The above is a compelling photo which shows only levers to pull for the top two of the seven total candidates in this race were in place on this lever voting machine. This along with several accusations by not one or two, but four of the other candidates that fraud did exist in many different has forced the four candidates Hector Ramirez, Yudelka Tapia, Hallie Rivera, and Keny Nunez to call for an investigation of the long list of accusations and even for a new election. Some of the accusations are in a previous posting, but there seemed to be no more than the usual problems with the old machines in 86th A.D..
There were reports of names missing from the enrollment books, as Mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner claimed his name was not in the enrollment book when he went to vote. Mayoral candidate Joe Lhota had to use a paper ballot because the voting machine at his table was not working. There were reports of machines being delivered to the wrong council districts, as well as some of the old problems of levers getting jammed, missing, or breaking off in one way or another.
As seems to be the case in the 86th A.D. special election the four candidates questioning the election have said that they were not allowed access to the voting machines prior to the election, found one candidates relatives working at a pole site, found what they have called electioneering by State Senator Gustavo Rivera, and Bronx Democratic County Leader 83rd A.D. Assemblyman Carl Heastie inside poll sites, Poll workers telling voters how to vote, among a list of other items.
In the past there had been only reports of irregularities by one candidate at one or two poll sites in any race, not by four different candidates in the same race at so many different poll sites.
I found out that after the election (as in the past) most lever voting machines were kept at the poll sites, and all due to be back in the Board of Elections care by midnight Thursday September 12th. Friday September 13th said voting machines were to be opened up and re canvased. Since only a plastic zip lock strip was used to secure the voting machines front I decided to visit the Bronx Board of Elections to see just what condition the voting machines were in when they came back. As you will see in the photos below ALL of the voting machine were placed in lines and the plastic zip lock strips on the front were broken before the re canvassing so it was not known if any came back with any broken front seals. .
Left & Right - The lever voting machines are lined up for the re canvassing with all of the front plastic zip lock seals having been broken beforehand. You can even see some doors are open on a few machines. Click on a photo to enlarge it.
I have reached out to Senator Gustavo Rivera and to Bronx Democratic County for comments on this matter. Senator Rivera's staff said that they would forward me a copy of a statement by Senator Rivera which I have not received yet, and did not get a call back from County Leader Heastie or any statement from him. I will be exploring this matter further in my column of "100 PERCENT" that can be found in next weeks editions of the Bronx News. Parkchester News, and Coop - City News.
