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Montana GOP Backs Off Voter Challenges
Score one for democracy.
The Montana GOP announced last night that it's backing off its challenge to the legitimacy of thousands of voter registrations filed in predominantly Democratic areas of the state, which we told you about earlier this week.
In a letter to the head of the elections office of Missoula county -- the county with the largest number of challenged voters -- which was released to reporters last night, GOP chair Jacob Eaton wrote that the challenges were made in "good faith" but added:
"As a disabled combat veteran who has fought Al Queada (sic) to defend this country and our democracy and who has voted absentee en route to a war zone, I regret that my actions have been perceived as such."
It had been reported that the list of challenged voters -- which was based on discrepancies between addresses listed on registration forms and those obtained from a U.S. postal service database -- included a member of the Army Reserve about to deploy to Kuwait, and an 86-year old Second World War hero.
A spokesman for the secretary of state's office told The Missoulian that no one has ever complained to the secretary's office of widespread voter fraud based on inaccurate voter addresses.
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Josh
Zachary
Now all we need are a few more stories like this from other states. Voter disenfranchisement efforts look weak, look slimy and are simply undemocratic. Everyone knows it, but the country just couldn't see it all that well until now.
This year is so different because progressives are now able to shine lights on these tactics all over. On to the national shaming of voter disenfranchisement!
October 8, 2008 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope you are right. I'm tried of stolen elections!
October 9, 2008 1:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Shaming is all good, but I'd prefer criminalizing instead.
Malicious disfranchisement, fraudulent disfranchisement, or both. And conspiracy to boot.
A strong Congressional majority in both houses should make it easy to pass. It might be wise to incorporate some categories of fraudulent voting as well, to address Republican concerns and make it a bipartisan effort.
Fines per voter so disenfranchised, perhaps with imprisonment after x individual charges. Penalties could include prohibition of future campaign activities or better still, election/poll-related activities. Oh, and disfranchisement too.
October 9, 2008 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
The timing is perfect -- well before the election to show the ne'er-do-wells for what they are.
October 9, 2008 3:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
I just hope they send me my absentee ballot. It'll probably just disappear over the Atlantic.
October 9, 2008 7:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
I put this important information up as a post last week, but it didn't move up to recommended, so I want to repeat it here:
There are some valuable things any of you can do to fight voter suppression efforts: (1) report them to someone who can stop them; (2) volunteer to work preventing/stopping them; (3) encourage others -- particularly lawyers, law students, & paralegals -- to volunteer too.
The National Campaign for Fair Elections is a non-partisan program of the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights under Law supported by a number of other organizations, and it has run nationwide voter protection programs in past elections. When I was a volunteer in 2004, the program was very well organized with excellent support and facilities.
If you want to volunteer to help NCFE, you can do so at their web site. www.nationalcampaignforfairelections.org/
You do not have to be a lawyer, law student, or paralegal to volunteer; "activists" are also welcome. Of course if you do have legal training you can be particularly helpful.
If you want to report voting problems or get questions answered, you can do so at www.866ourvote.org. You can also call the hot line at 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
Please do get out there to help stop voter suppression. After all the great work Josh and his team have done on the US Attorneys scandal, their loyal readers should be getting out to protect voting rights in the field.
October 9, 2008 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I voted for Bush in 2000. After 9/11, I saw what was going on and lost faith in my party. Then I rejected Bush and the Republican party by changed from the Republican party, which I have been since I was 18, to unaffiliated to any party.
I was disfranchised in the 2004 election. Never again. I will not leave a voting booth until I cast my vote.
October 10, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink