Features

mburbank · #1

Some wrongly told they can't vote

By Judy Putnam
Lansing Bureau ( a michigan daily)

LANSING -- Newly registered voters in at least two Secretary of State offices were wrongly told they are ineligible to vote in the Nov. 2 election, sparking charges by Democrats that GOP Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land is trying to suppress turnout.

But Land's spokeswoman said Tuesday that it was an isolated mistake made when fliers were handed out in Battle Creek and Ann Arbor branch offices during the past week. The notices were intended for distribution after Oct. 4, the last day of registration for the Nov. 2 election.

The notice told voters in bold capital letters:: "Registering today? Please be advised that you are not eligible to vote in the November 2, 2004 General Election.''

"Some of our branch offices made them available prematurely,'' said Kelly Chesney, a spokeswoman for Land. She said her office found out about it late Friday via e-mail from an Ann Arbor voter and notified the 173 branch offices to make sure to hold the notices until Oct. 5.

In other words, she got caught. Ann Arbor? A democratic district. Battle Creek? Swing district, hotly contested.

And I just want to say again, Diebold, the company that makes the lions share of E-voting machines that do not feature recipets or any reliable method of recount, is a heavy contributor to the Bush Chenney campaign. If this election is even close the legal rangling that will absolutely follow will almost certinly ensure that the supreme court will select the winner.

mburbank · #2

"Protect the Vote"
By BOB HERBERT
NYT

Published: September 13, 2004

More than 80 percent of the population of Detroit is black. This is very well understood by John Pappageorge, who is white and a Republican state legislator in Michigan. "If we do not suppress the Detroit vote," said Mr. Pappageorge, "we're going to have a tough time in this election."

Immortal Goat · #3

Yet another reason for me to despise the party system. All this goddamned arguing and cheating and lying pisses me off, and it really lowers my opinion of American politics. How can the government expect to keep even a shred of respect when they are bickering amongst themselves like little preschoolers when there aren't enough lollipops to go around.