Sparrowhawk
10-23-02, 11:16 AM
Saddam Hussein, by a Whisker or In Iraq, Like Florida, everything Hangs by Chads
By MICHAEL RUBINER
n a developing scandal, there have been widespread claims of voting irregularities in the recent Iraqi election. In a referendum on re-electing President Saddam Hussein, Mr. Hussein won 100 percent of the vote, but Mr. Hussein's aides claim that the real number was probably closer to 110 percent. They contend that a significant number of voters, particularly the elderly, had difficulty reading what they describe as confusing, poorly designed punch-card ballots. Many voters, the aides believe, intended to vote for Mr. Hussein but "spoiled" their ballots inadvertently.
The ballots consist of a single question, "Do you choose to re-elect Saddam Hussein?" followed by the choices, a) Yes or b) Yes. Many voters complained to election officials that they intended to vote "Yes" but instead mistakenly punched the hole under "Yes" because the holes were not properly aligned. Many of these people say they declined to bring this problem to the attention of election workers for fear of looking foolish and also, as one voter said, because poll officials "tend to be a little trigger happy."
Other voters say they were uncertain which "Yes" to choose so they punched both holes, thus invalidating their ballots. One such voter explained, "I knew this was going to be a squeaker of a contest, and I wanted to be extra sure that Saddam got my vote. Now I learn my ballot is to be thrown out. It's enough to make you question our electoral system. I mean, not me personally, but someone else might question it."
Other voters who were confused by the ballots chose to write in "Yes," or "Totally," or "Saddam is the only despot for me!," but these ballots were also ruled invalid by election authorities. "It's pretty clear these people intended to vote for Saddam," one official said. "But how would it look if we chose to count their votes? People might start to think this whole election is a sham."
The controversy has created an outcry for ballot reform. Voters and election officials agree that future ballots must be made clearer and less ambiguous. Some experts suggest having just one choice on the ballot, a) Yes. In another proposed redesign, voters would have a choice between, a) Yes or b) No, I prefer imprisonment.
Many Iraqis are calling for a manual recount of the ballots. Though Mr. Hussein won the election by a comfortable margin, officials believe the compromised results give an inaccurate picture of the level of support enjoyed by Mr. Hussein. "We know how the West can spin these results," one official said. "They'll say, `Oh, Saddam only has the support of 100 percent of the country. He's vulnerable.' "
Michael Rubiner is a screenwriter.
By MICHAEL RUBINER
n a developing scandal, there have been widespread claims of voting irregularities in the recent Iraqi election. In a referendum on re-electing President Saddam Hussein, Mr. Hussein won 100 percent of the vote, but Mr. Hussein's aides claim that the real number was probably closer to 110 percent. They contend that a significant number of voters, particularly the elderly, had difficulty reading what they describe as confusing, poorly designed punch-card ballots. Many voters, the aides believe, intended to vote for Mr. Hussein but "spoiled" their ballots inadvertently.
The ballots consist of a single question, "Do you choose to re-elect Saddam Hussein?" followed by the choices, a) Yes or b) Yes. Many voters complained to election officials that they intended to vote "Yes" but instead mistakenly punched the hole under "Yes" because the holes were not properly aligned. Many of these people say they declined to bring this problem to the attention of election workers for fear of looking foolish and also, as one voter said, because poll officials "tend to be a little trigger happy."
Other voters say they were uncertain which "Yes" to choose so they punched both holes, thus invalidating their ballots. One such voter explained, "I knew this was going to be a squeaker of a contest, and I wanted to be extra sure that Saddam got my vote. Now I learn my ballot is to be thrown out. It's enough to make you question our electoral system. I mean, not me personally, but someone else might question it."
Other voters who were confused by the ballots chose to write in "Yes," or "Totally," or "Saddam is the only despot for me!," but these ballots were also ruled invalid by election authorities. "It's pretty clear these people intended to vote for Saddam," one official said. "But how would it look if we chose to count their votes? People might start to think this whole election is a sham."
The controversy has created an outcry for ballot reform. Voters and election officials agree that future ballots must be made clearer and less ambiguous. Some experts suggest having just one choice on the ballot, a) Yes. In another proposed redesign, voters would have a choice between, a) Yes or b) No, I prefer imprisonment.
Many Iraqis are calling for a manual recount of the ballots. Though Mr. Hussein won the election by a comfortable margin, officials believe the compromised results give an inaccurate picture of the level of support enjoyed by Mr. Hussein. "We know how the West can spin these results," one official said. "They'll say, `Oh, Saddam only has the support of 100 percent of the country. He's vulnerable.' "
Michael Rubiner is a screenwriter.