KING-5's Robert Mak had this interview with Dean Logan, who says he has "no plans to resign over election mess".
Asked how it’s possible that the numbers on the batch slip didn't account for all the ballots, Logan said:Nice try, but here are some actual facts about the newly discovered ballots, which were corroborated by multiple sources who are long-time observers of King County Elections. But first, in case you're wondering what a "batch slip" is, here is a photo of a clean batch slip, which I saw earlier today."Well, it's incredibly frustrating, to me it's an example of a cultural issue that has existed in King County elections for many years."
The facts are that not only is this an unprecedented problem, but that some of Logan's own policy changes invited it to happen. Furthermore, he's now scrambling to cover-up the problem by shifting the blame to his predecessors and some of his staff --
1) Any discrepancy on the batch slip is supposed to be investigated by the tabulation workers, who should recount the ballots if the numbers are off. The numbers in the batches with the untabulated ballots were obviously off.
2) Far from being a long-standing cultural issue, the failure of tabulators to reconcile the ballots is an unprecedented situation. In previous elections, as one longtime election hand put it "if we had even one ballot missing we would go through bins of garbage"
3) It used to be the case that partisan observers were allowed to witness the opening of the absentee ballots prior to tabulation and even count the ballots themselves at the stage where the missing ballots went undiscovered. It was a Dean Logan/Bill Huennekens policy decision to close that part of the processing to public observers.
4) Curiously, with the exception of the supervisor who is under investigation for cooking the Mail Ballot Report, the workers who were reassigned and now put on administrative leave were not responsible for tabulation. My impression from what I've heard about the circumstances suggests that the non-supervisorial employees were unfairly scapegoated. I don't know enough about the supervisor's situation to comment.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at April 12, 2005 11:41 PM | Email ThisSomeone commented before that this seems to be playing out according to a bad TV movie script. I completely agree.
Posted by: DeadManVoting (aka Iguana) on April 13, 2005 12:00 AMand btw, what's up with this "cultural" thing he keeps alluding to?? Just speak plainly, please, instead of the PC thing. Why didn't he just fire whoever the problem was coming from?
Posted by: Michele on April 13, 2005 12:46 AMNo reasonable person can feel good about this election. Its been a real eye opener about how we go about electing our politicians. Unfortunately the ones that have been elected with this screwed up system dont seem to be inclined to fix it. Every resident of the state of washington, democrat or republican owes a debt of gratitude to Dino Rossi for bringing this election contest and bringing these problems to the public.
1. Democrats win big in King County when there are *Problems*
2. Sims prior oversight committees proved they are worthless. Why would he repeat this action?
3. Logan did not fix problems - he multiplied them. Why would Sims support him?
We take it for granted that King County leans Democrat because of the liberal-media run opinion polls and the outcome of elections.....
Hey! After this last election..I could believe that our political dynamics have been manipulated along with our election results! Heck! To think we could have been a *Red* county for years - and just not know it!
Same special effects.
Posted by: niceville on April 13, 2005 03:52 AMThe "experts" are just people with more power, anyway.
Posted by: Bostonian on April 13, 2005 06:26 AMCultural??? What does cultural have to do with systems and internal controls?
Logan is arrogant and continues to believe HE is the ultimate election authority. What Logan says is so. ARROGANT.
'cause... Dean can't fire Ron. :Q
Posted by: DanC on April 13, 2005 06:32 AMI was wrong. He seems to be one of the very few members of the MSM who is working this story.
Liberal voter: “I want my candidate no matter what it takes."
Ron Sims: "I will say and do whatever it takes. Consolidating power is a big thing, lying over and over to do so are little ones."
Dean Logan: "Number nine, number nine, number nine . . . "
Christine Gregoire: "Let's just move on."
ANYTHING GOES. Human rights, property, entitlements, taxation, national survival, all up-for-grabs. It's just that simple.
Posted by: Amused by liberals on April 13, 2005 08:44 AMThe obvious choice to shine the light of day onto these hacks until the populous is as disgusted as I am.
Then vote the mothers out!
Posted by: alphabet soup on April 13, 2005 08:45 AMSo now I'm one of the statistics in this mess.
Posted by: Ferrous on April 13, 2005 08:52 AMHe's trying to wiggle out but the walls are closing in on him.
As I see it he better spill the beans or it's gonna be his a55 that is hung out to dry.
He is going down, the question is how far he is willing to plunge. He could start singing and provide the links that will allow the DOJ to give credit where credit is due and help himself out. Regardless the cat is out of the bag with or without his cooperation, if it were me I would be listening verry attentatively to my attorney right now and not Sim's and company, but that is only me.
Posted by: JDH on April 13, 2005 09:22 AMThe definition of Culture is:
1. The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought.
2.These patterns, traits, and products considered as the expression of a particular period, class, community, or population.
3. These patterns, traits, and products considered with respect to a particular category, such as a field, subject, or mode of expression.
4. The predominating attitudes and behavior that characterize the functioning of a group or organization.
So apparently messing up an election, covering it up and refusing to admit mistakes is the way of the liberal culture? Or maybe it's the King County culture......:-)
Posted by: DRJR on April 13, 2005 12:54 PMThe way to make sure that citizen initiatives become state law, is to elect more Republicans. The DemocRATS hate the initiative law because it takes power & money out of their hands. The voters of the this state are being hoisted with their own petard but they think they have a say in how it's done. The DemocRATS always have a way to get around initiatives from the people & a way to steal elections.
Posted by: Clean House on April 13, 2005 06:32 PMI call it mediocrity and socialism - American style - wake up out there/ otherwise it will only get worse in King County because they believe that they can get away with it. Keep calling John McKay, US Attorney and insist on a Federal investigation of King County Elections - I understand that McKay has been hesitant about investigating or maybe that is a smoke screen. Nevertheless, the Attorney General also needs to hear about this...
Posted by: KS on April 13, 2005 09:18 PMTo do so before risks the appearance that Bush is somehow attempting to use his power to steal the election back from the thieves.
Be patient.
Posted by: Mr. Cynical on April 13, 2005 09:39 PM