After the 29,709 votes that included mail-in and early walk-in votes were counted on November 6, Linda Gill Martinez was ahead by four votes 14,709 to 14,705.
In fact, even after the 608 "provisional" votes – and of those only 30 affecting the school board race were accepted by the Ballot Board – plus the late mail-in votes from the military that came in a week later on Tuesday, Nov. 14, Gill Martinez was up by two votes.
The 10 members of the board and the poll watchers thought they were through.
That's when Cameron County Elections Administrator Roger Ortiz told them that they still had to count the votes in the "black bag."
"Those votes came from different voting precincts that Roger said were never counted on election day," said a participant in the counting room. "Some were overlooked. Others were put in envelopes. No one knew where they came from."
Apparently, these weren't the ballots that were placed in yellow unsecured plastic bags at Perkins when the counting machines malfunctioned. Those were placed in boxes after a time. And they didn't include the ones from Burns Elementary that for some reason or other didn't get placed with the rest of the votes, either.In fact, no one could say where they came from.
But it was those 87 votes from nowhere that put Gill-Martinez's opponent Jose Hector Chirinos over the top and four votes ahead of her in the totals.
Now, as she contemplates whether to plunk $4,000 to get a hand recount, she is wondering how anyone could possibly isolate those 87 "black bag" votes from the 29,362 others if she does.
"Did they just mix those "black bag" votes along with the others?" she asked Thursday. "And if they did, how can we find out which ones they were?"
Even if Chirinos takes his position on the board, his will be a suspect victory – not that we haven't had our share of suspect winners in Cameron County. If Ortiz was looking to leave a legacy for us to remember his 10-year tenure here, this is a fitting memory to his ineptness, or perhaps guile cloaked in feigned ignorance.
There's no need for niceties or facile legalities here. It was a "black bag" job pure and simple.
22 comments:
Those miracle votes???
IF YOU ELIMiNATE ALL THE FRAUDULENT 300-400 CHIRINO MAIL-IN VOTES, LINDA GILL MARTINEZ IS A WINNER AND HAS BEEN WINNER.
As bad as the political corruption and election fraud is in Cameron County....we notice that no elected officials seem to see what we do and take no action to effect positive change. We must assume that all of them are complicit in the corruption. Our officials are corrupt and have no cajones...just a bunch of woooses. That is why we are circling the hole and going down fast. No wonder our kids don't want to come back here....unless they are from families like Ernie Hernandez, Aurora de la Garza or the Sanchez twins.
MAKE ROGER PAY FOR THE RECOUNT! ELIMINATE THE DIRTY THIRTY BALLOTS IN THE BLAG BAG! LINDA WINS FAIR AND SQUARE.......
@November 16, 2012 10:21 AM
Otra vez "cajones"? Okay, you guys will never learn Español, I admit defeat. Our politicians need more "boxes" to help them make the difficult decisions.
El MexBoy
Juan this sounds more like a black ops deal like the ones we did in the military to other foreign countries like many central and south american countries, panama, or take your pick of any banana republic etc. Puro CIA, hope chrins doesnt choke on the trukey next week, remember chrinos God and Jesus are watching you, since you were at christ the king church.
ROGER ORTIZ TUVISTE QUE CHINGAR LAS ELECIONES ANTES DE IRTE.
Does anyone remember who the elections administrator was before Roger Ortiz. I certainly do not remember any fiascos happening before Roger came on the "scene of the crime!" Linda should sue and make Roger pay for the recount of the votes since he made a mess out of the whole thing. And, yes, if all this happened, where are the people in charge that can and will do something about it? What shame if on the recount Linda comes out the winner and Chirinos has already voted as a board member. Does that make his vote null and void and the meeting of the 14th considered illegal? Another can of worms at BISD.
F.B.I. COME ON DOWN ASAP.
I am glad to see linda gill-martinez filed her petition and deposit to do a recount. She deserves it. lets see who the real winner is finaally.
Linda Gill Martinez was proud to spread the news that her former students who turned 18 voted for her. What is she doing with her former students. How low can Linda go? About as low as Ernie and Sylvia Perez-Garcia! After all Linda is one of their good friend.
Before Roger it was Mendoza. He fouled up repeatedly and got fired. He does not seem to have been as bad as Ortiz but that was probably because he wasn't here long enough.
All 14,000 of us who voted for Linda Gill Martinez demand a fair election!!
Chirinos at Christ the King... "El San Martin de la Porrra"(Porter)
Brownsville, Linda Gill Martinez is an addict. Everyone who speaks with her sees it. Yet you are ready to put a woman who is an addict in charge of making decisions for the students? We know why Cata, Luci and Christy want her there, but 14,000 Brownsville citizens do not see the problem with the addiction? What in the heck is wrong with Brownsville? I use to think that those running for office would target the ignorant for their votes, now we have proof! WOW, Brownsville you have issues!
CHIRINOS WILL WIN !!!!!!!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL !!!!!!
We Love BISD !
Remember to smile!
Same shit group of people, Erin, Gomez and Masso! Now this shit! We're screwed here. So what's the difference between parents wanting their children to flee Mexico and other 3rd world countries and my wanting my kids to graduate and flee Cameron County?
Chirinos has several addictions: stealing and abusing tax dollars and office flings.
Is this the guy you trust to make decisions for your child's education and finsncial decisions?
Oh, worse of all he is Rachel Ayala's clony.
fair election? fair recount? in cameron county, you got to be joking right
Yes, Chirinos "won". Not by voter intent, but by criminal intent!
no sabia que aqui tambien habia mapaches. pinches ratas, ya es hora que se investigue necesitamos a los federales, para acabar con todo este pedo.
12:17 PM pinche mr,
7:06 PM hoto ee.
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