WomenCount, Count Every Vote, Slam RBC Decision

WomenCount and Committee to Count Every Vote ’08 released a statement on the RBC decision:

“Thirty members of the Rules & Bylaws Committee of the Democratic National Committee came to Washington on Saturday, May 31, with a promise to fairly resolve a crisis that threatens the very legitimacy of our democratic electoral process. The Committee to Count Every Vote ’08 and its supporters came to Washington to ensure that the RBC lived up to that promise and its core democratic principle that every vote counts — and that every state’s delegate allocation accurately reflects the will of the voters.

“Count Every Vote ‘08 is particularly saddened for the 2.4 million voters in Michigan and Florida who went to the polls in good faith, in unprecedented numbers, to vote for whom they believed was the best candidate for President. Their votes have not been recognized and their voices have still not been heard. Counting every other vote falls far short of democracy.

“The RBC’s decision with respect to Michigan is especially egregious because the will of over 600,000 voters was intentionally thwarted by the RBC when it decided to ignore the actual vote count and instead re-allocate delegates won by Senator Clinton to Senator Obama, whose name did not even appear on the Michigan ballot. The basis of their decision to award Senator Obama four extra delegates—exit polls and uncounted write-in ballots—defies all reasonable logic and precedent. In so doing, the RBC has created a dangerous precedent that will most surely come back to haunt them.

“Senator Obama’s acceptance of this decision is especially troubling. How can a leader whose message is one of “unity” and “count every voice” agree to support a decision that strips Senator Clinton of delegates she rightfully earned at the ballot box? We wonder whether the price he will ultimately pay will be worth the four ill-gotten delegates.

“The RBC had a unique and historic opportunity this weekend to unite the Democratic Party. Instead, they deliberately chose to alienate the very people they claimed to appease, as well as millions of voters in Florida and Michigan.

“We applaud those members of the RBC who remained steadfast against enormous pressure to fight for the core principles of democracy and what we believed was the inalienable constitutional right of ‘one person, one vote’.

“Let us be clear on one more point. This decision does not change the fact that both of these states have already certified the popular vote of their primary elections. Despite this decision, the popular vote is irrefutable and stands as the truest reflection of the will of the people.

“WomenCount PAC was created to ensure that the 51 percent of American citizens who are women have their values and votes counted in the political process

“Count Every Vote ’08 Committee was founded in March 2008 by a group of politically active Democratic women who came together to advocate in support of the candidacy of Hillary Rodham Clinton and other qualified women candidates across the country. They firmly believe in the core democratic principle that every vote should count.”