The 3rd race to watch at the Convention: Secretary of State

I just wanted to add and draw attention to the article in the Globe (0.00 / 0)

concerning this race between Galvin and Bonifaz that was published on 5/27/06; this article shows how Galvin has answered these concerns of Bonifaz':

More recently, Bonifaz has been questioning Galvin's oversight of elections across the state. That task is only one of the secretary of state's responsibilities, which also include managing the state's public records and corporate filings as well as regulating the securities industry.

Bonifaz charges that Galvin has stood in the way of electoral reform, by failing to push same-day voter registration. He also says Galvin did not do enough to correct voting problems in four Massachusetts cities: Lawrence, Springfield, Lowell, and Boston. The city of Boston last year entered a consent decree with the US Justice Department to print ballots in multiple languages.

Galvin answers Bonifaz this way according to the article:

Galvin, the only statewide incumbent with a challenger from his own party, is telling delegates to next week's Democratic Party convention that his opponent, voting rights lawyer John C. Bonifaz, should be denied a spot on the September primary because he isn't really a Democrat.

``He has a long history of involvement with the Greens," asserts Galvin, referring to the Green Party, which lost its designation as an official political party in 2004 and is now called the Green-Rainbow party. ``He has failed to support Democratic candidates. Democrats have to scrutinize his candidacy. Is it real or a Green Trojan horse?"

Galvin starts the defense of his own record  by alledging that Bonifaz may be a Green?

We are suppose to ignore the issues that Mr Bonifaz raises because he might be, according to Sec. Galvin, a Green?

Mr Secretary, I have come to expect members of the Bush Administration to "shoot the messenger/ discredit the messenger"  whenever facts come to light which do not reflect well on the Administration - I do not appreciate it when Democrats engage in this tactic. Why don't you just address the issues he has raised? Without name calling?

Galvin doesn't seem to like construftive criticism:

``My record is being attacked and inaccurately portrayed," Galvin said. ``I don't take people making misstatements about my record lightly. Let me put it simpler: He's been trashing my record from one end of the state to the other."

Notice what you said there Mr. Secretary? He refers to your record. Nothing about you personally. According to the article Mr Bonifaz even signed your nomination papers:

He said he signed nomination papers for both Stein and Galvin. ``I believe everyone should be on the ballot, including my opponents," said Bonifaz, who received a MacArthur Foundation genius grant in 1999. ``I have a different view of democracy. My view is that voters deserve choices and electoral competition is healthy for the process."

Now,getting back to issue of ballot integrity, Galvin is very proud of the fact,justifiably so, that:

He also outlawed punch-card voting machines because they were inaccurate in 1997, three years before they became the focus of attention in the contested Gore-Bush campaign in Florida

But as the song goes "What have you done for me lately?" in this area?

There are serious concerns regarding electronic voting machines and the software that is used to tabulate them. I believe that Mr Bonifaz is using this election to focus some attention on this issue. He certainly has Sec. Galvin's attention.

Now if only Sec. Galvin would look into voting machine irregularities which has ocurred in states such as Florida and Ohio which seem to stem from the software attached to them; Mr Galvin has a powerful position and as evidenced he has already fought the good fight when it came to punch cards. He just needs to realize the fight isn't over.

Look into the software. Our democracy depends on it.
 

I am too informed to be a Republican

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by: Susan H @ Sun May 28, 2006 at 23:58:13 PM UTC

In light of the revoking of credentials controversy of ex-officios (0.00 / 0)

here is how John Bonifaz responds to the charge he might be a Green:

``I am a Democrat," said the 39-year-old Jamaica Plain resident. ``I am raising basic questions about his record and the state of the democracy in Massachusetts. What's wrong with that? What's wrong with giving voters a choice? The idea there is a broad conspiracy here is funny. It's crazy. This is beginning to sound paranoid. What is he afraid of?"

Bonifaz, executive director of the National Voting Rights Institute, brought suit on behalf of 2004 Green and Libertarian presidential candidates demanding a full recount of votes in Ohio.

By bringing that suit on behalf of Green and Libertarian Presidential candidates which would have resulted in a full recount of votes it allowed the possibilty that John Kerry, Democrat could have seen the count go his way, without the appearance of sour grapes, sore loser chant that followed Gore/Lieberman ticket around after the debacle that was Florida 2000. You could say that by standing up for a recount  Mr Bonifaz was indirectly helping Democrats.

But that is just me. But ask John Kerry if he would have turned down the recount or the votes that might have resulted.

I am too informed to be a Republican

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by: Susan H @ Mon May 29, 2006 at 13:07:46 PM UTC

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Galvin's appeal to delegates (0.00 / 0)

I think you're getting close when you say Galvin doesn't like constructive criticism.  What it feels like is that he doesn't like the idea of a contested race.  His charge that Bonifaz is a Green in disguise rightly turns you off, as it would most voters, but I don't think it's meant for the voters.  I think it's an appeal to delegates at the convention, particularly the traditional party members, who consider party loyalty the highest value, above ideology or issues.  I think he hopes to keep Bonifaz off the ballot.

Let's see if we have at least 15% progressives at the convention.  Progressives will be turned off by this message and vote for Bonifaz because they want a real leader.

(disclosure: I'm John Bonifaz's campaign blogger.)

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by: cos @ Wed May 31, 2006 at 21:20:03 PM UTC

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