'Empty Ovals' Won't Be Counted (Donna Frye - S.Diego)

[Patiod]

SAN DIEGO — In a major defeat for write-in mayoral candidate Councilwoman Donna Frye on Monday, a judge refused to order that "empty oval" ballots for Frye be counted, despite a claim that such ballots would give her a victory.

<snip>

The decision by Superior Court Judge Eric Helgesen may spell the end to one of the city's most improbable candidacies: a write-in effort launched just five weeks before election day by a councilwoman known to many voters primarily as the wife of legendary surfer Skip Frye.

Frye, a Democrat, referred to her opponents, Murphy and county Supervisor Ron Roberts, both Republicans, as "Mr. Status and Mr. Quo."

<snip>

Frye, 52, owner of a surf shop, entered the race amid near daily news coverage of the city's pension deficit and declining credit rating.

Her campaign, backed by environmentalists and labor union members, was based on an assertion that Murphy and Roberts were about "business as usual" and not capable of fixing the city's financial problems.

Unofficial results released Friday by the registrar showed Murphy with 34.5% of the vote, Frye with 34.04% and Roberts with 31.02%.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-sdmayor23nov23,1,6303246.story?coll=la-news-politics-california

[Ducks In A Row]

1. so what are the recall procedure of San Diego?

[leesa]

2. So sad for democracy. They actually WROTE in her name, but because they

didn't black in the oval, it's thrown out. Republicans are anti-democracy without any doubt.

[gratuitous]

3. I wonder how that accords with California law?

Most states have an "intent of the voter" standard for counting a ballot. That is, if by examining the ballot, you can figure out how a voter intended to vote, you put that ballot into that candidate's column. So, someone turning in a ballot with no mark for any of the two printed candidates, but the name of a write-in candidate put on the line can be fairly said to have expressed an intention to vote for the write-in candidate.

Anyone have any information on the standard California uses for determining the intent of the voter?

[NV Whino]

4. I have no verifiable information, but

Wouldn't ya think, if they provide a space for write ins that they would count them?
I'm assuming there was a space provided. I know I have seen other ballots to accommodate write ins.

[Patiod]

5. But they won't count them if they didn't fill the oval, too

___ Candidate #1

___ Candidate #2

___ Write in: ________________________


If you ddidn't mark the spot next to "write-in", even if you wrote a name in, they are not going to count it.

They can't win without denying votes.

[Supersedeas]

6. Participating 1 of 9 times-Republican really do value civic responsibility

More Republican Family Values on Display

Lots of talk, but nadda much action.