Clinton Supporter FL Congresswoman Questions Potential Fraud Mail In Do-over

Could not believe my ears, during a CNN video replay, (around 5 PM ET) a Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said the do-over mail in primary hasn't been done before in Florida, and this "is not the time to test..."

Schultz further responded by asking how would the signatures, voter registrations, and the like be checked?

Her questions implied a potential for election fraud.

CNN Transcripts

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/2008.03.10.html

A review of a few articles shows the Congresswoman is a Broward Democrat and supports Senator Hillary Clinton.

(Net the Truth Online)

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Gov. Crist propose plan for primary re-vote
Sen. Nelson, Gov. Crist are floating a plan
By Mark Hollis | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
March 9, 2008

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flprevote0309pnmar09,0,7288624.story?track=rss

More Security Concerns raised

Security Concerns About Using Vote by Mail in Florida Primary Do-Over
By Rick Hasen, Huffington Post. Posted March 10, 2008.

An election law expert explains why having a vote-by-mail in the possible Dem Florida primary do-over makes him "very nervous."

...Sen. Nelson's call for voting by mail has some surface appeal. The election is simple -- a single question with a small number of choices. Poll workers would not be required, nor the rolling out of election machinery. It will be cheaper, which is especially important because there is a large argument over who should pay for a do-over primary.

But an all vote by mail primary makes me very nervous. Putting aside the fact that such a vote is not allowed under current Florida law and would need approval of the Florida legislature, vote by mail simply is not as secure as polling place voting. Vote by mail is essentially a mandatory absentee ballot election. Absentee balloting raises the specter of voter fraud and coercion, for the simple reason that polling officials are absent when voting choices are made. In the absence of a secret ballot, it becomes much easier to enter into an illegal vote buying contract, because the buyer can verify how the seller has voted. In addition, because voting takes place out of the public eye, the possibility of coercion or intimidation about how to vote becomes possible. Even if a Florida do-over would not produce a clear delegate winner between Clinton and Obama, it would have great political importance and could well influence the votes of the superdelegates, who will hold the balance of power if this issue goes to the convention.

It might be that my concerns over the security of vote-by-mail in Florida are overstated. After all, Oregon's vote by mail system has been touted as an excellent and fair system. Perhaps so for Oregon. But what is true for Oregon is not so true for Florida. One need only think back to the massive absentee ballot fraud in the 1997 Miami mayoral race that led a court to order a new election. And there's something especially worrisome about rolling out a new system for counting votes for the first time in a presidential contest.

http://www.alternet.org/democracy/79225/?page=2

Wasserman Schultz discusses Plan B. Or is it Plan C?
Broward Dem Debbie Wasserman Schultz kicks off the Sunday morning talk shows that appear mostly dedicated to figuring out what to do about renegade Florida and Michigan. Other guests making the rounds today include Charlie Crist, Bill Nelson and DNC chair Howard Dean.

She said she opposes a do-over mail-in primary because the state lacks any experience in running such elections.

"An experiment like that, now is not the time to test that," she said...

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2008/03/wasserman-sch-1.html