Paging Maine. Hello. Come in, Maine.

[HFishbine]

What is the deal? CNN is still showing only 80% of Maine reporting.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/primaries/pages/states/ME/

[maddezmom]

1. here's the latest I could find, not very encouraging

~snip~
"It's a huge undertaking," Dottie Melanson, who chairs the state Democratic party, said Tuesday.

She said some towns' numbers did not add up, some may not have held caucuses and others "were managing their caucuses in their own unique ways" that had to be reconciled with party rules.

Under party rules, municipalities have until Feb. 15 to get their numbers to the party's headquarters in Augusta.

~snip~

With 88 percent of municipalities reporting Tuesday evening, U.S. Sen. John Kerry's numbers fell slightly, from 45 percent of the vote to 44 percent. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's numbers increased from 26 percent to 28 percent. Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich remained at 16 percent, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards stayed at 8 percent, former Army Gen. Wesley Clark stayed at 4 percent and 1 percent remained uncommitted.
~snip~

more: http://www.pressherald.com/news/state/040211caucus.shtml

_____________________________

[HFishbine]

2. Right

I saw this six days ago...

[Malva Zebrina]

4. there was a huge crowd at my caucus

far over what there has been in the past--far far over. Someone mentioned a turnout the last time of thirty or forty people. There were hundreds there this time and that is a good sign! The forms ran out for almost every township, so we had to sign in on a legal pad.

[maxanne]

3. it's a huge undertaking

to keep the numbers from being revealed to the public.

[Padraig18]

5. This is really fishy.

This is simple arithmetic, not engineering the Great Wall of China. I could have added the number of votes, done the division, etc., by myself in a freakin' week-and-a-half using paper, pencil and an adding machine!

:wtf:

[goodhue]

6. the issue is denying DK delegates

IMHO

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

18. I half believe that myself

:wtf:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

7. Are Mainers complaining?

let's let them speak up if there's a problem.

[HFishbine]

8. Once again

selective principles apply.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

11. Not at all. If there were anything untoward

those on the ground would know. Obviously the percentages have not changed in any significant way, and no one has said otherwise.

[HFishbine]

13. Oh Please.

Of course the percentages haven't changed. That doesn't happen when you stop counting votes. Geez. The excuses are pathetic.

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. They have not stopped counting votes

See post #12

[Progress]

9. Maybe they are.

And maybe no one is listening to them.

I e-mailed the Democratic Party in Maine. I suggest everyone do the same. Even if you think nothing fishy is going on, wouldn't you like to end the controversy? Let's put some pressure on them to hurry up and get those votes counted. This is serious business.

[e-mail]

[Padraig18]

16. I e-mailed them yesterday.

No reply yet.

[maxanne]

10. are you saying

the rest of the country doesn't have a right to know?

What are you so afraid of, NYFM?

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. I just spoke with Maine Democratic HQ on the phone

Here is what is going on:

Results from 97% of towns has been tabualted. This is not reflected by the website becsue it has not done in-house. The person or company who is contracted to do this is not updating it when they are supposed to, the the party Chairwoman is not very happy with this.

They are still wiating for results for Aroostook County, which is very rural. Because this are is so sparsely populated, the results from there are not expected to change the results very much.

The current delegate percentages that will be going to the state convention are:

Kerry: 44%

Dean: 28%

Kucinich: 14%

Edwards: 8%

Clark: 4%

[maxanne]

17. it's taken a whole week

to not even finish the job? What bullshit. We hand count ballots here in my little rural town in a matter of hours. I am certain a city like Portland has electronic scanners.

The manipulation of the vote began in 2000 - and continues on. It's become BLATANT abuse in this primary. When will we rise up and take our elections back, people?

[Padraig18]

19. Yeah, we used paper ballots the last election, too.

Over 6800 votes, and the results were tabulated before 10:00 p.m. . There is something SERIOUSLY flawed with the Maine process, and even if there is no skullduggery, it LOOKS BAD.

[Freddie Stubbs]

21. Portland has already been counted

They are only waiting for some small towns in Aroostook County to report. They can't count what they don't have.

[Padraig18]

23. Does no one in Aroostook County own a car, or a phone?

That's a 'the dog ate my homework' excuse if I ever heard one. :eyes:

[Freddie Stubbs]

26. You will have to ask the Democrats in that county

Aroostook

County Chair Judy Paradis
[e-mail]
40 US Rte. 1
Frenchville
04745
728-4854

Secretary Joanne Carpenter

115 Whitesettlement Rd
Houlton 04730
532-2491

State Committee Member Jeremy Fischer
[e-mail]
12 Dudley St.
Presque Isle, Maine 04769




State Committee Member Roger Roy
[e-mail]
19 Baird Rd
Caribou 04736
493-3220

State Committee Member Sharon Swimm

2020 US Highway 1
Littleton, Maine 04730
538-9232

State Committee Member Mabel Desmond
[e-mail]
PO Box 207
Mapleton, Maine 04757

Treasurer Roger Roy
[e-mail]
19 Baird Rd
Caribou 04736
493-3220

Vice Chair James Moore
[e-mail]
56 Elmwood
Caribou 04736
496-8091

http://207.21.240.115/mdp/contact_us.asp#local

[Padraig18]

27. That answers the phone question, at minimum.

Seriously, though, don't you see the credibility/integrity issue here?

[Freddie Stubbs]

29. I'm sure if there were any funny business going on

The affected candidates or their Maine supporters would be raising a ruckus. Or maybe they don't believe in Democracy either.

[Padraig18]

33. We ARE raising a ruckus.

I know TONS of Dean folks who have written/phoned.

[Freddie Stubbs]

34. Anyone in Maine?

[Padraig18]

35. In a word, yes.

That's where I got the e-mail addy and phone number to pass along to my friends---and was encouraged to do so.

[Freddie Stubbs]

37. Then perhaps you should contact the Dean campaign

Unless he is not concerned with this.

[Padraig18]

38. The Dean campaign is watch it closely, I assure you.

But probably not as closely as the Kucinich campaign, which has even more to lose. Would you address the cerdibility/integrity question I raised earlier, please? Thanks!

[Freddie Stubbs]

39. I do not doubt the cerdibility/integrity of the Maine Democratic Party

They seemed very up front with me on the phone. If there were any funny business going on, it would be from the people in Aroostook County, who have not reported their results. But they are so small (population wise) that they will not likely have an effect on the final outcome.

[Padraig18]

40. You don' think a 10-day delay in announcing results...

... where only 15K votes were cast, and where verified reports existed of a person taking a box of ballots home and plopping it on her kitchen table, doesn't give rise to a credibility/integrity issue? If anyone in Illinois took so much as a SINGLE ballot home, the sheriff would throw them in JAIL.

:wtf:

[Freddie Stubbs]

41. They have announced all the results that they have

If you can figure out a way for the State Party to get the rural communities to get their results in quicker, you should probably contact them:

Maine Democratic Party- Main Office
P O Box 5258
Augusta, Maine 04332
Office: 12 Spruce Street, Augusta
Hours: 9 - 5, Monday to Friday
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
EMAIL: [e-mail]

I would suggest using the phone, as that is likely the quickest to get a response.

[Padraig18]

42. That's not the point.

That never HAS BEEN the point. The point is that it's RIDICULOUS in the year 2004 that it would take 10 days to count 15000 votes.

Sheesh! :eyes:

[Freddie Stubbs]

43. They can't count what they don't have

They are still waiting to get results from some rural communities. There is no big rush for them, as the state convention is not until May 22.

[Cuban_Liberal]

46. That they don't have them yet is why...

there's a credibility issue. They're running this caucus like an 8 year-old with a lemonade stand.

[Freddie Stubbs]

50. Perhaps you should let them know how you feel

Maine Democratic Party- Main Office
P O Box 5258
Augusta, Maine 04332
Office: 12 Spruce Street, Augusta
Hours: 9 - 5, Monday to Friday
Phone: [phone]

I'm sure that they will be happy to hear from you.

[Cuban_Liberal]

51. I just did.

I got the biggest load of dissembling bullshit I've heard from an adult I've not had handcuffs on in years.:eyes:

[Freddie Stubbs]

52. Would you care to give some details?

[Cuban_Liberal]

57. I didn't keep a verbatim transcript, so no, I would not.

I accurately summarized the substance of the conversation.

[stickdog]

61. Nothing to see here, folks.

Just modern "democracy" in action!

[Cuban_Liberal]

63. My guy isn't even in contention for delegates in ME, ...

and I think it stinks like 3 day-old fish.

[stickdog]

60. You mean like the voters in Florda did in 2000?

Thank God they got straightened out fair and square!

[On the Road]

45. Aroostook County?

You don't mess around with Aroostook County, Maine. Last century, they declared war on Canada.

[tameszu]

54. Yeah, but who won that one?

Last time I checked, Canada is doing OK--and unlike Maine, gets its votes counted by the end of the day.

=)

[stickdog]

59. What were the results for just Portland? (nt)

[Freddie Stubbs]

64. They are not listed seperately

But they are in. The only results they are waiting for are from rural Aroostook County.

[NashVegas]

20. Thanks

You saved me a phone call.

[HFishbine]

30. Thanks Freddie

Will be nice to see the official results.

[tinanator]

15. there is no excuse and it can only cause doubt

who here couldnt tabulate several hundred ballots in a few hours?
Any other country could run circles around us with handcounts.
No lube, not even a kiss.

[Freddie Stubbs]

22. They can't count what they don't have

Not all of the town have reported yet.

[revcarol]

24. Maine is THAT BIG????...

THAT THEY COULDN'T GET IN A CAR AND GET THE BALLOTS IN A COUPLE OF HOURS?

Come on. I am suspecting the numbers now!!

[Padraig18]

25. Yeah, no cars, no telephones, etc. .

Maine is Outer Mongolia, apparently. :eyes:

[maxanne]

28. this is bat guano

Aroostook county is remote and sparsely populated - true. Therefore the ballots should take no time to count. Even if there weren't phone service, they could have driven to a pay phone in California by now.

[Padraig18]

31. "The dog ate my homework"

It's a pathetic excuse, at best. MaineDem has said there are problems she won't go into, but whatever they are, they are disturbing to her, from her comments on this subject.

[Freddie Stubbs]

32. I'm sure if there were any funny business going on

The affected candidates or their Maine supporters would be raising a ruckus. Or maybe they don't care about Democracy either.

[maxanne]

36. ever since 2000

I'm not so sure about any election.

[maxanne]

53. kick n/t

:kick:

[stickdog]

62. You mean like the voters of Florida did in 2000?

Thank God they got thatr straightened out fair and square before anyone was labeled a sore loserman!

[maxanne]

44. there seem to be

2 factions here - those who want to know and those who don't. I find this very perplexing.

[Cuban_Liberal]

47. It's only one 'camp' that doesn't seem to want to know.

The rules prohibit me from saying which one I perceive it to be.

[Freddie Stubbs]

48. I certainly want to know

That's why I got off my fat butt, picked up the phone, and called the Maine Democratic Party HQ.

Maine Democratic Party- Main Office
P O Box 5258
Augusta, Maine 04332
Office: 12 Spruce Street, Augusta
Hours: 9 - 5, Monday to Friday
Phone: [phone]

They answered all of my questions. Perhaps they can answer yours.

[maxanne]

49. I wasn't

implying that you were one of the ostrich faction, Freddie. I applaud you for digging for the answers to your questions - and for posting helpful information on this thread.

[Exgeneral]

55. kick

this story really disturbs me.

[maxanne]

56. kick n/t

:kick:

[maxanne]

58. 95%

are now reporting. It's been over a week. Totally fucking amazing.

http://www.mainedems.org/