Voter Fraud

[ER]

All throughout the Democratic primaries, the most shamefully under-reported story among the mainstream press was the rampant voter fraud being carried out in support of one of the candidates. The powers that be within the Democratic Party suggested that for this to be made an issue would be "damaging" to the morale and reputation of Democrats, and so in the interest of party loyalty, far less of an issue was raised about voter legitimacy than there should have been.

However, the Republican Party and its media allies, having few scruples about damaging Democrats, are finally beginning to widely report on the frightening extent to which voter fraud is ongoing. I predict this is going to become a major issue, as well it should, and think the controversy of this criminal practice---nothing less than the hijacking of democracy itself---will become possibly the biggest story to arise out of this election. I am not alone in believing that voter fraud changed the outcome of the Democratic primaries, and could well undermine the national election in November.

In my opinion, a major scandal is coming, along with it recount and election-challenge nightmares that will make Florida 2000 seem a fond memory. Americans of all political persuasions should feel justified outrage at what is happening in our nation.

And lest anyone assume I speak from a position of personal bias, I am a registered independent who has previously tended to support Democrats, and may well refrain from voting at all this time around: let's conveniently say I am undecided.

[schmendrik]

Evidence?

Every report I've *ever* read about this shows that the facts are not keeping up with the Republican rhetoric, and that the actual effect of "voter fraud" efforts in every documented case are to cause legitimate voters to be prevented from voting.

Pardon me if I am suspicious about your stated party leanings. This is a rallying cry of the right. It was at the core of a number of the attorney general firings. "We want you to bring up voter fraud cases and convict some Democrats" "Why? There's no evidence of any fraud" "You're fired".

[ER]

schmendrik, I've never voted for a Republican in my life. I'm an American who believes widescale voter fraud is underway.

I guess time will tell whether my concerns are justified. I actually hope I'm wrong, tell ya the truth. I knew this would be a controversial topic to bring up, but I think it is something that should be looked into.

[ghouck]

Based on what? I too am curious, since I've not been able to dig up anything credible on the subject. My curiosity is in how it would actually be carried out.

[ER]

Google news reports on "ACORN" to start with.

But you know, as I said, time will tell with this issue. I do think you'll be hearing more and more about this topic as the election nears. Will all reports of voter fraud be valid? I doubt it. But is voter fraud going on in huge numbers right now? I suspect it is.

[Captain Tars Tarkas]

Please, this is just an imagined conspiracy by a dying party.  Where is the evidence?  If you are so convinced, how about a link, any link?  Sort of like this link of Republican voter shenanigans that got thrown out over a statewide revolt over their horrid tactics:  http://www.kpax.com/global/story.asp?s=9142552


ACORN:

On Oct. 6, ACORN and Project Vote announced the conclusion of the most successful voter registration drive in history with more than 1.3 million new voters registered in 21 states.

Here is what ER is talking about but can't link to for some reason: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/07/acorn-vegas-office-raided-voter-fraud-investigation/

Here is an article detailing the Obama campaign's response:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/03/obama-camp-debunks-voter_n_131686.html

[ghouck]

More recently, 27,000 registrations handled by the group from January to July 2008 "went into limbo because they were incomplete, inaccurate, or fraudulent," said James Terry, chief public advocate at the Consumers Rights League.

Weasle-wording fails to impress me.

[ER]

Tarkas, thanks for the FOX News link. Being less than a fan of FOX News, I hadn't seen that one! Glad word is spreading. I did read the Senator Obama link you posted, and thanks for that, too. After looking it over, methinks the Obama campaign sounds worried, and doth protest too much.

I know a topic like this could get nasty in here and elsewhere, so, shrug, ultimately as I said, time will tell who is right. If the election goes off smoothly, civilly and devoid of fraud, no one will be happier than me.

[Rev. Powell]

Of course some voter fraud occurs during every election.  The smaller the scale of the election, the more likely it is that a few hundred votes could change the outcome.

I didn't see anything in those reports to suggest that ACORN's alleged fraud was large enough to effect the results of the primaries.

I'm not worried that voter fraud will effect the popular vote in the upcoming nationwide election.  Still, it may have occurred at least once in American history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1960#Controversies

[ER]

I don't know, Rev, in 2000 the Florida election came down to less than a hundred votes, so who can predict what the margins might be this year? I think there's an organized strategy behind this campaign of fraud, with certain key states being heavily targeted. Believe me, you'll be hearing a lot more about between now and November.

[Rev. Powell]

Yep, no one can predict.  But 2000 was one of the closest elections in Presidential history; I would be surprised if there were margins close enough for cheating to be effective once every 40 years.  For voter fraud to sway an election, the election had to be statistically close, AND the cheaters have to identify the proper swing states to throw their resources into, AND (maybe most importantly) one side has to cheat significantly more than the other.  If both sides cheat by about the same amount, they'll neutralize each other!

[Captain Tars Tarkas]

With the latest poll numbers, fraud is not needed.  

[indianasmith]

Thanks to ER for bringing up the topic.  I am enough of a historian I think I can honestly say that there has never been a U.S. Presidential election in which voter fraud did not occur.  Most of the time, the fraud was perpetrated pretty evenly by both parties and had the effect of being self-nullifying.  If the current reports are indeed only the tip of the iceberg, however, this year could be different.

And the sad part is, I don't know that Obama needs it.  The man frankly scares the hell out of me, but it looks like he may win regardless.

[raj]

Just came across this item about ACORN:

http://www.lvrj.com/news/30613864.html

"State authorities on Tuesday raided an organization that registers low-income people to vote, alleging that its canvassers falsified forms with bogus names, fake addresses or famous personalities.

The secretary of state's office launched an investigation after noticing that names did not match addresses and that most members of the Dallas Cowboys appeared to be registering in Nevada to vote in November's general election."

[CheezeFlixz]

Evidence?

Every report I've *ever* read about this shows that the facts are not keeping up with the Republican rhetoric, and that the actual effect of "voter fraud" efforts in every documented case are to cause legitimate voters to be prevented from voting.

Pardon me if I am suspicious about your stated party leanings. This is a rallying cry of the right. It was at the core of a number of the attorney general firings. "We want you to bring up voter fraud cases and convict some Democrats" "Why? There's no evidence of any fraud" "You're fired".

Evidence? Do you watch anything other than Cartoon Network? Reports are every where, even on MSNBC.

Many reports coming out of Ohio of voter fraud and same day voting is rampant, homeless being given money and cigarettes to register and vote for Obama.

You're free to google that if you want evidence.

But who is allowing it to happen in Ohio, the Democrat Sectary of State.

In other state they tried to require Voter ID's but guess who blocked in and challenged it in court, the Democrats.
Their reason it was too burdensome on the poor that who couldn't make it to the mobile ID vans that would come to their house ... here's my question.

Ga. Democrats sue over voter ID law

If you can't make it out to get a Voter ID, then how the hell are you going to make it out to vote?

Now the good news is this was overturned and now people actually have to get up off their ass and walk out to their driveway/parking lot and get a FREE voter ID ... God help them if the voting booth is not in their living room.

Point is every time there is voter fraud, it's linked to Democrats, every time the Republicans try to require the burdensome picture ID, the Democrats try to stop it. Every time there is a "get out the vote" movement it's Democrat and it's ripe with corruption.

The Republicans have the complex set of rules.
1. You can register to vote once only.
2. You must be living legally in the US.
3. You must be living.   
4. You are allowed to vote once in you prescribed district.

See that's so easy even a Democrat can do it.