FL Dean Dozen gets endorsement of Tampa Tribune. Elections Supervisor

[madfloridian]

His opponent is a good friend of Jeb and was appointed by him. This is good.

http://tampatrib.com/News/MGBFWIXLB0E.html
Troubles At Election Office Drive Support For MacKenna
Published: Oct 15, 2004

Hillsborough County's reputation for conducting virtually flawless elections was damaged this year.
Buddy Johnson, a Republican appointed supervisor of elections by Gov. Jeb Bush two years ago to fill the remainder of Pam Iorio's term, has been busy trying to explain glitches...."

SNIP..."MacKenna, 33, is a computer programmer with Eckerd Corp. and holds an engineering degree from Duke University. He ran the regional presidential campaign for Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, and most of his financial supporters live outside the county.

He is enthusiastic, motivated partly by a distrust of voting systems such as Hillsborough's that lack a paper trail.

Because our confidence in the office is shaken, our vote for supervisor of elections goes to Rob MacKenna...."

[madfloridian]

1. And he gets endorsed by the St; Pete Times. Go Rob!

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/15/Opinion/Elections_job_require.shtml


SNIP..."The transformation from paper to electronic balloting changes the skills voters should look for in an elections supervisor. Before the troubled 2000 election, supervisors could focus their efforts on soft initiatives, such as registration drives and early voting. Now, many also grapple with technical aspects of computerized voting machines. Hillsborough is one of the largest electoral jurisdictions in the nation; getting it right here is not only complex but also critical to building public confidence in the machines and the electoral process. We believe the self-assured Rob MacKenna, a computer designer and programmer, is best prepared to run the elections office.

MacKenna, a 33-year-old Democrat, is new to politics, no weakness for an elected job that should be free of partisanship. A graduate of Duke University with a background in science and mathematics, MacKenna has worked as an engineer and technology consultant, and he currently is a computer programmer for Eckerd Corp. His familiarity with large data management systems and experience with trouble-shooting computer software would well serve a government agency whose purpose is to process and record the vote accurately. MacKenna has a broad view of the problems associated with changing from a paper-based to electronic voting system. He can speak well beyond the issue of touch-screen voting. His ideas for voter outreach should increase the number of voters and the percentage that actually votes....."

[Cha]

2. It would be beyond Wonderful if

Rob McKenna could win the supervisor of election!

So, Dean will, no doubt, be in Florida campaigning the last few days.