Alabama will give names of crossover voters to prosecutors

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Kim Chandler, Associated Press
 Updated 7:24 pm, Friday, October 20, 2017

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The names of Alabama voters who crossed party lines to vote in last month's Republican Senate runoff will be given to prosecutors, the state's election chief said Friday.

Secretary of State John Merrill said his office has identified 674 people who voted in the Democratic primary and later voted in the GOP runoff in violation of the state's new crossover voting ban. Merrill said he plans to send the names to the attorney general and district attorneys after local election officials check the list for errors.

The move signals a hardline approach to the new state law — used for the first time in the U.S. Senate runoff — that adds fraudulent crossover voting to the list of other felony voting crimes, such as voting twice. Merrill said it was the "right thing" to report violations but noted that it is prosecutors' decision on whether to pursue charges.
 
The move drew criticism from those who said voters could face prosecution for an honest mistake as the ban came into effect for the first time, but Merrill said it was his responsibility to report possible violations.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Alabama-will-give-names-of-cross-over-voters-to-12294792.php

[irisblue]

1. A new front in voter suppression. Thanks for this Judi Lynn

[elleng]

2. Good chance, imo, it's unconstitutional.

(Would have to study the legislation to confirm.)

[Jim Lane]

12. I think such laws are fairly common, and constitutional.

Obviously, no one could vote in both the Democratic primary and the Republican primary, even if the state has open primaries. The runoff is deemed merely a continuation of the Republican primary.

Years ago, I moved to North Carolina after a Democratic primary but before the runoff. Although I immediately registered to vote, I couldn't vote in the runoff, because I hadn't been registered for the primary and the runoff was a continuation of the primary. For people who were registered and who actually voted, but in the other party's primary, I'm OK with barring them from the runoff. No one should be allowed to cast votes toward picking both major-party candidates.

[LeftInTX]

3. They weren't told by pollworkers?

In Texas you can't vote in run-offs if you haven't voted in the primary, however the pollworkers warn you that you can't.

[Angry Dragon]

4. How are they going to prove these people actually voted??

[LeftInTX]

5. The voter signs when they vote - at least in Texas.

The clerk has my address and voter ID # on file. She prints out the info, sticks it in a registration book and I sign it.

[Angry Dragon]

6. I can take a ballot, take it into a booth, look at it, do nothing with it

and run it through the machine and adds no vote
they could prove I signed in but how do they prove I voted??

[LeftInTX]

8. The same way that they charge people with voter fraud

If you vote twice, in the same election you can be charged.

Although it is a clever defense...LOL
"I signed in, but pretended to vote, but I didn't"

[eggplant]

10. Casting a blank ballot is still voting. Sorry.

[JCMach1]

13. No proof unless they admit they actually

Voted for a Republican. They could have been doodling on the ballot.

This is yet another effort to suppress votes.

[LeftInTX]

15. But when you vote in a specific primary, you request a party ballot.

If you voted in a Democratic primary, it is public record. If you vote in a Republican primary it is public record. When you vote in a Republican runoff it is public record. Democratic primary is a totally different election than the Republican primary.

At our polls, they ask what party primary ballot you want. It is then recorded manually that you voted in that party's primary.

Sure someone could go to the polls, request a Republican ballot and then not vote....but why?

[Iliyah]

7. Sounds like panic

If Moore was a million miles ahead - no problem.

[yallerdawg]

9. What about the Democrats who voted in the Republican primary...

and then voted in the Republican runoff?

You don't think that 'incumbent' Trump favorite got beat by a 'whacko' without a little help, do you?



Go Doug Jones!

[Hortensis]

11. Enforcing this new law is fine, "innocent mistakes" are NOT okay,

but FELONY charges when this is the first election the new law has been in effect? A misdeanour fine would be appropriate.

Almost no one looks up and reads regulations in case they've changed, they don't even read them posted on a wall, and these would-be fascists, who see easy victims instead of citizens, know it.

[Vinca]

14. Crossover voting shouldn't be illegal. You should be able to vote how you want when you want.

Should be challenged in court.

[LeftInTX]

16. Unfortunately, it is illegal in Texas.

It is only illegal if you haven't voted in the runoff party's primary. (We do have open primaries in Texas, so we can crossover for the primary, but not the runoff)

I don't know if Texas' law has been challenged in court. Maybe it should be.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

17. The GOP is not welcoming these newly-reformed, former Democrats into their party?

Keeping the tent small, I see.