Jimmy Carter: Voting in Florida does not meet basic international requirements

[Guest guest]

BBC NEWS | Americas | Carter fears Florida vote trouble

 

Address:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3693354.stm

 

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( Of Course this has to come from a Foreign News Service ! -- Not a

govt controlled US News Service ? ! )

 

Remember when your teacher used to tell you how lucky you are to live

in a Country where the government doesn't control the radio,TV and

newspaper reporting and doesn't monitor your phone calls or read your

mail, Like Russia & China ! ? No More.

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Carter has monitored more than 50 elections worldwide

 

Voting arrangements in Florida do not meet

" basic international requirements "

 

and could undermine the US election, former US President Jimmy Carter

says.

 

He said a repeat of the irregularities of the much-disputed 2000

election - which gave President George W Bush the narrowest of wins -

" seems likely " .

 

Mr Carter, a veteran observer of polls worldwide, also accused

Florida's top election official of " bias " .

 

His remarks come ahead of the first TV debate between Mr Bush and John

Kerry.

They are expected to discuss the war on Iraq and homeland security

during the programme on Thursday.

 

It is unconscionable to perpetuate fraudulent or biased electoral

practices in any nation

 

Jimmy Carter

Shaky confidence in Florida vote

 

Florida: Getting out the vote

Both men have cut back on their campaign touring to go behind closed

doors and rehearse the arguments and techniques they will need during

a series of three debates to be held over two weeks.

 

Each has held mock debates with aides standing in for their opponent.

Tens of millions of television viewers are expected to watch

Thursday's head-to-head.

 

Mr Kerry, a debating champion at high school and college, will hope it

can help him claw back a deficit in the polls variously put between 3%

and 9%.

 

Florida vote

 

In an article in the Washington Post newspaper, Mr Carter, a Democrat,

said that he and ex-President Gerald Ford, a Republican, had been

asked to draw up recommendations for changes after the last vote in

Florida was marred by arguments over the counting of ballots.

 

Mr Carter said the reforms they came up with had still not been

implemented.

He accused Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood, a Republican, of

trying to get the name of independent presidential candidate Ralph

Nader included on the state ballot, knowing he might divert Democrat

votes.

 

He also said: " A fumbling attempt has been made recently to disqualify

22,000 African Americans (likely Democrats), but only 61 Hispanics

(likely Republicans), as alleged felons. "

 

Mr Carter said Florida Governor Jeb Bush - brother of the president -

had " taken no steps to correct these departures from principles of

fair and equal treatment or to prevent them in the future " .

 

" It is unconscionable to perpetuate fraudulent or biased electoral

practices in any nation, "

 

he added.

 

" With reforms unlikely at this late stage of the election, perhaps the

only recourse will be to focus maximum public scrutiny on the suspicious

process in Florida. "