Mexico's president-elect urges ballots be saved

[Freddie Stubbs]

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) -- Mexico's president-elect is asking electoral officials not to destroy the ballots from the disputed July 2 elections, the leader of his transition team said.

Usually, the ballots are burned after the president-elect is certified.

But Felipe Calderon, who was declared the race's winner by a margin of less than 0.6 percent, wants the ballots saved indefinitely to guarantee "citizen confidence," top Calderon adviser Josefina Vazquez Mota said Monday.

Calderon made the request in a letter, dated Tuesday, to the Federal Electoral Institute's chairman, Luis Carlos Ugalde.

more: http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/09/12/mexico.ballots.ap/

[denverbill]

1. Saved, but never recounted?

Jesus, there's a real easy way to defuse this situation:

Recount all the ballots.

[rinsd]

3. Ummmm because the law of Mexcio doesn't allow it?

The law needs to be changed but Mexican law only allows for recount in areas of that have credible reports of problems. That's why there was only a partial recount in the first place.

[denverbill]

5. Then change the law and recount the stupid ballots.

Is there really any point to saving them if they are never going to be recounted? That's like keeping the gun that killed Kennedy for posterity and never checking it for fingerprints.

[rinsd]

6. I'm pretty sure retroactive laws are unenforcible.

The only thing that can be done is for the law changed for the next election.

[denverbill]

8. It doesn't have to be a retroactive law.

Just pass a law stating that although Calderon was declared the winner, he agrees to abide by the results of a recount and to either step aside if the recount shows him the loser, or to abide by the results of a third counting, or whatever.

[damntexdem]

9. It IS important to have an accurate historical record.

Just as it is to have the best records possible of Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004. And it can be evidence to be used in court, or at least in the court of public opinion, if an administration totally crashes and burns.

In this case, Calderon obviously wishes to avoid the worse upset if the ballots are destroyed. But if they are saved, this can come back later to bite him -- or so I hope.

[rinsd]

10. I thinking keeping them around is a good step.

It seems as if Calderon is well aware of his tenuous grasp so he is treading very lightly.

[ronnykmarshall]

2. That's all nice Sr. Calderon ..... BUUUUTTT

why don't you re-count all of them and settle this one and for all?

[stepnw1f]

4. What are You Afraid of Mr. Calderon?

Put up or shut up!

[rpannier]

7. Saved and buried at the bottom of a well

That will be filled with acid and then sealed in cement. That way if future generations want to see the ballots, all the have to do is bore through 60 feet of cement, hope they don't get burned by acid and read the ballots (if they haven't been disintegrated).

[Jack Rabbit]

11. This article tells us what Calderón says

But the headline promises to tell us what President-elect López says.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

12. Word.