Election still has readers riled up

In the proud tradition of the 2000 presidential vote, resistance to the election of Republican George W. Bush continues on long after a decision in the matter has been made.

Of course, four years ago, we were talking about a Florida margin of victory of just 537 votes, and there was good reason for serious questions.

This year in Ohio - the epicenter of this year's White House vote - we are talking about a margin of victory of some 118,000 votes.

Response to last week's "Notebook" about the pending recount has poured in from across the nation.

"The Libertarian and Green call for a recount is not making some 'obscure political point,' " wrote Nick Raleigh of Minneapolis. "We live in a democracy. Our government is supposed to be for, by, and of the people. Every eligible adult is entitled to a vote in our elections. For democracy to work and for us to have confidence in our government, every vote counts and must be counted. The discrepancy between the exit polls in Ohio and the reported results are enough to raise alarm. The reported problems with the paperless, computerized voting machines are also troubling, and merit thorough investigation.

"Even if Ohio's electoral vote does not change because of the recount, voters in Ohio will at least know their votes were counted properly and their voice was accurately heard. In addition, a recount will reveal whether voting fraud or Election Day tampering occurred to give the state to Bush. Both of these benefits are well worth the minuscule public expenditure required. Interesting article. I can't say I agreed with a single thing you wrote."

Ah, those exit polls. That bastion of authentic public sentiment. Forget the ballots people actually cast. What's important is what they told the pollster outside.

What Mr. Raleigh is saying is that it is more likely that Ohio's partisan poll workers would risk federal prosecution, jail time, and national scorn to fiddle with a few votes than it is that voters would lie to total strangers with clipboards who want them to betray one of their most sacred civic acts.

As for the "minuscule public expenditure," Mr. Raleigh is probably unaware of Ohio's extensive official canvass, which takes about a month. The last time a statewide recount was conducted was 1990, when the race for state attorney general was scrutinized.

That recount effort, which involved Democrat Lee Fisher's victory over Republican Paul Pfeifer, saw 146 votes change, out of 3,360,162 votes cast in the race. That amounts to a variation of 0.0043 percent - or 43 thousandths of 1 percent.

Carlo LoParo, spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, said Friday that the pending recount is expected to cost $1.5 million. Adjusting the figures to account for an increase in voters this year (5.6 million, compared to 3.6 million in 1990, which means you could expect a variance of about 200 votes in a recount), it would cost $7,500 to find each one of those votes, with absolutely no change in the outcome of the election.

Maybe that's minuscule in a state where they elect professional wrestlers to their highest political office, but Ohioans may have a different opinion.

Oh, and by the way, Nick: we live in a republic.

"Let me get it straight: The voters must ask a federal judge permission for a recount. Thank God I don't vote. Why not change the Constitution from WE, THE PEOPLE to WE, THE JUDGES," writes Joseph Russoniello from New York City. "I am ready to offer $1 to each voter in Ohio to tell me for whom they have voted in the last election. That would be the best and correct recount."

You've almost got it right, Joe. A federal judge in Toledo was asked to grant an early recount of the ballots, but the judge declined the request. State law provides that judges actually need not be involved in an election recount. Any party that has standing in an election (a candidate or his agent) can ask for a recount, but only after the vote is certified by Secretary Blackwell. That certification will come today, Mr. LoParo said. So until now, all requests for recounts have been premature.

And if you're looking for help, I've got better ways you could spend your $5.6 million.

Dear Fritz,

Don't blame the Greens for the recount. If you hillbillies could manage running a clean election it wouldn't be necessary. Ohio has become the trailer park of the north.

Good Luck,

Don Jones
Pleasant Ridge, Mich.

You've got to have sympathy for Mr. Jones. First, Mr. Kerry loses the election. Then the Buckeyes trounce the Wolverines. It's been a tough fall, even for those in cushy Oakland County.