23
November
2006
November
2006
I’m Thankful I don’t live in Ohio
It's Thanksgiving Day today and looking back on this month and even this year, there is a lot to be thankful for.
But more immediately, I'm thankful I don't live in Ohio. Can you believe those goofs still can't get that whole counting votes thing right? Remember how there was a lot of funny business back in the last Presidential race and Ohio tipped the balance under suspicious circumstances? Well it's going on again. Apparently they haven't learned their lesson.
Jim McGuigan
Jim McGuigan
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In Florida, too. Same county that had hanging chad problems in 2000. They’re still recounting Nov. 7 ballots, not sure they can recover votes in the congressional race that were not recorded. The Republican won by 318 votes.
They’ve just voted to dump their $4.5 million touch screen voting system and are going back to good old fashioned paper ballots.
I guess I find it a little ironic that a critique of Ohio comes from Milwaukee. I am personally far more ashamed as a Wisconsinite that only 18% of potential voters voted in Milwaukee County. I assume, like nationwide, 2006 was a big year that makes the 18% even worse.
My point being that there are a lot of examples of America’s Democracy sham, and I would put Milwaukee right up there with Ohio and Florida.
After much review and careful calculation, I finally figured out what you’re talking about Nate. I think.
About 18% of potential voters in Milwaukee County voted for Mark Green. That’s too many votes — 120,000 — a possible sham, possible voter fraud. It seems that tsunami we’ve heard so much about never really materialized around here, and Green was seen hanging out with voters in Elm Grove the day before the election.
The other 30% who voted, voted for Gov. Jim Doyle, for a total of 48% - better than 2002. Doyle won by a 62-38 margin - pulling 50,000 more votes out of MilCounty in his reelection. Not too shabby.