Corrected Ballots in Mail

By Michael P. Neufeld Crestline Courier  11 October 2004
  

Sixty thousand corrected absentee ballots are being sent by first-class mail after San Bernardino County election officials found party affiliations were left off of the 31st State Senate seat being vacated by Senator Jim Brulte (R-Rancho Cucamonga). The "defective" absentee ballots were mailed to residents of the 31st District last week by bulk mail. The district includes most of the mountain communities including Crestline, Lake Arrowhead and Running Springs.

Registrar of Voters Scott Konopasek also indicated a similar problem surfaced in the 62nd Assembly District that includes San Bernardino, Fontana, Colton and Rialto.

The bulk-mailed absentee ballots are still valid even though Bob Dutton wasn't identified as a Republican and Marjorie Musser Mikels as a Democrat. In the Assembly district, Marge Mendoza-Ware was not shown as a Republican and Joe Baca, Jr. as a Democrat.

Konopasek, who didn't disclose who made the mistake, indicated absentee voters in the mountain communities can use either ballot to vote in the 31st State Senate race. "However, only one will be counted," Konopasek stated. "Just because they have two ballots in their hand doesn't mean that they can commit fraud."

He also disclosed absentee ballots are examined to ensure no one votes more than once in the same election.

County spokesperson David Wert also issued a statement indicating many mountain residents will receive the corrected absentee ballot before they receive the one mailed last week by bulk mail.

Accompanying the corrected ballot will be a cover letter explaining the error. In addition, the candidates have all been notified of the error and the county's plan to mail the corrected ballots by first-class mail.

County officials were also quick to point out that the omission of party affiliations on the absentee ballots will not impact the touch-screen voting machines, future absentee ballot mailings or the paper ballots that will be available at polls in the mountain communities on election day, Nov. 2.

Mountain residents began receiving their sample ballot and information packets late last week. That booklet indicates the voter's polling place and has the party affiliations listed correctly for Dutton and Mikels in the 31st State Senate district.

Dutton did not submit a candidate statement for inclusion in the sample ballot but Mikels did. Dutton currently represents the 63rd Assembly District and Mikels is listed as a constitutional lawyer and small business owner.

The Nov. 2 election will include election of the President of the United States, United States Senator, U.S. House of Representatives, State Senate, State Assembly, numerous statewide propositions and San Bernardino County's Measure I (transportation).

"Many voters," said Konopasek, "have chosen to become permanent absentee voters since this option was made available by legislation in 2002. We anticipate that nearly a third of the ballots cast in next month's election will be through the mail.

"We have tried to keep polling locations stable over the last four elections," the registrar continued, "and have worked diligently to find the most suitable and most acceptable locations for voting."

Poll workers are still needed at several locations throughout San Bernardino County. Registered voters interested in working the election should contact the Registrar of Voters office at (909) 387-2308. Spanish speaking poll workers are also needed. Individuals can also send an e-mail indicating their willingness to work on Election Day to: registrar@rov.sbcounty.gov.

"We are always in need of civic minded citizens who are willing to be trained and work at the polls on Election Day," Konopasek stated.

Brulte, who was term-limited out, served in the state legislature for 14 years and from April 2000 until May 2004 served as the Senate Minority leader. Prior to the election of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Brulte was considered to be the most powerful Republican in California.