Courage Campaign pleased that 47,153 "Double Bubble" votes have been counted in Los Angeles County ballot controversy
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2008
LOS ANGELES, CA — Rick Jacobs, founder and chair of the Courage Campaign, welcomed the news today that 47,153 “double bubble” ballots have been counted by Los Angeles County Acting Registrar of Voters Dean Logan, following a supplemental count of 59,174 previously uncounted ballots cast by “Decline-to-State” voters on February 5.
As Allison Hewitt reported in the Whittier Daily News, “Logan initially believed none of the ‘double bubble’ votes could be counted in cases where non-partisan voters had failed to fill in a bubble specifying in which party’s presidential race they were casting a ‘crossover’ ballot.”
“We are pleased that, after initially resisting counting the votes, Registrar Logan has successfully counted some 80% of the votes cast by ‘Decline-to-State’ voters who did not fill in both bubbles on this confusing ballot,” said Jacobs. “Of course, we would have preferred that Registrar Logan count 100% of these fatally flawed ballots.”
Logan completed the supplemental count after 32,802 concerned citizens signed a Courage Campaign petition asking Logan to act immediately after the Super Tuesday election. The Courage Campaign also threatened to file a lawsuit unless the votes were counted.
“Today, due to people-powered politics, a petition signed by 32,802 people, and the persistent attention of our lawyers and the media, the votes have been counted,” said Jacobs.
In addition to counting 80% of the uncounted “Decline-to-State” ballots, Registrar Logan has expressed his commitment to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to change the flawed ballot design prior to the upcoming June statewide primary. Jacobs expressed his pleasure with that decision:
“We look forward to working with the County, the Secretary of State and our friends in the election protection community to make sure that this ballot design is never used again,” said Jacobs. “The ‘double-bubble’ ballot has been used since 2002, disenfranchising an unknown number of voters. Mr. Logan has now promised to change the ballot design and the Courage Campaign will follow through and ensure that it is completed in time for the June primary election.”
The supplemental count did not change the outcome of the election in Los Angeles County. According to Registrar Logan’s report of the supplemental count of nonpartisan “cross-over” ballots, Hillary Clinton garnered 51% of “Decline-to-State” votes compared to 42% for Barack Obama, closely mirroring the statewide results.
“This was not about Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. It was about counting as many votes as possible in this historic high-turnout election and increasing the faith of the public in the system.” said Jacobs. “The Courage Campaign is proud to have played a significant role in ensuring the integrity of this election as well as finally junking these infamous ‘double-bubble’ ballots in future elections.”
The supplemental count data can be reviewed at the Registrar’s web site (PDF):
http://www.lavote.net/VOTER/PDFS/ELECTION_RELATED/02052008_SUPP_NP_CV.pdf
In a rare joint hearing, three legislative committees that address election policy will meet in Los Angeles on Friday, March 7, to address the double-bubble issue and other problems faced by California voters on Feb. 5.
Secretary of State Debra Bowen, Acting Registrar Dean Logan and his predecessor, Registrar Conny McCormack, will appear. Election law lawyer Steven Reyes, of Kaufman Downing LLP, will be speaking at the hearing on behalf of the Courage Campaign.
Friday’s joint hearing is set for Friday at 1 p.m. in the auditorium of the Ronald Reagan State Building at 300 S. Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles.