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Are SLO County’s elections fair, transparent or unjust, obscure?

March 15, 2022

Richard Patten

OPINION by RICHARD PATTEN

Both 2020 and 2021 elections have been proclaimed the “most fair and transparent elections in history.” Since the Newsom recall election, political events in San Luis Obispo County place election validity in question.

SLO County officials are refusing to provide some public records regarding the election, which county counsel said she plans to destroy. This would be a legal act if the election had not been disputed or contested, which it has.

Any county voter may contest any election based on named conditions in California election codes. Blatant examples of election infractions were witnessed by bipartisan precinct and county workers. Many citizens have disputed election results and signed affidavits, all to no avail.

In previous elections, records garnered through records request show that some eligible voters were denied their right to vote because their ballots had already been cast. Called “first in wins,” developed by the Secretary of State in the booklet titled “Guidance: Ballot Processing,” is a questionable process that promotes ballot harvesting and illegal voting.

Allowing this illegal activity results in eligible voters having their rights suppressed while illegal voters vote.

County employees need to correct the following occurrences which are documented in county records: 

From an “active” voter list, an estimated four thousand ballots returned to SLO County Recorder’s office were stamped “undeliverable.”

Multiple ballots were received by many individual voters.

Numerous ballots were sent to individuals who moved out of San Luis Obispo County boundaries.

Hundreds of ballots were mailed to vacant lots with no domicile.

Excessive ballots were sent to multifamily units with fewer units than ballots sent.

People who died prior to the election received ballots and their ballots were counted.

Several ballots were sent to the right person, but the wrong address.

Ballots were sent to people working or attending school, their primary residence was outside county boundaries.

Some voters received ballots and voted were incarcerated felons, therefore prohibited from voting.

Citizens of San Luis Obispo County deserve the certainty of fair and transparent elections. California law states “any elector…may contest an election.” Many citizens have attempted to secure voting data for the 2021 election; these “Freedom of Information Act” public record requests have been filed with appointed SLO County Clerk Elaina Cano and SLO County Council Rita Neal.

Each attempt has been met with obfuscation or disregard. Data collected in the Newsom recall election provides the very information which would prove that the election was the most fair and transparent in history, or will expose processes that undermine our voting privilege.

Election data, ballots and supporting envelops and images are scheduled to be destroyed this week after only six months, even though the election has been formally contested, public records have not been answered and lawsuits been filed across California.

The county needs to preserve the 2021 recall election data. SLO County residents need to be confident that their elections are fair and transparent.

Richard Patten worked as a computer computer programmer and business analyst  before retiring more than a decade ago. He currently lives in Arroyo Grande.


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Trying here to understand the motivation to create a radically gerrymandered county elections map, and the only thing I can come up with is Patten’s frustration at not being granted official affirmation of his fringe perceptions concerning rampant voter fraud and/or outright incompetence by the county clerk’s office. Fortunately for him, he is in good company with the local Republican party leadership. Unfortunately for him, his name will go down in county history for the creation of an illegal map and the utter chaos which voters (and the clerk’s office) will be experiencing during the upcoming primary. Thanks to Patten, I’ll get to vote twice.


-14

Face it Californians, Democrats found ballot harvesting, mail in voting, drop boxes and days and days of voting VERY good for altering or outright stealing elections. That is your reality. Here in Ventura County residents received a postcard informing us of the new reality. No more polling places now its “vote centers”, ballot boxes and mail in voting. So long democracy. You were a sweet dream for a short while but now you are too stupid and need “adult” guidance.


39

“outright stealing elections” where?


“polling places now its “vote centers”” Oh nooo they changed the name, everything is different now!


-37

So now Richard Patten finally reveals himself. Another frustrated conspiracy theorist, drinking the Trump Kool Aid and casting doubt on local government. You’ve done enough damage. Go back in your hole.


-61

So, if you and others on this blog are so certain there was no fraud, or at least not enough to change the outcome (which I personally believe is the case), then why not indulge Mr. Patten? If you are correct it will finally put an end to this. Or, do you have some deep rooted doubts in your conviction, fear that there is a remote possibility Patten may discover something?


41

Their is nothing that will “finally put an end to this” frustrated conspiracy.


It’s the trope that will be brought up for every election the qpers don’t win, claim fraud on every race to try to get traction. No proof will be ever be enough.


Flat earthers unite!, her emails, benghazi, swift boat, pedos under the pizza place, this is where all this bs came from, same source.


-23

Oh, you forgot to mention the whole Trump and Russia collusion mantra that the left, in concert with MSM and social media pushed on this country for four years. $40 million and untold divisiveness and damage to the US, for what? And now we hear from the Durham investigation that this was actually a construct of the National Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton.


Yeah, I get your point regarding conspiracies.


25

People like him have been “indulged” across the country and nothing was found. I mean a conspiracy theorist was in charge of the Arizona debacle fully supported by state representatives and they still couldn’t find anything. In fact they said Biden won by more than the official count. Let’s waste our tax money like Arizona. Google Ron Johnson of Wisconsin he admitted why trump lost there. 51k republicans voted for every Republican on the ticket except when it came to president where they either voted for Biden or left blank. Trump lost Wisconsin by 21k.


-25

Sounds like a well adjusted person. Would he have been more credible had he been a Biden worshiper, believed everything he read in the news and assumed government would spend your tax dollars wisely?


39

Thought experiment. How does this sound, by changing a few terms:


“Sounds like a well adjusted person. Would he have been more credible had he been a Trump worshiper, believed everything he heard on Fox News and assumed corporations have your best interests at heart?


-13

A lot of mud slung there. Any proof of any of it? How would YOU know if hundreds of ballots were mailed to empty lots?


Multiple ballots received by some, who? Name a few. Bet you can’t.

Anyone out there reading this receive multiple ballots?


-33

My home received multiple, (duplicate) ballots.


So in answer to you question, YES.


33

Yes, my neighbor received multiple ballots.

In the 1980 state Senate race, Eric Seastrand was ahead at 11 PM on election night. By morning the election was awarded to Henry Mello by 800 votes due to more ballots coming in. These were later found to be ballots of “voters ” registered to vacant lots in Santa Cruz. Under state law, the State Senate was charged with resolving this and of course, being controlled by the Democrats, Henry Mello was seated as the next Senator.

My point is, this has been going on for a long time, but now with newer technology, it opens the door to more fraud.


30

I received two ballots. My wife received two ballots. My dad died in March 2020 and his November ballot was forwarded to my mailbox. That’s three ballots that should have never been sent out.


23

My household received a ballot for someone who has not lived in the country for 3 years.


22

One election day only….

Voter ID….

Absentee ballots sent only after name eligibility and address are verified….

And results to be announced the day after election day…. not six weeks later….


87

Move along, peasants. Nothing to see here.


-29

Just to add to MrYan more ballots were sent to multi family units than units duh. Could be 2 parent households and or even kids who are 18+ still living at home. We’re they incarcerated awaiting trial? If yes then they’re still eligible to vote. Trump lost and the recall failed legitimately get over it and move on.


-62

Exactly. Stop questioning and accept defeat.


-36

For which election are you referring to 2020 or 2016?


28

I have very little faith that anything in this county is on the up and up, PERIOD.

Our elected officials are corrupt (Adam Hill felt the heat, but he wasn’t the only one). The government is partisan, people like Tom Fulks, Tom Jones and Nick Andre run amok, and are actively working with Little Jimmy Paulding, Bruce Gibson and Ortiz-Legg. The local newspaper is nothing more than a political hack for the left…h#ll, it’s no wonder we are known as one of THE most corrupt counties in the state.


74

That long list is pretty standard fair for any election administrator to work through. Nothing nefarious to see here. Implying so damages our democracy.


I could request a ballot for absentee use, then decide I would actually like to vote in person. 2 ballots and perfectly legal.

I could move and the ballot forwarded on with other mail. The USPS would be at fault forwarding that on ( it says not to on the envelope), not the registrar. But once arrived it did someone actually use it to vote? That would be illegal.

People sometimes die after they legally cast an absentee vote too. Not a ton of that to worry about.

The “first in” provision is for there for the same voter trying to vote a second time. Is doesn’t imply someone else was “first in” and voted for you. The lesson for a voter; don’t vote absentee if your mind is not made up.


One way they remove voters from the active voter rolls is using those “thousands” of returned undeliverable pieces of mail as a clue that someone has moved and is no longer an active voter in the county. They use the non-deliverable mail as a basis to remove you from the rolls in the future.

Do you really not get that? Or is it more useful to you not to?


You count ballots issued, I prefer to count votes cast.


17