For Immediate Release
Monday, October 18, 2004
Statement by AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee on Florida Department of State's Emergency Rule on Manual Recounts
"History is repeating itself in the Sunshine State. This is just another example of attempted voter suppression by Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood. Her new 'emergency rule' on manual recounts of touch-screen voting machines provides no guarantee that votes will be accurately recorded or counted by election officials.
"The new 'emergency rule' issued by Secretary Hood is a disingenuous attempt to convince Floridians that votes cast on touch-screen machines will be manually recounted. The truth of the matter is that her so-called 'manual recount' will be limited to looking at previously recorded machine totals. The 'emergency rule' totally ignores the plain meaning of a state law that requires election officials to manually examine and recount every ballot. The law does not create an 'exception' for votes cast on touch-screen machines.
"We intend to challenge the new 'emergency rule', just as we have challenged all of the other attempts by Gov. Jeb Bush and Secretary of State Hood to suppress the vote in Florida. In the meantime, we will continue to urge Florida voters using touch-screen voting machines to demand that these machines be outfitted with a verified paper trail.
"We will also continue to urge Florida voters to vote now, rather than waiting until November 2nd. State law requires every county to allow early voting starting today October 18. The best way to make sure your vote will be counted is to vote now."
