Puerto Rico Slashes Polling Places For The Democratic Primary, Laying The Groundwork For Chaos

[think]

Puerto Rico Slashes Polling Places For The Democratic Primary, Laying The Groundwork For Chaos

BY ALICE OLLSTEIN JUN 3, 2016 11:06 AM

In early May, Puerto Rico’s Democratic Party announced that more than 1,500 polling places would be available for the island’s June 5 Democratic primary. A few weeks later, they slashed that number to just over 430 — a reduction of more than two thirds.

In 2008, the island’s last competitive Democratic primary, there were more than 2,300 polling places.

Some are warning of long lines and voters left unable to access the ballot box, as an estimated 700,000 Puerto Ricans will vote this Sunday, and polling places will only be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m..

Worse, many voters will have to visit two separate locations to cast ballots in the presidential primary and the local primaries held the same day. Voter turnout and engagement has for years been much higher on the island than in the 50 U.S. states, but these changes may present too heavy a burden for low-income residents who lack transportation options or who need to work...

Read more:
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/06/03/3783185/puerto-rico-polls-closed/

[tonyt53]

1. What happens when you are broke.

[hrmjustin]

2. They are broke!

[nc4bo]

5. too bad the DNC or some other "democratic" org didn't think to take an initiative to help democracy

In action.

They could have been heroes.

[hrmjustin]

8. The election is run by the state. I am not sure that would be legal.

[nc4bo]

14. Nobody tried. nt

[hrmjustin]

15. Did you call for the dnc to do the same thing in RI?

[nc4bo]

20. Rhode Island is dead broke? Had no idea. nt

[hrmjustin]

21. And they claimed some budget issue. But they cut over half of their polling places.

[nc4bo]

23. I do know that one cannot compare RI to PR. nt

[hrmjustin]

26. You are probably right but my point is that The polling places were slashed drastically.

Sanders still won. Was it a legit win?

[99Forever]

7. But of course.

Those damn poor people shouldn't get to vote, should they hrmjustin?

If they really wanted to vote, they should make some speeches to Goldman Sachs at $250,000 an hour.

[hrmjustin]

10. I am not saying it is excusable but they don't have the money to keep those polling places open.

[99Forever]

12. Yeah. Right.

[hrmjustin]

13. Hey RI cut more than half of its polling places.

Sanders won there so is it a legitimate win?

[99Forever]

16. Just stop please.

I hate it when people insult my intelligence and I prefer not to hate you. However, you are pushing the envelope.

[hrmjustin]

18. Oh i get it. The question was too hard for you because to answer it might mean

it is an answer you don't want to give.

And your opinion of me means nothing to me.

[99Forever]

25. No, it was obfuscation.

It's why Hillary Clinton is the most mistrusted potential candidate the Democratic Party has ever considered giving the nom to. Bar none.

We see right through her AND you.

[hrmjustin]

27. I noticed you have not answer my question.

[99Forever]

34. Frankly, I don't give a damn what you notice.

I guess all that is left is to send to Ignore with the rest of your ilk.

Bye

[hrmjustin]

35. Oh good!

[zappaman]

37. "Your ilk"?

[hrmjustin]

38. I wonder how he feels now that we know Sanders was the reason there were less polling places.

[zappaman]

39. It would probably be hide #10.

[jamese777]

28. Not So Sure About That!

Yesterday in the Virgin Islands: Clinton: 84%/Sanders: 12%

All Primaries popular vote as of June 4th
Hillary Clinton: 13,259,842 (55.4%)
Bernie Sanders: 10,225,032 (42.7%)

Clinton over Sanders: 3,034,811

Hillary Clinton: 1,775 pledged delegates
Bernie Sanders: 1,502 pledged delegates

Hillary Clinton: 522 superdelegates
Bernie Sanders: 43 superdelegates

Hillary Clinton: 2,298 total delegates
Bernie Sanders: 1,543 total delegates

Hillary Clinton: 28 contests won
Bernie Sanders: 21 contests won

Hillary Clinton needs 85 delegates.
Bernie Sanders needs 840 delegates.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries,_2016

[nc4bo]

3. Chaos, misery and disenfranchisement. It's sickening whether it's done by GOP or Democrats.

Millions of miles worse if it's by Democrats who btw, mostly remain silent whenever the topic comes up. Ever notice?

[Lord Magus]

29. Probably because it's not happening.

There is no disenfranchisement going on.

[nc4bo]

33. The hell it isn't. Do some DU searches Magus. You can start with Florida, 2008.

For relatively current examples.

[SFnomad]

4. Of course, BS cheerleaders will somehow believe this only has an effect on BS voters n/t

[reformist2]

6. It is a known fact that older voters vote earlier in the day...

[SFnomad]

11. FFS - And Secretary Clinton is behind it all too ... right?

[Agnosticsherbet]

9. List of Puerto Rico polling places and directions, in Spanish.

http://youngdemspr.org/primarias2016/

[Tarc]

17. The Puerto Rican officials have slammed the Sanders campaign for their BS on this

[think]

19. Can you read?

[Tarc]

22. The Sanders supporters are spinning PR as awash in fear, chaos, and unfairness

The local Dems have essentially told them to stop talking about shit they know nothing about,

[think]

24. How many polling places were there in 2008? How many in 2016? Can you count? Hello?

[Tarc]

31. You ask the same dippy question, but don't really understand the answer

Puerto Rico is tiny, the size of Connecticut. 2,300 polling places was overkill, plus they're having a bit of an economic crisis at the moment.

There are things that go on in the world outside the "Bernie Bubble of Outrage".

[sadoldgirl]

30. Since PR is so poor, why not combine local

and national elections? That would have allowed
for more polling places at least. So the question
is: Why did they physically separate those?

[tirebiter]

32. No particular side is unaffected

We're in this together no matter who comes up the winner.

[SidDithers]

36. ... at the request of the Sanders campaign...

because Sanders didn't have enough volunteers to act as monitors for more polling places.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512133399

Sid