NM-2 absentee count report

Just returned from the overnight shift at the absentee count precinct for Bernalillo County, NM.

I'm toasted and still have to get my kid ready for school, so I'll recap the important points and edit later.

Main thing to know is, there were 5 Dem-appointed challengers and observers, but only 2 Repubs. All were marked as such, observing teams of poll workers who were also party-IDed and seated at mixed tables.

Those two Repubs were focused like a laser beam on documenting fradulent votes being counted. They made remarks implying that it's impossible to know whether all votes are counted, and that any instance of voter error should be treated as fraud.

Our assigned task was to assure that votes were not lost. Not a few through the attrition of placement in the wrong pile--accident or intent, who knows or cares?--and not a ballot box removed through the wrong door. We weren't so vigilant that I can make a guarantee that no votes were lost, as we are mere humans; however, I feel confident that nothing disastrous snuck past us.

What I think may be the good news: What we're really up against here is major incompetence with a sprinkle of malice. From the Republicans running the show to the Dems and (I)s and (R)s who were shucking the outside envelopes from the ballots, no one really knew how to execute the new, improved plan to count the vote on voting day by starting at 12:01am.

No one intended to fail to follow the instructions, they were just very poorly expressed. I was busy for the first hour figuring out how each table had interpreted said instructions. Vague, confusing and contradictory was the order of the day, and confusion ruled.

Nothing of consequence was gained or lost for anyone, however, as the entire night was spent on the shucking process. It began in a disorderly fashion, but the partisan process did its magic and each team captain established a system for her team pretty quickly.

After the machine has attempted to count each ballot, a hand count commences. Removing the ballots from their sleeves, and beginning to interpret voter intent from the imperfectly marked--that's gonna be the fun part. Hand count starts midafternoon, so I must rest.

Enjoy your knock-drag-and-pull today! If you don't know what to do, go to your local Dem Party or campaign, they'll be happy to find you something.