Nader calls for US election recounts
Thu Nov 11, 5:14 PM ET ?Politics - AFP
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Ralph Nader (news - web sites), an independent presidential candidate, has called for recounts of November 2 voting results, to ensure that every ballot was counted amid allegations of irregularities.
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Nader, who this year drew about one percent of the vote nationally, said Wednesday he was speaking out for the \"thousands\" of US voters asking for recounts and not on his own behalf.
\"Over 2,000 citizens, including voting rights advocates, are urging, in writing, the Nader Camejo campaign to help make sure every vote is counted and counted accurately. The Nader-Camejo campaign does not view the election to be over merely because concession speeches, which have no legal effect, have been given. Rather, they are over when every vote is counted and legally certified,\" Nader said.
He urged recounts particularly in the hotly disputed states of Ohio and Florida, which went to Bush, New Hampshire which went to Kerry, and North Carolina, which went to Bush.
\"Striking inconsistencies exist between the vote as reported on the AccuVote Diebold Machines and exit polls and voting trends in New Hampshire. These irregularities in the reported vote count favor president George W. Bush by five to 15 percent over what was expected.
\"Problems in these electronic voting machines and optical scanners are being reported in machines in a variety of states,\" Nader added.
However, Democrats said there was no need to challenge the outcome.
\"Unlike 2000, the Republicans simply received more votes than Democrats in this election,\" said Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) Chairman Terry McAuliffe in a statement.
\"We are not contesting the outcome of this election.
\"But, win, lose or draw, the Democratic party feels that every vote is a voice, and to that end, we are committed to ensuring that every vote cast in 2004 be counted,\" he said.
Bev Harris, author of a book, \"Black Box Voting,\" has for years questioned US voting procedures, including the 2004 vote, which she said was particularly questionable in Ohio, the state that tipped the scales toward Bush's victory.
She said she plans to take advantage of an Ohio law that allows a group of no less than five citizens to demand a recount.
Rumors of fraud have been circulating in this state, and news out of the region has added fuel to the fire. A computer error gave Bush 4,258 votes and 260 to Kerry -- although just 638 voters had cast ballots. The local election committee said later that the count was rectified.
Other states with disputed results, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Florida, once again questioned after being the cause of a 36-day delay in counting ballots in 2000.
Nader said he had already begun the procedure to demand a recount in New Hampshire, where Bush won an unexpected number of votes.
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