Republicans Challenge N.Y. Senator's Ballot

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: In The News

(AP)

The absentee ballot cast by New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in the race for her old House seat has been challenged by lawyers for Republican candidate Jim Tedesco, and the new senator isn't happy about it.

"Poll watchers for Republican congressional candidate Jim Tedisco challenged Gillibrand's absentee ballot when it showed up in the queue during counting in Columbia County," reports the Times Union. "The campaign worker argued the senator who splits her time between Greenport and Washington, D.C. was in the county on Election Day and should have voted in person."

Gillibrand supported Democrat Scott Murphy in the race, which is still going after a tight Election Day finish on March 31. As of Tuesday afternoon, Murphy led by 47 votes, with counting of absentee ballots continuing. Both Democrats and Republicans had hoped to seize on the outcome as evidence of the country's perception of President Obama and the Democratic agenda, though the close finish has made that task more difficult.

In a letter published by the Huffington Post, Gillibrand called the challenge "a new low" on the part of Republicans.

"Their latest move to challenge my ballot is part of a much larger attempt to disenfranchise legal Democratic voters and delay Scott Murphy's inevitable victory in the 20th," she writes. "National Republicans are trying to turn the 20th District of New York into the next Minnesota. It is wrong."

The Minnesota reference is to the still unresolved fight for one of the state's two Senate seats. Democrat Al Franken has been named the winner of the race by just over 300 votes, and a court this week upheld the results -- but Republican Norm Coleman has vowed to appeal.

According to the Times Union, New York election law says that to file an absentee ballot you must have a "good faith belief" you won't be in the district on Election Day. Gillibrand was with Murphy in the district on March 31st, though she did not join him until after polls had closed.

PolitickerNY reports that Republican lawyers have also challenged the ballots of Skidmore college students and "multiple-home owners with return addresses in New York City or Florida."

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by antoniof123 April 17, 2009 3:09 PM EDT: "Poll watchers for Republican congressional candidate Jim Tedisco challenged Gillibrand's absentee ballot when it showed up in the queue during counting in Columbia County," reports the Times Union. "The campaign worker argued the senator who splits her time between Greenport and Washington, D.C. was in the county on Election Day and should have voted in person."

Wow, she can not vote by absentee ballot because she was there in person.

I can see a blood bath coming for the GOP in 2010 no stopping it they just can't figure out why we are angry with them.; Reply to this comment


by tokio_motel April 16, 2009 4:57 PM EDT: Republicans are worse than socialists and communists. Republican prefer lies, trickery, and deception when talking about America's problems. At least socialists and communists see things in terms of groups of people. Republican are fundamentally selfish and think about their own and their family's pocketbook. The American dream for Republicans is completely individual with no vision for the American community at large or the idea that Americans live in the best country because we have all contributed to America's prosperity. United we stand, divided we fall. and I hear more divisive tones coming out of the Republicans than I do from the Democrats. And is probably why I voted Democratic in 2008 even though I had been registered republican for 3 decades. Republicans = Republican'ts = we have no fresh vision for America, just the same old tired and hateful politics; Reply to this comment


by craigh41 April 16, 2009 8:11 AM EDT: I'm from the 20th district and there are a few things people should know about that. First, it is an extremely odd shaped district which was specifically design when Republicans were in power to side step areas that are primarily Democratic and create a Republican stronghold on this seat through a 3 to 1 majority of registered voters. Second, this race had an extremely short time for campaigning - the GOP put up a big local name, long time politican (Tedisco), while the Dems nominated an unknown business man (Murphy).
I bring these points forward to illustrate just how desperate the GOP is. Tedisco should have won this race by at least 14% - everything was stacked in his favor - but it didn't happen. Obviously, a HUGE number of Republicans voted for Murphy showing that they no longer connect with the party.
To add insult to injury, the republicans are constantly in court, not only objecting to Gillibrands absentee ballot but also another long time politican from Glens Falls because his ballot was sent to Florida (apparently the GOP has no concept of "snow birds") and peruse every application for an absentee ballot and make subjective decisions regarding their validity. (thankfully a judge put a stop to that nonsense yesterday). They are spending huge dollars nitpicking the election when they should just slink away in total shame.
Just like in Minnesota, we are witnessing the end of the GOP as it has become painfully obvious that they have no interest in the needs of their constituants or have a sense of fair play - they are only focused on holding seats in any way possible to try and hold on as long as they can no matter what the cost to the country.
Oh by the way, I am a registered Republican, but I won't be for long.; Reply to this comment


by stn_sage April 16, 2009 12:51 AM EDT: Maybe her business was urgent that day and she didn't want to wait in a 2-hr line---the point is---she's a legally registered voter of that district---to challenge her vote is senseless!

It appears that---what they can't win on merit, they'd rather steal through abusing the process!

Mr. Coleman refuses to admit defeat in Minnesota, and the
GOP in Alaska want a second election to get Ted Stevens
re-elected after he lost on the first attempt!

All this goes to show is that the GOP has no respect
for the rules, laws, or Constitutional Government!; Reply to this comment


by kansas1946 April 16, 2009 12:18 AM EDT: That is the biggest bunch of nonsense I ever heard. Republicans are so desparate that they have shed ever pretense of decency and fair play for whining and crying that no one want to play with them. They are disgusting and it is no wonder they lost.; Reply to this comment


by platteman April 15, 2009 6:00 PM EDT: As they do in Chicago, vote early and vote often. Doesn't matter if you vote more than once if you are a democrat.
As long as you vote again and again, it is fine.; Reply to this comment


by mav547166 April 15, 2009 5:49 PM EDT: The Democrats won this seat in November by 70,000 votes. Thats quite a change to now when they barely have 50 votes.; Reply to this comment