longer in minority areas including early voting.

 Non-partisan helpers should be allowed in polls to give assistance to voters since poll workers dont provide enough help.  An audit trail is needed. 

 

EP Hearing (affidavit), Mary Peeler, NAACP,    The NAACP received many complaints of many people in Florida not allowed to vote- many unable to get absentee ballots,

people refused provisional ballots incorrectly, because of long lines in early voting due to not enough sites and not enough workers, by improper exclusion

of those without IDs at poll, and by non-uniform policy regarding provisional ballots.

 

EP Hearing (affidavit), Randall Marshall, ACLU,  Thousands of voters were affected by problems getting absentee ballots in South Florida. 

Also large numbers were denied their right to vote by poll workers improperly not letting those who had requested absentee ballots but never

got them or didn’t choose to use them from voting using a provisional ballot.  

 

 Beverlye Neal, State NAACP,   many thousands had been purged from the voter roles improperly and have not had their registrations restored. There were

 long lines in early voting and long lines in minority precincts. Not enough working machines or workers.

 

EP Hearing (affidavit), Steve Showen,  Since Florida has eliminated runoff elections, we need Instant Runoff Voting(IRV) to improve the situation.

It provides many advantages to the public and more democratically determined results and has been used in many cities successfully, such as in

 San Francisco.   If no majority, 2nd choices of all voters are counted for those who voted for a losing candidate.

 

EP Hearing: Ms. Marcy Randolph( member of the staff at Senator Bill Nelson's Orlando office in charge of election issues)   her office received a string of calls,

which ultimately were logged in excess of 180, from voters experiencing difficulties in obtaining their absentee ballots, especially voters from Broward, Dade and

Palm Beach counties who resided in Germany and the United Kingdom.   When the volume of phone calls requesting absentee ballots reached a peak, Senator Nelson's

office was unable to reach election staff by email or telephone

 

 

Statistical studies documenting many thousands of lost votes or misvotes:

 

Hout et al, Univ. of California-Berkeley: 

http://ucdata.berkeley.edu:7101/new_web/VOTE2004/election04_WP.pdf

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/11-18-2004/0002464301&EDATE

 

Detailed FLCV analysis:   http://www.flcv.com/fla04EAS.html

 

 

In Miami-Dade County, thousands of people waited for hours Sunday to cast ballots during early voting. Many would-be voters saw the line, shook their heads and left.  

https://registration.philly.com/reg/login.do?url=http://www.philly.com%2Fmld%2Fphilly%2Fnews%2Fspecial_packages%2Felection2004%2F10058380.htm

 

Miami-Dade. Only half the thousands of absentee ballots have been returned. Some voters have complained they have not received their ballots in the mail -- A printing delay initially slowed down the mailing of the ballots http://www.votersunite.org/article.asp?id=3519

 

Miami. People who register to vote and don't fill out the form perfectly will not be able to vote. Judge rules that the forms may be thrown out  Hundreds of voters affected.

 

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/special_packages/election2004/10019762.htm

 

Student Voter Suppression:  http://www.flcv.com/studentv.html

 

EIRS Election hotline cases:  voteprotect.org

 

Long lines/too few machines & poll workers in early voting

017415

10/29/04, 3:00 PM PST

Long lines

Miami-Dade, Miami-Dade County, Florida

Complaining of long lines - more than 3 hours - at their polling place which have prevented them from voting.

017919

10/30/04, 10:24 AM PST

Early closing

Dade County, Florida

Caller said people were being told that the polling place closed at 5pm, but if they were not there before noon they could not vote.

018914

10/31/04, 2:52 PM PST

Voter Intimidation; Machine problem; Early closing; Long lines

Miami Beach, Miami, Miami/Dade County, Florida

1. Miami Beach City Hall (early voting location). Republicans are campaigning and soliciting w/in 150 feet of the polls. "Sample" ballots are being handed out at the door with only Republican candidates on the sample ballot. 2. West Palm (2040 South Military Trail) polling location. 6 or 7 machines are not being used. Poll attendants said that there are not enough pollers. Lines have been 3-4 hours long. Also kicking people out of line at 4pm, when the poll is supposed to be open until 5pm.

053947

11/08/04, 11:00 AM PST

Polling place inquiry

Lemon City Library, Miami-Dade County, Florida

Confusing information related to early voting location sites and hours. From 255 - 260 voters showed up to a closed early voting site.

054061

11/08/04, 11:16 AM PST

Polling place inquiry

Early Voting Sites #1, 2, and 3, Miami-Dade County, Florida

Each of these locations had 100s of people coming through expecting to vote on Monday, 11/1/2004. These locations were closed and only 2 sites were open in all of Miami, unlike Broward County that had many November 1, 2004 voting in many locations.

055828

11/12/04, 2:50 AM PST

Long lines; Other polling place problem

Miami City Hall, Miami-Dade County, Florida

Not enough people registering voters

060778

01/07/05, 12:02 PM PST

Absentee-ballot related problem; Long lines

Miami-Dade County, Florida

Voter tried to vote early, but gave up because of long lines. Currently out of state

060854

01/11/05, 7:52 AM PST

Other polling place problem

Miami - Dade County, Florida

Went to vote at early voting place (54th St -- 5400 22nd, Joseph Caleb Center, Miami); it was not [right?] place. Lots of people unhappy. Not legitimate polling place and long lines.

 

Long lines/too few machines

029374

11/02/04, 4:59 AM PST

Long lines

Miami, Miami County, Florida

Volunteer has noted long lines. Polling place as precincts 409, 410, 417, 418, 420. Long lines at 410. Looks like 3 NY city blocks long. one person arrived before 7am. has waited 45 minutes and is not halfway through the line.

029606

11/02/04, 5:03 AM PST

Long lines

Grapeman Heights Park, Miami, miami dade County, Florida

6 machines, 2 broken, 1000 people in lines

029805

11/02/04, 5:21 AM PST

Late opening

2501 W 74th st., dade County, Florida

just opened polls at 8:15 250-300 people waiting in line some are starting to leave.

029841

11/02/04, 5:17 AM PST

Long lines

miami County, Florida

LONG LINES AT 575. only 12-13 machines. 30 people in line. 1-1.5 hours.

030152

11/02/04, 5:36 AM PST

Other polling place problem; Other

2501 W 24th St, Dade County, Florida

No one being allowed to vote. Long lines. Caller cannot get through to FL hotline.

030199

11/02/04, 5:38 AM PST

Long lines

Miami County, Florida

2 hour wait at 230. precinct 283 has been added. (Mobile Field atty called)

030554

11/02/04, 5:53 AM PST

Other polling place problem

1650 N.W. 37th Ave., Miami Dade County, Florida

Only 6 of 8 machines working, line exceeds 20 mins.

030819

11/02/04, 6:04 AM PST

Machine problem

dade County, Florida

only six machines for 2 precincts

031020

11/02/04, 6:18 AM PST

Long lines

wesley matthew school, Miami, miami dade County, Florida

have waited 1 1/2 hours cant continue to wait in line

031502

11/02/04, 6:33 AM PST

Long lines

Miami County, Florida

long lines at precinct 260

031682

11/02/04, 6:39 AM PST

Machine problem

miami dade county County, Florida

only nine machines are working so lines are very long

032002

11/02/04, 7:03 AM PST

Long lines

miami dade County, Florida

more than a two hour wait and people are leaving

032038

11/02/04, 6:56 AM PST

Machine problem

Allen Paul Cmty Ctr, 1770 North East 162nd St, Miami, Dade County, Florida

Not enough voting machines; one machine is not working & one is used for demonstration. Staffer at dept't of elections office says she's requesting more machines, but not sure if she can get any. Policy is that only go to paper ballots if ALL machines are broken, or if sup of election approves it. Agrees there's a very long line; they're going to hand out numbers so people can walk away and come back a bit later. [P]

032122

11/02/04, 7:01 AM PST

Machine problem; Long lines

1550 NW 37 Ave (Grapeland Park), Miami, Miami Dade County, Florida

Voter has been in line for over 3 hrs. 5 machines (normally are 16-18 machines). Pulled 3 machines - not working - originally 8 machines.

032294

11/02/04, 7:29 AM PST

Long lines

MIami, Miami dade County, Florida

LONG LINES

032827

11/02/04, 7:33 AM PST

Long lines; Polling place inquiry

Lake Stevens Middle School 18484 48th Place, Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida

Lines long, slow, line at least 50 people, now 2 lines, doing it alphabetically (that's what they're doing for voters, polling locater is bouncing out # is automated system, getting bounced out, alt. #s not answered. Leaves to reg, then gets bounced out.

033904

11/02/04, 8:10 AM PST