Miami-Dade elections officials plan to meet with international observers

By Tania Valdemoro
Miami Bureau  South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Posted September 20 2004

Miami · Miami-Dade elections officials said Sunday that despite scheduling conflicts, they intend to meet with international observers who are touring Florida this week to study how elections have been conducted in Miami-Dade, Broward and Orange counties since the 2000 presidential vote.

Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Constance Kaplan informed the group on Sept. 4 that she could not meet with them today because she had to finalize several tasks such as coding ballots and qualifying candidates for upcoming municipal elections.

"I am trying to see if my deputy Lester Sola can meet with them," she said Sunday. "Between the Nader issues and the hurricanes, I just don't have the time tomorrow."

Fair Election International, a project of the human rights group Global Exchange, brought 20 international election experts from 14 countries to Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Missouri and Ohio to investigate election controversies.

This week, Florida's four-person delegation will study touch-screen voting machines, voter registration, absentee ballots, poll worker training, manual recounts and restoring voting rights for ex-felons.

All 20 observers will compile observations and issue a report by mid-October, said Ted Lewis, director of Fair Election International.

The group said they are meeting with Broward Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes today.

Kaplan said she welcomed independent monitors, having been one herself in Indonesia, China, South Africa, Zambia and Albania with various groups.

"I have no philosophical problems with this at all," she said.

Earlier Sunday, the Miami-Dade Election Reform Coalition had criticized Kaplan for saying Sept. 4 she would not meet with the observers.

They said that showed Kaplan and other county officials did not want outsiders to expose the department's problems.

"Without the blessing of the county, you [observers] won't have access to polling places during the election or beforehand," said Lida Rodriguez-Taseff, the coalition's chairwoman.

Kaplan said the observers do not legally qualify to be at the polls. Later Sunday, after talking with her advisers, she said she would take the meeting.

Miami-Dade spokeswoman Aimee Artiles said the Office of Inspector General and Audit Management Services were already in place to monitor the election and take part in pre-and post-election election auditing.