DeMaio Floods Colleges with Anti-Filner Flyer
We’ve received a copy of the flyers that were distributed on college campuses throughout San Diego today by young people hoping to dissuade young voters from casting their ballots for Bob Filner by saying that he was proposing to shut down bars. One source told me that students were seen carrying armfuls of flyers at UCSD.
Coronado Polling Place Segregating Party Voters
We’ve received an email from a reader saying that Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Coronado Island had two lines one with a red sign and one with a blue sign. When she asked a worker which line to go to the person said Red is for Republicans and Blue is for Democrats.
Conservative New Aggregator Drudge Says It’s Bad
From fairly reliable sources:
Drudge reporting Obama leading exit polls in PA, MI, NH, NV, and OH. If that holds, Romney is toast….Obama camp likes what they are seeing in turnout and latest exit polling…. State election officials in both Virginia and New Hampshire now say turnout is “exceeding” 2008 levels… REMEMBER THIS IS NOT OFFICIAL!
Exit Poll Data About to Leak…
The quarantine room set up for the big news networks and wire services has adjourned for the day. They’re not supposed to give out any hard data, just trends. Watch for a partisan hack to leak some results momentarily. And they’re a strong chance they’ll be misleading. From the Washington Post:
Polling analysts rush from the quarantine to deliver briefings to their media brethren, and exit poll subscribers (like The Washington Post) get first look at the data. Until polls close in each state, there are clear restrictions on reporting estimates of HOW voters are voting — either overall or among subgroups — so nearly all data released at this point will be — should be — describing WHO the electorate is (e.g. the percent are men, independent, under 30), and how they answer substantive questions such as the most important issue in their vote (a guess, anyone?).
Take all these results with a big grain of salt, as they are preliminary. Be extra wary of claims that turnout among young voters is way down. Older voters tend to cast ballots – and respond to exit polls – earlier in the day. It won’t be clear until all interviews are in how old or young the electorate actually is.
Carl DeMaio’s Devious Plan to Get the Student Vote
From Lorena Gonzalez, who promises pictures to go with this soon:
.@carldemaio folks at SDSU handing out flyers saying @bobfilnermayor wants to shut down the bars. pics to come #pathetic #desperate
— Lorena Gonzalez (@LorenaSGonzalez) November 6, 2012
When to Start Looking for Election Results
Here in San Diego there will be info released shortly after 8 pm. Some very general exit polling information on races around the country will start tricking out at about 3 pm today. Nationally (all times are PST) we can see trends starting at 4 pm (Virginia), 4:30 pm (Ohio & North Carolina) and at 5 pm polls are closing in 16 states and the District of Columbia. Two key battlegrounds are Florida and New Hampshire. At 6 p.m. Polls close in 14 states, including Wisconsin and Colorado. and at 7 p.m, polls close in four states, including Nevada and Iowa.
GOTV Harassment Updated: Jaguar Owner Says He’s “Looking Into Situation”.
Earlier we reported on an incident involving harassment of GOTV workers; labor leader Lorena Gonzalez tweeted a phone of a Jaguar’s license plate being driven by the individual involved. The register owner turns out to be David J Ruyle. From reporter Andy Cohen comes this information:
The San Diego Free Press reached a man who identified himself as David Ruyle by phone this afternoon. We asked him if he could confirm whether he is in fact the owner the Jaguar whose driver has been seen at polling places “harassing volunteers today” throughout San Diego. He politely declined to answer any questions, saying that he was “looking into” the situation. He said that he had received several phone calls about the matter, including at least one threat to his safety. Asked if he was a part of any organization such as the Election Integrity Project or True the Vote, Mr. Ruyle said he was unaware of any such groups. “I am just a regular voter like you are,” he said.
Sometimes Dead Men Really Do Get to Vote.
From The Detroit News comes the story of a man who died while filling in his ballot, got revived, and finished the task at hand:
Ty Houston, 48, a home care registered nurse, was toiling on his absentee ballot Monday afternoon when things got strange at township offices on 13 Mile. “I was filling out the form as were an elderly couple sitting at a nearby table,” said Houston on Tuesday. “His wife, who was helping him fill out the ballot, asked him a couple of questions but he didn’t respond. She screamed for help and I went over to see what I could do.”
Houston laid the victim on the floor and went to work. “He was dead,” Houston said. “He had no heartbeat and he wasn’t breathing. I started CPR, and after a few minutes, he revived and started breathing again. He knew his name and his wife’s name.”
What happened next astounded Houston and the victim’s wife. “The first question he asked was ‘Did I vote?'”
Dumbfounded, the man’s wife told him that whether he voted was the least of their concerns. “She told him ‘Your life is my concern,'” Houston said. According to Houston, the man — who had a tracheotomy in his throat — gulped down a few more breaths and then told her there are only two things that are important to me: “That I love you and that I finished what I came here to do … vote.”
Breaking: Machine turns vote for Obama into one for Romney
A Pennsylvania electronic voting machine has been taken out of service after being captured on video changing a vote for President Obama into one for Mitt Romney, NBC News has confirmed. Republicans have also said machines have turned Romney votes into Obama ones.
The video was first posted on Youtube by user “centralpavoter.” It shows a voter’s finger repeatedly pressing the button for Obama, but a check mark coming up next to Romney’s name. h/t OB Rag, which is doing a great job of live blogging this.
Voter Fraud spotted…
h/t Josh Stearns via Twitter for Photo
Is Mitt Romney a Gay Abortionist?
Probably not, but that’s one of the excuses right wingers are dreaming up in case he loses. See all six excuses at Joshua Holland’s story via Alternet.
Election Protection in Action
Twitter photo from Washington Dc via Amanda Terkel @ Huffpo:
Voting Place Issues in Southern California
The LA Times reports:
Voter rights advocates from the Election Protection Coalition, which has a phone bank to monitor voting problems, said some of their highest call volume was coming from California on Tuesday morning.
Barbara Arnwine of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which spearheads the coalition, said callers were complaining about “a smattering of different things,” including demands from poll workers for identification.
There also were reports of “unpleasant interactions” with voting monitors from True the Vote, the tea party-affiliated organization. The coalition said it had received 1,571 calls from California before 9 a.m.
Six things to Know About the House Races
From the National Journal – Biggest Takeaway:
For the first time ever, white men will no longer be the majority of the Democratic caucus. In 1953, white men were 98 percent of House Democrats and 97 percent of House Republicans. Today, white men are down to 53 percent of Democrats and 86 percent of Republicans. In 2013, for the first time, white men will be a minority of the Democratic caucus as Blue Dogs (predominantly white men) exit and women and minority candidates claim more diverse, newly drawn districts.
No, You Don’t Need ID to Vote in San Diego!
Vince Hall, who works with the local Planned Parenthood chapter reports via Twitter that:
Poll worker to man behind me in line: “Sorry sir, but you need some form of ID to #vote.” I had to get all Samuel L. Jackson.
GOTV Workers Harassed
Lorena Gonzalez from the San Diego / Imperial County Labor Council reports that Get out the Vote workers are being harassed in San Diego. There’s a picture of the license plate on his Jaguar (inside). She also reports that at ‘Gospel Center Church near Mt Hope a so-called “poll observer” yelled at our folks & tried to intimidate poll worker’. UPDATE via Twitter: TRIKLDN = 2005 Jaguar. Registered owner is David J Ruyle. This is the guy harassing our volunteers /voters
Fox News Runs with Scary Black Man Video (Again)
From Crooks & Liars:
It’s scary-black-man déjà vu all over again at Fox News. This morning, as the polls opened across the country – and the New York Times’ Nate Silver gave President Obama a 92% chance of winning the election – a Fox News Alert warned, as Steve Doocy put it, that “some critics” say that a member of the New Black Panther Party “standing guard” outside a Philadelphia polling place “looks like intimidation, like in 2008.”
Well, if it is like 2008, then the only thing to fear is how Fox News may misuse and distort the incident. An excellent article in Main Justice, a website that reports on the DOJ, explains with great clarity and specificity just how Fox teamed up with GOP operatives to politicize – in an especially racial context – the Obama administration’s decision not to make a federal case out of the inconsequentially semi-thuggish behavior of two black men acting as poll watchers in a district with 34 whites in a precinct of 970. Nearly two years later, Main Justice noted:
“No voters at all in the Philadelphia precinct have come forward to allege intimidation. The complaints have come from white Republican poll watchers, who have given no evidence they were registered to vote in the majority black precinct.”
Doocy and Fox seemed determined to fear monger and the evidence be damned – or hidden. As a lower-third banner misleadingly referred to the man as a member of “Black Panthers,” (when that group has disavowedany association with the New Black Panther Party), Doocy said,
A member of the New Black Panther Party standing guard outside a polling place in Philadelphia. Hmm. The organization claims they are monitoring the 2012 election but some critics say that it looks like intimidation, like in 2008. And in an election that is virtually tied, every vote counts.”
Romney Poll Numbers Wrong…
A story in the British press yesterday that purported to ‘leak’ Mitt Romney’s internal polling numbers turns out to be erroneous.
The leaked numbers had Romney ahead by a single percentage point in Ohio, three points up in New Hampshire, two points up in Iowa, even in Wisconsin and tied in Pennsylvania.
The Romney campaign is now saying internals attributed to their pollster Neil Newhouse were wrong. Hope springs eternal….
Something Chrysler is not doing: shifting Jeep production and jobs to China. Something Chrysler is doing: giving workers the day off to vote. The auto manufacturer’s vice president of design tweets:
— @RalphGilles via Twitter for iPhone
A week ago, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne sent employees an email saying that because of the “public debate” over the Jeep jobs (i.e. because of Romney’s lies), “I feel obliged to unambiguously restate our position” that Chrysler is not only not moving jobs to China but expanding its American workforce. And now all those Ohio and Michigan workers have the day off to vote.
It’s nice to watch a lie biting Mitt Romney in the ass in real time, isn’t it?
Nate Silver’s (NY Times) Predictions:
Electoral College Obama 313 Romney 225
Popular Vote Obama 50.8% Romney 48.3%
Chance of Winning Obama 90.9% Romney 9.1%
We’ll come back and look at these predictions as needed during the day. I consider Nate Silver to be the (excuse the pun) Gold Standard in polling.
Today’s Starting Line column here at the San Diego Free Press will feature regularly updated reporting. You can (and we encourage you to) participate, via comments, email (contact@SandiegoFreePress.org,) and Twitter @SanDiegoFreePressorg.
How was your voting experience?
New posts will go at the top of the column, so you’ll be reading in reverse chronological order.
Only 1462 days until the 2016 election! Our round-the-clock coverage starts…NOW
If we lose this election there is only one explanation — demographics. … If I hear anybody say it was because Romney wasn’t conservative enough I’m going to go nuts. We’re not losing 95 percent of African-Americans and two-thirds of Hispanics and voters under 30 because we’re not being hard-ass enough,” – Senator Lindsey Graham.
Photo from SDFP columnist John Patrick Anderson, taken yesterday in Coronado. He promises more photos later on today
SD registrar: 464,127 mail ballots returned as of Monday. About 370,000 will be processed and in the count tonight, about 30% of total vote.
Mo’ Bettah Live Blogging of the Election Results:
Check in with OB Rag for hyper-local / national news, results and coverage
Voting Information
The League of Women Voters and groups interested in voting rights have coalesced behind Election Protection. In addition to advising voters on their rights via the 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-VE-Y-VOTA hot lines, they have announced the Election Protection phone app.
Anna Daniels has terrific information that should answer any question you have about local voting here.
Our guide to voting on the California Propositions is here. All of our election coverage can be found here. And you can always search, using the search bar.
How the exit polling system used in the mass media works
(From Huffington Post):
At11 a.m. today, representatives from five TV networks and the Associated Press will head into the “quarantine room,” an undisclosed location with no cell phone or Internet access.
That’s where the National Election Pool — ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox and the AP — start sifting through exit poll data provided by Edison Research. Six hours later, staffers will be permitted to start sending data to their respective news organizations, while additional exit polls, especially on the West Coast, keep coming in.
While news outlets can begin reporting after 5 p.m. on some general trends they have observed in exit polls, such as whether voters consider the economy the most important issue in the 2012 election, they’re not permitted to publish or broadcast any information that suggests which way a state is leaning until its polls close and actual vote numbers start streaming in.
Election Parties:
(Updated as we get more info )
The Lincoln Club
What: Lincoln Club of San Diego County’s Election Night reception
Who: Republican fat cats (a huge source of funds for righties)
Where: The US Grant Hotel |Palm Court: 326 Broadway,San Diego 92101
When: Tuesday, November 6 at7PM (candidate announcements start at about9:30PM; see detailed list below)
Note: Press patch on site. Contact Tony Manolatos for Wi-Fi password.
Watch live at: www.sdlincolnclub.org
Speaking order/approximate times:
- Carl DeMaio:11PM
- Ray Ellis:10:45PM
- Brian Bilbray:10:30PM
- George Plescia:10:15PM
- Rocky Chavez:10PM
- Steve Danon:9:45PM
- Pamela Bensoussan 9:30PM
Democrats/Organized labor Election Night Watch Party
What: Early Evening Results Watch
Who: Mostly not Republicans
Where: The Westin Gaslamp Quarter, 910 Broadway Circle, San Diego, CA 92101
Reception: Garden Terrace Ballroom, 4th Floor
When: Tuesday, November 6 Starts at 8:01pm – ends later on, depending on how well the Dems do at the polls.
Proposition Z Election Night Party
What: Early Evening Results Watch
Who: Supporters of San Diego’s School Bond measure
Where: Stout Public House 1125 6th Avenue (Downtown)
When: Tuesday, November 6 7:30-9pm
Voice of San Diego Election Party
What: Cocktails, snacks and patriotic party favors
Who: VOSD staff & supporters ($10 for non-members, $5 for reg. members, Free for bigger donors)
Where: Co-Merge Workplace, 330 A Street San Diego, CA 92101
When: Tuesday, November 6, 7-10 pm
Other Voter Guides:
San Diego City Beat Handy Clip Out Endorsements here
We like. For the most part.
The Voice of San Diego Voter Guide can be found here.
(You’ll note links here to everybody else but SDFP; that’s OK, we’re not petty)
KPBS Voter Guide here
Very Straightforward. Just the facts, mostly.
San Diego LGBT Weekly ‘Time to Decide’ article
Thoughtful Stuff
San Diego Democratic Party Voter Guide here
The official one.
San Diego Green Party Voter Guide here
The official one.
San Diego Republican Party Voter Guide here
The (cough, cough) official one
League of Women Voters “Smart Voter” here
A web portal. Tons of useful info.
San Diego / Imperial Labor Council Endorsements here
Very comprehensive list.
The UT-San Diego Voter Guide here
Pretty dry. The endorsements are below.
The UT-San Diego Endorsements here
Short & Sweet; Helpful if you want to know how Not to vote
On This Day (Non-Election Edition): In 1975 The Sex Pistols made their live debut at St. Martin’s School of Art in London. In 1986 U.S. intelligence sources confirmed a story run by the Lebanese magazine Ash Shiraa that reported the U.S. had been secretly selling arms to Iran in an effort to secure the release of seven American hostages. In 1995 Art Modell, the owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced plans to move his team to Baltimore.
Eat Fresh! Today’s Farmers’ Markets: Coronado (1st St. & B Ave., Ferry Landing) 2:30 – 6 pm, Escondido (Grand Ave. btw Juniper & Kalmia St.) 2:30 – 6:00 pm , Mira Mesa (Mira Mesa High School 10510 Reagan Rd.) 3–7 pm, Morena District (1240 West Morena Blvd.) 3 – 7 pm, Otay Ranch – Chula Vista (2015 Birch Rd. and Eastlake Blvd.) 4 –8 pm, Pacific Beach (Bayard & Garnet) 2 – 6:30pm, UCSD/La Jolla (UCSD Campus, Town Square at Gilman/Meyers) 10 am – 2 pm (Sept. 25 through mid-June; closed for winter, spring and summer breaks)
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to “The Starting Line” and get an email every time a new article in this series is posted!
I read the Daily Fishwrap(s) so you don’t have to… Catch “the Starting Line” Monday thru Friday right here at San Diego Free Press (dot) org. Send your hate mail and ideas
Doug Porter
Latest posts by Doug Porter (see all)
- Last Call. Last Column. - December 14, 2018
- Which Presidential Candidate Will You Support in 2020? - December 13, 2018
- Mounting the Assault on Big Gay and Other Drivel From SDSU’s Minimum Wage Scrooge - December 12, 2018
GOTV for Bob.
Get a photo of the guy in the Jaguar and see if Anna can tie him to the Election Integrity Project.
Doug – please note this: More on that disturbing polling place in Coronado that divided voters into two lines depending on their party. I asked the person who reported for more details and here is what they sent:
The polling location in question was the Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Coronado Island. The voter said they had two lines one with a red sign and one with a blue sign. When she asked a worker which line to go to the person red is for Republicans and Blue is for Democrats.