Many of Norfolk's voter applications being denied (VA Voter Suppression?)

[maxrandb]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=92873&ran=11525

Maybe the DU Activist Corps might want to look into this. I mean, it's not like Norfolk is predominantly African American and middle to lower middle class now is it? Nah, it can't be.

NORFOLK — More than half the city’s new voter applications have been rejected so far this year, causing concern both in the registrar’s office and among social action groups.

The groups say the registrar is being too exacting. They may ask the state board of elections to get involved.

“It’s the only place we’ve had problems,” said Victoria Schollaert, who runs the Tidewater arm of Project Vote, a national voting registration group that targets low-income communities.

Norfolk has tallied 6,064 denials or rejections so far this calendar year, or 55.3 percent of all new applications.

*************************************************************

Things that make you go "Hmmmmmmm"

[patdem]

1. Hmmmm indeed. Norfolk went for Kerry in the Presidential elections!

I need to look into this also...very strange indeed.

[maxrandb]

2. In a little over a month

We are having a pretty big Gubernatorial race. Virginia elected a Democratic Governor for the first time in a long while last time around. Maybe the Republicans are trying to make sure that doesn't happen again.

A couple of other things that are extremely strange is that Norfolk is rejecting 53% of the new registrations, while a city like Portsmouth and others are only at about 3-5%.

Also interesting is that Norfolk happens to be home to the largest Naval Base in the world. Perhaps the Republicans are also afraid that the military is beginning to sour on the Repukes "Culture of Death and Corruption".

I don't want to jump off the deep end and accuse someone unjustly, but this needs to have some "national" attention.

[insane_cratic_gal]

11. Norfolk's a Navy town

Of course they went for Kerry!

I would of thought that alot of votes cast would of been absentee ballots being that there is a large military presence in Norfolk. So are they denying those?

I guess I better go read the whole article.

[annabanana]

3. What are the excuses for rejecting registrations?

How are they broken down by numbers? (and how do you find out?)

[maxrandb]

4. More from the article

Norfolk has tallied 6,064 denials or rejections so far this calendar year, or 55.3 percent of all new applications.

By comparison, the denial/rejection rate in Chesapeake so far is 7 percent ; in Portsmouth, 5.2 percent; in Suffolk, 4.7 percent; and in Virginia Beach, 2.8 percent.

New applications include first-time voters and previously registered voters who have transferred to Hampton Roads.

Applications can be denied because they are incomplete or ambiguous, or because the applicant is a convicted felon, underage, judged mentally incompetent or is not a citizen.

[OKthatsIT]

20. convicted felon, underage, judged mentally incompetent or is not a citizen

half?????

[ms liberty]

5. Recommended - this is an important story...

55% rejection rate? When other cities in VA are running in the single digits? I'm no math major, but that is WAAYYY outta line IMO.

Please everyone kick this!

I'm also going to send this one around - thanks for posting this!

[MaineDem]

6. I hope the VA Dem Party and the Kaine campaign are on this

I assume they are.

[alfredo]

7. I wonder how the rejections break down by party line?

that would be very interesting to know.

[Pacifist Patriot]

14. My very question!

[alfredo]

17. That needs to be determined, but most likely they

destroyed the evidence.

[underpants]

8. Just emailed them at [e-mail]

thanks for the heads up.

[atomic-fly]

9. good find...

[MountainLaurel]

10. I'm sure it's all just a coincidence

That there's such a rejection rate in the bluest area of Virginia.

:sarcasm:

[marions ghost]

12. thank you for this info!

Did u also post this in the elections forum?

[maxrandb]

19. I did not

I should post it there and also the VA state forum. Thanks for the help

[Pacifist Patriot]

13. So they are blaming this on third-party groups.

Are these third-party groups not working anywhere else?

[Roland99]

15. Project Vote...what was their involvement in the 2004 elections?

Nationally speaking, that is.

[ernstbass]

16. Preparng for a Kilgore victory no doubt

[grrl62]

18. i have family in va beach

they said this made the TV news last night.