Congressional candidate Tom Watson has present Voter Fraud concerns in Santa Barbara. One could say Santa Barbara Ca. is Bell Ca. north!

Maybe former Santa Barbara Board of Supervisor candidate Steve Pappas should talk with recent  Congressional candidate Tom Watson and discuss Voter Fraud.

Lawsuit against Bell suggests voter fraud in 2009 election

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/07/bell-lawsuit-suggests-voter-fraud.html

Former Bell police officer alleges serious voting irregularities in 2009 election
 http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/07/former-bell-cop-alleges-serious-voting-irregularities-in-2009-election.html



http://www.thesbnn.com/?p=16527
Watson campaign claims ‘possible’ voter fraud in I.V.

UPDATED: 7:31 pm – Republican Congressional candidate Tom Watson’s campaign called the Santa Barbara County Board of Elections earlier today, concerned about what it described as “possible voter fraud” in Isla Vista.
Santa Barbara County Chief Deputy Registrar of Voters, Billie Alvarez told THESBNN.COM, they investigated the claims immediately and found no irregularities.
According to Watson’s poll watchers, provisional ballots were being removed from polling locations.
Alvarez said, “We have been assured, that did not happen.”
ISLA VISTA – 6:38 pm – Is something fishy going on at a polling place in Isla Vista?
The Watson for Congress campaign thinks so.
Tom Watson is the Republican businessman trying to unseat the longtime incumbent Democrat, Lois Capps, in the 23rd Congressional District Race.
Watson’s people sent out a “possible election fraud alert” just before 6 p.m. Tuesday.
His poll watchers are concerned about  “the unprecedented and unexplainable number of provisional ballots, mishandling of provisional ballots, and, startlingly, that provisional ballots are being removed from polling locations in violation of state election law.”
The campaign also claims that “droves” of college kids were getting provisional ballots without even giving their name or reason for needing one.
Watson’s poll watchers say they have contacted the Santa Barbara County Clerk’s office.
THESBNN.COM has also contacted election officials regarding the Watson allegation

http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=42226


Voter Fraud Alleged
updated: Nov 02, 2010, 7:54 PM
Source: Watson Campaign

The Watson for Congress campaign is concerned with what is occurring in the traditionally troubled polling area Isla Vista/UCSB from our poll watchers about the unprecedented and unexplainable number of provisional ballots, mishandling of provisional ballots, and, startlingly, that provisional ballots are being removed from polling locations in violation of state election law.

These are potentially serious issues that, by definition, open the door for people voting more than once and other voter fraud.

No ballots should have been removed from polling places by voters. All provisional ballots should have been clearly marked. Reports are that droves of college kids were getting provisional ballots without even giving their name or reason for needing one.

While the Clerk's office has been notified of these activities, we want to make the media aware of this troubling situation well in advance of any effect these irregularities may have on election results.

Every vote should count. But it should only count once.

http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?id=1215&tid=1394&art=42226

Subscriber Comments for
Voter Fraud Alleged
Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 118088P	2010-11-02 07:57 PM
Oh crap here we go again...
COMMENT 118089P	2010-11-02 07:59 PM
Are there no poll workers in charge?
COMMENT 118090P	2010-11-02 07:59 PM
Was Steve Pappas his campaign manager?
COMMENT 118092P	2010-11-02 08:01 PM
Why not report this to the proper authorities, and not on a bulletin board where possible unfounded charges can be made? How would posting it to Edhat help with resolving the issue - this does not pass the smell test.
COMMENT 118093	2010-11-02 08:02 PM
I still can't understand why ID's are not required.
COMMENT 118096P	2010-11-02 08:06 PM
Provisional ballots are the LAST to be counted, and are not counted if there is no need. Also, one of the reasons they are not counted if not needed, is that they have to be double-CHECKED. Not buying it.
COMMENT 118095P	2010-11-02 08:06 PM
Some 40-50 Watson campaign poll watchers were sent to Isla Vista, a campaign spokesman told The Independent. I wonder if other campaigns had poll watchers: how many and where were they sent?
COMMENT 118097P	2010-11-02 08:07 PM
092P does the indy pass your smell test?
COMMENT 118100P	2010-11-02 08:12 PM
118097P - The Indy article supports what I feared. The Watson poll watchers did not contact the people in charge as they are supposed to - but interfered with voters which they are NOT supposed to do. I think the Watson people are making trouble. Nope, still does not pass the smell test. Watson can allege fraud to as many outlets as he wishes - but he has couched it in terms of "possible fraud". I do not think he has any evidence.
COMMENT 118102	2010-11-02 08:15 PM
Yawn. Here we go again with that Global Liberal Conspiracy nonsense.
COMMENT 118103P	2010-11-02 08:15 PM
I'm sure you'll be able to read all about it in the Montecito Journal, somewhere between the Editorial and the tiara-tossed Hollywood musings. Pip-pip....
THE BARRON	2010-11-02 08:22 PM
Hey! Those college know what to do, "Vote early & Vote often." What's the problem here?
COMMENT 118110P	2010-11-02 08:25 PM
LOL, Barron, that was my father's philosophy.
COMMENT 118115P	2010-11-02 08:32 PM
Can't wait to read how the News-Press spins... er... reports this tomorrow.
COMMENT 118123P	2010-11-02 08:52 PM
You rely on the NP for news?
COMMENT 118128P	2010-11-02 09:04 PM
No, the NP is entertainment.
TRACY314	2010-11-02 09:20 PM
Also, the Voting at Cottage Hospital was not handled correctly. Some who were supposed to get ballots did not because the ballots arrived after noon, and some patients had been discharged. Just sayin!
COMMENT 118142P	2010-11-02 09:43 PM
The New-Suppress will spin the results every which way, but straight. But, hey. You already knew that. BTW, I wonder where Wendy "the best kept man in S.B." are tonight? On the Good Ship Lollipop out in the Mediterranean?
SUNNY IN SB	2010-11-02 09:50 PM
Sounds like we have a sore loser here!
COMMENT 118168	2010-11-03 06:05 AM
Oh please!
COMMENT 118169	2010-11-03 06:11 AM
somebody call a waaambulance for Watson. he lost by such a huge margin that even IF there was some voter fraud going on it wouldn't make a dent in the numbers.
COMMENT 118213	2010-11-03 08:02 AM
Isla Vista has a history of Voter Fraud. This needs to be looked into. As do all allegations of Voter Fraud. I honestly wouldn't put it past the Capps campaign to rig the election in her favor. UCSB is considered a safe zone for her and any other Liberal. Why is that?
COMMENT 118218	2010-11-03 08:11 AM
Oh Tom really? You were trounced so heavily by Lois Capps, don't waste tax payers money for an investigation into this! And elections board, get your self together!
COMMENT 118260P	2010-11-03 09:05 AM
Such a predictable and typical republican maneuver: if you don't win, hurt them financially by forcing them to defend their election. Sore losers!
HS FRIEND	2010-11-03 09:42 AM
It's Election Code that you must had out provisional ballots. These voters do not have to show ID per the election code, neither does anyone else. There is no voter fraud here(thank you 118213). The poll workers are in charge and that is why these voters were given Provisional Ballots, once again per election code(thank you 118089). And like 118096 had stated, these ballots are the last to be counted, and only if the race is close enough to dictate it. Finally, if the poll workers had not handed out Provisional Ballots to voters who had ask for them, they would be disenfranchising these voters, which is the very thing poll workers should not do. Poll workers work very long day on voting days. The pay is not much and it's hard to find a lot of these people to work the election. Maybe some of you complainers should sign up to be a poll worker and feel the expierence of that! I have work several elections in the past - it's a long day believe me. If you complainers don't have the fortitude to work an election, at least know about the election code.
COMMENT 118288	2010-11-03 09:48 AM
Sore loser!!!!!
COMMENT 118309	2010-11-03 10:14 AM
If there is voter fraud it should be investigated, however I don't think Tom would ever carry a liberal hot spot like Isla Vista. As for Isla Vista being liberal 118213, youth and minorities (Isla Vista's demographic) have typically been liberal for many social reasons: fewer taxes, idealized social views, urge to fix social injustices... But if you're implying fraud has made IV's voting liberal, then it's time to open your eyes and look around the country (& world) and see.
COMMENT 118398	2010-11-03 01:01 PM
I thought it was "Tea" party, not "Whine" Party.
GARFIELD	2010-11-03 02:22 PM
I was there with several other Poll Observers. I do not know of any observers that were not from Watson's group, although there may have been some. I did not personally see everything that was reported in the article, but did see a LOT of Provisional Ballot requests, sometimes by groups of two-five people. Often they did not give their names, just said that they wanted a Provisional Ballot. Filling out the PB affidavit on the PB envelope required a name, signature and address. These were not recorded elsewhere, to my knowledge. I did observe some processes that need improvement, such as having ballot marking pens that will last an entire day. I did observe many people take their ballots out of the area. The election code should be amended to tighten up the Provisional Ballot rules. Currently, filling out the Provisional Ballot only required that the voter must affirm that he is entitled to vote, by applying a signature, printed name and address. Assume for a moment that this person has a phone book and has memorized various names and addresses. He can vote everywhere in the state. He cannot be prosecuted because his real identity is unknown. Why load down the electoral system with invalid ballots, when it is easy to do an ID check and discourage this? What is wrong with comparing the face and signature with those on the Driver's License? An affidavit prepared by a Notary Public requires an ID, why not for a ballot affidavit? This is not an invasion of privacy, it is simple common sense to protect the integrity of the Electoral Process.
COMMENT 118458	2010-11-03 02:45 PM
Hey Tom Watson! You lost by 35,000 votes. If EVERY vote in IV was fraud you would still have lost by a large margin. Go back to doing what you do best, spending tax payer money on research (money Capps got for his company). There is nothing more pathetic than a bad loser.
COMMENT 118471	2010-11-03 03:21 PM
The only fraud was the Watson campaign. After that weak excuse of a run, If I were a doner, I would want my money back.