Florida Senate vote recount

What is going on in South Florida?

St. Petersburg, Fl
Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author: In Search of Robin, So You Want to Blog.

From The Rick Scott Campaign:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Yesterday, Governor Rick Scott made a statement regarding election results. The Governor's remarks as prepared for delivery are below. See the lawsuits that were filed in Palm Beach and Broward Counties today HERE and HERE.

"Late Tuesday night, our win was projected to be around 57,000 votes.

By Wednesday morning, that lead dropped to 38,000.

By Wednesday evening, it was around 30,000.

This morning, it was around 21,000.

Now, it is 15,000. 

On election night, Broward County said there were 634,000 votes cast.

At 1 am today, there were 695,700 ballots cast on election day.

At 2:30 pm today, the number was up to 707,223 ballots cast on election day.

And we just learned, that the number has increased to 712,840 ballots cast on election day.

In Palm Beach County, there are 15,000 new votes found since election night.

So - It has been over 48 hours since the polls closed and Broward and Palm Beach Counties are still finding and counting ballots – and the Supervisors – Brenda Snipes and Susan Bucher  - cannot seem to say how many ballots still exist or where these ballots came from, or where they have been.

The people of Florida deserve fairness and transparency and the supervisors are failing to give it to us.  

Every Floridian should be concerned there may be rampant fraud happening in Palm Beach and Broward Counties. And the Broward Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes has a history of acting in bad faith.

As you will recall, a judge ruled just this year that the office violated both state and federal laws by illegally destroying ballots in 2016.

In 2016, Brenda Snipes’ office posted election results half an hour before polls closed – a violation of election law. That same year, her office was sued for leaving amendments off of ballots.

In 2014, Brenda Snipes’ fellow democrats accused her of individual and systemic breakdowns that made it difficult for voters to cast regular ballots.

All Floridians should be concerned about that.

Palm Beach County is also refusing to provide information to the public. And they are illegally refusing to allow official party representatives into the ballot counting area and forcing people to stand behind a glass wall with limited visibility and no ability to hear what is going on.

This is a clear violation of Florida law – and we have just filed a lawsuit.

Both Broward and Palm Beach Counties have failed in their duty to follow Florida law which requires that vote by mail and absentee ballots are accounted within 30 minutes of polls closing. Further, Palm Beach County has failed to update the Department of State since 10:19 am yesterday. This is in complete violation of Florida law which requires updated reports every 45 minutes until results are completely reported.

We’ve all seen the incompetence and irregularities in vote tabulations in Broward and Palm Beach for years. Well…here we are again.

I will not sit idly by while unethical liberals try to steal this election from the people of Florida. 

Senator Nelson hired one of Hillary Clinton’s lawyers from D.C., and the first thing he did was tell reporters that he is here to win the election. He did not say that he wants a full and fair election or even an accurate vote count. Here are some other things he has said.

In 2010: When his democratic client in Minnesota was leading by 8,000 votes, he said the lead was 'insurmountable.'

In 2014: When his democratic client in Virginia was leading by 12,000 votes, he said there was 'no precedent' for a successful recount. He also said that recounts 'really only happen where you are talking about dozens or a few hundred votes separating the candidates.'

In 2013: When another one of his democratic clients in Virginia was leading by only 165 votes, he said that recounts 'do not tend to change the results.'

In 2016: When his democratic client in North Carolina was leading by 10,000 votes, he called it a 'close but significant margin' that would be 'insurmountable.' He also called on the opponent to 'graciously concede' rather than waste taxpayer money on a deficit that could not be overcome.

Again in 2016: When his client Hillary Clinton had lost the presidential race, he wrote an article highlighting that the margin of 10,704 votes in Michigan quote 'well exceeds the largest margin ever overcome in a recount.'

Now, he is here to try to steal the election, and to try to thwart the will of the voters of Florida.

Every day since the election, the leftwing activists in Broward county have been coming up with more and more ballots out of nowhere.  We all know what is going on.  Every person in Florida knows exactly what is happening. Their goal is to keep mysteriously finding more votes until the elections turn out the way they want.

And when that fails, they will file a bunch of lawsuits in order to try to overturn the will of the voters.

There are 67 counties in Florida, only these two counties are involved in these shenanigans. There are NO OTHER COUNTIES – REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT- that are trying to steal this election, or who are still finding ballots. 

Some believe that this is simply rank incompetence. THAT IS CLEARLY TRUE.

BUT it would also be naïve to not realize that they could be trying to overrule the will of the voters of Florida.

Tonight, I am asking the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate this immediately and I am considering every single legal option available.  

No rag tag group of liberal activists or lawyers from D.C. will be allowed to steal this election from the voters in the state of Florida.

I am proud to be the next Senator from the State of Florida and look forward to going up there and making Washington work for all Americans."

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (E. Eugene Webb) Friend request. Like or share on Facebook and follow me on TWITTER  @DOC ON THE BAY.
See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.  

Disclosures:

Contributor to: Rick Scott for US Senate , Ron DeSantis for Florida Governor

Please comment below

Florida is the big winner in the Mid-Term Elections.

For now, the problem will be keeping DeSantis focused on Florida and not on Trump and the 2020 presidential nomination process.

St. Petersburg, Fl
Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author: In Search of Robin, So You Want to Blog.

The voters of Florida turned out in record numbers for the mid-term elections. While Florida is a divided state as indicated by the close elections for Senate, Governor and the Florida Legislature common sense seemed to have prevailed, and the state will not move toward a liberal, “progressive” governance.

If Rick Scott’s lead holds up in the recount, Florida will finally have some representation in the Senate that is not beholding to everyone who waves a campaign dollar in his face. It will take Scott some time to make the transition from a big fish in a small pond to a little fish in the polluted waters of Washington politics. Scott’s work ethic and his ability to be politically independent should serve Florida well, just as it did in his two terms a governor.

While Ron DeSantis, whom I supported, is a bit of an unknown as a political and administrative leader, we can expect there will not be a sea change in how Florida does business, at least not in the near term.

Most telling will be the role DeSantis assigns to Jeanette Nunez, his Lieutenant Governor. Nunez is no stranger to politics, she is a healthcare businesswoman and Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives. If DeSantis brings her in and begins assigning key roles and responsibilities to her, it will be an early signal that he is looking at a potential shot at the vice presidency in 2020.

In the Legislature, it looks like DeSantis will have some strong support, and I would expect his approach to the Legislature should be a bit more collegiate than Rick Scott’s.

Look for DeSanctis to make a strong first rush at the environmental issues he outlined is his campaign platform. See my post Ron DeSantis on the Environment. Will the Legislature follow?

Florida dodged a bullet this election. A radical shift to the left led by a progressive socialist with questionable background would have been devastating for our state. And George Soros got exactly what he deserved for buying Gillum the nomination – a loss.

The political topology of Florida is changing much in line with what we are seeing nationally. In four years if the Democrats can nominate someone who is not being investigated for corruption and has Andrew Gillum’s charisma you might just start to see the state turn blue.

For now, the problem will be keeping DeSantis focused on Florida and not on Trump and the 2020 presidential nomination process.

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (E. Eugene Webb) Friend request. Like or share on Facebook and follow me on TWITTER  @DOC ON THE BAY.
See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.  

Disclosures:

Contributor to: Rick Scott for US Senate , Ron DeSantis for Florida Governor

Please comment below

Election Day is Tomorrow November 6, 2018

Are you ready to vote?

St. Petersburg, Fl

Opinion by: 
E. Eugene Webb PhD

Here are few useful links as you form your opinion and try to better understand what each proposed Constitutional amendment will do!

The League of Women Voters and this pdf from Florida Tax Watch give great insight on each amendment, along with their recommendation on how to vote on each. They also explain the implications for voting for or against each amendment.

Florida Association of Counties offers a quick explanation for each proposal, along with analysis of how some of the amendments will impact county governments if they’re approved. Click on each amendment to learn more and to read editorials on the topic from the state’s largest papers.

Below is a handy table with recommended votes based on my research of various political sites, newspapers and Blogs.

There is a column to record your vote and you can print it and take it with you to speed up your voting process at the polls.

2018 PROPOSED FLORIDA CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS			YOUR VOTE
1	Increased Homestead Property Tax Exemption	YES
2	Limitations on Property Tax Assessments	YES
3	Voter Control of Gambling in Florida	YES
4	Voting Restoration Amendment	NO
5	Supermajority Vote Required to Impose, Authorize, or Raise State Taxes or Fees	YES
6	Rights of Crime Victims; Judges	NO
7	First Responder and Military Member Survivor Benefits; Public Colleges and Universities	YES
8	REMOVED
9	Prohibits Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling; Prohibits Vaping in Enclosed Indoor Workplaces	YES
10	State and Local Government Structure and Operation	YES
11	Property Rights; Removal of Obsolete Provision; Criminal Statutes	YES
12	Lobbying and Abuse of Office by Public Officers	YES
13	Ends Dog Racing	YES

Below is the official description of the proposed constitutional Amendments  

Proposed Constitutional Amendments

No. 1 Constitutional Amendment - Affects: Article VII, Section 6 Article XII, Section 37 

Increased Homestead Property Tax Exemption - Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to increase the homestead exemption by exempting the assessed valuation of homestead property greater than $100,000 and up to $125,000 for all levies other than school district levies. The amendment shall take effect January 1, 2019.

No. 2 Constitutional Amendment - Affects: Article XII, Section 27 

Limitations on Property Tax Assessments - Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to permanently retain provisions currently in effect, which limit property tax assessment increases on specified non-homestead real property, except for school district taxes, to 10 percent each year. If approved, the amendment removes the scheduled repeal of such provisions in 2019 and shall take effect January 1, 2019.

No. 3 Constitutional Amendment - Affects: Article X, Section 29

Voter Control of Gambling in Florida - This amendment ensures that Florida voters shall have the exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling by requiring that in order for casino gambling to be authorized under Florida law, it must be approved by Florida voters pursuant to Article XI, Section 3 of the Florida Constitution. Affects articles X and XI. Defines casino gambling and clarifies that this amendment does not conflict with federal law regarding state/tribal compacts.

The amendment’s impact on state and local government revenues and costs, if any, cannot be determined at this time because of its unknown effect on gambling operations that have not been approved by voters through a constitutional amendment proposed by a citizens’ initiative petition process.

No. 4 Constitutional Amendment - Affects: Article VI, Section 4

Voting Restoration Amendment - This amendment restores the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions after they complete all terms of their sentence including parole or probation. The amendment would not apply to those convicted of murder or sexual offenses, who would continue to be permanently barred from voting unless the Governor and Cabinet vote to restore their voting rights on a case by case basis.

The precise effect of this amendment on state and local government costs cannot be determined, but the operation of current voter registration laws, combined with an increased number of felons registering to vote, will produce higher overall costs relative to the processes in place today. The impact, if any, on state and local government revenues cannot be determined. The fiscal impact of any future legislation that implements a different process cannot be reasonably determined.

No. 5 Constitutional Amendment - Affects: Article VII, Section 19

Supermajority Vote Required to Impose, Authorize, or Raise State Taxes or Fees - Prohibits the legislature from imposing, authorizing, or raising a state tax or fee except through legislation approved by a two-thirds vote of each house of the legislature in a bill containing no other subject. This proposal does not authorize a state tax or fee otherwise prohibited by the Constitution and does not apply to fees or taxes imposed or authorized to be imposed by a county, municipality, school board, or special district.

No. 6 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article I, Section 16, Article V, Sections 8 and 21, Article XII, New Section

Rights of Crime Victims; Judges - Creates constitutional rights for victims of crime; requires courts to facilitate victims’ rights; authorizes victims to enforce their rights throughout criminal and juvenile justice processes. Requires judges and hearing officers to independently interpret statutes and rules rather than deferring to government agency’s interpretation. Raises mandatory retirement age of state justices and judges from seventy to seventy-five years; deletes authorization to complete judicial term if one-half of term has been served by retirement age.

No. 7 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article IX, Sections 7 and 8, Article X, New Section

First Responder and Military Member Survivor Benefits; Public Colleges and Universities - Grants mandatory payment of death benefits and waiver of certain educational expenses to qualifying survivors of certain first responders and military members who die performing official duties. Requires supermajority votes by university trustees and state university system board of governors to raise or impose all legislatively authorized fees if law requires approval by those bodies. Establishes existing state college system as constitutional entity; provides governance structure.

No. 8 Removed

No. 9 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article II, Section 7, Article X, Section 20

Prohibits Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling; Prohibits Vaping in Enclosed Indoor Workplaces - Prohibits drilling for the exploration or extraction of oil and natural gas beneath all state-owned waters between the mean high water line and the state’s outermost territorial boundaries. Adds use of vapor-generating electronic devices to current prohibition of tobacco smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces with exceptions; permits more restrictive local vapor ordinances.

No. 10 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article III, Section 3, Article IV, Sections 4 and 11, Article VIII, Sections 1 and 6

State and Local Government Structure and Operation -Requires legislature to retain department of veterans’ affairs. Ensures election of sheriffs, property appraisers, supervisors of elections, tax collectors, and clerks of court in all counties; removes county charters’ ability to abolish, change term, transfer duties, or eliminate election of these offices. Changes annual legislative session commencement date in even-numbered years from March to January; removes legislature’s authorization to fix another date. Creates office of domestic security and counter terrorism within department of law enforcement.

No. 11 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article I, Section 2, Article X, Sections 9 and 19

Property Rights; Removal of Obsolete Provision; Criminal Statutes - Removes discriminatory language related to real property rights. Removes obsolete language repealed by voters. Deletes provision that amendment of a criminal statute will not affect prosecution or penalties for a crime committed before the amendment; retains current provision allowing prosecution of a crime committed before the repeal of a criminal statute.

No. 12 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article II, Section 8, Article V, Section 13, Article XII, New Section

Lobbying and Abuse of Office by Public Officers - Expands current restrictions on lobbying for compensation by former public officers; creates restrictions on lobbying for compensation by serving public officers and former justices and judges; provides exceptions; prohibits abuse of a public position by public officers and employees to obtain a personal benefit.

No. 13 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article X, New Section, Article XII, New Section

Ends Dog Racing - Phases out commercial dog racing in connection with wagering by 2020. Other gaming activities are not affected.

LOCAL BALLOT QUESTIONS

For City and County Ballot initiatives and Referendums check your local County Supervisor Elections web site

Pinellas County Located at the bottom of the page

City of Clearwater, City of Madeira Beach, City of St. Petersburg, City of St. Pete Beach, Town of Redington Beach, City of Tarpon Springs

Hillsborough County Amendments and Referendums at the bottom of the Page

Manatee County  You will need to fill out some voter information

Sarasota County  Sample Ballots are in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. Acrobat Reader is available by clicking a link on the site.  

This election is extremely important. These Ballot questions are key to Florida and your local jurisdictions future. Be sure to vote on all of the state and local ballot initiatives. 

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (E. Eugene Webb) Friend request. Like or share on Facebook and follow me on TWITTER  @DOC ON THE BAY.

See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.  

Disclosures:

Contributor to: Rick Scott for US Senate , Ron DeSantis for Florida Governor

Please comment below