Nader doing voters favor through recount

Nashua Telegraph  Editorial

Published: Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2004
KEY POINTS 
BACKGROUND: Ralph Nader, whose candidacy for president as an independent received few votes on Nov. 2, has secured a recount in eight communities.
CONCLUSION: His concern is the accuracy of optical scanning machines in recording votes cast for President Bush and John Kerry , but the exercise will prove beneficial to New Hampshire as a whole. 

Ralph Nader got nowhere with his presidential candidacy on Nov. 2, but nevertheless he?s seeking a recount in New Hampshire. He?s not seeking the recount on his own behalf but curiously because he thinks President Bush may have been credited with more votes that he should have.

His concern, however, will ultimately benefit all voters.

Specifically, the consumer advocate-turned-politician is asking that the vote count in eight communities be examined. They include Litchfield Pelham, Sandown, Newton, one ward in Somersworth, Danville, Salem and four wards in Manchester.

Nader thinks that mistakes in the vote count may have occurred through the use of optical scanning voting machines. The paper ballots scanned are deposited in the machines, leaving a paper trail for a hand recount.

According to Secretary of State Bill Gardner, the Nader campaign ?couldn?t understand why Sen. Kerry could so do well in these communities in the primary and then under-perform compared to the 2000 election against Bush.?

Kerry carried New Hampshire but Gardner said Nader campaign officials question why Bush received a much higher percentage of the vote in southern New Hampshire than he did in 2000 when he was running against Vice President Al Gore.

Well, for starters, this was an election with different issues. The economy in 2000 was still basking in the glow of the 1990s boom. And Sept. 11 hadn?t happened or the war in Iraq.

Secondly, Nader staffers may fail to grasp the importance of independents. They may decide a party?s nominee in a primary, but in a general election they could vote for the opponent. While independents prize their non-party ties, they may be the ultimate wafflers.

The Nader campaign officials will decide after the votes in these eight communities are scrutinized whether they wish to recount the votes in more cities and towns.

While the Nader campaign has its own issues in seeking the recount, the exercise will be fruitful in terms of examining the precision of scanning machines in recording votes. Nader has put down $2,000 for the recount.

There are plenty of suspicions swirling on the Internet that optical scanners were unreliable in this election.

At his expense, New Hampshire will be provided with yet another opportunity to verify whether the optical scanning machines are delivering the correct count.

That?s always important in a democracy. So go to it, and thanks for caring.