BBC: Republicans preparing to disrupt voting?

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme...ht/3956129.stm

A secret document obtained from inside Bush campaign headquarters in Florida suggests a plan - possibly in violation of US law - to disrupt voting in the state's African-American voting districts, a BBC Newsnight investigation reveals.

Two e-mails, prepared for the executive director of the Bush campaign in Florida and the campaign's national research director in Washington DC, contain a 15-page so-called "caging list".

It lists 1,886 names and addresses of voters in predominantly black and traditionally Democrat areas of Jacksonville, Florida.

An elections supervisor in Tallahassee, when shown the list, told Newsnight: "The only possible reason why they would keep such a thing is to challenge voters on election day."

Ion Sancho, a Democrat, noted that Florida law allows political party operatives inside polling stations to stop voters from obtaining a ballot.

Mass challenges

They may then only vote "provisionally" after signing an affidavit attesting to their legal voting status.

Mass challenges have never occurred in Florida. Indeed, says Mr Sancho, not one challenge has been made to a voter "in the 16 years I've been supervisor of elections."

"Quite frankly, this process can be used to slow down the voting process and cause chaos on election day; and discourage voters from voting."

Sancho calls it "intimidation." And it may be illegal.

In Washington, well-known civil rights attorney, Ralph Neas, noted that US federal law prohibits targeting challenges to voters, even if there is a basis for the challenge, if race is a factor in targeting the voters.

The list of Jacksonville voters covers an area with a majority of black residents.

When asked by Newsnight for an explanation of the list, Republican spokespersons claim the list merely records returned mail from either fundraising solicitations or returned letters sent to newly registered voters to verify their addresses for purposes of mailing campaign literature.

Republican state campaign spokeswoman Mindy Tucker Fletcher stated the list was not put together "in order to create" a challenge list, but refused to say it would not be used in that manner.

Rather, she did acknowledge that the party's poll workers will be instructed to challenge voters, "Where it's stated in the law."

There was no explanation as to why such clerical matters would be sent to top officials of the Bush campaign in Florida and Washington.

Private detective

In Jacksonville, to determine if Republicans were using the lists or other means of intimidating voters, we filmed a private detective filming every "early voter" - the majority of whom are black - from behind a vehicle with blacked-out windows.

The private detective claimed not to know who was paying for his all-day services.

On the scene, Democratic Congresswoman Corinne Brown said the surveillance operation was part of a campaign of intimidation tactics used by the Republican Party to intimate and scare off African American voters, almost all of whom are registered Democrats.

[hoosier]

The BBC has hired Michael Moore to help with their election night coverage - I guess they are serious journalists.

[AlphaSigOU]

Another case of reporting alarming people of jackboots in the distance...

[AXEAM]

Some how this doesn't surprise me.

[DeltAlum]

My brother-in-law is an attorney in Columbus, Ohio and tells me that his party will have lawyers in over half of the precincts in Franklin County (Columbus and some burbs).

[Kevin]

Those nasty Republicans are out to steal yet another election. How evil.

[Phasad1913]

Originally posted by ktsnake
Those nasty Republicans are out to steal yet another election. How evil.

Yep. Damned shame.

[AnchorAlum]

Damn Florida Republicans.
Wait. I AM one.

What a load of warm cow poop. My sister went to early voting two days ago and had to complain to a precinct worker when a person wearing a Kerry shirt approached her within the 50 foot line.
See how that works? Yeah. Hey, wait a minute. Was she disenfranchised? Nah. She's just another old white girl.

Please explain to me how this would work in counties in SoFla where the Election Supervisors are all Democrats. Does the BBC ask that question?

[honeychile]

Gee, I have a meeting this weekend on being a poll watcher. I guess I'll get issued my jackboots at that time.

[Optimist Prime]

Vote or Die.

[DeltAlum]

Between Florida and Ohio (and maybe a couple others), the President may get another four years by default because it will take that long to sort out the voting irregularities and court battles.

[AlphaSigOU]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
Between Florida and Ohio (and maybe a couple others), the President may get another four years by default because it will take that long to sort out the voting irregularities and court battles.

And the Democrats will still be fuming at having the election stolen from them twice...

[DeltAlum]

Ok.

Let's put partisanship aside (yeah, right!) for a moment and suppose that this BBC reporting is true. Even pretend that the roles were reversed and the Democrats had this plan and BBC proved it.

What do you think?

[honeychile]

In all honesty, I was a poll worker from when I was 18 until I was "Hatched". There have always been poll watchers, poll checkers, etc - from both parties - and they're there to keep the poll workers honest. I don't see a thing wrong with it - poll workers SHOULD be honest!

We would measure (with a tape) exactly 50 feet from the actual registration table, and mark it. Anyone voting for the first time MUST bring photo id, and their voter's registration card. Those who wish to be there for poll watching or the count better have a signed document showing for whom they are doing this. (Usually it's one per person on the ballot, one per party permitted to do this)

I've cancelled out my own father's votes. If someone is on the ballot, and you write in their name, that vote is cancelled!

Oh, and I did this as a Democrat. If anyone wants to question any poll where I'm working, bring it on! We may be strict, but we're honest to a fault.

[DeltAlum]

Two of Mrs. DA's siblings are poll workers in Ohio. I may have to volunteer since, as sister-in-law pointed out, they tend to be fairly old and it's hard to replace them when they quit (or die).

But my question really is what if the Republicans (in this particular case) really are planning something knowingly illegal? Or what if the Democrats did it?

Have politics really gone that far into the gutter? (Before you answer, remember Watergate and other "dirty tricks.")