Larry Haake should be fired from his post

Dear Editor,

While most remain distracted by the continuing political cat-fighting between the two Democratic presidential candidates, I write this letter in hopes to bring renewed attention on the debacle that was our Virginia Primary on Feb. 12.

In the Chesterfield Observer article on Mar. 19, I read how everyone seems to be focusing on counting the votes. While that subject is quite important, it causes one to nearly miss the point of all this hubbub. Our registrar and Board of Elections failed miserably to prepare for and execute a primary. Sure, let's make sure the 299 votes are counted, absolutely. But let's also not forget about all of the other major issues that occurred that day. How about the assumed thousands of people who were not able to wait in the long lines while [Registrar Larry] Haake refused to allow the poll workers to split the poll books and thus lessen the lines immediately? What about the lack of accommodations for the handicapped and ill? What about the countless calls made by poll workers to warn Mr. Haake about the number of ballots that fell on deaf ears? The big picture was very scary - it wasn't just about the 299 scratch pad ballots that may or may not be counted.

Mr. Haake's position on what happened is alarming at best. He should be ashamed of himself, but rather he is sitting back and planning to write it all off by getting those 299 ballots counted. Not the point, Mr. Haake. And I look too at the oddly strong support of the [Chesterfield] Electoral Board - two of which supposedly represent the party that suffered most in the primary - the Democrats. Where are their loyalties? To those they are supposed to represent or to Mr. Haake? It's all very suspicious to me.

Mr. Haake is clearly incompetent and cannot be trusted to make certain that one of the most important elections of our time flows smoothly in November. We cannot risk these problems occurring again. I ask every voter to take a stand and speak out about this issue. Let's keep it on the radar and hope that the State Board of Elections takes matters into their own hands and excuses Mr. Haake from his post.

Carla Rogers

Bon Air