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Story Not Over On Indiana Early Voting
Not so fast.
We reported earlier that the Indiana Supreme Court had declined to approve a Republican bid to halt early voting in three heavily Democratic cities in Lake County.
Based on the view of Rick Hasen, a noted expert on election law, we concluded: "Since the appeals court is unlikely to get involved before November 4th, today's ruling effectively ensures that voting will continue up until election day."
But it now looks like that's not a certainty. The Indiana Law Blog has just posted an order from the Court of Appeals, calling for an expedited briefing schedule and setting oral arguments from October 30th.
Based on that, Hasen now believes it's a "possibility" that the court could step in before election day.
Looks like this bears keeping an eye on.
Josh
Zachary
Well of course, the great state of Indiana, lead by Republicans, will not want to let the elderly,or poor,(who might need a ride)or just plain folks, who don't want to stand in line, in the fall weather, get a chance to vote early.
How else can they keep their last hours prolonged?
After watching MSNBC since 6PM. tonite, I am pleased to anounce, that I have had enough, and will not wait till Monday to vote. I will be taking my whole family to vote for Obama on Saturday morning.
God Bless America
October 24, 2008 9:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought it was , well not illegal, but ill-advised by history, to present legal challenges when there is no chance to correct before an election. Put me wrong here, but is there a chance the state may say all early votes are ineligible? And is this not the very definition of voter disenfranchisement?
October 25, 2008 2:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
I remember hearing the other day on the radio that one of the parties bringing the suit to stop the early voting, when asked what to do with the votes already cast, suggested they be thrown out and not counted. They will certainly try to do that.
Vote suppression is how the GOP won the last two elections and they are not going to give it up now. They have efforts of one sort or another in most or all of the battleground states.
The book Witness To a Crime details an investigation into the practice in Ohio and according to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this book provides "irrefutable evidence" this took place. The book is self published after the publishing contract got canceled at the last minute. You can order it at http://www.witnesstoacrime.com if you want to learn more.
Seriously, they got away with it in the past. Why shouldn't they think they can do it again?
October 27, 2008 12:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't understand how many more days are left for early voting in Indiana. In Illinois we can vote early only through this Thursday, October 30. However, early voting in Ohio goes through at least Sunday, November 2, depending on the county.
There needs to be major election reform after this election when Obama is President. I would think there should be national standards and laws for Presidential elections, even Senate and House. And those Diebold machines in use in certain states should be replaced.
October 25, 2008 8:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Unbelievable. Have Dems ever been known to jam the vote like this? Just curious.
I have to say that I like it that the blog world has reared it's pretty head since Cheney/Bush elbowed themselves in with Rovian gusto. With such scrutiny, it's so much harder to pull the slime over anyone's eyes. Much in their bag of tricks requires a sub-rosa operation; they sizzle like vampires when the sun shines in.
October 25, 2008 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
deRougemont: "I thought it was , well not illegal, but ill-advised by history, to present legal challenges when there is no chance to correct before an election..."
I thought so, too.
"...Put me wrong here, but is there a chance the state may say all early votes are ineligible? And is this not the very definition of voter disenfranchisement?"
That is their *nation-wide* strategy, in a nutshell.
This is going to turn on them, TRUST ME, but it won't be until after the election--some of us have ethics.
October 25, 2008 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
The court challenges are one thing...sleazy attempts to suppress Democratic votes. Another not getting enough attention is very flawed and dangerous voting machines. Four states...so far.. report vote flipping when one is voting a straight Democratic party ticket. (One report of the reverse was a hoax.) Voters need to pay attention and if this happens, vote for each individual candidate which seems to cause the votes to register correctly. Of course, we have no idea what happens in the tabulation process.
October 26, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink