Official: Sanders shares blame for minors voting in primary

[George II]

Source: Star Tribune

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Election Commission chairman on Tuesday blamed Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign and poll workers for the dozens of instances in which 17-year-olds managed to vote in Wisconsin's presidential primary last year.

A commission report found that as many as 70 17-year-olds in nearly 30 Wisconsin counties voted illegally in the April election. Sanders won the Democratic side of the primary; Ted Cruz won the Republican side.

Many states allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 by Election Day to vote in their primaries, but Wisconsin isn't among them and requires voters to be 18 to vote in its primary.

In its report, the commission determined that social media posts about how some states allow qualifying 17-year-olds to vote in their primaries likely led to confusion and drove the Wisconsin teens to polls. Commission officials said Sanders, specifically, posted on social media about 17-year-olds being able to vote in presidential primaries, though they acknowledged that they didn't see any misinformation from Sanders about Wisconsin's laws, specifically.

_____________________

more

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/chairman-promises-better-training-after-17-year-olds-vote/416134304/

[ciaobaby]

1. Ridiculous

"they acknowledged that they didn't see any misinformation from Sanders about Wisconsin's laws, specifically."

[Gothmog]

13. I have seen some different reports

This report is different https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin/articles/2017-03-14/chairman-promises-better-training-after-17-year-olds-vote

Commission Chairman Mark Thomson responded by telling her that Sanders' national campaign "blurred the differences" in states' laws in its messaging and "the candidate has to have responsibility for those errors." He didn't elaborate.

Sanders' campaign didn't immediately reply to an email seeking its reaction to Thomsen's remarks. His campaign enjoyed strong support from young people. Last March he successfully sued Ohio's top elections official in an attempt to allow 17-year-olds who would turn 18 by the general election to vote in that state's primary.

Sanders national message was that 17 years old could vote which is true in some states. You cannot use a national message like this in a state where the law is different

[ciaobaby]

16. Every voter is responsible to know voting rules and requirements.

Do you have any actual proof that Sanders encouraged this ? Or are you just saying that cause it is Bernie ?

"they acknowledged that they didn't see any misinformation from Sanders about Wisconsin's laws, specifically."

[former9thward]

27. " Every voter is responsible to know voting rules and requirements."

Really? So you are expecting 17 year olds to know all the voting rules and requirements. The same 17 year olds who the legislature and courts have said are not competent to sign their names on contracts.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

32. Yep. Absolutely.

Voting, like driving a car, is an adult activity.

"Honest, your honor, he's not old enough to sign a contract so let's let him off for DWI."

How's that sound to you?

The article, actually the headline, is bullshit anyway. The facts on the ground don't match the click bait header.

The article is full of contrary tidbits:

"The report doesn't name a specific candidate or provide examples of the alleged false information."

Or

Commissioner Ann Jacobs said during Tuesday's meeting that it's unclear who's responsible for what appears online. Sanders may have said 17-year-olds could vote in one state and his supporters or kids twisted the message as it spread across the internet, she suggested.

Omg omg!!!! Wrong information on the internets!!!!!!

Or

" Reid Magney acknowledged that staff didn't see anything misleading from Sanders about Wisconsin laws, specifically. Magney said the report was based on "anecdotal" information the commission received from multiple source"

Or

"The panel ultimately voted unanimously to remove the phrase "some political campaigns" from the report and simply say false information spread through social media."

Fucking social media!!! Gotta go. Can't talk. I have to have the traction tightened on my broken legs. I saw some kid on Facebook doing parkour. Didn't work out so good for me.



Sounds to me like somebody on the commission with a case of butt hurt wants to sling a little mud

[ciaobaby]

33. yep - those are the very ones I am referring to !

[LanternWaste]

46. I think it's tots adorbs you're rationalizing youthful ignorance of an age requirement.

I think it's tots adorbs you're rationalizing the youthful ignorance of a most simple age requirement, one even a seven year old could validly interpret.

You're really getting into your wheelhouse these days! Congrats!

[pat_k]

20. No, his site provided state specific guidance

And call bankers used/referred voters to the page that provided a link to info for each state.

[knightmaar]

2. So they don't check?

"Hey, I just looked at your birth certificate. You're not old enough to vote."

"But I'll be 18 by election day!"

"That doesn't count."

"Oh."

How the hell do you run a country like this? Somehow, in Canada, all we have are retired people as volunteers working the polls and we don't have shit like this going on.

[frazzled]

6. If your name isn't on the rolls as a registered voter ...

I don't know how the heck you can even cast a vote. If you are able to register on election day, you should have to bring the same proof of residency/age materials that you would in registering at the DMV or Election Board. Either way, you wouldn't get to vote in my state ... unless the election judges weren't doing their jobs.

One wonders who the election judges at these polls were. I have a hunch, but I'll refrain from saying.

[FakeNoose]

10. Primaries aren't as strict as general elections

I can't say for sure because every state runs their primary differently. (so it would seem)

You're correct that somebody who's not registered at least a month ahead can't vote in the general election. It's possible that maybe primary voters would be allowed to register on the spot (I think) but the voter would still need to show ID. Maybe there's a provision for somebody who's a party member (but not registered to vote), they can look the other way and let them vote.

In PA each polling place has 3 election judges - 1 Dem., 1 GOP and 1 independent. If anybody's voting credentials are called into question, they can make a determination immediately.

[Sunlei]

3. All the states should be the same, whoever will be 18 by general election can vote in the primary.

[4lbs]

7. Yeah. For a general election, every state should use the EXACT same voting method (paper ballots)

and the exact same voting rules.

But.... that would make too much sense. So, they don't do it.

[Sunlei]

8. Republicans are against exact same method because they WANT to exclude *some* voters with confusion

always and ONLY Republicans.

[4lbs]

25. I agree. The GOP has long known that they would actually lose every election from local offices to

the Presidency if things were on an equal footing.

That's why they do things like gerrymandering, redistricting, limited voting hours and days, triple forms of ID, etc., that somehow affect overwhelmingly Democratic voters.

[Sunlei]

42. always Republicans because the tactic works for them. Worse with Russian & IMO, Chinas global

cyber attacks against democracies in many countries. They helped in a major way, colluded with Republican party against our Democracy and won.

And here we are in America with a couple pages of ancient IRS forms the IRS already has under audit.

[NWCorona]

4. Let me just say that this is a...

[LeftInTX]

5. Didn't the poll workers check the voter registration rolls?

[Sunlei]

9. good point. a persons birthday is on the voter registration card.

[Gothmog]

11. You can register to vote before you turn 18 in all or most states

You can register in most states to vote before your turn 18 so long as you turn 18 before the next election. Under Texas laws, each High School principal is suppose to be a deputy voter registrar and are supposed to register high school seniors twice a year. Most principals are not DVRs and I am working with two groups who are taking DVRs into high schools to register seniors.

[LeftInTX]

15. My husband is one and a DVR

My kids registered in high school government class.

[Gothmog]

19. They are not teaching civics in many schools

I am working with two groups who are planning to hit the local high schools in April or early May. I was shocked to find that the big schools are not teaching civics. I am not sure how many are offering government unless there is AP credit.

I was registering voters at a Cinco de Mayo event for the local party and I got three boy scouts who were seniors. It was great.

[LeftInTX]

21. U.S. Govt at .5 credits

is listed as a minimum graduation requirement

https://www.thetrc.org/trc/download/tea/brochure.pdf

[demmiblue]

12. Sounds like poll workers didn't do their jobs.

[pat_k]

14. WTF? "didn't see any misinformation from Sanders..."..

But somehow "Sanders shares blame"?

The Sanders site gave accurate information on rules governing primaries in every state -- and updates on little publicized changes too. I don't see how the campaign "shares" responsibility for confusion. Sounds to me that confusion was in state registration procedures and/ or the poll workers. They are the ones who are actually charged with making sure rules are followed. Voters confused in one way or another are a fact of life. And the SOS or poll workers are charged with providing guidance.

This is a very strange headline/article.

[ciaobaby]

17. +1

[demmiblue]

18. That's how they roll.

Dog forbid that we stop rehashing the primaries and deal with the catastrophe at hand.

Oh, and, fake news.

[Ligyron]

22. Just what we needed...

Illegal voters for GrOPers to bandy about and carry on over.

[murielm99]

23. FFS

I have been voting in the same precinct for thirty-eight years. They know me. They still look up my registration, look at me, have me sign something, and make sure the signatures match. They are professional, but not suspicious, toward new voters. They check the registration, including the birth date.

What about the county clerk? All those new registrations go through her or his office. They are checked there before the voter is sent a card. Any staff member or county clerk would know how to look at a birth date.

I smell bullshit.

[NurseJackie]

24. Wow! I just don't know what to say any more.

n/t

[truebluegreen]

28. About what.

n/t

[NurseJackie]

29. About this.

nt

[truebluegreen]

30. Cute.

nt

[NurseJackie]

36. You asked an unnecessary question. I provided an unnecessary answer.

nt

[truebluegreen]

37. "Unnecessary" is your characterization.

I was interested in knowing if you were indulging in Bernie bashing or shaking your head about those who were.

S'okay though: I'll just guess.
.
.
.
.
.
So maybe it was unnecessary. I bow to your superior intellect.

[NurseJackie]

39. Ha!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

31. Lol. Oh yes you do. Take your time. It will come to you.

[NurseJackie]

34. LOL ... perhaps.

[underthematrix]

26. This is a false flag to distract us.

Sanders is speaking truth to Trumpsters and they're hearing him so now they're coming for Sanders. Don't buy into the bullshit.

[hollowdweller]

35. Given low youth vote turnout have to give the kids a thumbs up even if

they messed up.

[BainsBane]

38. Are you seriously condoning illegal voting?

[JCanete]

41. sure didn't sound like it. messed up isn't really the same thing. The poster

Last edited Wed Mar 15, 2017, 05:54 PM - Edit history (1)

was giving props to them because they wanted to vote and did so. I think he was assuming, as I think it is safe to assume, that they thought they could vote. As people have been asking here, how did they get to anyway?

[4bucksagallon]

40. Anything to blame Bernie, huh?

[Sunlei]

43. only 70 out of millions & its only primary. Shows us how Republicans check every single voter reg.

card in detail in Wisconsin and every other state as well. They must spend a ton of money to exclude votes.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

44. What??? WI has voter ID, so 17 y.o. would not have been allowed - WHATS THE POINT of our stupid

voter id law if it doesnt stop a 17 yo from voting?

[forthemiddle]

45. there was a loophole in the Wisconsin law

Apparently it is legal to register before you turn 18 in Wisconsin, if you will turn 18 before the election but you cannot vote, just register!

But Voter ID did not go into effect until AFTER the primary I believe. It was held up in the courts, and first used in the August Primary.

So there was a handful of kids who legally registered, but then illegally voted.

And no our birthdates are not recorded on the voting roles.

This is something that should never happen again in Wisconsin since they now require ID when you vote, not just when you register.