  Mama_jackson Member Username: Mama_jackson Post Number: 121 Registered: 06-2006 |
"Voter Protection Program,'' with 1,000 trained lawyers and volunteers to act as challengers. " Partisan mistrust breeds lots of poll watchers Thursday, November 02, 2006 By Judy Putnam Lansing Bureau http://www.mlive.com/news/stat ewide/index.ssf?/base/news- 8/1162422602267340.xml&coll=1# continue LANSING -- If it seems a little crowded in your polling location Tuesday, it may be the extra bodies the Republicans and Democrats are sending to watch the election -- and each other. Republicans say they plan to deploy some 2,000 poll challengers statewide to check for voter fraud. And Democrats say they'll send 1,000 challengers and hundreds more observers to make sure Republican challengers aren't harassing people, particularly minority voters. Republicans say they plan to cover about half of the 4,300 polling places with their "Republicans Safeguarding Voter Rights Program.''"What they basically do is check to make sure a voter is registered and make sure they're in the right precinct," said Sarah Anderson, spokeswoman for the Michigan Republican Party. A poll challenger is generally appointed by the political parties. Under state law, each party may have two challengers per polling location to watch over the shoulders of election workers. In addition, anyone can observe an election, but they may be restricted to the public areas of the polling location. Challengers can raise a question with a poll official if they have evidence that a voter isn't registered in that jurisdiction, isn't a U.S. citizen, isn't at least 18 or didn't register in time. Anderson cited several news reports of possible fraud in 2004, mostly in Detroit, although it was unclear if cases of votes being cast in the name of dead voters were a result of fraud or clerical errors. State officials say there were no documented cases of fraud in that election. "We've had dead people coming to vote. We've had dogs. We had George W. Bush vote in Flint and his address was an abandoned building, to give one of the more brazen examples,'' Anderson said. But Democrats say the GOP plan is to intimidate voters, especially in Democratic-leaning urban areas. They cite 2004 news reports about voters who said poll challengers inappropriately asked them for photo identification and told people in line they were in the wrong place. Democrats have created their own "Voter Protection Program,'' with 1,000 trained lawyers and volunteers to act as challengers. How can people voted illegally? Your either on the list of registered voters or your not. I just don't think this is that wide spread, but the republicans need to be watched it they are sending people away from their voting precinct. Big Brother is really going to watching me this time....... | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 403 Registered: 05-2006 |
Bush is leading the way, as evident by his so-called "patriot act", thus giving the no-cons power over us American's forevermore. Detroitej72 | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 6980 Registered: 12-2003 |
After the 2004 non-election, the Michael Moore website collected dozens of stories reporting extreme abuses of new and minority voters. One group of young people were harassed by a few older gents outside one Ohio voting facility in a retirement home, and were told specifically that this particular place was for older voters only...they had another place they had to go to cast their votes. Simple shit, and these kids stuck to their guns, but lesser individuals might've simply obeyed instructions, not knowing it was a ruse from people who didn't want their young vote...because they were much more likely to vote progressively rather than conservatively. Know your rights, go early in the day in case you have to return after any dispute...and make absolutely certain you fill out a contingency ballot if there is a doubt of your proper registration, especially if there is any weirdness with your electronic ballot. Take your photo ID and your voter registration card with all pertinent information...precinct number, especially. Since there are occasionally multiple precincts in one building...make sure you stand in the right line! Check the video display VERY closely to make absolute certain the people you chose are indicated BEFORE you press the final send button...one of the tricks with the last time was that even with repeated pushes of the presidential button the vote tallied the opposite candidate. Odd how the 'mistakes' always favored W, but since it WAS a Michael Moore website I wouldn't expect a great deal of republican complaints. It often took multiple tries to get the proper result, so be thorough NOT rushed in the booth. Happy voting, and may the best candidates win. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4648 Registered: 10-2003 |
I love how the GOP has such Orwellian names for quite a few programs its sponsors or endorses such as "voter protection program" which is clearly subtle and back-door voter intimidation. The "Michigan Civil Rights Initiative" is another good one they are behind. lol | ||
Warriorfan Member Username: Warriorfan Post Number: 559 Registered: 08-2005 |
Donald Rumsfeld: Secretary of Peace | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4651 Registered: 10-2003 |
I wouldn't be surprised if the Administration actually changed the name of the department. A few other good one include the "Terrorist Surveillance Program," the definition of an "enemy combatant," and many, many more. | ||
Yvette248 Member Username: Yvette248 Post Number: 63 Registered: 10-2006 |
As long as both parties are represented, everything should stay fair. It's sad that this country's politics is descending into a third world status though. | ||
Detroit_stylin Member Username: Detroit_stylin Post Number: 3172 Registered: 10-2003 |
Repugnicans are getting desperate... | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 362 Registered: 12-2005 |
I would encourage all of you to serve or volunteer as an election worker or as a partisan poll challenger to get a true understanding of what really happens over the course of a 13 hour day at the polls. Forming and posting opinions based on wire service articles, press releases and/or MM's web site is a waste of brain cells and electrons. | ||
Karl Member Username: Karl Post Number: 4847 Registered: 09-2005 |
And this thread is chuck-full of left-wing blather. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4657 Registered: 10-2003 |
Says the equally conservative hack. | ||
Rjk Member Username: Rjk Post Number: 553 Registered: 11-2003 |
This is funny. And how many times did you Detroiters re-elect that incompetent boob Jackie Curry before you finally voted her out? Polling places not opening up on time because someone didn't arrive with the key, registered voters not being able to vote because of filing errors, boxes of uncounted votes found in the car of an election worker that were never turned in. These are all stories that I've read about in reference to voting problems in Detroit. Do a search on the internet and you can find many more stories about problems in Detroit. Does the saying, "We've seen the enemy and it is us" ring a bell? The republicans are the least of your worries if you want to make sure your vote is counted. Of course you never know, incompetence might lead to your vote being counted twice. We'll see what problems arise this Tuesday. Regardless of what difficulties Detroiters face in voting I'm sure the NAACP will be pointing fingers at the republican boogeyman on Wednesday. | ||
Yvette248 Member Username: Yvette248 Post Number: 73 Registered: 10-2006 |
13 hours? Honey, I have to be at the polls at 6 a.m. and depending on turnout won't leave until well after 8. That's a minimum of 14 1/2 hours. (and yes, I am counting!!!) | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 137 Registered: 11-2005 |
Warning to "poll watchers": It's vote or die. If I don't vote, you die. | ||
Rjk Member Username: Rjk Post Number: 554 Registered: 11-2003 |
http://www.usatoday.com/news/p oliticselections/vote2004/2004 -11-02-mi-voting-issues_x.htm From the article: "But the NAACP reconsidered filing a lawsuit later Tuesday after hearing from clerks that the voting process was continuing normally, said Heaster Wheeler, the executive director of the Detroit branch of the NAACP. However, the group said it still has concerns about voter intimidation. At a polling place in west Detroit, Wheeler said he spoke to three men who identified themselves as lawyers for the Bush-Cheney campaign from Kent County. The NAACP received complaints about other supposed Bush-Cheney campaign workers at eight or nine polling places in the city. "When you see groups of white men in predominantly black neighborhoods there's reason for concern," he said." _______ It's nice to see that Mr. Wheeler from the NAACP had such high standards for what qualifies as voter intimidation. |
