I come against the evil of voter purges in Jesus name amen!

Well that is not true. The only photo ID available is not a driving license. The state of North Carolina provides a state identification card to those who cannot drive. And then of course there is the voter registration card mailed to every voter when they register. I believe that would work for ID as well although it does not have a picture. You have to have a photo ID to buy beer or tobacco, cash a check, or catch a fish. Are you telling me it is not sensible to ask for one when you vote?

 

The article at the start of this thread stated, "Even after this decision Republican state election officials mistakenly or maliciously sent out more than 200,000 letters informing voters that they would in fact need a driving licence to vote". The link in the OP was to stories of illegal voter purges; that is, of voters being purged illegally. If you're not aware of that problem it's not because it hasn't been presented to you. It seems that 95,000 voters were purged in Florida 2000 and two years later the 95% which had been wrongly purged had not been reinstated.

Infamous recount of 2002? I had to look that one up. Apparently something like 108,000 absentee ballots were initially not added into the final tally - is that the one you mean? Did the recount change the outcome? Was there evidence it was done deliberately or had targeted the military?

There were a lot of problems in Florida 2002 election (linkie)
Most of them seem to center around the voting machines.

 

Yes that is the one I meant. There were a lot of problems with the Florida vote in 2002. What bothered me though was that the absentee votes did not get the attention the voting machines did. It was almost like they did not care. I had to vote absentee once while in Middle East and I would hate to think my vote did not count.

The opening link leads to several different stories. I was talking about the one ASLANSPAL and ScottJ both referenced. It dealt strictly with the Spanish flyer that advised illegal immigrants that it would be illegal for them to vote. Of course if they already broke the law getting into this country why should our laws discourage them?

If voters are purged illegally that is a problem. All voter lists should be purged in all areas. Low income or minority districts should not be purged any more often than any other district. I was purged off our local rolls last year and when I voted for Mayor in 2005 I had to vote a provincial ballot. Now I don't know how it works other places but if you are purged off the rolls here in NC and show up to vote they have to let you vote anyway even if your not on the roll. You vote on a provincial ballot form that is counted after they verify your voter status. If people are purged off that should not be they still get to vote here. Everyone legally entitled to vote should get that opportunity. My only problem is with the illegal voters. We need to make voter fraud a more serious crime. People who attempt to vote illegally should do serious jail time. People who break our laws have no right to participate in our government.

As for a Republican letter saying they had to have a drivers license to vote. Well that is a dirty trick and of course it is not true. If however the letter was just warning people that voter fraud is a crime I would be all for it.

 

Let's see. The governor of Florida is a republican. His people rigged the system so that Hispanic felons were not removed from voting rolls. In Florida, most Hispanics are Cuban, and they generally vote Republican.

Does that give you a clue?

 

I understand your question was directed at someone else, that was why I stated this to start with: "I will give you my opinion of your question."

I was just giving my opinion to your question.

As far as a solution, no I don't have one. It's not something I have given a great deal of thought to.

Do you have a solution?

 

Yes. Our default two-party system is pretty much broken.

I will be voting in this election but it will be with the least amount of enthusiasm that I have ever had when voting.

Oh well, I guess I can at least re-arrange my desk chair on the Titanic.

 

http://www.votenader.org/media_press/index.php?cid=154

Democratic Dirty Tricks Escalate
Democratic Lawyers Send Letters to Nader Oregon Petitioners Threatening Incarceration and $100,000 Fines

Washington, DC: Independent Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader today sharply criticized lawyers working in coalition with the Democratic Party, for threatening Nader/Camejo signature gatherers in Oregon.

“This is an escalation of the dirty tricks of the Democrats. Threatening signature gatherers with a felony, five years in jail, or a $100,000 fine is a direct attack on the right to petition protected by the Constitution,” said Nader. “The Democrats are showing they have no respect for democracy and will do anything to keep Nader/Camejo off the ballot. They also have no respect for the Constitutional rights to free speech, assembly, and petition when they are used in the electoral arena.”

 

hear, hear!


http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0610/18/lkl.01.html

yup, done tole him!

 

Yes, that was wrong, but a different issue. Disqualifying candidates is a separate issue from disenfranchising voters. Here in New York, it is very difficult for a non-machine candidate to get on the ballot.

 

The biggest problem with any proposed solution is that it will likely cost a good deal of money to implement. That could mean a tax increase at one or more levels. I suspect not too many people will be thrilled at that prospect, especially if they have no confidence in the slolution, whatever it might be.

Tim Reynolds

 

Tell that to APAL.:smilewinkgrin:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1020scotus-voterID20-ON.html

Supreme Court upholds Arizona's photo ID law for elections

Amanda Crawford
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 20, 2006 03:44 PM

Arizona voters will have to present identification at the polls on Nov. 7 after all.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that Arizona can go ahead with requiring voters to present a photo ID, starting with next month's general election, as part of the Proposition 200 that voters passed in 2004. The ruling overturns an Oct. 5 decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which put the voter ID rules on hold this election cycle.

 

Are you still going to vote third party? Either Rush or Hannity said that the movement to keep Republicans home or vote third party may very well decide the outcome of the Supreme Court for the rest of America's future. And it is not yet finished in our (right wing constitutionalist) favor. We may have yet 2 more judges to appoint during Bush's term.

 

Minor party where available, or independent.

 

Yes, I have a few ideas.

1. Make null and void all voter registrations, start over from scratch. As of January 1, 2007, no one is registered to vote.
2. Develop computer cross checks from state to state, including residences, names, SSNs, and criminal records.
3. Require voter registration in person, with a photo ID and proof of citizenship (birth certificate, passport, naturalization card).
4. Issue photo IDs including voting status.

Prior to each election, each name on the voter's registration list will be crosschecked with other voter registration lists (to prohibit registering in multiple states), with criminal data (to prohibit illegal felons), and with citizenship databases (to prohibit illegal aliens or unnaturalized residents), and with any other information that would render one ineligible to vote. A list will be printed no more than seven days prior to the election with all registered and eligible voters for each precinct. (This is already done; it is simply not cross-checked).

Each polling place will require photo ID (to be replaced each election cycle or perhaps at 10 year intervals; it can be a part of the driver's license (since they are already renewed every 3 to 4 years), but not automatically issued with the driver's license). No photo ID or no appearance on registration list, no vote. Period. No exceptions. Any failure to abide by this law will be prosecutable, both for the voter and the poll worker who allows it.

Each polling place will have three stations.
1. Check in, where photo ID and name is verified against registered voter list. Each person is given a sequentially numbered paper.
2. Polling station where votes are cast.
3. Check out, photo ID and name is verified against registered voter list, andwhere numbered paper is returned to register a vote has having been cast.
This will verify that there are no more ballots cast than people who showed up. It will also verify that the voter having checked in is the same one who checked out, and thereby verify that there is only one vote for person.

All absentee voting must be done in person at a city/county building, or consulate (if overseas), again with photo ID, and all necessary documentation.

Possible complaints:
1. Photo ID is the equivalent of a poll tax: We have already demonstrated that a four year renewal would cost just 7 cents a week, 25 cents a month, $10 every four years. You can find that much money in parking lots at shopping centers.
2. Disinfranchisment due to errors in list, etc: Disinfranchisement may happen in very limited cases. Those kinks can be worked out overtime. However, the danger of illegal voting is far greater than the danger of disenfranchisement. Seven days prior to the election, lists can be posted online or at city/county buildings where people can verify that they are on the list. If they believe they have been improperly omitted, they can appeal in person and writing to the local court.

It's not perfect, I am sure. But it is a solution ... and since some are ignoring the question, I throw this out for discussion. Make it better.

 

Wow, PL. Well thought out and implemented. I'll let you know if I come up with anything. :thumbs: