Saturday, May 12, 2007

Beth White: It Gets Worse

While Marion Co. GOP Chairman Tom John is calling for the prosecution of election inspectors who failed to show for duty in past Tuesday's municipal primary election, there is growing evidence of malfeasance on the part of Marion County Clerk Beth White in the administration of her office. We already knew that at least 150 inspectors didn't report for duty in the election, 5 precincts never opened at all for business on election day, dozens of other precincts opened hours late, and polling materials were sent to the wrong precincts in some cases. Now, White is conceding she hadn't even bothered to prepare a list of inspectors for election day. The Star's Robert King reports:

Marion County Clerk Beth White acknowledged Friday that she went into this week's primary election without an accurate list of the people expected to open the county's 917 voting precincts.

"That list doesn't exist," White said Friday after Marion County Republican Party Chairman Tom John called for pursuing criminal charges against the 150 poll inspectors who failed to show up for duty Tuesday.

Absent inspectors meant voters in scores of precincts found nobody home during the early hours of the election. Five precincts, with about 3,100 registered voters, never opened. White, a Democrat overseeing her first election, said she hopes it will be possible to produce a list of inspectors in the next couple of weeks . . .

White, meanwhile, cautioned against initiating legal proceedings against the poll workers who didn't show up. She said such a move could deter people from volunteering for the job, which pays $110 for a roughly 14-hour day.

White produced two lists that she said were "not updated and complete."

The first was a "source list" of potential poll workers. The other was a "snapshot" of the worker roster as it looked sometime before the election.

A final list was never put together, White said, because additions and subtractions made in the final days before the election weren't put into her office's computer.

"We didn't stop to do data entry," White said.

In other words, White is telling us you can't prosecute inspectors for failing to show because she didn't even know who was supposed to report for duty on election day. If she didn't have a final list, how could the inspectors have been properly noticed of their duty? She apparently didn't have a final list because someone didn't take the 10-15 minutes it would have taken to set up an Excel spreadsheet to enter a list of the inspectors with their contact information. Or as White put it, "We didn't stop to do data entry."

What is even worse than the degree of incompetence on display by White this week is the complete lack of concern on her part and other local Democrats that thousands of people were deprived of their fundamental right to vote in Tuesday's election. Why aren't they insisting upon a new election--at least for the precincts in which voters were completely disenfranchised? Can you imagine if this had happened under the management of a Republican officeholder? There would have already been a lawsuit filed, and the calls for the officeholder's immediate resignation would have been loudly voiced.

One thing that should happen in this case is very clear. The Justice Department's voting rights section needs to step in and begin monitoring elections in Marion County for some period of time in the near future. As John said, we clearly need "adult supervision" here. And Beth White should seriously consider whether it is in the best interests of Marion County for her to continue serving as its county clerk.

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

Stop complaining and just leave Indianapolis. The vast majority of your problems will then be solved.

Wilson46201 said...

Finally the Republicans have an issue they can feel decent and virtuous about! After the continuing disaster of George Bush, his War on Iraq and his rubber-stamp Congress, the GOP had so many reasons to feel ashamed ...

Wilson46201 said...

Stop complaining and just leave Indianapolis. The vast majority of your problems will then be solved.

Is the new Marion County Republican motto "Cut and Run" ?

Gary R. Welsh said...

So we now know, Wilson, you don't give a damn about the right to vote unless it advances the partisan interests of the Democratic Party. The hypocrisy of all you Dems yelling and screaming about the supposed injustice created by the Voter ID law while turning a blind eye to what happend on Tuesday is breathtaking.

Wilson46201 said...

You'll find no Democrats anywhere defending the Tuesday kerfuffle -- inshallah, it was a one-time screwup. After having to play defense for so long, the local GOP finally has an issue to attack with -- and boy are they going after all Democrats everywhere!

FYI: it's likely there'll be a major researched story in tomorrow's Star -- reporters are swarming.

Gary R. Welsh said...

I've already heard the Democrat's latest spin on this, Wilson. There was a major conspiracy on the part of Republicans to get inspectors of supposed Republican affiliation not to show for duty on election day. That dog doesn't hunt here as Rex Early would say.

Wilson46201 said...

In my own successfully-run precinct (2-1), no GOP poll workers whatsoever showed up on Election Day. No yardsigns or posters. This was the first time ever the Republicans were total no-shows in at least 20 years -- most peculiar!

Anonymous said...

Well with just 8 R Voters showing up in yoru precinct . . .

Anonymous said...

"So we now know, Wilson, you don't give a damn about the right to vote unless it advances the partisan interests of the Democratic Party. The hypocrisy of all you Dems yelling and screaming about the supposed injustice created by the Voter ID law while turning a blind eye to what happend on Tuesday is breathtaking. "

It was worth repeating. The facts are simple: Wilson is a Hillary-type Democrat. Admit nothing and Denie Denie Denie on any issue that reflects horribly or criminally on the Democrat party.

Looks like an inferiority complex to me.

Anonymous said...

Marion County Democratic Chairman Mike O'Conner has been very very quiet regarding this entire debacle. But he's a first time Chairman just as White is a first time Clerk so that may explain it.

I'm still trying to figure out just exactly how and why 3 of the 5 polling places that never opened were in heavily Democratic Center Township. Appears that the Machine has thrown a rod thru the engine block.

BTW, How is that the Golden Ace Tavern on East Washington Street was open and serving drinks to Democratic Chairman O'Conner and cohorts during election hours on Tuesday??? Didn't think we knew that did you Mike.

Wilson46201 said...

"Admit nothing and Denie Denie Denie on any issue that reflects horribly or criminally on the Democrat party."

It looks like some illiterate anonymous nobody forgot how to turn on its spellchecker...

Anonymous said...

Stay on topic and stop attacked fellow posters, Wilson... isn't that a comment post of yours that you can just cut and paste now, having decried that line so many times?

Idiot.

Anonymous said...

For the record, the only poll workers whose presence is mandatory it the position of inspector. If the republican clerk and judge didn't show up, it is the job of the inspector to preform those jobs. It is a legal requirement of the inspector. Democrats couldn't find enough people to train (if there actually enough democrats capable of be trained, I don't know) the and find the inspectors. The idea that 150 republicans didn't show up is idiotic. Why would White campaign on what a lousy job the republicans did running the elections and then turn around and reuse the same people? White should show some class, admit and apologize to Sadler for the over the top attacks, and, resign. Period.

Anonymous said...

Although the disaster that was election day cannot be excused, anyone with any sense knows that your "thousands of people were disenfranchised" bit of indignation is more than likely false. Sure, thousands might have been eligible, but turnout was extraordinarily low. I was an inspector and had 29 people and 1 absentee ballot for the entire day. I opened on time, then sat there reading a book most of the day.

Anonymous said...

LOL Actually I admit I mis-spelled the word 'deny'..just to see if you would comment on that and not the content of the post. You bit on it like a carp on a june-bug.

Which again, is atypical of Wilson and most of the Dem faithful. They see politics as a battle to be won at all costs, in terms of lambasting the Republicans for any given excuse, and scream pithy little epithets such as "DISENFRANCHISEMENT! CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION! SADLER SHOULD BE IN JAIL!" et sic ad nauseum.

Yet, all the Democrat party really has to offer is "We're better than the Republicans. We Care about you..big business does not, the elephant is a great symbol of the bloated capitalism that care Nothing about you and is only interested in lining its own pockets. Vote for US, and we'll take care of you from womb to tomb. And we will take Great strides to make sure that we can do ANY political job more efficiently than those self-involved Republicans".

Sadly enough, a lot of people buy that.

Of course, when Democrats Are elected, they fuck things up worse than Channel 4. And you have the party faithful like Wilson.

Wilson, you remind me of a clown that an insurance company hires and who shows up at the scene of a fatal accident. As the carnage unfolds, and the scene gets more gory, instead of blaming the guy/gal at the wheel, you know, Your client..your attempts to divert attention from the responsibility of said accident increase, shrieking that its the fault of the automobile manufacturer (Republicans), etc, etc. Again, a party for those who have a low level of ego, or inferiority complex, if you will..of course, You yourself advocated earlier that the standard for accuracy at 98.55% is acceptable.


I've already contacted the feds, and CNN, FOX, Rev Jackson, and Rev. Sharpton.

It will be of interest if they follow up on these REAL Civil Rights violations and Disenfranchisement, instead of the ones that the feminine Ed Treacy screeched about that were non-existent.

Wilson46201 said...

The average turnout per precinct this primary was 48. With five polls not opening, that's about 240 likely voters that could not vote on Tuesday. That's not good but it's not THOUSANDS.

I am also amused at the hysterical poster that claims its poor English was just a trap for me -- nah, it's par for the course for a porcine Tech HS dropout.

Anonymous said...

Just the Facts !!! Beth White is taking the hit for Democratic Chairman Mike O'Conner. The party in control (Democratic Sec. of State candidate won Marion County last year) is responsible for getting the Inspectors and turning over the list to the county clerk. The Marion County Democrat Party staff person responsible for getting the Inspectors dropped the ball and on friday before the election left town for a trip to Chicago without completing her job of securing 917 Inspectors and Mike O'Conner is where the buck stops because she works for him. Beth White's hands were tied waiting and trusting on the party to secure and hand over the list of democrat poll workers. This never would happen on Ed Treacy's watch. Enough Said.

Anonymous said...

Wilson? I feel sorry for you. I've read enough of your offerings to realize that you are a bitter old man who is very lonely, with no one to share the joys of life. Thats sad, but the question is were you like this always or as you have grown older? Have you ever considered suicide? I'm sure you have, at night..with the city noises in the background, you by yourself.

Wilson46201 said...

The haters in here get weirder and weirder -- only a seriously deranged and hurting person would come up with such a repugnant comment as above! I usually assume folk here are reasonable and rational human beings -- sadly, there seem to be some suffering souls projecting their disturbed fantasies onto others...

Anonymous said...

Just in from a gorgeous day outside, and this crap continues.

I'm a Democrat, very embarrassed at Tuesday's showing. I worked my precinct polling place. We had 34 voters. Including the six who worked the precinct. About 5.5%. We played cards, read books, and tried to stay awake.

That being said, the clerk needs to rely only on her own instincts and efforts. The party apparatus let her down big-time. It's overly-dominated by Center Townshio lazy-ass fools, and they don't shed any political blood when an election gets effed up. To be urban about it: they 'got no skin in the game. They screw up, don't show up--no big deal. Their area's council members get re-elected. This fall, the mayor's likely to coast, so if he drops a few hundreds votes in Center, because of late or no-show precincts, big deal. He still wins. That's their attitude--I have heard them express as much myself. And this is not new--it's an old, tired game.

Beth's a smart cookie...I sense she won't let this happen again. In my 25-or-so years in election work, there have been multiple minor screw-ups every election. Nothing this big, to be certain, but with this many precincts, there are so many opportunities for nonsense.

No-show inspectors are almost a wait-and-see problem. You cannot predict who'll show and who'll not show. Once the problem became apparent, it was 8-9 a.m., and the train was rolling down the hill.

For my money, ANY inspector who attended training and did not show up, should be banned forever from working the polls. Absent a good excuse. With 900-plus precincts, there can be the occasional illness, family death, etc., at the last minute. But not 150 of them.

And it bears repeating: voters were disenfranchised, which is completely unacceptable, BUT this clerk has yet to spend almost a million dollars defending defenseless partisan positions in court. That alone separates her from the last clerk. So no one owes Doris Ann any apologies--apart from the administration of elections, she effed up on multiple fronts. And cost us big time.

But this apology is owed, to 900 plus inspectors in past elections: I am genuinely sorry I under-estimated your task. Your past work is appreciated.

Now can we get to the important business? Which is tackling these problems and making sure they don't happen again.

Anonymous said...

The Democrat Party mantra when a Republican clerk has mistakes which occur on her watch: DISENFRANCHISEMENT! CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS!! JIM CROW POLITICS! GIVE US YOUR POOR, DOWNTRODDEN SO THAT {WE THE PEOPLE} CAN WORK AND BE IN CHARGE OF THAT MOST BASIC FUNDAMENTAL AMERICAN RIGHT: TO VOTE!!

THe Democrat Party mantra when a Democrat clerk arrogantly runs on a platform of ease of election, is totally unorganized, and does in fact disenfranchise thousands of voters:
"SHIT HAPPENS, DEAL WITH IT"

You Dems who are trying to soft-soap the failure of your party officials: STFU, or admit your clerk ran an incompetant, civl-rights violating election.
Those of you who voted for her: You got served. How does it taste? LIke shit, as in 'ehhh shit happens?' No wonder your party is headed by hypocrites. At least you share their character traits, so you are consistant, at least.

Anonymous said...

5:19, if you read the post I made at 2:07, you'll see that your argument is, well, full of crap.

Mistakes were made, admitted, and we're on to find the fix.

The clerk's screwups are fodder for Republican jabs. That's fine, for awhile. That's even fair. Calls for her resignation are ridiculous. Her next big job, which is huge given the screwups, is canvass and certify. I'm betting they're working all weekend to get that done by Tuesday.

The disenfranchisement which occured Tues. is regretable, and should never happen. I'm going to work hard to make sure it doesn't.
What are YOU going to do?

Again, as pointed out earlier, this clerk has not yet sent the County into court to defend ridiculous partisan and obviously wrong decisions. And she'd better never do that. Her predecessors did it wiith wanton abandon: Mowery, Sadler, Gohmann, et al...thank God they're gone.

Here's hoping we can get to the root of the problem, which isn't political at all: too many precincts, too much apathy (both sides of the aisle), ridiculously laborious voting processes, and decades of legislative (in)action, which has supressed voter turnout, purposely.

There's no earthly reason we can't vote at 100-200 spots. It won't drastically reduce the need for workers, because there will need to be bigger venues with multiple machines. But it will help. Reducing precincts is step one. No voters will have to travel much further if the spots are strategically chosen.

Multiple other jurisdictions are experimenting with, or have already implemented, many programs which will expand voter participation. Indiana remains in the 1950s.

The only major change we've made to the process in Rokita's Voter ID law. Could we muster that righteous indignation and effort, and point it toward meaningly legislation to make it easier to vote?

We spent all this time on that ridiculous law in the last two years, and ignored the need for true vote process reform. What is the Senate majority (where reforms always die) afraid of?

Anonymous said...

"Here's hoping we can get to the root of the problem, which isn't political at all: too many precincts, too much apathy (both sides of the aisle), ridiculously laborious voting processes, and decades of legislative (in)action, which has supressed voter turnout, purposely.

There's no earthly reason we can't vote at 100-200 spots. It won't drastically reduce the need for workers, because there will need to be bigger venues with multiple machines. But it will help. Reducing precincts is step one. No voters will have to travel much further if the spots are strategically chosen.

Multiple other jurisdictions are experimenting with, or have already implemented, many programs which will expand voter participation. Indiana remains in the 1950s. "

Blah blah blah. No one heard you or your party moan about the things you mention here, on Monday, May 7th, now did we?
No, it only becomes a 'what can we do to make this better' process when one of Your party is at the wheel. The Republicans ala Doris said the same problems existed, yet all you Dems did was call Her incompetant. LOL such hypocritical bastads you all are.

Anonymous said...

To echo 5:48pm, HERE is what the Democrats, by way of their elected leader in charge of the vote, had to say:

May 7, 2007 04:48 PM EDT

As absentee voting wrapped up Monday morning the new Marion County Clerk, Democrat Beth White, predicted a smooth election.

"I feel like the inspectors are better prepared than they have ever been," she said.

A year ago problems with the programming of some voting machines led to uncounted ballots and concerns about some election results.

Ballot boxes are already on location at 917 precincts. But there are still questions about whether enough poll workers will show up.

"Beth White has set the standard for her job at perfection and I think the Democratic party for years has set the standard at perfection," Walker said.

And while Republicans may seek political advantage, White's reputation is on the line.

"I'm feeling cautiously optimistic that we'll have a pretty trouble free day tomorrow," she said.


Hmmmm.....
I dont notice anything such as "too many precincts, too much apathy, ridiculously laborious voting processes, legislative inaction" and so forth..

Yup. Definitely hypocrisy among Democrats, one and all, not to mention arrogance (unearned) and much like a kid who grabs hold of a lions' tail and screams "Now what??!!"

Anonymous said...

Also, it seems odd that a die-hard partisan Democrat like WIlson would use a phrase, 'Inshallah' that terrorists who are killing Americans, would use.

Or maybe not so odd..

Wilson46201 said...

Nazis also used Gesundheit when somebody sneezed -- only ignorant and xenophobic Hoosiers get alarmed when educated folk use foreign phrases. Comprende?

Anonymous said...

Those who realize that the arabic term Inshallah is in fact a word that terrorists use, are not ignorant, and xenophobia isn't appropriate, as most Americans realize the wa'habi-ist sect of muslams are in fact enemies of our country. Words actually do have meaning, Wilson. I think 'deflection' is your most favorite; it certainly is the most prevalent trait you show..again and again.

Wilson46201 said...

Only a frightened and scared Hoosier would think that the very common and universal Arabic phrase inshallah (God willing) has anything in particular to do with Wahabism or terrorism. The evil men of the Spanish Inquisition also used the phrase "Vaya con Dios" but that doesnt mean everybody who uses it is a Jesuitical torturer.

It's only through ignorance that scared Hoosiers think inshallah has anything to do with terrorism. Next you'll be telling me that vodka is some secret Communist code word and sauerkraut indicates sympathy for Heinrich Himmler and the S.S. ?

Wilson46201 said...

"Algebra" is an Arabic word -- perhaps you should investigate whether Hoosier high schools are secretly terrorist training camps? Alcohol is also Arabic -- you'd better check out Brad's Gold Flamingo to see if the demoiselles are suicide bombers?

Anonymous said...

It's just ironic that you use an arabic word, Wilson. Arabs kill self-proclaimed homosexuals.

Anonymous said...

"Heads up! It seems the Star is doing an in-depth, well-researched story for the Sunday edition. As Rex Early would say, it's a mighty thin pancake that doesnt have two sides"
************************
I read the article, and it pretty much confirms opinions held by everyone except you, Wilson. Your clerk fucked up, ran on a platform of being able to do the job without assistance, and in fact had plenty of advance notice of the debacle, and yet still did not try and get help. She shouldnt be given the opportunity to resign; she should be federally indicted.

She would have been better off had you slipped something into the chocolate you got her, after this gets through the court system.

'2-sided pancake', indeed. Shameful!

Anonymous said...

5:48, maybe those things weren't mtnioned on May 7, but for at least nine successive legislative sessions, voting reform laws have bene introduced, which would open up nd simplify the process. Senate Republicans killed it every time.

Still not sure what they're afraid of.

And what's with the Arabic translation nonsense? Why don't you just do what most Democrats do, and ignore Wilson? He's really kinda harmless...

Anonymous said...

I dont think that people should just up and leave this "world Class City," as mayor bart petersone calls it. maybe we should look into the employees under beth white and how grossly underemplyed here employees are. I know of people who applied for positions in her office and they were turned down when they have masters degree for people wiht high school diplomas. World Class City nothing.