Nicole Brambila is a hard-left ideologue, who's articles belong under the heading of commentary. Why is "Red County" promoting the conspiracy theories of a group who's core belief is that Bush stole both elections and the elections of 2006 were so overwhelmingly democratic that not one republican should've been left office, from president to dogcatcher? Nicole's biggest claim to fame was an "Amy Writing Award for her perspective series on abortion, intimately telling the story reproductive rights through the eyes of the doctor, client and protesters."

Before singing the praises of Ms. Brambila, you need to do a little investigation yourself. Her main source of info is the so-called "save our vote" crowd. There's a bunch "red" county needs to be promoting. Check out Courbat's bio - http://www.electiondefensealliance.org/tom_courbat.

He's certainly an impartial source! He got his start in Busby v. Bilbray (guess which side?) and never recovered. Like the BDS crowd convinced that Karl Rove stole florida - Tom, Ken Karan (Counsel for Francie Busbay) and Linda Poniktera (Press Secretary for Democrat Francine Busby) have seized on election integrity, as code by which they mean, Democrats must always win and Nicole is a agent provocateur of the same myths.

Before singing the praises of Nicole, maybe you need to do a little research. For example, Nicole complains that "some voters were given ballots printed in Spanish." Well she must not have voted, because ALL of the ballots were printed in both English AND Spanish. Come to think of it, Dave, how did you miss that little fact?

In the same article she writes "County officials blamed relaxed Democratic voting rules that allowed non-declared party voters to cross over." That is a lie that even you should have seen through - the Democrats didn't change their rules, they've always have open primaries. It was the Republicans who decided to hold a closed primary - in the middle of a campaign season where John McCain was racking up his biggest victories among (everybody except Dave will already know this) non-partisans!

Next time you decide to attack the Registrar, at least make a pretense of knowing who and what you're talking about. It gives the liberals a little less ammo when portraying republicans as ignorant Neanderthals. And please try to find some conservatives for sources - or is that asking too much of a blog that calls itself "red" county?

"..."County officials blamed relaxed Democratic voting rules that allowed non-declared party voters to cross over." That is a lie that even you should have seen through - the Democrats didn't change their rules, they've always have open primaries..."

Why does some bureaucrats explanation, valid or not, mean that all these problems didn't exist. Just because this reporter (according to the poster above) is a whacky leftist doesn't mean the problems aren't there.

I have dealt with this ROV numerous times. The service and quality under Dunsmore has gone down considerably.

It is almost as common to hear that someone didn’t receive their absentee ballot in Riverside County as hear that someone did. Results come out at a snails pace and here you have accusations of mass incompetence.

As far as the Spanish ballots, if folks got a ballot with both languages - do you really think they would be so confused that they would complain?

Saying that any story from a liberal reporter is untrue is like saying that we can't trust anything we read in the paper or watch on TV. They are almost all liberal.

Tell me why all of these reports of problems are not valid and tell me how the ROV is going to provide better service and restore public confidence.

So, following your logic, I need to consider every accusation made by Maureen Dowd as something that needs to be seriously considered, since "saying that any story from a liberal reporter is untrue is like saying that we can't trust anything we read in the paper or watch on TV." Trust Maureen Dowd and her counterpart on the Desert Sun if you choose - but change the name of your blog from "red" county to "well, sorta red, but more pink county, since liberal accusations could possibly have some basis in fact."

Seeing as how you're willing to accept Maureen Dowd, oops, sorry, Nicole Brambila's accusation that some people were sent ballots in Spanish, ("As far as the Spanish ballots, if folks got a ballot with both languages - do you really think they would be so confused that they would complain?") go to the Registrar's website www.voteinfo.net, click on "polling place sample Ballot lookup, and browse through the choices until you come to an actual sample ballot. When you see that both English and Spanish are on the same ballot, come back to this "red" county blog and admit that you relied on the accusations of a hard-left socialist and that you were wrong.

Finally, admit that you have no knowledge of California law SB 898, which mandates that non-partisan voters can only vote in closed primaries with the permission of the parties.

Of course, that would take some research - something that you're not willing to do, since, after all, you have the word of Nicole that she's already done all the homework you need.

Finally, admit that your accusations do not have a single conservative source. Not that I expect you will - after all, liberal reporters are your best source of information.

Just another point on which you were ignorant, the Assistant Registrar of Voter's name isn't Kinzel - it's Kinzle. Another error from ace reporter Nicole that you would've realized was wrong if you'd done simple research. Something you accuse the MSM of failing to do all the time.

Denkodos knows little but spouts a lot. I did NOT get my start in Busby/Bilbrae (the stolen election in which Brian Bilbrae was installed into congress one week after the election with 65,000 votes yet to be counted and three full weeks before the election was certified). [I got started a long time before that - but how would you know - you writing my bio now?]Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert flew Bilbrae on his private jet to D.C. to install him, knowing full well the election had not been certified, then flew to San Diego court to tell the judge "Too bad, you no longer have juristiction in your county over your election - only the HOUSE can decide on the fate of a congressman (whether legitimately installed or elected or not). But as you can see, I DO know a LOT about that case since it was so outrageous to any law-abiding American citizen. But hey, let's just let bygones be bygones, right?

And you sent people to a "page not available" Web site for by bio - maybe YOU should check your work before you spout off. Another error on your part - it's not the "save our vote" crowd, it's SAVE R VOTE, but you were too quick on the accusation draw to even get that right. And of course Kinzle's name is spelled "le" and not "el" - but do you even know how to properly pronounce it? I doubt it.

You were asked "Tell me why all of these reports of problems are not valid and tell me how the ROV is going to provide better service and restore public confidence." But you couldn't address the question because the problems stated ARE valid and you are too self-absorbed in name calling to recognize it.

In my bio you would find that I am a 100% service-connected veteran diagnosed with multiple myeloma (a terminal bone marrow/blood disease) due to exposure to Agent Orange. You would learn that I spend a great deal of time helping other disabled veterans get the benefits to which they are entitled, and co-hosting the Multiple Myeloma Support Group of the Inland Empire. I have taught senior citizens how to use computers and have been an Election Integrity advocate for nearly four years now. And no, it is not a "code word" for 'every Democrat must win". We have 230 SAVE R VOTE members and they come from every political party and persuasion. We care about the PROCESS being secure, verifiable and transparent, and we don't frankly care a tinker's damn about who wins, so long as they win fair and square in a verifiable election.

And how do you know so much about Nicole Brambila. Have you been stalking her? You sound like a very disgruntled person who cannot handle the truth. To you, everyone left of far right is wrong, and since you can't provide any meaningful facts, you resort to namecalling and just plain b.s.

And are you afraid of using your real name? Seems you're the only one hiding behind a ficticious moniker. And maybe you haven't noticed - "conservatives" aren't doing so well these days - their Rovian tactics are well exposed for what they are - Anti-American fascist efforts to take over the world through PNAC - the Project for the New American Century.

Hey, maybe you'd like to debate sometime - if so, try to bring some actual facts with you - I'd hate to do battle with an unarmed man!

Let me begin by saying that I know both Tom Courbat and Nicole Brambila. I suspect I also know Denkodos as a Riverside County employee who was formerly a reporter on a “left wing” newspaper (Aren’t they all, Denkodos?). The accusations against both are simply ridiculous.

Tom is a Dem, but does that immediately make everything he says a “left wing” rant, as dear Denk implies? I was one of the people who got Tom involved in the election integrity movement, where he quickly showed great leadership ability. Interestingly, my involvement, and therefore Tom’s, began with my support of a Republican candidate running against a Democrat who changed his colors to decline to state when Riverside County registration shifted strongly Republican. The election was Soubirous v. Buster in 2004. I personally witnessed events at the Registrars office, during the count, that convinced me that the results could be less than honest.

Nicole is a damned good reporter. Readers should take note of the fact that Denkodos attacked the messenger and diverted the discussion away from the message. Anyone reading any of Ms. Brambila’s articles on election issues would find it impossible to quote a single word that would classify her as a “hard-left ideologue.” The reporting is factual, and unbiased. If that isn’t what journalism is supposed to be, perhaps Denk could clarify his definition of reporting. What Denk failed to mention is the fact that, unless she changed her colors recently, Ms. Dunmore is one of those “left wing wacko’s” who is registered as a Dem. BD, when you read this, please note the dripping sarcasm in that comment and appreciate the fact that it’s really a defense of your right to be you.

I am probably far to the left of many who read this on social issues, and far to right of you on fiscal responsibility and public safety. I am a true decline to state voter and the last person in the United States who admits voting for Richard Nixon for President. I have been DtS for many, many years except for brief periods as a Dem and currently Peace and Freedom. Both occasions were to accomplish specific goals. I am currently endorsing a Republican candidate in Riverside County. This should be sufficient for Denk to go into attack mode on me.

Denkodos’s diatribe is a perpetuation of the destruction of dialogue that has done nothing but hamstring and seriously injure this country over the last 16 years. What part of the word “United” don’t you understand? This is not the “Divided States.” Both conservative and liberal concepts are vital to the future of this nation, and when either is dismissed simply as wacko, our future is destroyed. Denkodos, you are hereby dismissed as a County apologist, incapable of debate, and only able to spew accusations and diversion.

I just did something I probably should have done before I wrote my response to Denkodos. I checked out his comments on Nicole Brambila's Amy Award. I don't know if this will print as a link, but if not, please cut and paste it in your browser. Read it and see how diametrically opposed it is to Denk's accusations of her being a "hard-left ideologue." If you can find a "left wing slant" to it please explain your reasoning. After you're done reading it, check out the Amy Awards Foundation and see what they're all about. Innuendo isn't nice, Denkodos. Didn't your mother teach you about lying?
http://www.amyfound.org/amy_writing_awards/writings/born_by_rape.html

Note: it's February 17th, twelve days after the election. And Riverside County has yet to report how many ballots it has left to count.

http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/election_2008/unproc_ballots/6feb233.pdf

Of California's 58 counties, only four have failed to report.

Anyone know how many ballots remain uncounted?

'Nuff said.

Now Tom (LeftIsBest) Courbat is hiding behind a moniker - "SHOCKED." Hey Dave - jump in here and defend your left-wing liberal friends! You're known by the people you associate with - and "red" county is as well. Aligning yourself with the tin-foil hat brigades of leftist's, who's only interest in election "integrity" only extends so far as getting fellow socialists elected, tends to make conservatives question your credentials.

Not that I expect you'll actually make any investigation - or reveal it's results. That would make you look uninformed.

However, when no one's looking, try this google search. "north county editorial courbat psephos. Listen to the audio. After hearing how Bush "stole" both elections, do come by and tell us how much having the support of Tom and Art means to "red" county riverside.

In case you haven't figured it out - this is a battle with real consequences. And harboring the enemy is a sure way to lose it.

Tell me why all of these reports of problems are not valid and tell me how the ROV is going to provide better service and restore public confidence.

Why does it take 12 days for results?

Why am I getting dozens of reports from family and friends about not receiving absentee ballots?

Fair elections are not a left or right issue.

Why did Dunsmore even get the ROV job? She came from another department and had no experience in ROV operations. It show.