Plumb Bob Blog

01/30/2008 (10:55 am)

Investigate Florida, Perhaps?

I don’t mean to be a sore loser, but Michelle Malkin writes not one, but two posts documenting that the Florida Republican primary, which is supposed to be a closed primary, was decided by Independents.

The Florida Sun-Sentinel published a general article on the election with a disturbing comment buried near the bottom. An independent voter was instructed by poll workers to pick a party; when he questioned this action, which would have been illegal, a poll worker told him that that’s what the poll workers were instructed to do.

In northern Coral Springs, near the Sawgrass Expressway and Coral Ridge Drive, David Nirenberg arrived to vote as an independent. Nevertheless, he said poll workers insisted he choose a party ballot.

“He said to me, ‘Are you Democrat or Republican?’ I said, ‘Neither, I am independent.’ He said, ‘Well, you have to pick one,”’ Nirenberg said.

In Florida, only those who declare a party are allowed to cast a vote in that party’s presidential primary.

Nirenberg said he tried to explain to the poll worker that he should not vote on a party ballot because of his “no party affiliation” status.

Nirenberg said a second poll worker was called over who agreed that independents should not use party ballots, but said they had received instructions to the contrary.

“He said, ‘Ya know, that is kind of funny, but it was what we were told.’ … I was shocked when they told me that.” Nirenberg said he went ahead and voted for John McCain.

Rush Limbaugh picked up on the Sun-Sentinel report and read it on the air. A caller who had worked the polls in south Florida confirmed that, yes, that’s what they were instructed. Ms. Malkin points to documentation confirming that Florida law closes party declaration 29 days before an election, so “take your pick” on the day of the election is illegal.

Captain Ed Morrissey at the Captain’s Quarters argues that cross-over voting is legal and expected, and thinks no foul was committed. With all due respect to the Captain, the reports of improper instructions to the poll workers suggest otherwise. South Florida was, in fact, famous for voter fraud long before the 2000 elections.

McCain and Romney tied among self-described Republicans in the exit polls (see Page 4 of the exit polls). McCain won handily among self-described Independents; this decided the election. Given the reports and south Florida’s history, prudence requires an investigation.

Flip Pidot, at a really fine blog site called Suitably Flip (”I think, therefore I blog”) discusses the matter at length.

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