spanner in the works

[rone]

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals "ordered California officials to halt preparations" for the gubernatorial recall election in October.

So, the system that elected Davis is now no longer good enough to recall him. Wacky. The 9th is going to catch a lot of shit from conservatives over this, and in this case, they probably deserve it.

Comments

[wisn.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I think the recall is a stupid idea, and postponing it is also stupid, but I have to agree with the principle behind the postponement: The process in some districts would be dependent on punchcard ballots, a voting system decertified by the state (which I take means those who use them are not legally registering votes, or not registering legal votes - in either event, an even uglier and more prolonged court battle if those votes are challenged).

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

I think you're right. Here (http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/6779192.htm)'s an article from the San Jose Mercury News:

The judges concluded Monday that 44 percent of voters would cast their ballots using an "antiquated" balloting system that former Secretary of State Bill Jones had deemed "unacceptable" and had banned for use in future elections.

I guess that changes my tune a bit. I wonder what the original timeline was to have those things replaced.

[wisn.livejournal.com]

Great quote (found in Tom Tomorrow's blog (http://www.thismodernworld.com/)):

'"The fight has just begun," [Attorney representing recall leader Ted Costa, Charles] Diamond told Reuters. "If (punch cards) were good enough to elect our president we don't see why not they're not good enough to elect our Governor."'

Unfortunately it looks like it's been edited out of the news story (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20030915/ts_nm/politics_california_dc) since its first posting.