Jessamy camp says votes are missing
As many as 10,000 of Baltimore’s primary votes could still be missing, according to Patricia Jessamy’s state’s attorney campaign staff, who told her that memory cards from 27 machines in six districts were unaccounted for.
If accurate, it could leave room for the election to sway back toward Jessamy, the incumbent, who’s narrowly trailing challenger Gregg Bernstein.
But city Board of Elections Director Armstead B.C. Jones Sr. said the figures sounded high to him, and that none of it would matter by the end of the day.
“We are going to get to 100 percent” of the votes cast at polling places, he said. Jones did not know how many votes were left to be counted, or when the results could be expected, but he said the office usually shuts down around 4:30 p.m.
Both Jessamy and challenger Bernstein, who was leading the race by 1,400 votes at last tally, according to the Associated Press, are refusing to speak until the numbers are in. That could mean days if they wait for the results of more than 2,000 absentee ballots, which will be counted starting Thursday.
Jessamy, who’s held the top prosecutor position for 15 years, sent an e-mail to her staff Wednesday thanking them for their hard work and professionalism and urging them to stay strong and committed, whatever the outcome.
These are the districts with missing memory cards representing between 6,000 and 10,000 votes, according to Jessamy’s camp: 40th (three cards); 41st (five); 43rd (three); 44th (four); 45th (eight) and the 46th (four).
— Tricia Bishop
Comments
MIssing as in unaccounted for, or missing as in the votes have not been counted?
If the cards are truly unaccounted for then their votes should be invalidated.
Posted by: Strontia | September 15, 2010 2:39 PM
Mt. Washington --in the 41st--was a hotbed of Berstein signs, so not sure all of the missing memory cards will go in Jessamy's favor...
I hope Bernstein does win -- I've not forgotten the horrible treatment of Zack Sowers's family, or the lack of protection for the Dawson family.
Posted by: MWresident | September 15, 2010 2:49 PM
This is a tough one. I am skeptical of Jessamy AND the City Elections Board. In my opinion, they share a lack credibility and professionalism. Who to believe?
Strontia, of course not. If they cannot find the missing votes, they should re-do the whole election. Margaret Burns thinks it is only fair. Besides, Pat was caught unaware by this guy. Let's re-vote on November 2nd to make it fair for her. {sarcasm}
Posted by: FedUpHill | September 15, 2010 3:06 PM
Millions spent on voting machine. New York has problems, D.C. has problems, Maryland has problems.
Let's solve it and dump the machines in favor of one vote and show the purple finger. Seem to work in Iraq and they have a system similar to D.C.'s deadlock.
Posted by: Runnertom | September 15, 2010 3:12 PM
Jessamy's campaign says they're missing, but what does the Board of Elections say? The statement that the figures sounded high to him doesn't tell us much of anything. Figures for missing cards? Figures for missing votes? What is it?
Can you give us some information other than a statement from one of the campaigns?
Posted by: Tim | September 15, 2010 3:13 PM
I closed out 2 precincts last night in a high reporting district and with the 14 machines available, there were only 680+/- votes cast for State's Attorney between all the machines. With that average in votes, the actual numbers of possible votes in regard to the 28 machines is closer to 1400+/-, not 10,000...Good lord, there were only 15,000 voters that cared enough to show up and vote yesterday. Also, an educated guess is that more absentee voters were for Bernstein. They are tired of the state of the city and took time to cast their votes though they could not be present on election day. I changed my party affiliation from Independent to Democrat. This election is too important not to cast a vote. Sadly, most people didn't bother to vote. I am certain they will complain though.
Posted by: Isabella | September 15, 2010 3:36 PM
How is anyone able to quantify the number of votes unaccounted for?
(It would be great if you could link to maps showing where those districts are.)
Posted by: redacted | September 15, 2010 3:39 PM
If folks who do not live in Baltimore City but rent slum properties in Baltimore stop voting here as if they are residents here, then maybe the numbers would be more in line with the votes.
Posted by: blackmanvision | September 15, 2010 3:55 PM
Correction..57,000+/- not 15,000...fingers faster than my brain.
Posted by: Isabella | September 15, 2010 4:00 PM
What is a "district" for Baltimore City? I thought there were only wards and precincts?
It refers to state assembly and state senate districts -- ab
Posted by: Anonymous | September 15, 2010 4:27 PM
I voted by absentee . . . for Bernstein. And I suspect my 43rd district went in his favor.
I don't think the Sun or other media are doing anyone favors or doing the public justice by publishing rumors from the Jessamy camp. It seems like no one has any facts or credible evidence about the count or the cards. Where are they, exactly? It's time to hold the election officials' feet to the flames and demand answers. Someone is not doing their job.
Posted by: TD.Pinkie | September 15, 2010 4:27 PM
Oh p-l-e-a-s-e spare me the drama.
Posted by: Dana LaRocca | September 15, 2010 4:41 PM
Lawsuits to follow. Good use of the taxpayer's money. All for sour grapes.
Posted by: Susan | September 15, 2010 8:16 PM
PLEASE, Jessamy, LET IT GO! Your legacy will be your failure to the Dawson family.
Posted by: Jesse4 | September 16, 2010 8:14 AM