In case you're wondering, Palm Beach County continued its love affair with "wild and wacky" -- once again voting to keep probably the most infamous supervisor of elections since Theresa LePore immortalized Palm Beach with the butterfly ballot in 2000.
Not only did Super Susan Bucher win Tuesday, she crushed opponent Christine Spain, 77 percent to 23 percent.
God knows why or how. But I might have found someone who can help explain the phenomenon. At least, she can explain why she's a Bucher rooter.
"What can I say?" Boca Raton registered nurse Kelly Winthrop told me wryly. "Sure, I voted for her. Susan is like an addiction. We all know she's going to screw up on something and we almost can't wait to find out how this time."
How this time? Let me tell you. Seems Bucher hatched a plan to use a Boca Raton mosque as a voting center. Oh, yes, and did I mention ...
In the middle of a predominantly Jewish district.
Never mind that mosque leaders spoke in favor of the violence of sharia law and were linked to anti-Israel activities. Democrat Bucher went ahead with the use of the Islamic Center of Boca Raton.
But, when word got out, she hit the mattresses, "Godfather"-style. The publicity caused an almighty uproar. Among the 50-or-so phone calls from folks “uncomfortable” being in a mosque, one caller apparently threatened to phone in a bomb scare on election day if she insisted on using the Islamic center.
Now, as used to hot water as Super Bucher is -- as oblivious to criticism as she's been in years past when she's come up with her hare-brained schemes or shot herself in the foot -- she wasn't about to jump into this roiling tub.
She sent in an inspector who cleared the mosque as safe, then told the Imam “thanks but no thanks."
The crisis was averted. She moved the polling location to a library two miles away.
Actually, it wasn't the first time she'd made such a move because voters were uncomfortable in a house of worship. "We moved from a church several years ago when the priest refused to stop putting anti-abortion messages on his marquee on Election Day,” Bucher said.
So, wouldn't you think that would have been a great time for Bucher to stop using churches, synagogues, mosques or any other place of worship for polling centers?
Well, no. Because now, here comes the Palm Beach County congressional delegation to get involved.
Democratic U.S. Reps. Ted Deutch and Lois Frankel weighed in on the issue, releasing statements opposing religious discrimination.
"If we are going to use places of worship as polling places, we should not discriminate," Deutch said.
And a Muslim advocacy group wants the Boca Raton mosque to be restored as a voting site.
All kinds of people ended up getting involved. Boca Raton Mayor Susan Haynie. The press. Other clergy. More voters.
The Sun Sentinel had the answer: "In Florida, voters can request a mail-in ballot for no reason and cast their ballot from home if they choose." In other words, you don't like your voting venue? Exercise your rights from the comfort of home.
In my opinion, Bucher really didn't do much wrong here. It's just that this is the kind of thing that happens on her watch. Over and over and over.
Winthrop confessed she and her neighbors, who don't vote in a mosque or in a library, enjoyed every minute of the kerfuffle. "We had dibs on how it would end up," she told me Wednesday. "We only get something like this to keep us cheerful if we keep electing Susan."
Mind you, Bucher apparently has no clue how much amusement she brings at least some of the voters. "I'm very pleased that the voters have the confidence to elect me for another term," Bucher said in a post-election statement. "We have demonstrated that ... we are organized and can produce an election like the voters expect us to."
Uhhh ... you might want a look at some of our archived Bucher commentary, just to understand the serial nature of the problems she's had during her eight years in office. Here's just a sampling:
- Another Election Year, Another Susan Bucher Ballot Screw-up
- How Many More Susan Bucher Sci-Fi Thrillers Can Palm Beach County Tolerate?
- Oh, Susan Bucher, What Have You Done Now?
- Don Gaetz, Hero; Susan Bucher Down in Chad Central, Zero
- Big Name Felon Gets New Voter Card in Palm Beach County
- Back to Palm Beach County and Our Regularly Scheduled Election Night Blunder ...
- Scrutinizing Elections Supers: Give Gov. Rick Scott Credit
Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith
