Judges Consider Signs

A panel of appellate judges on the First District Court of Appeal considered arguments this morning in Tallahassee whether or not to allow elections supervisors to post signs that say a vote for Foley is a vote for Negron.

Two judges mentioned the possibility of partially overturning the lower court order to allow the supervisors' more "neutral" looking signs, which also mention that a vote for Democratic challenger Tim Mahoney is a vote for Mahoney. Yet, they also talked about their concern of "equal protection" issues, since early voters have not been exposed to such signs. It's unclear when they'll issue an order.

In the midst of the hour-long hearing, Judge James Wolfe took a small swipe at Katherine Harris, while posing a question.

"We've become a very politicized atmosphere. You know, red state, blue state. You hear CNN talking about who appointed certain judges and who did not. I will not impugn this secretary of state, but we've had a secretary of state in the past who was considered to be very political," said Judge James Wolf. "What are we opening ourselves up to if we let this information be put in the polling places?"

Comments

Democrats always talk about doing a disservice to voters and how it is always the Republicans fault, well in this situation it is the Republican's what want to inform the voters and the Democrats who are doing the disservice. If Foley would have been a Democrat (well he would probably still be serving in Congress) the Democrats would be trying to do the same thing the Republicans are now (AND NO ONE CAN SAY OTHERWISE)

Is that WorriedDem talking again today?

why doesn't negron have any family members volunteering to serve in iraq?
why do all these wealthy republican garbage refuse to allow their families to serve in the war which they love so much? all the republicans can do is strut around with their pompous patriotism and their public piety, all the while keeping their own families safely away from that wretched war in iraq.

Why do the Republicans want to break the law again? I thought they were supposed to be the "Rule of Law" folks?

And the statute is quite specific that what they want is not allowed. Why are they trying to get these judges to "legislate from the bench"?

Because they're hypocrites. All they care about is power, and f--- the American people.

11:44
You are a pig, it has always beenthe other way around lets get that right.

why can't some of that pompous republican trash publicly submit to waterboarding, just to prove to the citizenry that it is not torture?

katherine harris, acting officially as secretary of state, acted dishonorably by helping to install that lying monkey in the white house.

11:53

Yeah right..believe what you want to

Judge Wolfe asks: "What are we opening ourselves up to if we let this information be put in the polling places?"

Clarification of the nominee on the ballot, that is it.

it will be interesting to see if the judge's order will stay in place as long as the crist signs wave from the tampa high-rises.

For Christ's sake people, let it go. Do we not have more important things to deal with?

Oh guys its Judge James Wolf. He and his wife JoLen are professors at FSU College of Law.

Thank you on the spelling of Judge Wolf, just reading the main post.

Judge James Wolf is an awesome person, and so is JoLen Wolf. A lot of those first DCA judges, from the ones who are more of judicial conservatives to those who are judicial liberals are terrific people.

[Bryan Stewart]

The absurdity of the whole matter is this; if Florida was using electronic voting (A 21st century technology) versus the paper ballot (a creation of the ancient world when Greek hoplites and Roman chariots could still be seen on the road,) the Foley/Negron issue would not exist. We are in this situation due to "paper" ballots. In an electronic setting, a programmer simply changes the name with a few keystrokes. It's cost effective, and makes more sense. In this scenario there would be no need for signs, or court rulings or anything else. A candidate drops out, a candidate is replaced and if everything follows election law, the replacement's name is displayed on the the electronic ballot for the voters to see in time for election day.

"In an electronic setting, a programmer simply changes the name with a few keystrokes. It's cost effective, and makes more sense."

Simply trade the word "names" with the word "numbers"... and you have our new corporate appointed governemt process.

Bryan stewart,

Very good comment post, i never thought of that.