The Arizona race could still go to Sinema:
Republicans filed a lawsuit Wednesday night to challenge the way some Arizona counties count mail-in ballots as election officials began to slowly tally more than 600,000 outstanding votes in the narrow U.S. Senate race — a task that could take days.
Republican Rep. Martha McSally and Democratic Rep. Kyrstin Sinema were separated by a small fraction of the 1.7 million tabulated votes.
About 75 percent of Arizona voters cast ballots by mail, but those ballots have to go through the laborious signature confirmation process, and only then can be opened and tabulated. If county recorders have issues verifying signatures they are allowed to ask voters to verify their identity.
Those fucking assholes. Sinema hasn’t put out a call for money to help with the recount. But if she does, I’ll put up a thermometer for it.
rikyrah
COUNT EVERY VOTE!
PhoenixRising
Those of us who busted our asses to get Adrian Flores into the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office did something big 2 years ago. First Latino in that role. Maricopa County is where Bill Rehnquist cut his teeth as a GOP operative, suppressing Latino votes for Barry Goldwater.
Adrian’s kicked ass and taken names and god dammit those voters are going to be counted.
You’re welcome and please note, the Senate is being impacted by a county wide race for…not quite dog catcher, but who counts the votes matters. Who determines vote tallies where you live?
Emerald
As Stalin said, it doesn’t matter who votes, it’s who counts the votes that matters.
OGLiberal
What’s the logic behind rushing? I know the real reason is because they don’t want them counted but what’s the legal argument? It’s 11/8 – new Senators don’t get seated 1/1/19.
J R in WV
Here’s the Republican voting freedom philosophy:
They’ve done it for years, no one seems to be able to stop them long term, we have to do it over and over again, forever. This need to stop forever, everywhere!!
EveryDayIHaveTheBlues
Hey DougJ, I’d urge you to give some attention to the FL senate and Gov races as well. Apparently, the margin for the gov race is close enough to trigger a recount. See for example:
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/florida-governors-race-within-margin-for-recount
I’d willingly give to both Gillum and Abrams (which you put up a couple days ago)
Erin in Flagstaff
It’s crazy how the Repubs want to stop the votes here. These are a lot of “late early” votes. We have Permanent Early Voting, and lots of people still drop their early ballots off on election day. Because they don’t get verified before then, they’re late and need verification after election day. There is nothing on our AZ early ballot envelopes that say “Sign here and leave your phone number, but if you don’t get this to the election office by such and such date we won’t call you to clear up any confusing signature issues.” It says, leave your phone number and we will contact you if there are questions about your signature. Ugh.
You guys, the outstanding ballots are in three counties, two of them that voted for Sinema in higher numbers than other counties. They could make a difference, and that’s why the Repubs want to stop as many ballots being counted as possible.
Platonailedit
Is the dem establishment – DCCC/DNC/DLCC and other committees – getting behind these AZ & FL fights? They must be floating in surplus cash.
Gin & Tonic
@OGLiberal: How long did the horse-face guy stall Al Franken?
Tony Jay
They all seem really eager to claim victory without going through the turgid business of snout-counting, don’t they? Wonder why that could be.
It would really put a nice cap on Tuesday’s wave if The Big White Shame of Georgia and Panhandle Orlok in particular lost out on their ill-gotten rewards.
Platonailedit
Not to forget this.
JPL
Earlier I read the Sinema expects to win if the votes are counted, which is why the GOP is trying to stop the vote now.
(((CassandraLeo)))
@EveryDayIHaveTheBlues: Florida’s two biggest races going to recounts is truly the least surprising plot twist this whole election cycle. The only way this could be any more Florida is if an alligator on bath salts were somehow declared the winner.
One thing I was surprised by though is that apparently (note that I haven’t double checked this) Gillum retains the services of Bush 43’s recount lawyer from 2000, so props to the showrunners on that one if so.
I’ll definitely donate to a Gillum or Nelson recount fund.
Platonailedit
dr. bloor .
Only in America do you not only have to demand a “recount,” you have to demand a “count.”
Gin & Tonic
@dr. bloor .: Well, not only in America. I mentioned at the end of a dying thread the other day that my son has been an accredited observer of two elections in FSU countries, and said the reports coming out of GA are exactly the sort of things that would have made it into his reports of irregularities.
OzarkHillbilly
@dr. bloor .: Not “only” in America. It’s the same in Russia, Egypt, Turkey, the Phillipines, Iran….
Platonailedit
@OzarkHillbilly:
What an esteemed company.
Fuck the thugs.
Brachiator
Goddam Republicans. They love to file lawsuits when it suits them, but engage in voter suppression and other unfair tactics and expect Democrats just to suck it up.
Platonailedit
Kent
Much as I dislike the top-2 “jungle” primary we have here in WA and in CA, it seems pretty clear that if the same system existed in AZ then Sinema would be the senator-elect by now. It does eliminate the possiblity of 3rd party spoilers.
Platonailedit
Why the fuck did Gillum concede when the margin was so close?
TenguPhule
@(((CassandraLeo))):
Has anyone checked for a zipper on the back of the Republican candidate where no zipper should be?
Kent
@Platonailedit: He can un-concede. It happens all the time. There isn’t anything legally binding about a concession speech. The only thing legally binding is the final certification of the election results.
EveryDayIHaveTheBlues
@(((CassandraLeo))): Excellent point! Alligator on bath salts riding a motorcycle? Floridagator?! Could happen!!
I actually don’t give a shit if Gillum hires Karl Rove or Ted Olson if they help him win. Nancy Pelosi and all the other dems can sing the praises of, and genuflect to bipartisanship, all they want: I know she’s good and can shiv a fucker as necessary. Let her say what she wants. All we need to do is just fight and win.
Here is my sob story: all the candidates I donated to (the first time I EVER gave money in an election) lost: JD Scholten in IA vs Nazi King; Heidi Heitkamp; Aftab Pureval in OH-1 (my district) vs Slimeball Steve Chabot. But I would do it again and again. If we do not push back against these assholes, they win be default.
Mnemosyne
@Platonailedit:
A concession is not legally binding. He can un-concede any time he wants, and the fact that he’s hired recount lawyers says that he has not given up.
mad citizen
@Platonailedit: I was wondering the same thing. I don’t get this custom anyway, let the election officials call the races.
Platonailedit
@Kent:
I know, but still, the optics sucks. The fucking thugs drag their feet even when the margins are much higher and more clearer. Dems still to learn a few things from the thugs on how to fight the elections among other things.
EveryDayIHaveTheBlues
@Platonailedit: Honest question: does it matter if he did? IANAL, but I don’t think there are any legal implications, right? The state still has the obligations to go ahead and count all the votes.
Sort of like when Gore conceded and then withdrew the concession when the large-scale irregularities came to light, before the election was stolen…
karen marie
This signature fuckery is why I roll my eyes right up inside my head whenever I hear people saying that vote by mail is the solution. It’s not! I hand carried my ballot in to try to make sure that my ballot wouldn’t be tossed because my signature is different but, of course, no one at the polling place could make that call, so my ballot is in that pile of 600,000. They get you coming and going.
ADD: The Maricopa County Elections website says my ballot was accepted and counted, so I guess I am not one of the 600,000 remaining. Here’s a link, if you’re in Maricopa County, to check yours: https://recorder.maricopa.gov/earlyvotingballot/earlyvotingballotstatus.aspx
ruemara
@Platonailedit: It’s not legally binding and if he spins it as being gracious but oh goodness, the numbers demand it and ok lookie, I won, I won’t complain.
TenguPhule
via the Guardian.
Platonailedit
trollhattan
Jen Ruben is shrill.
karen marie
@PhoenixRising: They’re still caging though. I was fortunate in catching the fuckery by calling the elections office two days before registration was closed to discover that I had been removed from “permanent early voting” because I allegedly did not respond to a mailing sent to my address at some point after November 2016 (I’m registered as an independent, so I don’t get a primary ballot). My registration was still intact, meaning I could show up to vote, but I wasn’t going to receive a mail-in ballot. I raised a stink and a ballot was mailed to me.
TenguPhule
Chris Christie being considered to replace Sessions as attorney general
Reads like an FBI’s most wanted list.
A Ghost To Most
@karen marie:
Colorado is almost entirely by mail. No problems reported here.
Spanky
@trollhattan:
One case where appearances are accurate.
TenguPhule
@A Ghost To Most:
The wonderful thing about screwing with mail in voting is that problems wouldn’t be reported like they would if you interfered with the people actually voting in the booths.
it depends completely on the integrity of the people receiving and counting the mailed in ballots.
piratedan
yeah, it’s still a good possibility that Sinema pulls this out because the votes that remain to be counted (Pima and Maricopa Counties) have the metro Tucson and Phoenix areas where Sinema is expected to do better since most of those folks believe that just because you dropped ordinance from a plane in Afghanistan doesn’t mean you should be writing and supporting legislation that allows the Insurance Industry to decide what pre-existing conditions they choose to cover.
Doesn’t help that the GOP is in charge of counting the votes (and that we elected another one because the Democratic candidate had the temerity to say that she would actually count all the votes) but I am cautiously optimistic that we can send McSally packing.
Platonailedit
@TenguPhule:
Guess despite Lindsey’s shameless public asskissing, the thug kicked his sorry lil ass to the curb?
debit
@A Ghost To Most: In Minnesota it’s also easy to log in an check the status of your absentee ballot. Mine was accepted and my vote was cast a week before election day.
Platonailedit
@trollhattan:
“make the press appear feckless”
Press is fucking feckless, jenny.
TenguPhule
@Platonailedit:
Word is there is going to be an opening at DHS soon. Apparently Trump has issues with women in positions of power, even on his own side.
Patricia Kayden
This is great news. I’d love to see McSally go down. She can go kiss Trump’s behind full time if she loses.
Yarrow
@(((CassandraLeo))): Speaking of Nelson:
Florida, man…
Kent
@debit: Same thing here in WA where we have 100% mail-in voting. But then we don’t have a history of voter supression either. Exactly the opposite.
A Ghost To Most
@debit:
Here as well, although I admit I don’t do it. There may even be a way to get a text or email
If people are screwing with the vote in Colorado, they sure are doing a good job.
Yarrow
@Platonailedit: Did Roy Moore ever concede?
Platonailedit
If AZ and FL ‘flip’, will the totus thug totally flip out?
trollhattan
@Yarrow:
I feel like a trip to Brooks Brothers and a plane ticket.
Mnemosyne
Heh. My Trumper cousin in Wisconsin just did a Facebook post about the UNGRATEFUL VOTERS who tossed the Republicans out on their ears just when Wisconsin was experiencing massive economic growth.
I am not responding, but I am snickering behind her back.
trollhattan
@Platonailedit:
How would we tell?
Platonailedit
@Yarrow: Exactly. Franken’s thug dragged on it on for months.
JPL
@TenguPhule: Yes it does. lol
Platonailedit
@trollhattan:
This time he will personally yank the mike from Acosta?
Martin
Just to update people on the state of things in CA, we have a shit-ton of uncounted votes. Just shy of half a million in Orange County, 100K+ in house races where the Dem is ahead or behind by a few thousand votes. That’s why so few of these have been called. We’re making sure every vote counts, but that isn’t a fast process.
trollhattan
@Mnemosyne:
Does the new gov have any authority to unravel the ghoulish Foxcon deal? Scotty would love that.
Mnemosyne
@trollhattan:
No idea. Omnes is probably the person to ask. I’m just sharing some schadenfreude for all to enjoy.
JPL
@Martin: yeah I know they’d rather be slow and right than fast. Any chance we can have that crew help in AZ and FL
Duane
@Brachiator: Missouri’s new Speaker of the House, Elijah Haahr (R-Springfield) says it cost too much to have early voting here. According to him, Missouri’s a banana republic that can’t afford democracy. He’s a glibertarian lawyer whose only goal as speaker is fuck the poor.
Platonailedit
You can’t beat texas assholes.
“A tough Texas judge has released all defendants before him, reportedly saying it was what voters wanted, a day after he lost his re-election bid.
Republican Judge Glenn Devlin let seven juvenile defendants go on Wednesday – including some charged with violent crimes, according to local media.
Witnesses said that before releasing the defendants he asked them if they planned to kill anybody.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is demanding an investigation.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46144557
Just imagine the collective media shrieking if he were a dem.
TenguPhule
@Platonailedit:
From your lips to the FSM’s noodles.
TenguPhule
@Platonailedit: It gets better. He didn’t bother to show up for work today after his stunt yesterday.
TenguPhule
@Martin:
Take your time as long as the Democrats win.
Yarrow
@Platonailedit: This story is insane. Apparently the judge is unreachable because he’s “on vacation.”
The Republican judges got swept out of office in Harris county largely due to straight ticket voting. Of course to avoid such an issue in the future Gov. Abbott signed a bill to eliminate straight ticket voting in 2020.
A Ghost To Most
@trollhattan: Some are already flipping out, but randomly. Let’s hope it stays uncoordinated. Given that most of the truly committed couldn’t organize a Chinese fire drill, there’s hope.
Martin
@JPL: Well, we have a governor and legislator that wants to get it right. Florida and Texas and Arizona leadership of late have had the exact opposite goal.
When the Dems get control again, they better fucking make bill #1 be some kind of vote integrity act. They don’t have to tell the states how to run elections, but they can establish some clear requirements to meet. If our votes don’t count, then nothing else will matter because we’ll never be in power.
Mike in DC
@Platonailedit:
It would move his “big win” to a net 1 seat pickup in the Senate, coupled with a loss of up to 40 seats in the house, 7 Governorships, control of 7 state legislatures and loss of nearly 350 state lege seats. That would make it pretty bleak. Not to mention if Gillum and Abrams pull it out…
Martin
@TenguPhule: We’ll see how it goes. Historically time favors Democrats here – like with most other places, but maybe not as dramatically. Nobody is conceding, so they’re all still in it to some degree.
One particularly encouraging bit of news, student turnout at UC Irvine from 2014 to 2018 increased from 2% to 31%. This piece didn’t really hold up well. As I suspected, the students were more engaged, they simply wanted nothing to do with the news dude with the camera. Like I said at the time, lots of introverts here…
TenguPhule
Matt Whitaker, has no intention of recusing from Russia probe, associates say
Kay is right. All the old norms are going to have to be recodified as actual laws, with real sharp teeth.
TenguPhule
@Martin: Wish you folks the best of luck.
C Stars
@Platonailedit:
I don’t even know anymore. The media seems to have a special kind of appreciation for intemperate, irrational, irresponsible behavior from elected officials, don’t they? Maybe they’d fall in love with a Dem politician who started throwing unabashed toddler temper tantrums like the Trumpists do.
Haroldo
@Mnemosyne:
@trollhattan:
I don’t know the answer, but if he did, the rabid Wisco GOP legislature is going to do their best to take it away. They are already talking about removing gubernatorial powers during the lame-duck session before Evers is sworn in a la North Carolina.
Ruckus
@Duane:
– Fuck the poor-
So a bog standard republican then.
C Stars
@TenguPhule: Whitaker’s not going to recuse. That’s crazytalk. He was installed there to do a very specific job, because of his willingness to do it. Isn’t this obvious to everyone?
Here’s hoping Mueller has already navigated his path around this, or that the Dems can somehow stop it (this I doubt, but we’re definitely in a stronger position than before).
trollhattan
Today a “red flag warning” applies to much of NorCal and to that point, at 6:30 a fire was reported in the Feather River Canyon area and by noon it had blow up to 8,000 acres and closed Highway 99. Rain, please.
PJ
@Platonailedit: @EveryDayIHaveTheBlues: @karen marie: Conceding an election when the count is close matters because voters then think that the candidate has lost, and will not call to check and see that their absentee ballot was counted as valid. If a ballot was rejected for an irregularity, apparently FL voters have until 5pm today (so 49 more minutes) to call and try and get their ballot accepted.
I don’t understand this thing about conceding before all the votes are counted.
FlipYrWhig
@C Stars: They destroyed Howard Dean because he yelled *onstage*. So, no, they wouldn’t fall in love.
FlipYrWhig
@PJ: It’s driven by fear that the media will slag them as a sore loser when the genius of the American political system is the orderly and civil transfer of blah blah blah and the people need to have confidence in free and fair blah blah blah.
MomSense
I went to the post office today. Right after I got out of my car I saw one of the postal workers at the flag pole lowering the flag to half mast. She looked so distraught so I stopped and waited while she finished lowering the flag and then she put her hand over her heart and said the pledge of allegiance. More of us stopped and joined her. Then one of the other people standing there said a New England prayer (no invocation of Jesus) asking for the strength to fight for gun control laws and a ban on assault weapons. I was surprised at the people who nodded approvingly and joined in the amens. They weren’t just liberals.
After, we were all so teary. One of the men there is a veteran and he was giving all of us hugs. I feel profoundly sad and at the same time I think we have reached the tipping point on this issue.
I’m heading out shortly to attend the protect Mueller rally. Hugs to all the Jackals.
VeniceRiley
@Martin: I’m holding out hope for Katie Porter. Her camp hit my house 3x and I’m hoping she got a late surge. She was in the tough race getting no woman boost with her female opponent. If she loses, it won’t be for lack of trying. And, if she does, I’d go find a qualified asian woman to run next time. THAT would slay the district, I think. DCCC take note!
Yarrow
@Martin: Good. I saw that stupid piece. I don’t know who Jacob Soboroff is but his pieces are beyond annoying and illustrate nothing. Ambushing people and asking them if they’re voting is not journalism, not reporting, is nothing related to news. He’s like a news version of a paparazzo.
C Stars
@trollhattan: The only rain I see in the forecast is for Thanksgiving week. Godspeed to all the firefighters.
Shitty day for CA…
FlipYrWhig
@Yarrow: MSNBC badly wants to make Jacob Soboroff A Thing. He was OK with the detained children story. I’ve never seen him being OK with anything else.
tobie
@VeniceRiley: Wasn’t Porter’s primary opponent Asian-American? I thought he lost because he wouldn’t commit to Medicare for All. I could be wrong on this. It feels like eons ago.
MagdaInBlack
Took me this long to get it:
Mark Lindsey: Arizona: 1969
Had it on a 45.
C Stars
@FlipYrWhig: Yeah, but that Dean thing was ages ago. What if in these post-Tr*mp times all they want is some hot, messy reality TV action, and the Dems just aren’t giving it to them?
I am only suggesting this somewhat rhetorically…
PJ
@PJ: And of course in Republican counties, workers at the local voting boards may do their best to not count provisional or absentee ballots. This is from someone on Twitter (prob will not embed but hopefully the text will come through):
More
Replying to @MarcACaputo
Called my Supervisor of Elections in my shittle little red FL town re: my provisional ballot. Said they’re not going to be even looked at until 3p today. I asked abt the 5p deadline, she said, “we leave at 5”. ????
Yarrow
@FlipYrWhig: I rarely see MSNBC so I’ve only seen him on NBC shows like the Today Show. I can’t see how he’s going to be A Thing. He reminds me of a news version of Jim Cramer from CNBC. Quick cuts on the video, peppy sound effects, shouting toward the camera or people. Just no.
Mnemosyne
@MomSense:
My brother lives in the city where that happened. Fortunately, he’s not a bargoer, especially on a weeknight.
PJ
It looks like recounts are going ahead for Senator and Governor in FL (warning, Politico link): https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/08/florida-senate-elections-scott-nelson-2018-recount-975805
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@TenguPhule:
He should be forced to recuse himself. He has no business overseeing that investigation given his past prejudicial comments
mainmata
@rikyrah: Same with Nelson vs. Batboy and Abrams vs. Brian Klansman for GA governor. Count every vote.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@VeniceRiley: Tend to agree, that’s an Asian heavy district(the kid’s sister lives there). Judy Chu did really well in the San Gabriel Valley and better than Schiff here in Glendale(the ReThug running against Schiff is Armenian, probably good for a percent or two).
MomSense
@Mnemosyne:
My kid was playing the live music at a bar last night. It’s a regular Wednesday night gig that always has a ton of youngs show up. It’s the other side of the country but those kids were my kid’s people.
Yarrow
Wow, what’s going on here? Click through to see the image. Something doesn’t seem right.
TenguPhule
@C Stars:
They lost their shit when President Obama gave FOX a mild warning.
They’re Ms who love them an S that doesn’t acknowledge any safe words.
TenguPhule
@PJ: Multiple recounts already predicted. Hand counts at that.
Sounds like fun. //
Gelfling 545
@OGLiberal: The tv networks like it.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@MomSense: I am dreading seeing the names of the victims, I grew up there.
mainmata
@Kent: Thanks. That’s what I thought too.
germy
@PJ: From your link:
Dorothy A. Winsor
Mnemosyne
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
I’m hoping my niece didn’t know anyone who was killed — she went to Oak Park High School and is currently attending junior college nearby.
Roger Moore
@A Ghost To Most:
They’re screwing with the vote in the most insidious way possible: they’re letting Those People vote as if their votes were actually as valuable and meaningful as Real Americans®.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mnemosyne: I would probably have known the kid’s parents though I’ve not kept in touch with folk from high school. They’ve release a few names, the former Fox reporter’s niece was one of the dead.
Roger Moore
@Platonailedit:
He’s not showing the kind of even temperament that would encourage people to vote for him if he ran again in the future.
CCL
Doug, I am in when you put the thermometer for Gillum, Sinema, and Abrams.
Schlemazel
This sort of thing is another reason I am uncomfortable about early/ mail voting.
Meanwhile moveon got it’s act together and we are currently on our way to the state capital in St. Paul for a rally in defense of Meuller. 24degrees f so we’ll see who the hardy resisters are.
JPL
@Dorothy A. Winsor: How reliable is that source, since I’m not seeing it anywhere else. I did read that Rosenstein canceled a planned speech today.
C Stars
@TenguPhule: Right, but Obama was a rational person commenting straightforwardly and in good faith. Which these days the GOP and the media seem to take as a mortal offense. “How dare you assume the intelligence or critical discernment of the electorate?! The Gods of Journalism (i.e. Zuckerberg’s accounting dept.) tell us that everyone just wants to click on wacky Facebook videos, dontcha know?”
Yarrow
He seems totes trustworthy.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@JPL: I don’t know. The tweet came with a picture of the cameras set up, but I suppose that could be for something else.
TriassicSands
@OGLiberal:
As written this statement is correct, but if the actual intention was to say that new senators don’t get seated until 1/1/19, then the statement is incorrect or misleading.
The new congress will be sworn in on January 3, 2019. They don’t take office on the first.
So, no, there is no compelling hurry to certify any election unless your hope is to change who the winner will be. But Republicans would never do anything like that. Wait…I’m choking to death…
janesays
@OGLiberal: Actually, it’s 1/3/19. /pedantry
TriassicSands
@Haroldo:
Once again Republicans make it clear that they believe in one-party rule.
Ithink
@Tony Jay:
Your insults are organically hilarious to our political opposition! Much obliged and I co-sign the sentiment.
Ithink
@Ithink:
Meant to say *orgasmically* above but only for humorous inference!
cthulhu
Sinema just moved into a 1900 vote lead. Not sure if it will hold but at least this is now in the right direction.
Mai Naem mobile
Sinema took very slim lead over McSally. Small yay. Okay more like big sigh of relief.
RandyG
Here’s the Arizona Secy of State page for the Senate race: Current totals
The page is supposed to be updated at 5pm Mountain each day with the totals as of that point. Thursday’s posting:
Sinema 916,458 (48.90%)
McSally 914,481 (48.80%)
Green 43,067 (2.30%)
There are other important races listed on that page that also have a chance to flip to Dem compared to the election day totals.
janesays
It would be fucking awesome if the Democrats could knock the GOP senate gains down to just one or two seats. Still inclined to think Florida more likely than not isn’t going to end up in our column (recounts almost never reverse initial results), but Arizona is starting to feel like a real possibility.