Was Blackwell in charge of the Sunni vote?

[wakemewhenitsover]

From today's New York Times...

Tens of Thousands of Iraqis May Have Missed Vote, Officials Say

BAGHDAD, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Iraqis, notably in restive Sunni Arab areas, may have been denied their right to vote on Sunday because of insufficient ballots and polling centres, officials said.

Iraq began compiling election results from around the country on Tuesday after a barrage of election day attacks by Sunni militants failed to deter millions from voting.

But officials said many Iraqis arrived late to find ballot sheets had run out, possibly skewing results for the already disgruntled minority.

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/01/international/middleeast/01cnd-vote.html?oref=login

[New Earth]

1. hahahah

Or there was a Sunni version of Blackwell.....took a few tips from him.....

[roguevalley]

2. They told people they would not get their monthly food allowance

if they didn't vote.

http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=27256


BAGHDAD, Jan 31 (IPS) - Voting in Baghdad was linked with receipt of food rations, several voters said after the Sunday poll. Many Iraqis said Monday that their names were marked on a list provided by the government agency that provides monthly food rations before they were allowed to vote.

"I went to the voting centre and gave my name and district where I lived to a man," said Wassif Hamsa, a 32-year-old journalist who lives in the predominantly Shia area Janila in Baghdad. "This man then sent me to the person who distributed my monthly food ration." Mohammed Ra'ad, an engineering student who lives in the Baya'a district of the capital city reported a similar experience. Ra'ad, 23, said he saw the man who distributed monthly food rations in his district at his polling station. "The food dealer, who I know personally of course, took my name and those of my family who were voting," he said. "Only then did I get my ballot and was allowed to vote."


"Two of the food dealers I know told me personally that our food rations would be withheld if we did not vote," said Saeed Jodhet, a 21-year-old engineering student who voted in the Hay al-Jihad district of Baghdad.


There has been no official indication that Iraqis who did not vote would not receive their monthly food rations. Many Iraqis had expressed fears before the election that their monthly food rations would be cut if they did not vote. They said they had to sign voter registration forms in order to pick up their food supplies.


Their experiences on the day of polling have underscored many of their concerns about questionable methods used by the U.S.-backed Iraqi interim government to increase voter turnout. Just days before the election, 52 year-old Amin Hajar who owns an auto garage in central Baghdad had said: "I'll vote because I can't afford to have my food ration cut...if that happened, me and my family would starve to death."

[wakemewhenitsover]

3. Wow!