OK...Looks like the vote counting in Iraq is up to Ohio standards...

[Junkdrawer]

NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Vote-counting has begun by candlelight amid power cuts in Iraq's Shi'ite shrine city Najaf after the faithful had packed the polls in response to an edict from their spiritual leader.

Six electoral officials sat on the floor of a classroom at Akkadh middle school unfolding ballot papers as candles flickered in the gloom. They sorted the ballots into neat piles, while two observers from competing parties watched hawk-eyed.

Electricity shortages continue to plague Iraq, 22 months after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

There were no independent Iraqi monitors to view the Najaf count, let alone international observers, but the school's voting coordinator said everything was being done by the book.

....

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=663743

Now, the "two observers from competing parties" sounds promising, but when you realize the there are over 100 parties running.....

[Cronus Protagonist]

1. Prove my vote counted

Seems everywhere "democracy" exists, we can't even verify a vote was counted....

http://bushspeaks.com/home.asp?did=194


http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13
Buttons for brainy people - educate your local freepers today!

[Junkdrawer]

3. I don't think that anyone will assume an honest count ever again...

what did Reagan say?

"Trust...but Verify"

[Cronus Protagonist]

4. Well, as far as the US and Iraq goes, fer sure

However, the British have confidence in their elections (paper) and so do the Canadians (paper).... they haven't been Diebolded yet.

[Junkdrawer]

6. The keyword is "assume"...

Most of us, prior to 2000 or 2002, just took for granted we were getting an honest count.

Now, you have to prove to me my vote was counted.

[liberalnurse]

2. Kenneth Blackwell

sure does get around! :smoke:

[leftchick]

5. not enough ballot boxes in Mosul....

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/30/international/middleeast/30cnd-mosu.html

<snip>



But Mr. Goran said that four Kurdish districts outside of Mosul - Shaikhan, Bartila, Bashika and Karakosh (also known as Hamdani) - did not receive ballot boxes or supplies, so Kurds were unable to vote there. A Kurdish Democratic Party spokesman, Mahdi Harki, said that the population in those areas was about 300,000, with at least 100,000 of those eligible to vote.

"I am afraid it was a dirty trick against the Kurdish vote," Mr. Harki said.

Mr. Goran met General Ham to discuss the problem. He said General Ham wanted to help but that it was the responsibility of the Independent Electoral Commission for Iraq to ask the military to transport the voting materials.

Mr. Kazar , the election official, said that he knew of the problem early in the morning and had asked the Americans to move the ballots.

Mr. Goran, who is a Kurd, said he believed the motivation behind the mixup was that the expected high turnout of Kurdish voters would tilt the results to heavily favor Kurds, and upset the political balance in the city. "The Kurds will have the whole percentage of the vote," he said. "There are some people here who do not want that," said Mr. Goran.

... sounds like a US election!