FL-13: Dem. Jennings Calling for a New Election

Last week's recount ended with Vern Buchanan leading Christine Jennings by 369 votes. This morning - immediately following certification by the Florida Election Canvassing Board - Jennings filed an official challenge of the results. She is requesting a new election based on evidence that the electronic voting system in Sarasota County was flawed.

Jennings was joined in her protest by several voter advocacy groups that have been in Sarasota for nearly a week.

(Sarasota Herald-Tribune) Three advocacy groups held a news conference before the commission meeting to discuss their independent investigations of the 13th District vote. They said the issues go beyond a ballot design that may have caused voters to skip the race because it was not on the same page as the Senate contest.

"There were an even greater number of reports of funny business with the machines not accepting the voters' press or interface with the touch screen," said Dan McCrea of Voter Action, a Berkeley, Calif.-based group.

He said the complaints crossed party lines.

"People are saying, 'I didn't see it at first then I saw strange messages,'" said Reginald Mitchell, Florida legal counsel for People for the American Way Foundation.

The state is conducting an audit of the Sarasota voting machines separate from the recount and legal challenge.

It will include a Nov. 28 test of machines prepared for but not used in the
election that will mimic the election. The machines that were used cannot be
accessed until the challenge period ends 10 days from Monday, Cobb said.

Common Cause's Florida chairman, Walter Dartland, said the only way to
resolve the problems may be to hold a new election.

It looks like we could be at this for a while.