Comments (38)

Anonymous wrote on November 20, 2007 11:56 AM:

Who should be in charge of reversing this measure? Howard Dean? A House or Senate Committee Chair?

Anonymous wrote on November 20, 2007 12:02 PM:

You have gotta gotta gotta push this story hard and get it national attention.

"Citing litigation, Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning declined to be interviewed, although his office offered information on how the Florida Voter Registration System works."

Anonymous wrote on November 20, 2007 12:02 PM:

Michael Plummer was angry to learn his application — filed in March 2006 after he moved to Jacksonville from Connecticut — was never processed.

He called the Duval County elections office and was offered a new form, but no explanation for why the last one didn't work.

"I know I'm in the South down here, you people aren't the sharpest pencil in the box," he said. "It's no wonder Bush won the election."

Anonymous wrote on November 20, 2007 12:04 PM:

Along with federal mandates to create a single statewide voter database and to check those names against drivers license and Social Security numbers, Florida added a requirement: Applicants who didn't pass the database test would not be registered to vote.

The provision was approved by the U.S. Justice Department in 2005, but further tinkering gave "lost" voters just two days after an election to prove the computers were wrong. That has raised new civil rights concerns and the Justice Department has asked Florida to prove its system is not discriminatory against minority voters.

eric wrote on November 20, 2007 12:07 PM:

This is ridiculous. Any law that has such a disperate impact on ethnic minorities is pretty much per se unconstitutional.

bob wrote on November 20, 2007 12:07 PM:

Nothing like a system in which 76% of those rejected are minorities.

Hope the Dem presidential candidates are paying attention. They are just bleeding voters.

KarlRoveMath wrote on November 20, 2007 12:10 PM:

I am sure the hoop process was the same for people registering Dem and people registering GOP. Not!

Recently I visited the social security office with my husband to get his records updated. SS insisted on putting his name on his records as it appeared on his birth certificate. In his case, he had been spelling his middle name in a different way than it appeared on the birth certificate. Although his name is spelled his way on his drivers license, passport, school and employment records, SS would not budge. They insisted on the original birth certificate spelling. I pity anyone whose birth record says "Baby Boy" or Baby Girl". If von Sparkovsky gets in, they will never get to register as a Dem.

Hmmmmmm.....maybe these people should reregister as GOP as see if the hoops change.

mamayaga wrote on November 20, 2007 12:18 PM:

Hmmmmmm.....maybe these people should reregister as GOP as see if the hoops change.

Won't work if they're still guilty of voting while black.

RJ wrote on November 20, 2007 12:34 PM:

Will someone please tell me why you keep reporting this sh*t out of Florida while you ignore states like Georgia?

For heavens sake, Georgia is this man's home state and they did it here FIRST. They did it here BIGGER. They did it here BETTER.

Yet, Florida is the center of all the reporting..........while von Spakovsky burns Georgia to the ground.

And you fools just keep following MSM while the Georgia papers refuse to print a word of it.

Bah! Blogs will never replace MSM - they just keep following them all done the rabbit hole.

moondancer wrote on November 20, 2007 12:38 PM:

The blatant racism and partisanship is breathtaking. I guess when everything you stand for is corrupt, you need cheating to stay in the "game".
And remember, this is a cure for a non-existent illness. There is NO systemic problem with voter fraud in any state, except for GOP suppression.

Dgar wrote on November 20, 2007 1:04 PM:

Now, if only there was a way to disenfranchise white, male, predominately repuglicans, I would feel better. But probably not, as I want everyone to have a vote.

Why is this not vote tampering, and treated as treason?

Anonymous wrote on November 20, 2007 1:10 PM:

This crap drives me CRAZY!

wagonjak wrote on November 20, 2007 1:12 PM:

You can see every physical, mental and moral defect clearly in the fat, smugly satisfied and smirking face of Hans von Spakovsky...

a visage so typical of the subservient toadies Bush has placed throughout the Government structure of this country to destroy it!

It looks like Reid might actually be growing some 'nads...leaving the Senate in session to prevent Bush from placing more of these cancerous assholes in positions so they won't have to be voted on and possible rejected.

slb wrote on November 20, 2007 1:24 PM:

Michael Plummer from Connecticut should talk: his state is the one responsible for putting Joe Lieberman back in the Senate.

RJ wrote on November 20, 2007 1:24 PM:

It looks like Reid might actually be growing some 'nads...leaving the Senate in session to prevent Bush from placing more of these cancerous assholes in positions so they won't have to be voted on and possible rejected.

I think the pro forma "session" is an absolute act of cowardice. Vote the bastards down!

slb wrote on November 20, 2007 1:29 PM:

>>And you fools just keep following MSM while the Georgia papers refuse to print a word of it.

Bah! Blogs will never replace MSM - they just keep following them all done the rabbit hole.<<

So, RJ, report it yourself. Remember that blogs don't have teams of reporters to send all over the country. They depend on their readers to report what is happening around them. If you're a registered user of this site, you've got blog space that you can use to tell the world the Georgia story that you want to get out. So hop to!

Ken H wrote on November 20, 2007 1:44 PM:

RJ:

Florida - 25 Electoral Votes
Georgia - 13 Electoral Votes

Florida - 52.1% Bush / 47.1% Kerry
Georgia - 58% Bush / 41.4% Kerry

THAT is why Florida is so much more important in this context.

P J Evans wrote on November 20, 2007 2:47 PM:

RJ @ 1:24pm

I heard the Dem Caucus basically told Reid either there was a pro-forma session or they were going to move to remove him as majority leader. Also that the back-benchers in the House are starting to move on Pelosi. The source isn't entirely reliable.

totallynext wrote on November 20, 2007 3:11 PM:

Okay - since there is no ability to post on Josh post.

Here is the "YOUR THE MAN" "YOUR THE MAN" - Congrats on the Man of the Year award - GQ MAg.

RJ wrote on November 20, 2007 3:29 PM:

So, RJ, report it yourself. Remember that blogs don't have teams of reporters to send all over the country. They depend on their readers to report what is happening around them. If you're a registered user of this site, you've got blog space that you can use to tell the world the Georgia story that you want to get out. So hop to!

Been there, done that, tried it. People as high as my own state party leaders called us "conspiracy theorists" and dismissed every claim.

Laughlin McDonald of Georgia ACLU said "where's the harm?"

Now I sit back and laugh at these fools who are trying to make it an issue way too little, way too late.

RJ wrote on November 20, 2007 3:31 PM:

P J Evans wrote on November 20, 2007 2:47 PM:

RJ @ 1:24pm

I heard the Dem Caucus basically told Reid either there was a pro-forma session or they were going to move to remove him as majority leader. Also that the back-benchers in the House are starting to move on Pelosi. The source isn't entirely reliable.

We can wish, I guess. But you know, this party says we "have no where else to go" with our vote, so we're stuck with them.

That's why I'm staying home for this one. They're right - I have no where else to go, so I'm not going........

ShorelineCT wrote on November 20, 2007 3:35 PM:

S07A0525, Perdue, Governor, et al. v. Lake et al.

The 2005 Photo ID Act required an individual voting in person to present government issued identification containing their photograph. Photo ID cards for voting purposes were available at Department of Driver Services (DDS) service centers throughout the State for a fee ranging from $20 to $35, but indigent individuals could obtain one for free by signing a form under oath attesting to the fact they were indigent. On October 18, 2005, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, in Common Cause/Georgia v. Billups, 406 F. Supp. 2d 1326 (2005), issued a preliminary injunction against the enforcement of the 2005 Photo ID Act. The 2006 Photo ID Act retained the requirement that an individual present government issued photo identification to vote in person, but made voting identification cards available at each county voter registrar's office, as well as the DDS service centers, for free. Additionally, if a voter does not have an appropriate form of identification when the individual attempts to vote, he or she may cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted if the voter presents a photo ID at the registrar's office within two days. Appellees initiated this case by filing a Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief, contending that the 2006 Photo ID Act violates the Georgia Constitution because: (1) it places an illegal condition on the act of voting and (2) it disenfranchises voters who are otherwise lawfully registered and meet constitutional qualifications to vote.

The trial court found in favor of the plaintiffs and ruled that the 2006 Photo ID Act was unconstitutional. Court of Appeals Judge Debra Bernes has been designated to serve in place of Presiding Justice Carol W. Hunstein.

Attorneys for Appellants: Thurbert E. Baker, A.G.; Stefan E. Ritter, A.A.G.
Attorneys for Appellees: Roy E. Barnes; Jennifer A. Jordan

http://www.gasupreme.us/oas/oas0307.php

JMOHR wrote on November 20, 2007 3:39 PM:

We must use these methods against that secret army of illegal immigrants, terrorists and Democrats that have sworn to destroy the United States.

We Know that there are tens of thousands of these conspirators that have gathered in every state. They will arise upon signal and vote as one to make Osama BinLADIN president of the United States.

Remember, it is better to deny 1 million innocent Democrats of their vote rather than see one fraudulent person register to vote.

quax wrote on November 20, 2007 3:41 PM:

totallynext

Did you notice that his just a series of tubes?

Anon wrote on November 20, 2007 3:42 PM:

Florida...the reigning champion of voting incompetency.

ShorelineCT wrote on November 20, 2007 3:47 PM:

http://www.atlantaprogressivenews.com/news/0078.html

Voter ID Law Halted but Not Defeated
By Kristina Cates, Staff Writer, Atlanta Progressive News (August 12, 2006)

(APN) ATLANTA – While Georgia voters were not limited to five forms of ID, instead of the current seventeen, in the recent Primary and Runoff Elections, the possibility is still there that poor, elderly, and disadvantaged voters may be effectively disenfranchised in the General Election or some future election.

Voter advocates are concerned the preliminary injunction against Georgia’s Voter ID law in Federal Court won’t be renewed for the next round of elections.

The proposed law, which would be the most restrictive in the country, is still considered by many as overly burdensome to voters.

The state injunction, spearheaded by former governor Roy Barnes, is still holding strong, however.

Neil Bradley of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Voter ID Project, who is working on the federal case out of Rome, Georgia, is simply taking each injunction as it comes.....

...The USDOJ quotes an article from the Atlanta-Journal Constitution written in November 2000, which states that 5,412 occurrences of voter fraud involving deceased citizen identification were documented between 1980 and 2000. The article also points to the more than 15,000 dead people still on the registered list.

Susan Somach argues that those numbers are somewhat old, seeing as how they involve data going back to 1980, which was 26 years ago. Georgia’s current Secretary of State, Cathy Cox, has taken steps to remove many deceased voters’ names from the list during her tenure in office. Somach contends the data from more recent years that she has seen lists actual occurrences of voter fraud to be closer to 12 than 5,412. She says it would not be enough to tip an election.....

RJ wrote on November 20, 2007 3:47 PM:

Ken H wrote on November 20, 2007 1:44 PM:

RJ:

Florida - 25 Electoral Votes
Georgia - 13 Electoral Votes

Florida - 52.1% Bush / 47.1% Kerry
Georgia - 58% Bush / 41.4% Kerry

THAT is why Florida is so much more important in this context.

OK, KenH, we Georgians will just stay home then. No biggie. You sure as hell don't need us.

Moving on..........

RJ wrote on November 20, 2007 3:51 PM:

"Neil Bradley of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Voter ID Project, who is working on the federal case out of Rome, Georgia, is simply taking each injunction as it comes....."

ShorelineCT........you're so far out with these old articles, it's not funny.

The VoterID law was upheld in Georgia and is full effect.

Dorothy wrote on November 20, 2007 4:08 PM:

a Florida law that requires the state to reject voter registration applications if the data does not match driver's license or Social Security records

This will probably affect another group, also: married women who changed their name but did not (know they needed to) apply for a new Social Security card.

I also hope that the same "database consultants" that did the Florida felon purge for 2004 were not involved in these rejections: the methods used by that consulting firm were laughably incompetant to anyone with even rudimentary knowledge of relational data sets.

moondancer wrote on November 20, 2007 5:06 PM:

When all is said and done, I suspect that if you are not in the GOP database, your ability to vote in the south is in jeopardy.

jeffgee wrote on November 20, 2007 5:40 PM:

As Bush would say:
"Inschtressting"
Hans vass only followink ordas, jawohl.

Ken H wrote on November 20, 2007 7:21 PM:

RJ, way to ignore a point by making some grand, red-herring generalization...

"Fine, we'll just stay home then!!"

You asked why the GA voting rights news wasn't getting the same play as that in FL. I pointed out that GA (a) doesn't carry the same significance as FL in a general election and (b) has zero chance of sending its votes in the electoral college to the dems anyway. A pretty meat and potatoes analysis, but there it is.

Thus, my point was GA is LESS important- I never said UNimportant.

MillionthMonkey wrote on November 20, 2007 8:45 PM:

OK, KenH, we Georgians will just stay home then. No biggie. You sure as hell don't need us.

Yes we do need you. Drive to Florida and help GoTV efforts there during the election. No need to waste time voting in GA.

Zorba wrote on November 20, 2007 8:46 PM:

Remember, it is better to deny 1 million innocent Democrats of their vote rather than see one fraudulent person register to vote.>

'innocent democrat' is the oxymoran and a red herring. :)

in florida lot of certain groups doublevote as in great lake region. we all know who it is but do'nt want it rasist due to political corection.

RJ wrote on November 20, 2007 10:43 PM:

"Thus, my point was GA is LESS important- I never said UNimportant."

Nice try.

Of course, if DEMs and the ACLU would stop this shit at ground zero (can you say Georgia?) they wouldn't have any fundraising issues, would they?

Of course, the ACLU didn't give a shit when we tried to stop it BEFORE THEY PASSED THE LEGISLATION. That doesn't produce fundraising letters.

But that's OK. Georgia isn't important enough.

RJ wrote on November 21, 2007 3:22 PM:

MillionthMonkey @ 8:45 PM:

"Yes we do need you. Drive to Florida and help GoTV efforts there during the election. No need to waste time voting in GA."

That's OK, Millionth.....we'll leave the GoTV efforts to the Daddy Knows Best bunch. Gas is too expensive to waste on the DEMs.

JNagarya wrote on November 21, 2007 5:42 PM:

Don't anyone kid themselves: Rove left the White House at a convenient time: since then he's been working full time---even more than in the past--to advance the Republican't-stand-freedom anti-American voter suppression plan.

Nor is the fundamental assault of it--on civilrights--anything new; it only began coming to a head with Nixon's "Southern Strategy"; and under Reagan much of the Federal civil rights enforcement infrastructure was stealth-eliminated.

They've been at this plan a long, long time: the hardcore in the South--and in other parts of the country--never stopped fighting the Civil War; they simply replaced the white sheets and hoods with suits and ties, hired or became lawyers, and changed tactics and methods. What they couldn't win by force they intend to win by permanent change in the laws, and then the Constitution itself by amendment/repeal of amendment.

As Ghandi said, be the change you want to see in the world. If one opposes racism, s/he must begin with her/himself; pointing one's finger away from oneself can only result in a temporary "solution".

MN USA wrote on November 23, 2007 9:07 AM:

Minnesota's 5th District Representative Keith Ellison has submitted a bill that would adopt the Minnesota model nationwide. In MN you can register on election day. You don't need photo ID. Identification can include a utility bill with your name and current address on it to a neighbor who can vouch for your residency. Voting records are examined after an election for fraud and the count adjusted for anything like someone who voted in two areas. We have high turnout every year because of the ease of registering and minimal fraud. We also have paper records of the votes. I suggest everyone check out Ellison's web site and ask your Congress(wo)man to support it.