Want to vote in South Florida? Better wear Depends.

[riqster]

Yet another bit of election rigging from the infamous Miami-Dade County: http://bluntandcranky.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/want-to-vote-in-south-florida-better-wear-depends/

"That’s because if you have to pee during your six-plus-hour wait to cast a ballot, the bathrooms are verboten. Closed. Not available. No matter how long the line, or if you are elderly, or if the weather is crap (oh, you can’t do that either-no potties for you voter types).
From the article:

Instead, he received a written response announcing that the county would close all restrooms at polling places “to ensure that individuals with disabilities are not treated unfairly,” a January email stated. “[T]he Department’s policy is not to permit access to restrooms at polling sites on election days,” Assistant County Attorney Shanika Graves said in a Feb. 14 email.

This latest voter-suppression effort is, of course, designed to keep the elderly, minorities and working poor from casting their ballots: Democratic voters, in other words. The local Board of Election is pretending that this is a decision based on the rights of the disabled, which is a lie more transparent than a hooker’s blouse. No, it’s Miami-Dade county doing what it does best: rig elections so that “Republicans” win.

If it’s any comfort to all those voters waiting in long lines to vote this year: no matter the state of the diapers they may have to wear in order to exercise their franchise, they will never be as full of s*** as the elected officials who concocted this, well, crappy idea."

Source info at the link.

[ladjf]

1. There should be some type of health ordinance against such an inconvenient public policy. nt

[riqster]

2. Hopefully there is one that we can use to stop this.

[mercuryblues]

3. Oh

all you pampered voters out there.

A better solution would be to put the voting booths in the bathroom stalls. Now that would be worth all the talc I'm hearing.

[riqster]

4. Well, given how often our crappy candidates piss us off,

Voting in the stalls might be appropriate, at that.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. Here in Oregon, we vote by mail, which means that if one had the need or inclination

one could literally vote while using the bathroom.

[Gothmog]

6. This is a stupid policy

The lengths that people are going to suppress the vote are amazing

[riqster]

7. And the fact that it works is infuriating.

[BuelahWitch]

8. How does closing access to restrooms

"ensure that individuals with disabilities are not treated unfairly"? I would think it would have the opposite effect.
What am I missing here? Or is this just another "up is down, black is white" type deal from the Republicans?

[riqster]

15. Their stated reasoning is that this is equality.

"Nobody can pee here, never mind who or why."

Information on the precise current state of ADA compliance is being withheld at the moment.

[pipi_k]

9. While I agree it's

a shitty move (no pun intended), I really have to say that this:

This latest voter-suppression effort is, of course, designed to keep the elderly, minorities and working poor from casting their ballots: Democratic voters, in other words.

is utterly ridiculous.


What...only Democrats have bladder/bowel problems?

Only the elderly can't hold their pee? Sorry...I know people way older than I am who can hold their pee longer than I can.

Only minorities are incontinent?

Only the working poor can't control their bodily functions?


As I said, the policy sucks.

But it's a little paranoid to think it's specifically aimed at one political party over another.

[riqster]

12. It is a fair accusation based on the county's history.

Remember 2000? Other elections? In that county, it has been the Dems getting boned and the Repubs getting kissed, time and again.

Two articles on the Miami-Dade anti-Dem election administration, of the many you can find with a quick google:

http://mediatrackers.org/florida/2012/11/27/miami-dade-elections-officials-laughing-all-the-way-to-the-bank

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/11/04/1136371/south-florida-county-extends-early-voting-but-only-in-one-gop-stronghold/

[pipi_k]

18. Whatever

The county's history is, I ask again...is it only the elderly, the poor, and minorities who have bladder and intestinal problems?

[riqster]

19. No, but the poor, elderly and minorities have two things in common which prove the point:

They tend to have limited resources, which makes it harder for them to access the polls in the first place, and

They tend to vote Democratic.

So anything that makes it harder to vote will have a disproportionately negative impact on the Dem vote, thus resulting in a partisan advantage for the Repubes.

Game, set, match.

[pipi_k]

21. Alright...

you win.

Democrats are more prone to incontinence than Republicans are.




What physical problems do Independents have?

[riqster]

23. Cling to your repub-enabling talking points if you insist.

Reality is, these people will be less able to cast a ballot. And that is voter suppression.

And that is infuriating to election integrity activists.

[gollygee]

20. Wealthy precincts typically have much shorter waits than poorer precincts

So this will affect poorer precincts much more, and poorer precincts typically have more minorities, who are much more likely to vote Democratic. It's clearly a voter suppression effort.

[riqster]

24. Very good point.

[badtoworse]

10. I ws under the impression that Dade County is run by Democrats. Am I wrong?

[riqster]

11. Not in this case.

Penelope Townsley is the elections boss, and was not elected: she was appointed by the Republican Mayor. And her rulings have uniformly benefited Repubs at the expense of Dems. A couple of articles:

http://mediatrackers.org/florida/2012/11/27/miami-dade-elections-officials-laughing-all-the-way-to-the-bank

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/11/04/1136371/south-florida-county-extends-early-voting-but-only-in-one-gop-stronghold/

[badtoworse]

13. Thanks. It surprises me that the position is appointed apparently without any confirmation required

[riqster]

14. It explains why so many fishy events occur there.

And little, if anything, is ever done to clear up the stench.

[RebelOne]

16. My daughter lives in Miami-Dade County,

but she is registered in Broward when she lived in Hollywood. Last presidential election she want to a polling place in Hollywood and it was deserted. Hope she is just as lucky next election.

[riqster]

17. I live in Ohio, and always vote absentee.

Because you never know what these Repub scumbuckeyes will try to pull on Election Day.

Good luck to your daughter!

[RebelOne]

22. I do the same here in Georgia. I hate standing in a line. n/t

[riqster]

25. I can't get to the polls during the increasingly-limited hours they are open.

[kimbutgar]

26. THe uninteneded consequence could be some of those voters are old white republicans who won't be

able to wait in long lines if they have bladder/prostate problems. The GOP in trying to limit voting don't realize it might affect some of their voters from voting.

[riqster]

27. True. Most of those inconvenienced will be Dems, but not all.

Repubs probably figure it's worth it overall, but it still sucks.