Kobach's New Rules Block 20% Of Kansas Voter Registration Applications

[big_dog]

Source: Right Wing Watch & National Public Radio

In the run-up to the first general election in which Kansans have been required to provide one of a narrow set of “proof of citizenship” documents in order to register to vote, nearly 20 percent of voter registration applications in the state have been rejected or suspended, according to a Kansas political science professor.

University of Kansas professor Patrick Miller told Kansas City’s NPR affiliate that a large percentage of these suspended or rejected registrations are from independents, “essentially making the electorate more Republican”: An even larger group than those who have had ID problems at the polls are those voters who haven’t yet proven U.S. citizenship, another provision of the new law. There are 22,468 voters whose registrations are suspended because they are lacking citizenship documentation, according to the Secretary of State’s office. That’s larger than the population of Prairie Village, a Kansas City suburb.

“This is a big change for Kansas. In 2010, we only rejected .03 percent of voter registration applications,” said Patrick Miller, a University of Kansas assistant political science professor. “Whereas in 2014, we’ve suspended or rejected almost 20 percent. That’s a massive increase.” Of the nearly 22,468 suspended registrations, 18 percent are Democrats, nearly 23 percent are Republicans and a whopping 57 percent are independents, or unaffiliated. The new law has effectively made the electorate more partisan, Miller said.

“It’s filtering out independents, the swing voters, making proportionately the electorate more Democratic, more Republican,” Miller said. “In Kansas, the effect of this is essentially making the electorate more Republican, given that Republicans have a registration advantage here.” The new Kansas law was championed by Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who has also been in charge of implementing it. Kobach is facing his own tough reelection battle this year thanks in part to the mess created by his new voting restrictions.


Read more: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/kobachs-new-rules-block-20-percent-kansas-voter-registration-applications

[randys1]

1. Wake me up when people recognize an enemy when they see one, an enemy unlike

any this nation has ever fought.

If we cant get the UN to send in troops to these states where the terrorists are forcibly preventing Americans from voting, what can we do?

[big_dog]

2. welcome to Tea Party rule!

hopefully Browback, Kobach and Roberts will all be gone tonight

[randys1]

4. I am sorry about the enemy and terrorist talk, but I just dont understand why these R states arent

being tended to by UN Troops, seriously.

I dont have enough energy to do this fight alone, I need more people to wake the fuck up

[noiretextatique]

7. clearly we are under siege

and if the DOJ can't do anything, perhaps we DO need the UN.

[elleng]

15. and of course they're relying on enforcement of improper rules

to get them elected this time; take it to court next week!

[noiretextatique]

6. maybe we need the south african trade unionists to monitor our elections

like the UAW did when Mandela won.

[workinclasszero]

11. Totally agree

We are so scared of overseas threats when our right to even vote is being taken away by traitorous right wing republican terrorists!!

[turbinetree]

3. VOTE

Kobach------ voting is a goddamn right not a privilege

[big_dog]

8. vote Kobach out today!!

he was tied 45-45 in the recent polls because of this lunacy in the NPR story

[Roland99]

5. Independent? pffffft

*my* guess (totally speculative) is that "independent" equates to Libertarian in a majority of cases who will all hold their nose and vote Republican before voting for a "nanny state" Democrat.

Any takers?

[Travis_0004]

9. A lot are probably democrats and republicans

I think a lot of people dont bother registering with the party. Ive never registered as a Democrat. I dont see the point. (I live in an open primary state)

[big_dog]

13. VP Biden said today that Orman will NOT be with the GOP in the Senate

if his slim lead holds.

[SoapBox]

10. SO fucking outrageous.

It's criminal.

[Stuart G]

12. Criminal..that is how they may tilt Kansas to them

and look at the cheating in other close races.

North Carolina...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=934818

[elleng]

17. That is the only way they win,

and they DO it, ALL THE TIME! And too often, Dems don't call them out on it. Recall 'President' Al Gore???

[sakabatou]

14. 20%?!

WTF?!

[C Moon]

16. Those Secretary of State positions hold a lot of power, that's for sure.

[wandy]

18. So the GOP wins by "cheating". The question should not be...........

what else is new.

Sooner or later even the great Jim Crow will no longer help them.
The question is........

What actions will they take after Jim Crow fails them.

[Johnyawl]

19. This must have come as a shock to a lot of teapartiers...

..."Of the nearly 22,468 suspended registrations, 18 percent are Democrats, nearly 23 percent are Republicans and a whopping 57 percent are independents, or unaffiliated."

That's about 5100 republicans who wanted to vote and couldn't, thanks to republican Kobach.

[jonjensen]

20. will liberal whining allow these people to vote?

Or will president Obama sending in federal marshals and military troops to protect their right to vote at bayonet point if necessary.

[Change has come]

21. Your post makes no sense.

What are you trying to say here?

[Enthusiast]

25. I was wondering the same thing.

[sakabatou]

26. Wut?

[ReRe]

22. This is the kind of shit that causes...

... Dems to have to get out 3-5 times the vote as Republicons.

[SoapBox]

23. And why aren't Dems, ACLU, somebody, ANYBODY...

Taking this to court?!?!

How could a judge/judges not put a hold on this shit...it's blatant! What about the voting RIGHTS of those American CITIZENS!

[Doctor_J]

24. for some reason the doj doesn't think these people should be cuffed and jailed