Los Angeles County Democratic Party Demands Every Ballot with Identifiable Voter Intent Be Counted and Decline-to-State Ballots Be Redesigned in Los Angeles County
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Democratic Party (LACDP) adopted a resolution demanding the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to make every effort to count every Decline-to-State ballot in which voter intent can be identified and quantify the number and distribution of disqualified ballots for the February 5, 2008 California Presidential Primary Election. LACDP further demands that the Decline-to-State ballots be redesigned for all future elections to prevent voter confusion and disenfranchisement.
LACDP Chair Eric C. Bauman emphasized, “A citizen’s right to vote is the foundation of democracy and the cornerstone of democracy depends on the integrity of the voting process. It is unacceptable when faulty ballot design, poor poll worker training, and lack of voter education caused nearly 50,000 Decline-to-State ballots in Los Angeles County. Every vote must be counted as cast and these ballots must be redesigned to make sure that no voter is disenfranchised.”
The text of the resolution is as follows:
RESOLUTION ON DECLINE-TO-STATE BALLOTS CAST IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY
“WHEREAS, casting a vote for the candidate of one’s choice is the fundamental right in a democracy; every vote should be counted as it was cast; and, the process for casting a vote must be equal for all voters and must not favor nor burden any voter; and,
“WHEREAS, in an effort to engage and show good faith to Decline-to-State (unaffiliated) voters, the Democratic Party in California has permitted Decline-to-State voters to participate in the Democratic primary elections;
“WHEREAS, in Los Angeles County, the confusing design of the Decline-to-State ballot, in conjunction with poorly-trained poll workers and uninformed voters, resulted in nearly 50,000 Decline-to-State ballots being declared invalid; the design of the “double bubble” ballot created an extra step in which Decline-to-State voters were required to fill in an extra bubble on their ballots indicating which party’s candidate they were voting for; and, the overlapping positioning of candidates on the Decline-to-State ballots makes it difficult to legally determine voter intent if no party’s bubble was selected;
“THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Los Angeles County Democratic Party demands the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk make every effort to count every ballot in which voter intent can be identified and quantify the number and distribution of disqualified ballots; and that Decline-to-State ballots be redesigned for all future elections to prevent such voter confusion and disenfranchisement.
“BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Los Angeles County Democratic Party takes all steps necessary, including legal or legislative action, to ensure the above demands are complied with.”
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