Re: University Researchers Challenge Bush Win In Florida

[Valdis.Kletnieks () vt edu]

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 22:41:07 CST, Paul Schmehl said:

> I'm no mathematician, but I suspect the probability of this is somewhere
> slightly south of null.  Do you have any concept of how elections are run?
> In *many* states each *county* determines the ballot type and layout, the
> voting machines used, etc., etc.  Merely to calculate the odds and determine
> the proper order of the ballot would be an astronomical task, and *then*
> you'd have to convince the election board in each county, *including* those
> controlled by the opposing party, to design the ballot the way *you* wanted
> it designed.

So when Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida, appoints a State Commissioner of Elections,
and drops a hint or two, there's NO way for said Commissioner to make sure that
things happen the way Jeb's brother wants them to happen?

Simply issuing an edict that candidates shall be listed alphabetically (and
leaving the rest to the slight "first candidate listed" bias) would suffice
unless the Democrats fielded somebody who's name started with 'A'....

Might want to study up a bit - political machines from Boss Tweed to
Richard Daley have had absolutely *no* problems in getting the ballot
to go the way they wanted....

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