Wisconsin has already been called for Barack Obama, and we've elected Wisconsin's first woman U.S. Senator and the nation's first openly gay U.S. Senator. Congratulations to Tammy Baldwin, her staff, volunteers, supporters and voters! We made history today!
All of the networks have called the election for Barack Obama, winning Ohio to get to 270 votes. However, Mitt Romney won't get out of "The Bubble" and won't concede.
None of the U.S. House of Representatives races changed the make up of the House. Mark Pocan has won the 2nd CD vacated by Tammy, and Paul Ryan has kept his seat in the 1st CD. Tom Petri also won re-election, and I believe the rest of the races are uncontested.
Unfortunately, the Post Crescent reports that Jamie Wall has conceded to Tea Party Ribble. Fox Valley, you continue to disappoint!
Regarding state congressional races, it looks like "The Man Who Votes 3 Times" (Joel Kleefisch) will lose his seat. Now we need to break up the Fitzgerald family empire in Wisconsin.
It looks like Dave Hansen will keep his seat, but both races are still too early to call.
Overall, the results look like Wisconsin just didn't like the recall, but we're still a blue-leaning Progressive state!
Better days are ahead now that the Tea Party crazies couldn't convince the majority of voters to go back to the Bush policies.
Forward and On Wisconsin!
Showing posts with label election results. Show all posts
Showing posts with label election results. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Democrats Gain Majority in Wisconsin Senate
While Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker survived his recall, the Democrats gained a majority in the Wisconsin Senate with John Lehman defeating incumbent Republican Van Wangaard. So, though the recall effort didn't achieve its goal of removing Walker, it did achieve its goal of removing the Republican majority in the State Senate. One out of two is pretty good considering the recall effort was outspent 7-to-1.
In fact, it's pretty darn good, because Walker doesn't write legislation, he just signs it. With control of the Senate, we may actually be able to do more than we could with the governorship but not control of the Senate. Walker may not have lost his job, but he lost his party's control of the State Senate.
Hopefully, now we can get some compromise out of the far-right out-of-state controlled Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader Mark Miller said,
In fact, it's pretty darn good, because Walker doesn't write legislation, he just signs it. With control of the Senate, we may actually be able to do more than we could with the governorship but not control of the Senate. Walker may not have lost his job, but he lost his party's control of the State Senate.
Hopefully, now we can get some compromise out of the far-right out-of-state controlled Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader Mark Miller said,
“Tonight, Wisconsinites across the 21st Senate District elected a new State Senator," Miller said in a statement. "By electing a Democratic Senate, the people of Wisconsin have opened the door to responsible dialogue and if needed provide a bulwark against continued political extremism, and restored checks and balances to the Wisconsin Legislature. I look forward to working again with Senator-elect Lehman in the State Senate in the coming months.”
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Wisconsin Recall Election Exit Polls Show a 50/50 Split
According to Craig Gilbert at the Journal Sentinel, exit polls show the race is much closer than pre-election polls, a 50/50 even split.
"Tuesday’s exit polls depict a much closer recall race – 50% to 50% -- between Republican Gov. Scott Walker and Democrat Tom Barrett than pre-election polls did."This will be a very close election that may come down to a few hundred votes. It looks like we'll be in for a long night or more.
Live Wisconsin Governor Recall Election Results
Many organizations have live recall election results between Scott Walker and Tom Barrett as well as the other recall elections.
The Journal Sentinel has a nice page with county map for the governor race here and for the rest of the races here.
The Huffington Post has an awesome interactive map here.
The results with 1% in are way too close to call with Mahlon Mitchell leading with 62% and Walker leading with 54%.
Update: 9:36pm Twitter is a frenzy with people who are still in line to vote in Milwaukee and Madison. Milwaukee has run out of ballots and forms in some places. There's also accounts of reporters telling some people waiting in line that Walker had won and those voters left without voting, and the Government Accountability Board has confirmed it, "We hear some news media in the Milwaukee area have been interviewing voters who are still waiting in line to vote at some polling places." GAB director Kevin Kennedy called it "illegal and totally inappropriate."
If you're waiting in line to vote, DON'T LEAVE. This election could turn!
Barrett is not conceding while people are still voting.
The Journal Sentinel has a nice page with county map for the governor race here and for the rest of the races here.
The Huffington Post has an awesome interactive map here.
The results with 1% in are way too close to call with Mahlon Mitchell leading with 62% and Walker leading with 54%.
Update: 9:36pm Twitter is a frenzy with people who are still in line to vote in Milwaukee and Madison. Milwaukee has run out of ballots and forms in some places. There's also accounts of reporters telling some people waiting in line that Walker had won and those voters left without voting, and the Government Accountability Board has confirmed it, "We hear some news media in the Milwaukee area have been interviewing voters who are still waiting in line to vote at some polling places." GAB director Kevin Kennedy called it "illegal and totally inappropriate."
If you're waiting in line to vote, DON'T LEAVE. This election could turn!
Barrett is not conceding while people are still voting.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
All Democrats Retain Seats In Wisconsin Recalls
The AP has called both of today's recall elections for the Democrats, making all three Republican attempts failures. Democratic Senator Dave Hansen retained his seat in the first recall election on July 19. Senators Bob Wirch and Jim Holperin retained their seats following their big wins in today's elections in Senate Districts 12 and 22.
The Democrats were able to remove two Republicans from office in the August 9th recall elections. The Republicans maintain majority in the State Senate, but only by one, leaving Republican Senator Dale Schultz (who voted against Walker's collective bargaining rights-stripping bill) as the "king-maker" for many situations in the future. This should make Walker's anti-worker and anti-middle class policies more difficult to pass from now on, which is exactly what we wanted.
Following are the latest results:
22nd Senate District
The Democrats were able to remove two Republicans from office in the August 9th recall elections. The Republicans maintain majority in the State Senate, but only by one, leaving Republican Senator Dale Schultz (who voted against Walker's collective bargaining rights-stripping bill) as the "king-maker" for many situations in the future. This should make Walker's anti-worker and anti-middle class policies more difficult to pass from now on, which is exactly what we wanted.
Following are the latest results:
12th Senate District
Jim Holperin, D - 55% (winner)
Kim Simac, R - 45%
95% reporting
22nd Senate District
Bob Wirch, D - 58% (winner)
Jonathan Steitz, R - 42%
100% reporting
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Two Successful Recalls of Republicans - Dems Won't Pursue Questions of Irregularities
Earlier, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Mike Tate said Waukesha County Kathy Nicholaus was sitting on and tampering with votes. Waukesha County had told reporters that they would withhold their results until tomorrow without reason. However, within an hour after the announcement by Tate, Waukesha County has now fully reported, and the AP has called the race for Albert Darling. The Wisconsin Democrats have since issued another statement.
Following are the latest results:
"On Tuesday night, Wisconsin spoke loud and clear with the recall of two entrenched Republicans. This is an accomplishment of historic proportions that I do not wish to be overshadowed by statements regarding results in the 8th Senate District.If there are issues with our elections, they should be investigated whether the results change the election or not, and I believe the Wisconsin Democrats should pursue any questions, not to try to change the election, but to ensure our elections are truly fair and secure. If there are no longer any questions, the Democrats should be clear. The Wisconsin Wave is calling for people to be ready to mobilize Wednesday for possible issues in Waukesha County.
Though we believe that Sandy Pasch was able to battle Alberta Darling to a virtual tie, on her turf, we will not pursue questions of irregularities. Those heat-of-the-moment statements came in light of the uncertainties that arose from a recent election, known too well.
The fact of the matter remains, that, fighting on Republican turf, we have begun the work of stopping the Scott Walker agenda."
Following are the latest results:
2nd Senate District
Robert Cowles, R - 60% (winner)
Nancy Nusbaum, D - 40%
100% reporting
8th Senate District
Alberta Darling, R - 54% (winner)
Sandy Pasch, D - 46%
99% reporting
10th Senate District
Sheila Harsdorf, R - 58% (winner)
Shelly Moore, D - 42%
100% reporting
14th Senate District
Luther Olsen, R - 52% (winner)
Fred Clark, D - 48%
100% reporting
18th Senate District
Jessica King, D - 51% (winner)
Randy Hopper, R - 49%
100% reporting
32nd Senate District
Jennifer Shilling, D - 55% (winner)
Dan Kapanke, R - 45%
100% reporting
Democrat winners will take their seat immediately, removing Senators Randy Hopper and Dan Kapanke. The next battle is to recall Scott Walker so that we can begin restoring and improving Wisconsin.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Recall Elections: Two Republican Recalls Successful - Darling/Pasch Race Too Close To Call
The AP has called 2 recall elections for the Democrats and 3 Republicans have retained their seats thus far. Democrat Sandy Pasch is leading Alberta Darling in the only race remaining with 52%. If Pasch wins the race, the Democrats will have a majority in the Senate. However, part of the troubled Waukesha County is in that district and is reported behind in counting by John Nichols on MSNBC.
2nd Senate District
Robert Cowles, R - 58% (winner)
Nancy Nusbaum, D - 42%
93% reporting
8th Senate District
Sandy Pasch, D - 52%
Alberta Darling, R - 48%
67% reporting
10th Senate District
Sheila Harsdorf, R - 58% (winner)
Shelly Moore, D - 42%
98% reporting
14th Senate District
Luther Olsen, R - 52% (winner)
Fred Clark, D - 48%
100% reporting
18th Senate District
Jessica King, D - 51% (winner)
Randy Hopper, R - 49%
100% reporting
32nd Senate District
Jennifer Shilling, D - 56% (winner)
Dan Kapanke, R- 44%
87% reporting
You can watch the recall elections results live on MSNBC.
Recall Elections: At Least One Republican Recall Successful - Senate Majority In Reach
The first Republican to fall in the recall elections is Dan Kapanke as the AP called the race for Jennifer Shilling. The AP has also called 3 races for the Republicans: Robert Cowles, Sheila Harsdorf and Luther Olsen. The Democrats lead the 2 uncalled races. If the Democrats win both of those races, they will overtake the majority of the Wisconsin Senate, fulfilling the promise of the recalls (as long as there isn't another Waukesha surprise).
2nd Senate District
Robert Cowles, R - 58% (winner)
Nancy Nusbaum, D - 42%
92% reporting
8th Senate District
Sandy Pasch, D - 55%
Alberta Darling, R - 45%
43% reporting
10th Senate District
Sheila Harsdorf, R - 58% (winner)
Shelly Moore, D - 42%
97% reporting
14th Senate District
Luther Olsen, R - 52% (winner)
Fred Clark, D - 48%
100% reporting
18th Senate District
Jessica King, D - 50%
Randy Hopper, R - 50%
87% reporting
32nd Senate District
Jennifer Shilling, D - 55% (winner)
Dan Kapanke, R- 45%
82% reporting
You can watch the recall elections results live on MSNBC.
Recall Elections: 3 Democrats Needed For Senate Majority Leading Results
In the recall elections for the 6 recalled Republican Senators, the Associated Press has called the races for Robert Cowles and Sheila Harsdorf, while Democrats in 3 other races are leading their recalled opponents. The Democrats need 3 wins to overtake the Senate, the only thing that can help slow down the Walker damage to Wisconsin.
2nd Senate District
Robert Cowles, R - 58% (winner)
Nancy Nusbaum, D - 42%
91% reporting
8th Senate District
Sandy Pasch, D - 56%
Alberta Darling, R - 44%
39% reporting
10th Senate District
Sheila Harsdorf, R - 58% (winner)
Shelly Moore, D - 42%
82% reporting
14th Senate District
Luther Olsen, R - 54%
Fred Clark, D - 46%
96% reporting
18th Senate District
Jessica King, D - 52%
Randy Hopper, R - 48%
23% reporting
32nd Senate District
Jennifer Shilling, D - 54%
Dan Kapanke, R- 46%
82% reporting
You can watch the recall elections results live on MSNBC, continuing through 10pm.
Recall Elections: Republican Senators Cowles and Harsdorf Retain Seats
In the recall elections for the 6 recalled Republican Senators, the Associated Press has called the races for Robert Cowles and Sheila Harsdorf. The Democratic candidates Sandy Pasch and Jennifer Schilling are leading their recalled opponents with 57% and 53% of the vote respectively. The race between Randy Hopper and Jessica King is nearly tied at 50% for each with King slightly ahead. If Pasch, Schilling and King go on to win, the Democrats will take majority of the Wisconsin Senate.
You can watch the recall election results live on MSNBC.
You can watch the recall election results live on MSNBC.
Recall Elections: Early Results In - John Nichols Optimistic
MSNBC is live from Madison, and a few minutes ago John Nichols told Ed Schultz that some polling places were just closing at 9pm from long lines and he's optimistic about the recall elections. The very early results look good for the Republicans, with only Sen. Dan Kapanke losing. However, Nichols said that the rural Republican-leaning districts report first because they have fewer votes to count. So, fewer Democrat-leaning areas have been counted thus far.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
All Real Democrats Defeat Fake Candidates in Recall Election Primaries
All of the real Democrats have defeated the fake candidates planted by the Republicans in the primaries for the recalls of the 6 Republicans set for August 9th.
The Republicans admitted to planting the fake Democrats in order to stall the recall elections for the 6 Republicans, giving more time to collect out-of-state money and run junk ads, as well as draining Democrat funds. This political stunt costs us taxpayers nearly half a million dollars, and it borders on election fraud. It may not be illegal, but it sure isn't ethical.
The Republicans admitted to planting the fake Democrats in order to stall the recall elections for the 6 Republicans, giving more time to collect out-of-state money and run junk ads, as well as draining Democrat funds. This political stunt costs us taxpayers nearly half a million dollars, and it borders on election fraud. It may not be illegal, but it sure isn't ethical.
2nd Senate District
Nancy Nusbaum, D-De Pere - 65% (winner)
Republican fake - Otto Junkermann, D-Green Bay - 35%
100% reporting
8th Senate District
Rep. Sandy Pasch, D-Whitefish Bay - 64% (winner)
Republican fake - Gladys Huber, D-Mequon - 36%
97% reporting
10th Senate District
Shelly Moore, D-River Falls - 54% (winner)
Republican fake - Isaac Weix, D-Menomonie - 46%
97% reporting
14th Senate District
Rep. Fred Clark, D-Baraboo - 67% (winner)
Republican fake - Rol Church, D-Wautoma - 33%
98% reporting
18th Senate District
Jessica King, D-Oshkosh - 69% (winner)
Republican fake - John Buckstaff, D-Oshkosh - 31%
100% reporting
32nd Senate District
Rep. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse - 70% (winner)
Republican fake - James Smith, D-La Crosse - 30%
100% reporting
The Republicans and tea party activists ran ads and sent out flyers and emails to aggressively Get Out The Vote for the fake Democrats, trying to defeat the real Democrats through voter confusion before the recall elections. So, in effect, these elections are test-runs of the recall elections on August 9th. These numbers should make the Republicans very scared, and I'm sure their internal polling reflects these results, which is why they're rushing to pass so many radical laws including the new redistricting plan (which redistricts-out Democrat recall candidates Fred Clark and Nancy Nusbaum - making it easier for the Republicans to win back their seats in 2012).
In fact, they've resorted to even more voter suppression with at least one conservative group caught calling registered Democratic voters to tell them they don't have to go and vote today (originally posted by WI Voices Heidi Herron).
Remember, you'll be asked to show your ID during the recall elections, but you don't have to. Don't show your ID during the recall elections in support of those who will find it difficult or impossible to vote in 2012 when IDs are required.
Updated: (10:35pm) Updated results.
Remember, you'll be asked to show your ID during the recall elections, but you don't have to. Don't show your ID during the recall elections in support of those who will find it difficult or impossible to vote in 2012 when IDs are required.
Updated: (10:35pm) Updated results.
All Real Democrats Ahead of Fake in Recall Election Primaries
The polls are closed in the Democratic primary for the recall of 6 Republicans, and the latest results from WisPolitics have all of the real Democrats ahead of the fake Democrats. The AP has called the races for real Democratic candidates Nancy Nusbaum in Senate District 2, Jennifer Shilling in Senate District 32, and Fred Clark in Senate District 14.
2nd Senate District
Nancy Nusbaum, D-De Pere - 65% (winner)
Republican fake - Otto Junkermann, D-Green Bay - 35%
72% reporting
8th Senate District
Rep. Sandy Pasch, D-Whitefish Bay - 65%
Republican fake - Gladys Huber, D-Mequon - 35%
70% reporting
10th Senate District
Shelly Moore, D-River Falls - 54%
Republican fake - Isaac Weix, D-Menomonie - 46%
84% reporting
14th Senate District
Rep. Fred Clark, D-Baraboo - 67% (winner)
Republican fake - Rol Church, D-Wautoma - 33%
93% reporting
18th Senate District
Jessica King, D-Oshkosh - 67%
Republican fake - John Buckstaff, D-Oshkosh - 33%
71% reporting
32nd Senate District
Rep. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse - 70% (winner)
Republican fake - James Smith, D-La Crosse - 30%
83% reporting
The Republicans admitted to planting the fake Democrats in order to stall the recall elections for the 6 Republicans until August 9th, giving more time to collect out-of-state money and to run junk ads. This political stunt costs us taxpayers nearly half a million dollars, and it borders on election fraud. It may not be illegal, but it sure isn't ethical.
The Republicans and conservatives ran many ads and sent out emails to Get Out The Vote for the fake Democrats, trying to defeat the real Democrats through voter confusion before the real recall election. So, in effect, this election is a test-run of the real recall election in August 9th. These numbers should make the Republicans very scared, and I'm sure their internally polling reflects these results, which is why they're rushing to pass so many radical laws including the new redistricting plan.
In fact, one conservative group has been caught calling registered voters to tell them they don't have to go and vote today (originally posted by WI Voices Heidi Herron).
Updated: (9:26pm) Updated results with the call for Rep. Jennifer Shilling.
Updated: (9:35pm) Updated results with the call for Rep. Fred Clark.
Update: All of the real Democrats have defeated the fake candidates.
2nd Senate District
Nancy Nusbaum, D-De Pere - 65% (winner)
Republican fake - Otto Junkermann, D-Green Bay - 35%
72% reporting
8th Senate District
Rep. Sandy Pasch, D-Whitefish Bay - 65%
Republican fake - Gladys Huber, D-Mequon - 35%
70% reporting
10th Senate District
Shelly Moore, D-River Falls - 54%
Republican fake - Isaac Weix, D-Menomonie - 46%
84% reporting
14th Senate District
Rep. Fred Clark, D-Baraboo - 67% (winner)
Republican fake - Rol Church, D-Wautoma - 33%
93% reporting
18th Senate District
Jessica King, D-Oshkosh - 67%
Republican fake - John Buckstaff, D-Oshkosh - 33%
71% reporting
32nd Senate District
Rep. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse - 70% (winner)
Republican fake - James Smith, D-La Crosse - 30%
83% reporting
The Republicans admitted to planting the fake Democrats in order to stall the recall elections for the 6 Republicans until August 9th, giving more time to collect out-of-state money and to run junk ads. This political stunt costs us taxpayers nearly half a million dollars, and it borders on election fraud. It may not be illegal, but it sure isn't ethical.
The Republicans and conservatives ran many ads and sent out emails to Get Out The Vote for the fake Democrats, trying to defeat the real Democrats through voter confusion before the real recall election. So, in effect, this election is a test-run of the real recall election in August 9th. These numbers should make the Republicans very scared, and I'm sure their internally polling reflects these results, which is why they're rushing to pass so many radical laws including the new redistricting plan.
In fact, one conservative group has been caught calling registered voters to tell them they don't have to go and vote today (originally posted by WI Voices Heidi Herron).
Updated: (9:26pm) Updated results with the call for Rep. Jennifer Shilling.
Updated: (9:35pm) Updated results with the call for Rep. Fred Clark.
Update: All of the real Democrats have defeated the fake candidates.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Wisconsin Supreme Court Election Recount Complete Except Waukesha County
Every county in Wisconsin has completed their recount except Waukesha County. Now, I'm not going to complain that they're taking too much time, because I think it's reprehensible that people want our officials to conduct such an important recount quickly. Mistakes will happen when you try to rush things, so why rush this recount? Of course we don't want them to drag on without reason either, which is why an extension must be sought through the courts.
Still, as I've explained before, we don't have enough information to believe most of the vote counts that have been submitted to the GAB. Since our officials have made it clear that they're not concerned with our confidence, we need a proper and thorough investigation.
We shouldn't be hearing about unsealed ballot bags from bloggers or anyone else. It's absolutely ridiculous that some people are simply shrugging these issues off saying that they happen all the time and probably happen in other counties. What?! Ballot bags are ripped open all over Wisconsin, and no one seems to care? Not only could votes be added, but they could be lost. How does anyone know that votes didn't fall out of the bags at some point? We don't.
It's not as if our officials haven't been given enough time to clarify unresolved issues. We expected every county in Wisconsin to finish their recount yesterday. Why are we, today, still fighting to get clarification on simple issues such as how a computer can lose election results? This all feels so surreal.
We must seek out the issues in our elections, because such issues are inherently buried by their perpetrators, and then we must fix them.
So, I'll say it again, if the recount ends (May 26th) without the start of a proper investigation, I will rightly denounce the validity of the winner's victory every chance I can.
Still, as I've explained before, we don't have enough information to believe most of the vote counts that have been submitted to the GAB. Since our officials have made it clear that they're not concerned with our confidence, we need a proper and thorough investigation.
We shouldn't be hearing about unsealed ballot bags from bloggers or anyone else. It's absolutely ridiculous that some people are simply shrugging these issues off saying that they happen all the time and probably happen in other counties. What?! Ballot bags are ripped open all over Wisconsin, and no one seems to care? Not only could votes be added, but they could be lost. How does anyone know that votes didn't fall out of the bags at some point? We don't.
It's not as if our officials haven't been given enough time to clarify unresolved issues. We expected every county in Wisconsin to finish their recount yesterday. Why are we, today, still fighting to get clarification on simple issues such as how a computer can lose election results? This all feels so surreal.
We must seek out the issues in our elections, because such issues are inherently buried by their perpetrators, and then we must fix them.
So, I'll say it again, if the recount ends (May 26th) without the start of a proper investigation, I will rightly denounce the validity of the winner's victory every chance I can.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Alarming Lack of Clarity in Wisconsin Supreme Court Election Recount
I hammered away for days if not weeks after the election, demanding a recount, so that we could have some confidence in the election results. Given the issues with our computer election equipment, which were brought to light by the fiasco in Waukesha County, there's not a single person who can say all of the vote counts throughout Wisconsin are correct. The only counts we can say are correct are those that were hand counted, but that occurred in only parts of 31 of our 72 counties (and a few that don't have machines). Even then, with unresolved ballot bag issues, there may be reason to suspect some hand recounts.
So many questions have gone unanswered (which causes more questions given this is all supposed to be transparent) from why election software can lose votes to why ballot bags are left so insecurely. Some issues get explained, but such issues never seem to be the ones we're concerned about. I don't understand why the people who are supposed to be explaining these things to us continue to refuse to do so. There's no reason they can't quickly address the issues to increase our confidence, especially given all of the suspicions. This recount isn't giving us any confirmation that the election was open, fair and clean, but that's what recounts are supposed to be for.
In 2008, the nation witnessed how a recount is properly conducted. The Minnesota recount in Senator Al Franken's election was entirely a hand recount and issues were resolved out in the open. In fact, the recount was broadly reported on, and they even posted all disputed ballots online for all to see. No one could say at the end of that recount that Franken didn't win.
Unfortunately, we won't have the same confidence in this recount. What's worse, whoever wins sits for ten years. With so much at stake, and so many questions, why the heck aren't we properly and transparently conducting this recount for all to see?
I'm grateful that Waukesha County is live streaming their recount, but I don't understand why this wasn't setup for every county. There's little time and expense in setting up such a live stream, but it provides a large increase in transparency and confidence in our elections. For example, the public knows about most of the ballot bag issues simply because one concerned Wisconsinite has been watching the live stream quite intently. How many other counties had issues with ballot bags that we don't know about because those counties' recounts weren't streamed online? It's a shame that we use computers to count votes, but still live in the dark ages when it comes to recounts.
Sure the issues with ballot bags are great for news stories and conspiracy theories, and there really may be lost or improper votes from those bags, but the real problems lie with the fact that our vote counting machines could very well be counting our votes incorrectly. It doesn't take a conspiracy for thousands of votes somewhere in Wisconsin to have been incorrectly counted. This issue hasn't been addressed or resolved.
By the way, the new tally from the recount brings more suspicion by itself. I bring this up again because we have so little information to work with. Since we presume Prosser has more votes than Kloppenburg, he should also have a majority of new votes from the recount. However, so far, Kloppenburg is leading the new votes by quite a large margin (548-296). It's not proof of issues with the vote count, but it can be a red flag. Unless this wide margin doesn't hold or is explained, it's additional cause for concern that the vote counts somewhere are incorrect.
I'm going to say this completely factual statement now in the hopes that we get some more clarity. Unless we get more clarity, there's no reason to believe the results of this election and its recount.
If the recount ends (May 26th) without the start of a proper investigation, I will rightly denounce the validity of the winner's victory every chance I can.
So many questions have gone unanswered (which causes more questions given this is all supposed to be transparent) from why election software can lose votes to why ballot bags are left so insecurely. Some issues get explained, but such issues never seem to be the ones we're concerned about. I don't understand why the people who are supposed to be explaining these things to us continue to refuse to do so. There's no reason they can't quickly address the issues to increase our confidence, especially given all of the suspicions. This recount isn't giving us any confirmation that the election was open, fair and clean, but that's what recounts are supposed to be for.
In 2008, the nation witnessed how a recount is properly conducted. The Minnesota recount in Senator Al Franken's election was entirely a hand recount and issues were resolved out in the open. In fact, the recount was broadly reported on, and they even posted all disputed ballots online for all to see. No one could say at the end of that recount that Franken didn't win.
Unfortunately, we won't have the same confidence in this recount. What's worse, whoever wins sits for ten years. With so much at stake, and so many questions, why the heck aren't we properly and transparently conducting this recount for all to see?
I'm grateful that Waukesha County is live streaming their recount, but I don't understand why this wasn't setup for every county. There's little time and expense in setting up such a live stream, but it provides a large increase in transparency and confidence in our elections. For example, the public knows about most of the ballot bag issues simply because one concerned Wisconsinite has been watching the live stream quite intently. How many other counties had issues with ballot bags that we don't know about because those counties' recounts weren't streamed online? It's a shame that we use computers to count votes, but still live in the dark ages when it comes to recounts.
Sure the issues with ballot bags are great for news stories and conspiracy theories, and there really may be lost or improper votes from those bags, but the real problems lie with the fact that our vote counting machines could very well be counting our votes incorrectly. It doesn't take a conspiracy for thousands of votes somewhere in Wisconsin to have been incorrectly counted. This issue hasn't been addressed or resolved.
By the way, the new tally from the recount brings more suspicion by itself. I bring this up again because we have so little information to work with. Since we presume Prosser has more votes than Kloppenburg, he should also have a majority of new votes from the recount. However, so far, Kloppenburg is leading the new votes by quite a large margin (548-296). It's not proof of issues with the vote count, but it can be a red flag. Unless this wide margin doesn't hold or is explained, it's additional cause for concern that the vote counts somewhere are incorrect.
I'm going to say this completely factual statement now in the hopes that we get some more clarity. Unless we get more clarity, there's no reason to believe the results of this election and its recount.
If the recount ends (May 26th) without the start of a proper investigation, I will rightly denounce the validity of the winner's victory every chance I can.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Latest Info On Wisconsin Supreme Court Election - Prosser Attempting To Squash Democracy
According to WisPolitics, tweets by the State Journal, and a TPM article, the Prosser campaign plans to "vigorously" block any effort for a recount, even though they were previously open to a recount. Now I'm extremely skeptical, we need answers now! This is an attempt to squash democracy in its clearest form!
I also keep getting asked what's the latest information on the Supreme Court election and the vote count in Waukesha County. So I decided I would write a post with all of the latest news. The short answer is nothing.
Here's what I know at this point:
Prosser's right, we shouldn't have to pay for a recount to get answers, and we shouldn't base a recount on controversial vote counts. So we need clarification now. However, it's absolutely wrong to prevent a candidate from executing a recount when there's so much doubt surrounding the one thing preventing that candidate from winning.
Tens of thousands of Wisconsinites have already signed a petition for a bipartisan investigation into the vote counts in Waukesha County started by One Wisconsin Now. I urge you to add your name to the petition here and tell your friends and family about our request for a bipartisan and impartial investigation.
I implore you to help fix the issues with the election system in Waukesha County, and Wisconsin as a whole, by demanding clarification now. Here are some easy and effective ways to help get that clarification.
We must demand real solutions to problems with our elections. Unlike pseudo-solutions such as the Voter Distraction Bill (Senate Bill 6), which requires an ID to vote and only seeks to stifle valid voters, there are solutions that would noticeably improve our elections.
Update: (April 19, 6:31pm) Updated to include the latest statements from the Government Accountability Board.
I also find it interesting that the only two things the Journal Sentinel appears to have left out of this article is the Prosser campaign statements saying they plan to "vigorously" block a recount and the fact that the GAB is continuing their investigation.
Update: (April 21, 8:18am) Added JoAnne Kloppenburg's recount and investigation announcement.
I also keep getting asked what's the latest information on the Supreme Court election and the vote count in Waukesha County. So I decided I would write a post with all of the latest news. The short answer is nothing.
Here's what I know at this point:
- The latest vote counts can be found here.
- Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus still hasn't clarified her explanation for the missing votes that she gave during the press conference on April 7th.
- The day after Nickolaus's press conference, U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate the vote count in Waukesha County. The request is being reviewed.
- Two days after the press conference, One Wisconsin Now began collecting signatures for a petition to request a bipartisan investigation. In less than 48 hours they had collected over 10,000 signatures. You can sign the petition here.
- Last week Monday (4/11), the Waukesha County Canvass Board member who is the only non-Republican member and has been used to legitimatize the vote counts, Ramona Kitzinger, wrote a statement saying that she "was never shown anything that would verify Kathy's statement about the missing vote" and she told Nickolaus that she doesn't "understand anything about computers."
- Later that day, the Government Accountability Board Director Kevin Kennedy told WisPolitics they didn't at that point see "any criminal activity." WisPolitics added that the GAB is in the "process of matching those numbers for all Waukesha County wards." I note that criminal activity in this situation can be very difficult if not impossible to detect, and the GAB is not looking at the ballots.
- Wednesday, nine state Democrats wrote a letter to the Republican chairs of the Elections and Judiciary committees asking those committees to investigate Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus. There's been no response that I'm aware of.
- Thursday, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin asked the GAB to investigate the vote counts in Waukesha County going back to at least 2006. The GAB then confirmed they are investigating election results from that county going back at least five years.
- All of the counties finished their canvass last week Friday with Prosser in the lead only by using the controversial new vote counts from Waukesha County.
- The GAB hasn't completed their investigation into Waukesha County's vote counts yet.
- Kloppenburg has until Wednesday at 5pm to request a recount, and nothing specific has come out of that campaign that I'm aware of.
- The Prosser campaign won't comment on the vote count in Waukesha County even though they're demanding there be no recount and will "vigorously" prevent any attempt. Prosser's a Wisconsin Supreme Court Judge, but he says he has no position on the matter. It sounds like Prosser needs more information about the missing votes before drawing a reasoned conclusion, too. However, then it's absolutely wrong to claim there's no need for a recount.
- Tuesday (4/19), the GAB issued a statement saying that they see no major discrepancies in the 2011 vote counts from Waukesha County and only a few more minor anomalies have been found thus far, but they're still continuing their investigation. I note that there are still many ways the vote counts could differ from the actual counts for which the GAB hasn't looked into.
- Wednesday, JoAnne Kloppenburg announced her request for a statewide recount and a full investigation, citing many unanswered questions and unresolved issues with the election.
Prosser's right, we shouldn't have to pay for a recount to get answers, and we shouldn't base a recount on controversial vote counts. So we need clarification now. However, it's absolutely wrong to prevent a candidate from executing a recount when there's so much doubt surrounding the one thing preventing that candidate from winning.
Tens of thousands of Wisconsinites have already signed a petition for a bipartisan investigation into the vote counts in Waukesha County started by One Wisconsin Now. I urge you to add your name to the petition here and tell your friends and family about our request for a bipartisan and impartial investigation.
I implore you to help fix the issues with the election system in Waukesha County, and Wisconsin as a whole, by demanding clarification now. Here are some easy and effective ways to help get that clarification.
We must demand real solutions to problems with our elections. Unlike pseudo-solutions such as the Voter Distraction Bill (Senate Bill 6), which requires an ID to vote and only seeks to stifle valid voters, there are solutions that would noticeably improve our elections.
Update: (April 19, 6:31pm) Updated to include the latest statements from the Government Accountability Board.
I also find it interesting that the only two things the Journal Sentinel appears to have left out of this article is the Prosser campaign statements saying they plan to "vigorously" block a recount and the fact that the GAB is continuing their investigation.
Update: (April 21, 8:18am) Added JoAnne Kloppenburg's recount and investigation announcement.
Friday, April 15, 2011
It's Not Clear That Prosser Has Won Wisconsin Supreme Court Election
There have been many questions surrounding the official vote count provided by Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus. Currently, the Government Accountability Board is investigating the vote counts in Waukesha County for elections going back at least five years, and will not certify the results until they have completed the investigation. The public has no confidence in the count provided by Nickolaus.
The only reason Prosser is ahead now is because of the new numbers from Waukesha County, see the latest count. So, the vote counts in Waukesha County are critical, and we must know the truth. The Government Accountability Board won't certify the numbers until they finish their investigation, but they won't look at the actual ballots. We must demand answers now from Nickolaus before we can reach any reasonable conclusion.
Then, Kathy Nickolaus must resign for refusing to provide us trust and clarity.
Tens of thousands of Wisconsinites have already signed a petition for a bipartisan investigation into the vote counts in Waukesha County started by One Wisconsin Now. I urge you to add your name to the petition here and tell your friends and family about our request for a bipartisan and impartial investigation.
I implore you to help fix the issues with the election system in Waukesha County, and Wisconsin as a whole, by demanding clarification. Here are some easy and effective ways to help get that clarification.
We must demand real solutions to problems with our election systems. Unlike pseudo-solutions such as the Voter Distraction Bill (Senate Bill 6), which requires an ID to vote and only seeks to stifle valid voters, there are solutions that would noticeably improve our elections.
The only reason Prosser is ahead now is because of the new numbers from Waukesha County, see the latest count. So, the vote counts in Waukesha County are critical, and we must know the truth. The Government Accountability Board won't certify the numbers until they finish their investigation, but they won't look at the actual ballots. We must demand answers now from Nickolaus before we can reach any reasonable conclusion.
Then, Kathy Nickolaus must resign for refusing to provide us trust and clarity.
Tens of thousands of Wisconsinites have already signed a petition for a bipartisan investigation into the vote counts in Waukesha County started by One Wisconsin Now. I urge you to add your name to the petition here and tell your friends and family about our request for a bipartisan and impartial investigation.
I implore you to help fix the issues with the election system in Waukesha County, and Wisconsin as a whole, by demanding clarification. Here are some easy and effective ways to help get that clarification.
We must demand real solutions to problems with our election systems. Unlike pseudo-solutions such as the Voter Distraction Bill (Senate Bill 6), which requires an ID to vote and only seeks to stifle valid voters, there are solutions that would noticeably improve our elections.
Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus Must Resign
According to WisPolitics, the deadline for JoAnne Kloppenburg to request a recount is three business days from today. Since Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus refused to give us a clear explanation, she must resign. We can't base a large expense such as a recount on such questionable numbers, and it's her duty to make sure we trust her numbers.
Such a simple mistake involving a computer should have been easy for Nickolaus, a computer specialist, to describe so we all can understand. Unfortunately, she has refused to do so, and instead she only gave us confusing bits and pieces of the story. This is not how elections should be run in Wisconsin, and I won't stand for it.
The only reason Prosser is ahead now is because of the new numbers from Waukesha County, see the latest count. So, the vote counts in Waukesha County are critical, and we must know the truth. The Government Accountability Board won't certify the numbers until they finish their investigation in Waukesha County, but they won't look at the actual ballots.
Others have already asked for Nickolaus's resignation because of the error, but I was willing to give Nickolaus the chance to provide us with more clarification. Since she has refused to do so, she must resign. Wisconsin can't trust her to run part of our elections.
Tens of thousands of Wisconsinites have already signed a petition for a bipartisan investigation into the vote counts in Waukesha County started by One Wisconsin Now. I urge you to add your name to the petition here and tell your friends and family about our request for a bipartisan and impartial investigation.
I implore you to help fix the issues with the election system in Waukesha County, and Wisconsin as a whole, by demanding clarification. Here are some easy and effective ways to help get that clarification.
We must demand real solutions to problems with our election systems. Unlike pseudo-solutions such as the Voter Distraction Bill (Senate Bill 6), which requires an ID to vote and only seeks to stifle valid voters, there are solutions that would actually improve our elections.
Such a simple mistake involving a computer should have been easy for Nickolaus, a computer specialist, to describe so we all can understand. Unfortunately, she has refused to do so, and instead she only gave us confusing bits and pieces of the story. This is not how elections should be run in Wisconsin, and I won't stand for it.
The only reason Prosser is ahead now is because of the new numbers from Waukesha County, see the latest count. So, the vote counts in Waukesha County are critical, and we must know the truth. The Government Accountability Board won't certify the numbers until they finish their investigation in Waukesha County, but they won't look at the actual ballots.
Others have already asked for Nickolaus's resignation because of the error, but I was willing to give Nickolaus the chance to provide us with more clarification. Since she has refused to do so, she must resign. Wisconsin can't trust her to run part of our elections.
Tens of thousands of Wisconsinites have already signed a petition for a bipartisan investigation into the vote counts in Waukesha County started by One Wisconsin Now. I urge you to add your name to the petition here and tell your friends and family about our request for a bipartisan and impartial investigation.
I implore you to help fix the issues with the election system in Waukesha County, and Wisconsin as a whole, by demanding clarification. Here are some easy and effective ways to help get that clarification.
We must demand real solutions to problems with our election systems. Unlike pseudo-solutions such as the Voter Distraction Bill (Senate Bill 6), which requires an ID to vote and only seeks to stifle valid voters, there are solutions that would actually improve our elections.
Final Canvass Complete - Latest Wisconsin Supreme Court Counts With and Without Controversial Counts
Milwaukee County has finished their canvass, but Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus has yet to give us a clear explanation of what occurred in her county. Since it's been well over a week and we still haven't been given a clear explanation, I'm left with no choice but to continue with the clearest picture I can imagine. Again, here's the latest counts in two different scenarios, one assuming the Brookfield votes weren't originally reported and one assuming the Brookfield votes were originally reported.
The counts below are using the counts reported by counties at the completion of their canvass, all can be found at WisPolitics and the Government Accountability Board website. Thanks to the WisPolitics election blog for keeping an updated tally and keeping us informed of corrections. Only counties with a net change are listed below.
These are the original numbers provided by the Associated Press on April 6, 2011.
(In alphabetical order)
Scenario A: Brookfield votes were missing in original count
(In alphabetical order)
Scenario B: Brookfield votes not missing from original count
(In alphabetical order)
The latest vote count from Waukesha County must not be considered official until the public knows exactly what happened. The Government Accountability Board is currently investigating the vote counts in Waukesha County and will not certify the votes until complete. So these very well may not be the final numbers, and we must demand answers before they are. The GAB should have been able to verify the numbers in Waukesha County by now if everything "jibed." I'm sick of guessing, we need answers.
The counts below are using the counts reported by counties at the completion of their canvass, all can be found at WisPolitics and the Government Accountability Board website. Thanks to the WisPolitics election blog for keeping an updated tally and keeping us informed of corrections. Only counties with a net change are listed below.
These are the original numbers provided by the Associated Press on April 6, 2011.
(In alphabetical order)
| Kloppenburg: | 740,090 |
| Prosser: | 739,886 |
| Kloppenburg up by 204 votes in total | |
Scenario A: Brookfield votes were missing in original count
(In alphabetical order)
| Candidate | Net Gain | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| Kloppenburg | 483 | Brown(1), Buffalo(2), Dane(43), Door(12), Eau Claire(29), Grant(113), Green Lake(1), Iowa(30), Kewaunee(1), Langlade(5), Lincoln(4), Marinette(1), Monroe(2), Pepin(6), Portage(91), Richland(7), Rusk(31), Shawano(64), Sheboygan(1), Vernon(24), Washburn(5), Washington(10) |
| Prosser | 8,003 | Adams(2), Burnett(34), Calumet(1), Chippewa(5), Clark(28), Dodge(1), Dunn(5), Green(2), Jefferson(1), Juneau(1), Kenosha(60), Lafayette(10), Milwaukee(11), Outagamie(1), Pierce(1), Sauk(1), Sawyer(2), Taylor(3), Walworth(2), Waukesha(7582), Waupaca(1), Winnebago(244), Wood(5) |
| Prosser up by 7,316 votes in total | ||
Scenario B: Brookfield votes not missing from original count
(In alphabetical order)
| Candidate | Net Gain | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| Kloppenburg | 483 | Brown(1), Buffalo(2), Dane(43), Door(12), Eau Claire(29), Grant(113), Green Lake(1), Iowa(30), Kewaunee(1), Langlade(5), Lincoln(4), Marinette(1), Monroe(2), Pepin(6), Portage(91), Richland(7), Rusk(31), Shawano(64), Sheboygan(1), Vernon(24), Washburn(5), Washington(10) |
| Prosser | 600 | Adams(2), Burnett(34), Calumet(1), Chippewa(5), Clark(28), Dodge(1), Dunn(5), Green(2), Jefferson(1), Juneau(1), Kenosha(60), Lafayette(10), Milwaukee(11), Outagamie(1), Pierce(1), Sauk(1), Sawyer(2), Taylor(3), Walworth(2), Waukesha(179), Waupaca(1), Winnebago(244), Wood(5) |
| Kloppenburg up by 87 votes in total | ||
The latest vote count from Waukesha County must not be considered official until the public knows exactly what happened. The Government Accountability Board is currently investigating the vote counts in Waukesha County and will not certify the votes until complete. So these very well may not be the final numbers, and we must demand answers before they are. The GAB should have been able to verify the numbers in Waukesha County by now if everything "jibed." I'm sick of guessing, we need answers.
We must have clarification from Nickolaus before any recount or investigation. Why spend more tax payer money to try to find answers when it's Nickolaus's duty to provide us with them now? If she doesn't fulfill her duty before a recount must be considered, Nickolaus must resign because we'll never be able to trust her or her competence for that office.
Tens of thousands of Wisconsinites have already signed a petition for a bipartisan investigation into the vote counts in Waukesha County started by One Wisconsin Now. I urge you to add your name to the petition here and tell your friends and family about our request for a bipartisan and impartial investigation.
I implore you to help fix the issues with the election system in Waukesha County, and Wisconsin as a whole, by demanding clarification. Here are some easy and effective ways to help get that clarification.
We must demand real solutions to problems with our election systems. Unlike pseudo-solutions such as the Voter Distraction Bill (Senate Bill 6), which requires an ID to vote and only seeks to stifle valid voters, there are solutions that would actually improve our elections.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Deafening Silence - Latest Wisconsin Supreme Court Counts With and Without Controversial Counts
The silence is deafening. It's been very troubling that Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus has refused to provide a clear explanation of the error involving nearly 15,000 missing votes for more than a week, and I think it's crucial that Wisconsinites demand Nickolaus answer our questions now. Nickolaus must answer the relevant questions that many people, including the press, have asked before all of the vote counts are considered official. The Democratic member of the Waukesha County Board of Canvassers asked some questions here, and I asked some other questions that I believe are critical here. However, Nickolaus's only statement since the press conference has been to say that she declines to resign. Clearly, we must continue to pound away, demanding even louder that our questions be answered, because we're not getting through.
Regardless of the outcome of the election, we want to know that our elections are open, transparent and secure. Many of our questions get right to the heart of that desire. We need to know how our election systems work and that they're secure, because these computer systems are the final word. The only thing that trumps them is a recount, but recounts depend upon the original outcome. Even the amount of money that a recount will cost depends upon the results from these computer systems, and recounts tend to just make things worse. Counting votes right the first time is crucial. So, the answers should matter to you whether you live in Waukesha County or any other county in Wisconsin and whether you're a Republican, Democrat or independent.
We can't wait for a recount to try to find the answers. We the people of Wisconsin know so very little information at this point. So how do we know for sure that other votes haven't been lost, or that votes were never lost to begin with? Any missing votes could be the difference between needing a recount as well as how much a recount will cost Wisconsin tax payers. However, once all of the vote counts are considered official, the recount process will begin based on those counts. So, we need to know exactly what happened in Waukesha County before we can consider the counts official.
We shouldn't need to ask for an investigation to get answers to relevant questions regarding an election system. The Government Accountability Board shouldn't need to go to Waukesha County, and we shouldn't need a recount in Waukesha County to get answers. Our elections must be open and transparent, we deserve to know exactly how mistakes occur, but these questions should be answered now by Nickolaus in duty to her office. Anything less will cost Wisconsin and Waukesha County tax payers more.
We probably won't get a true answer to our questions from an investigation or a recount. Both processes take a lot of time and money, and both processes involve other people trying to determine what Nickolaus could simply tell us. We must demand that Kathy Nickolaus answer our relevant questions now before spending any more tax payer money.
It's Nickolaus's duty to provide us with answers to our simple and relevant questions regarding the election system in Waukesha County and the vote counting process. It's also her duty to clearly explain how mistakes occur. That's why there was a press conference last Thursday. Unfortunately for Wisconsin, Nickolaus didn't clearly explain the mistake, which can be seen by the difficulties the news media has in explaining the mistake in any detail, and we still have many relevant questions regarding Nickolaus's election system and her mistake that she refuses to answer. The openness of our elections depends upon the transparency and openness provided by those who run them.
Since it's been more than a week and we still haven't been given a clear explanation, I'm left with no choice but to continue with the clearest picture I can imagine. Again, here's the latest counts in two different scenarios, one assuming the Brookfield votes weren't originally reported and one assuming the Brookfield votes were originally reported.
There's only one county that has yet to finish their canvass, Milwaukee County. Once Milwaukee County completes their canvass, it's possible some people will consider all of the vote counts official. We thought Milwaukee County might complete their canvass Monday or Tuesday, but they're expected to finish Wednesday evening or Thursday morning.
Once all of the vote counts are considered official, a losing candidate has three business days to request a recount. Even then, the results of a recount depend upon review through the courts. So, as in the 2000 presidential election, one candidate may have truly won, but the court may decide differently or prevent further counting.
These counts are using the official numbers reported by counties at the completion of their canvass, all can be found at WisPolitics. Thanks to the WisPolitics election blog for keeping an updated tally and keeping us informed of corrections. The official counts for Crawford, Kenosha, Oneida, Sauk and Taylor counties have now been added to the GAB website. Counties, besides Milwaukee, not listed below had no net change.
These are the original numbers provided by the Associated Press on April 6, 2011.
(In alphabetical order)
Scenario A: Brookfield votes were missing in original count
(In alphabetical order)
Scenario B: Brookfield votes not missing from original count
(In alphabetical order)
Kathy Nickolaus, don't you think a week is long enough for Wisconsin to wait for a clear explanation of your simple and common "human error"?
If you haven't read my questions for Kathy Nickolaus, or the statement from the only non-Republican member of the Waukesha County Board of Canvassers, please do. I believe the answers to our questions should matter to every voter and tax payer in Wisconsin because, as I explained, our computer election systems are the final word in our elections.
A world-renowned security expert, Bruce Schneier, described some of the very real issues with election systems after questions over election security during the 2004 elections. The only way we can avoid situations like the one in Waukesha County is to demand open election systems that give our election systems true transparency. A non-profit organization that has been successful in these efforts is the Open Voting Consortium (I don't know them or have any affiliation).
This is our election, the people of Wisconsin, not Kathy Nickolaus's. It's our duty to demand answers.
If you want to have your voice heard regarding issues with the processes and security of the Waukesha County election system, the delayed explanation we were given for the missing votes, and Nickolaus's refusal to answer further questions, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board has a complaint form here: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1282. The election official in this case is Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus.
One Wisconsin Now is calling for a bipartisan investigation into the vote counts in Waukesha County. More than 10,000 Wisconsinites have signed the petition. You can add your name here, and I urge you to do so. Although, we still need to demand answers now.
You can help push Nickolaus to answer our questions now. Spread the word. Tell your friends and family about the questions you have and why you think Nickolaus should answer those before all of the vote counts are considered official. Contact the press and your state representatives, and demand to have our questions answered before the counts are considered official.
We haven't been loud enough so far. Contacting the press may prove to be most effective, and Facebook and Twitter are effective as well, so don't forget them. Time is of the essence.
Regardless of the outcome of the election, we want to know that our elections are open, transparent and secure. Many of our questions get right to the heart of that desire. We need to know how our election systems work and that they're secure, because these computer systems are the final word. The only thing that trumps them is a recount, but recounts depend upon the original outcome. Even the amount of money that a recount will cost depends upon the results from these computer systems, and recounts tend to just make things worse. Counting votes right the first time is crucial. So, the answers should matter to you whether you live in Waukesha County or any other county in Wisconsin and whether you're a Republican, Democrat or independent.
We can't wait for a recount to try to find the answers. We the people of Wisconsin know so very little information at this point. So how do we know for sure that other votes haven't been lost, or that votes were never lost to begin with? Any missing votes could be the difference between needing a recount as well as how much a recount will cost Wisconsin tax payers. However, once all of the vote counts are considered official, the recount process will begin based on those counts. So, we need to know exactly what happened in Waukesha County before we can consider the counts official.
We shouldn't need to ask for an investigation to get answers to relevant questions regarding an election system. The Government Accountability Board shouldn't need to go to Waukesha County, and we shouldn't need a recount in Waukesha County to get answers. Our elections must be open and transparent, we deserve to know exactly how mistakes occur, but these questions should be answered now by Nickolaus in duty to her office. Anything less will cost Wisconsin and Waukesha County tax payers more.
We probably won't get a true answer to our questions from an investigation or a recount. Both processes take a lot of time and money, and both processes involve other people trying to determine what Nickolaus could simply tell us. We must demand that Kathy Nickolaus answer our relevant questions now before spending any more tax payer money.
It's Nickolaus's duty to provide us with answers to our simple and relevant questions regarding the election system in Waukesha County and the vote counting process. It's also her duty to clearly explain how mistakes occur. That's why there was a press conference last Thursday. Unfortunately for Wisconsin, Nickolaus didn't clearly explain the mistake, which can be seen by the difficulties the news media has in explaining the mistake in any detail, and we still have many relevant questions regarding Nickolaus's election system and her mistake that she refuses to answer. The openness of our elections depends upon the transparency and openness provided by those who run them.
Since it's been more than a week and we still haven't been given a clear explanation, I'm left with no choice but to continue with the clearest picture I can imagine. Again, here's the latest counts in two different scenarios, one assuming the Brookfield votes weren't originally reported and one assuming the Brookfield votes were originally reported.
There's only one county that has yet to finish their canvass, Milwaukee County. Once Milwaukee County completes their canvass, it's possible some people will consider all of the vote counts official. We thought Milwaukee County might complete their canvass Monday or Tuesday, but they're expected to finish Wednesday evening or Thursday morning.
Once all of the vote counts are considered official, a losing candidate has three business days to request a recount. Even then, the results of a recount depend upon review through the courts. So, as in the 2000 presidential election, one candidate may have truly won, but the court may decide differently or prevent further counting.
These counts are using the official numbers reported by counties at the completion of their canvass, all can be found at WisPolitics. Thanks to the WisPolitics election blog for keeping an updated tally and keeping us informed of corrections. The official counts for Crawford, Kenosha, Oneida, Sauk and Taylor counties have now been added to the GAB website. Counties, besides Milwaukee, not listed below had no net change.
These are the original numbers provided by the Associated Press on April 6, 2011.
(In alphabetical order)
| Kloppenburg: | 740,090 |
| Prosser: | 739,886 |
| Kloppenburg up by 204 votes in total | |
Scenario A: Brookfield votes were missing in original count
(In alphabetical order)
| Candidate | Net Gain | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| Kloppenburg | 483 | Brown(1), Buffalo(2), Dane(43), Door(12), Eau Claire(29), Grant(113), Green Lake(1), Iowa(30), Langlade(5), Lincoln(4), Kewaunee(1), Marinette(1), Monroe(2), Pepin(6), Portage(91), Richland(7), Rusk(31), Shawano(64), Sheboygan(1), Vernon(24), Washburn(5), Washington(10) |
| Prosser | 7,992 | Adams(2), Burnett(34), Calumet(1), Chippewa(5), Clark(28), Dodge(1), Dunn(5), Green(2), Jefferson(1), Juneau(1), Kenosha(60), Lafayette(10), Outagamie(1), Pierce(1), Sauk(1), Sawyer(2), Taylor(3), Walworth(2), Waukesha(7582), Waupaca(1), Winnebago(244), Wood(5) |
| Prosser up by 7,305 votes in total | ||
Scenario B: Brookfield votes not missing from original count
(In alphabetical order)
| Candidate | Net Gain | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| Kloppenburg | 483 | Brown(1), Buffalo(2), Dane(43), Door(12), Eau Claire(29), Grant(113), Green Lake(1), Iowa(30), Langlade(5), Lincoln(4), Kewaunee(1), Marinette(1), Monroe(2), Pepin(6), Portage(91), Richland(7), Rusk(31), Shawano(64), Sheboygan(1), Vernon(24), Washburn(5), Washington(10) |
| Prosser | 589 | Adams(2), Burnett(34), Calumet(1), Chippewa(5), Clark(28), Dodge(1), Dunn(5), Green(2), Jefferson(1), Juneau(1), Kenosha(60), Lafayette(10), Outagamie(1), Pierce(1), Sauk(1), Sawyer(2), Taylor(3), Walworth(2), Waukesha(179), Waupaca(1), Winnebago(244), Wood(5) |
| Kloppenburg up by 98 votes in total | ||
Kathy Nickolaus, don't you think a week is long enough for Wisconsin to wait for a clear explanation of your simple and common "human error"?
If you haven't read my questions for Kathy Nickolaus, or the statement from the only non-Republican member of the Waukesha County Board of Canvassers, please do. I believe the answers to our questions should matter to every voter and tax payer in Wisconsin because, as I explained, our computer election systems are the final word in our elections.
A world-renowned security expert, Bruce Schneier, described some of the very real issues with election systems after questions over election security during the 2004 elections. The only way we can avoid situations like the one in Waukesha County is to demand open election systems that give our election systems true transparency. A non-profit organization that has been successful in these efforts is the Open Voting Consortium (I don't know them or have any affiliation).
This is our election, the people of Wisconsin, not Kathy Nickolaus's. It's our duty to demand answers.
If you want to have your voice heard regarding issues with the processes and security of the Waukesha County election system, the delayed explanation we were given for the missing votes, and Nickolaus's refusal to answer further questions, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board has a complaint form here: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1282. The election official in this case is Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus.
One Wisconsin Now is calling for a bipartisan investigation into the vote counts in Waukesha County. More than 10,000 Wisconsinites have signed the petition. You can add your name here, and I urge you to do so. Although, we still need to demand answers now.
You can help push Nickolaus to answer our questions now. Spread the word. Tell your friends and family about the questions you have and why you think Nickolaus should answer those before all of the vote counts are considered official. Contact the press and your state representatives, and demand to have our questions answered before the counts are considered official.
We haven't been loud enough so far. Contacting the press may prove to be most effective, and Facebook and Twitter are effective as well, so don't forget them. Time is of the essence.
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