McCain Campaign Admits Mailing 1 Million Bad Ballot Applications To Voters In Ohio

[kpete]

It's a caging tactic.
THEY ARE TRYING TO STEAL ANOTHER ELECTION BECAUSE THEY CANNOT WIN IT!!!!!
kpete

..................

McCain campaign admits mailing 1 Million bad ballot applications to voters in Ohio *UPDATED*
by Moo Means Hello
Thu Sep 11, 2008 at 07:04:06 PM PDT

Crossposted at The Motley Moose
http://www.motleymoose.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=113

Good Christ Almighty, here we go again. Hot off the wire from the Cincinnati Enquirer:

About one-third of the absentee ballot applications received at the Hamilton County Board of Elections have been ruled invalid because Republican Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign printed a version of the form with an extra, unneeded box on it.

It turns out the problem is that the McCain campaign added a box on these forms that required you to check it to confirm you were an eligible voter. Yep, that's right- check here if you are eligible to vote. I guess the act of actually requesting an absentee ballot doesn't qualify that. And if you don't check it...

... bingo. You get the picture. And the McCain campaign has sent out over a MILLION of these forms. The State of Ohio and the local election boards, understandably, don't want to pay to fix the mistake on this- how much d'you want to bet the McCain campaign wants to pay to fix it?

Over seven-hundred and fifty absentee applications have been rejected so far. If we're counting on absentee and early voting to help us mobilize our GOTV effort, then this is a clear and present danger to it.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080911/NEWS0108/309110032/

***********

Quote:

Just listening to the substitute host, Lee Rayburn, on the Thom Hartmann show:

"Misleading" absentee ballot applications are being mailed out by the McCain campaign to registered Democratic voters in purple states. The return addresses are inaccurate, as well as other information. "Misleading, lying" mailers are going out in Florida and other purple states. It's a caging tactic.

Calls are coming in verifying that this is happening in small towns, as well as larger ones.

http://current.com/items/89293206_misleading_absentee_ballots_being_sent_to_citizens_by_john_mccain

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

UPDATE 3
Edit: In the comments below, BerkeyBee mentions that:

... the Republicans mailed out requests for ballot applications to Republicans. Jennifer Brunner, the Democratic Secty of State, ruled the applications were ILLEGAL, meaning that the Hamilton county BOE could not send out absentee ballots to Republicans.

But instead of just requiring that the ballot applications be thrown away (which is what Ken Blackwell would have required), they are notifying these people that their applications were invalid.

The Republicans are claiming that they have used these forms before.

So, in Ohio at least, we may just have a case of extreme irony and misfortune amongst McCain's base. As much as I enjoy schadenfreude (sp), no matter the party, election fraud needs to be stopped. As as chumley pointed out, this is happening elsewhere. Since Ohio is a key state in this election, we need to be aware of similar things happening in the future.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/11/215330/858/425/595547

[codjh9]

1. WTF? Don't ballot applications come from the COUNTY, not a campaign?!?!

[crispini]

9. No. Campaigns give them out all the time.

Ballots come from the county. Absentee ballot APPLICATIONS can come from anywhere.

[cui bono]

53. That is very odd and should not be legal.

It's one thing for them to send out official applications, but to print their own?

[AngryOldDem]

93. I agree.

Other than handing out county government-authorized voter registration forms, campaigns have NO business doing this, and I would think it would be a relatively easy matter to correct by law.

[crispini]

99. Why? Hell, you can scrawl your own letter to the county

asking for an absentee ballot. This is one thing I don't have a problem with.

[cui bono]

179. Writing your own letter is hell of a lot different than having a partisan

campaign send them out to their rival's donors so as to interfere with an election.

[LiberalFighter]

148. What Ohio requires

Ohio law provides separate application processes for different classifications of absentee voters (militia, armed services, overseas, etc.). In all cases, absentee ballots must be applied for in writing. If you are properly registered to vote, you must submit your written request to the board of elections of the county in which your voting residence is located. Your request must contain certain information (described in the following sections) and your original signature. You may, but are not required to, use an application form prescribed by the Ohio Secretary of State. Please click here to download an application form.

[goodgd_yall]

133. I didn't know that

That's just wrong.

[Raksha]

173. Yes, campaigns give out ballot applications all the time,

but they are NOT supposed to be printing their own "custom" applications!!! They are supposed to use the forms provided by the state. There's just no way this can be legal.

[flamingdem]

38. kick or be kicked

[flamingdem]

157. kick

[CaptJasHook]

103. Why can't a voter sue the McCain campaign for violating his right to vote?

Isn't there a law against this shit?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

193. Good idea. Class action suit. . . . nt

[Egnever]

2. Hmmm are these marked as coming from the mcsame campaign when you recieve them?

or do they just send out absentee ballots to everyone?

[bjobotts]

56. I received mine today in Springfield ,MO, which says paid for by John McCain 2008

in the return address bar along with PO Box16118, Arlington, VA 22215.
Inside it has a vote by mail application or a "request for Missouri Absentee Ballot". It all looks legit and I assume if it was returned not at this adress or something I would have been challenged but it looks instead like and advertisement for McCain with blatant lies on it such as:

"John McCain has been called "the most important champion of global warming legislation" because of his bipartisan approach and willingness to stand up to big oil companies and those in his own party who deny there is a problem"
LOL...

"John McCain will end secretive earmarks and will veto every single pork barrel bill congress sens to him"

How does he know which ones are pork barrel??? the ones the dems recommend that's how...hahahaha.

"Reduce the corrupting influence of special interest money in politics"...are you kidding me or what...McCain??...every lobbyist's pet senator on a leash. We had a good laugh at this mailer...pure propaganda...all of it. What a goober. Only thing he's good at is goobering.

[sybylla]

151. Yes - preceded by a phone call promising them

Check out this post in the Wisconsin forum. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=186x26485

Here's what it says - emphasis mine.

Progressive talk show host Lee Rayburn has gotten dozens of contacts from voters in Wisconsin, mostly recently moved, who are complaining that they have received unsolicited absentee ballot applications sent to their new addresses (not forwarded) from the McCain campaign, and that those applications have as the return address the county clerk of their FORMER address. While he was talking about this on the air today, other voters from Florida and North Carolina, as well as more from Wisconsin called to report that they had received the same. A number said that the were not registered Democrats, but had donated to Obama, so it appears that the public donor lists were the McCain campaign's source of the names. This had to have been cross-checked with change-of-address info at the BOEs.

This dirty trick serves a dual purpose. First the votes won't be counted. Second, and equally distressing, the inaccurate returned applications will be used by Republican state legislators to claim fraud by Democrats, and to push through laws with harsh voter ID provisions with which it is hard for poorer registrants to comply. This will suppress the vote in future elections.

The ballot request form that came to my house was addressed to hubby - the only one whose name our Obama donations were made in. We're very active in the Dem party. There's no way we'd be in puke databases as anything else.

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. Not only this state but all the swing states

Many called into Thom Hartman today and reported the same
absentee ballot from the McCain campaign.


This could get good if it gets out of the web and on TV.

[FourScore]

4. Why is McCain sending out ballots???

WTF???

:argh:

[vaberella]

6. They're trying to steal votes. n/t

[Bread and Circus]

21. or corrupt them it appears...

[crispini]

7. Not ballots, absentee ballot applications.

Campaigns do that all the time.

[LooseWilly]

51. rumor has it

they're using Obama donation lists (public information apparently) to send bad/ bogus registration cards to Obama supporters... further rumors that they're cross-indexing addresses with foreclosure info is also out there... suggesting that they're sending out registration forms to Obama donators who've been foreclosed upon, and sending forms with wrong county return address info...

I'm in Cali, personally, though. No one ever bothers us with ads or vote stealing techniques. All you folks in "Swing States" best be cautious of this sort of stuff though. Think of McCain campaign as so many PayPal "phishers" looking to get you to click on their junk mail and feed them your info.... so they can rip you off.

[nightrain]

69. voter caging to disqualify Dem voters

[LiberalFighter]

150. I don't believe they are ballots. They are an application request for absentee ballot.

[vaberella]

5. Please, please send this out to all of MSM, the Obama camp, and KO.

People need to know how things are trying to be stolen.

[loudsue]

77. The Obama camp needs to make this a campaign ad.

This would make a really good ad against not only McCain, but against all republicans.

[dana_b]

117. yes!! I'm writing them - don't know if anyone will read it but it's

worth a shot.

[EC]

138. He needs to include it in his town halls and campaign stops as a

warning and he should mention it in the debates somehow...

[AZBlue]

191. ******Please contact them!******

I wish I could recommend a post within a thread!

[NJGeek]

8. Is this legal?

[mitchum]

12. Laws are for Democrats

[mikelewis]

31. Ain't that the fuckin truth...

[TheKentuckian]

10. Because he is a garbage liar without decency or honor

No more P.O.W. shield he's a P.O.S.

Bring them down!

[Gregorian]

28. POW or POS? You decide.

Haha. I love it.

This whole McCain campaign is so full of comic fodder it's hard to know where to begin.

[Divine Discontent]

154. I just sent an email out to over 300 people! :) :) :)

Your right to vote was fought and died for.

All states where there is a possibility of either McCain or Obama winning are receiving the error plagued absentee ballots - contact your congressperson if you get one, the right to vote is something that shouldn't be screwed with because one guy wants to do anything to win. Many of the various forms of absentee ballots being sent out by the McCain campaign to your fellow American citizens who are registered Republicans (but have donated to Obama), or registered Democrats, have wrong RETURN addresses and other errors. The McCain campaign has sent out over 1,000,000 in Ohio alone, and over a dozen states are reporting various forms of the absentee ballots. I am a Democrat who has voted Republican in the past for various offices, but I stand firm that rigging elections is the lowest form a politician can take. This caging of voters is filthy, unpatriotic, and illegal.

I read in a NEWS story yesterday that the McCain campaign is sending ballots in Michigan to men and women in IRAQ, and they cannot respond, so they're marked as not registered, and there votes will be thrown out - they're doing the same to people on home foreclosure lists in areas that voted highly Democratic. SORRY, but that's just SHITTY... Not in my America - and I'd stand up as the loud mouth I am if the Obama campaign had done it in such a clear cut manner.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200809110522/NEWS0108/309110032

Ballot snafu endangers votes

By Jon Craig • [e-mail] • September 11, 2008

About one-third of the absentee ballot applications received at the Hamilton
County Board of Elections have been ruled invalid because Republican Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign printed a version of the form with an extra, unneeded box on it.

In a narrow interpretation of Ohio law, Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner says many of the McCain forms have not been completed properly. If the box stating the person is an eligible elector -- or qualified voter – is not checked, Brunner said, the application is no good.

Even though the box is unneeded, by not checking it voters are essentially admitting they're not eligible, Brunner said.

"I have not seen a ruling that indirectly impacts voters to the enormity of this since I've been here,'' Hamilton County Board of Elections Deputy Director John Williams said of his nearly five-year tenure at the board.

More than 750 absentee ballot requests in Hamilton County have been invalidated because of Brunner's ruling, Williams said.



MORE AT www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable

[uponit7771]

11. Why isn't this front page news? What is the Obama campaign screaming at the top of their voices??!?!

[Ichingcarpenter]

14. Nominate this thread..... important news n/t

[senseandsensibility]

19. That is a very good question

I can not understand the timidity of almost all Dems.

[Enrique]

64. because it favors Obama

if anyone would be screaming, it would be the McCain campaign.

[EC]

140. How, HE SAYS they are for Republican voters but its

Democrats and Independents that have been reporting receiving them...?

[w4rma]

128. The list of things to be outraged over is too long. Which does one pick? (nt)

[dglow]

181. voting fraud

On the issue of voting fraud, Mark Crispin Miller is alerting us to a whistleblower case that will blow the lid off the Rove election fixing that has gone on since 2000. An Republican insider turned whistleblower is about to testify in a civil suit in Ohio with a boat load of evidence against the neocons and fanatic Christian operatives who have been involved in the conspiracy to steal the 2000 and 2004 and about-to-be-stolen 2008 elections. Miller has been a crusader for election reform and has written about the case on opednews. Check it out and if inclined, spread the word. The Velvet Revolution group is helping to raise funds for the trial. If you want Obama to have any chance to win, send the article to everyone you know.

[crankychatter]

13. kicking without text.... effing speechless

[RollWithIt]

15. Ohio has a Democratic SoS, and if the polls have to stay open until 5AM, they will be...

Bank on it.

[Crabby Appleton]

165. And them Dem SoS is also encouraging voters to vote absentee

to help alleviate wait times on election day.

[progressoid]

16. Pardon my French...but

FUCK!

Somebody stop these criminals!

[Motown_Johnny]

17. I hope they make an ad about this and blast Ohio with it endlessly

[Bread and Circus]

18. Isn't that against the law? And if not, why not?

[EC]

141. I would think that the League of Women Voters or some other

organization could put out a "public service" ad on this...

[Salviati]

20. Can anything be done legally about this?

I'd love to see the McCain campaign have to send out actual ballot request forms, preferably via priority or express mail :)

[tbyg52]

83. That would be the correct remedy in a rational world. nt

[tekisui]

22. Election Fraud. Fry him!

[safeinOhio]

23. What a great subject for a LTTE

to all those small town Ohio papers.

[Onlooker]

24. Obama has to play the same game

If this is the game the Republicans are playing, then the Democrats have to play by the same rules.

[crickets]

26. Uh, no.

Stooping to tit-for-tat election fraud is not the answer. Getting the word out, getting it fixed, and getting some criminal charges on the books is the better way.

[Onlooker]

29. Maybe not

If the system is as corrupt as people say, then we won't get it fixed until we have Democratic control. These problems have been around since 2000. What makes you think they can be fixed by November? If that many fraudulent ballots are out there, it means we already lost the election, because most people really don't pay a lot of attention to the elections and accusations of fraud by us are met with accusations of sour grapes by them, and they control the media and courts.

[spag68]

45. This has always been my feeling

We have to try to win and save our soul as we do it. I don't want to be a scumbag like them.

[crickets]

50. Exactly. "Be careful when you fight the monsters lest you become one."

Abandoning our principles to the point of breaking the law in order to get a good man elected would undercut the most important reasons for trying to do so.

I don't want to be a scumbag either. :7 Well met.

[Roy]

162. At least we can stop being monsters after the evil ines are defeated. n/t

[Bette Noir]

115. Get it fixed before the election.

The reaction to election fraud post-election seems to be, "better luck next time."

[AspenRose]

25. You might want to add VA to that list

My DH got something in the mail today from the McCain campaign. I didn't read it; threw it away. And VA is purple, possibly trending blue.

[MagickMuffin]

27. Get it outta the trash, scan it and post it, Pretty PLEASE

This needs to be posted all over the internet, Youtube.

If you can scan it I would make a video of it.

[AspenRose]

33. Sorry, no scanner

But I'll go and see if I can get it out of the trash. Maybe I can mail it to Skinner.

Edit: I'm back. DAMN. I looked in the trash room's recycling bin and the mail room's trash can (we're in an apt). I guess the custodial staff was too efficient today. :-(

I just remember seeing McCain on the mailer and giving it to my 3 year old to put in the trash.

I'm sure someone else from VA will speak up about it, if it wasn't just a solicitation for money. VA is purple.

[Jackpine Radical]

114. You don't have to scan it. Take a pic with a digital camera & email it.

[abumbyanyothername]

37. I got mail from McSame today in CA

But it's a solicitation of a donation.

I wrote a love note on it (would never, under any circumstance, vote FOR WAR or AGAINST CHOICE) and will mail it back tomorrow. Might as well burn up more postage.

[frylock]

178. drop a penny in the envelope as a big FU

[MiniMe]

48. There is a scan of one of them here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3975675&mesg_id=3977146

[Eric J in MN]

30. Why don't pass a law that only the state can mail absentee ballot applications? NT

NT

[OwnedByFerrets]

32. This is happening in EVERY purple state guys.....something

HAS to be done to combat this NOW.

[dglow]

182. Send money to Velvet Revolution

Mark Crispin Miller has an article on opednews that everyone
must read. In it, Miller asks us to support a civil suit in
process in Ohio.  A Republican insider turned whistleblower
has a boat load of evidence showing Rove and company fixed the
2000, 2004, and about to be stolen2008 election.  They not
only fixed the presidential elections but many other
candidates along the way to minimize Democratic wins in 2002
and 2006.  Check it out and tell everyone else to make some
noise about this case.

[OwnedByFerrets]

34. Everyone PLEASE listen to todays episode of Thom Hartmanns

show....an entire hour of the show was devoted to caging.

[kpete]

39. thank you for repeating that

every purple state....

[lonestarnot]

187. where? link?

[casus belli]

35. Can we take this as an admission that they know they're "screwn"? n/t

[AtomicKitten]

36. "Oops!"

[kpete]

40. UPDATE with more info

MISLEADING ABSENTEE BALLOTS being sent to Citizens by John McCain

Just listening to the substitute host, Lee Rayburn, on the Thom Hartmann show:

"Misleading" absentee ballot applications are being mailed out by the McCain campaign to registered Democratic voters in purple states. The return addresses are inaccurate, as well as other information. "Misleading, lying" mailers are going out in Florida and other purple states. It's a caging tactic.

Calls are coming in verifying that this is happening in small towns, as well as larger ones.

The host is trying to determine the scale of this subversion of our democracy.

Here we go again.

UPDATE: It's happening in Pennsylvania, too. The ballots have included multiple ballots, sender address is a new address while return address is from old city clerk's office... The I'm trying to type this as he says it, and it may not be clear, since I miss some. I apologize for that.

Fraud. Election fraud. Hopefully the local authorities can help, or the local Obama offices. Calling the media could help, too.

A caller: Robocalls asking if you're interested in an absentee ballot. Or, notifying the voter that the ballot will be mailed back postage paid to the National Republican Committee.

Another caller from Detroit. Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida: That's where the absentee ballots are being sent to Obama voters. Add Missouri to that, per one of our commenters.

You can be sure McCain isn't doing this because he wants every vote counted.

UPDATE: A North Carolina caller got THREE of them. In the phone book there's a street address, but on the form, it's a P.O. Box, per the caller.

California caller from registrar's office: McCain should take the application for absentee and submit within 3 days. But the applications will most likely be held for the 3 days and "die". They'll most likely submit the Republican ones, and throw away the Democratic ones.

The return address for the request card goes to the wrong city clerk office address, per Rayburn.

Michigan caller: Wrong home address, and then, wrong city clerk address on the one he got. He donated to Obama, but not a Democrat, so he wonders if that's how they found him.

Hey media? There's a real story here.

http://current.com/items/89293206_misleading_absentee_ballots_being_sent_to_citizens_by_john_mccain

[AtomicKitten]

43. Send this to Rachel. The truth needs to see the light of day, first step.

Thanks for posting this.

[Alcibiades]

80. It is illegal to use publicly available campaign finance info

to do this.

This is Republican voter fraud. The very thing they have complained about for years, they are perpetrating. You don't make this many errors on this many state ballots without intent. The Obama campaign's voting rights people need to get on this.

Which they will. Contrary to all the concern sometimes expressed here, this time we are ready.

[gauguin57]

41. This is one reason I feel queasy about political parties helping people register to vote.

I worked at the polls, and have had to turn away many people who were not registered to vote, who said, "But I signed up with the people outside K-Mart. They said they were registering me." Sometimes people thought "the people outside K-Mart" had registered them with a different party than they REALLY registered them as. I sat down and cried at home after my first time working at the polls, thinking of those people who took the time from work to come vote, and because of some yutz outside the K-Mart, they thought they were registered but weren't.

So easy for political parties -- either by accident or on purpose -- to lose or discard voter reg. forms. Every voter needs to take responsiblity for being registered ... send the reg. in yourself, or take it to the county voter office yourself.

There are a lot of ways I volunteer for my local Democratic committee -- but I won't do voter drives; my committee has said, straight out ... "help them register if they're Democrats ... if they're Republicans, don't help them fill it out. Tell them to send it in themselves (and hope that they don't)." I understand we have to GOTV -- the DEM vote -- and I understand it's party politics. But, because I believe it's everyone's civic duty to vote, you either help everyone or you make everyone be responsible for themselves. Everyone should be registered to vote; THEN, you do your best to GET OUT THE DEMOCRATIC VOTE on election day.

[blondie58]

67. I don't know if it is even allowed to state what party you're with

I was trained for the Obama Campaign for Change and was told not to bring up my candidate, even if asked, as they could get in trouble for it.

[LiberalFighter]

152. Here in Indiana an absentee ballot application provides a spot for party affliation

when it is a primary election. Voters can only vote in the Democratic Primary or Republican Primary.

In the General Election the party affiliation is not used.

[Bonobo]

42. kicked, rec'd, bookmarked. This is important. We need to go medieval on their asses.

This is outrageous and demands action.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

44. REPUBS ARE TRYING TO SCREW UP THIS ELECTION SO BAD THAT THEY WILL HAVE BUSH DECLARE IN INVALID

[RaleighNCDUer]

136. Or hand it to the SC for another decision. nt

[npincus]

46. K & R

[TheKentuckian]

47. Apparently, we should have let them post the 10 Commandments up

everywhere. They seem to need constant reminders to maintain the most minimal levels of decency.

[tbyg52]

85. Yes, but the 10 Commandments don't cover all the bases. nt

[npincus]

49. Huffpo, then WaPo... this story had better make it into the MSM

repulsive scumbags.

[dailykoff]

52. Serious deja vu.

I remember the same shit happening the same time in 2004 in you guessed it, Ohio. Dayum! :grr:

[Kitty Herder]

54. This story needs to get out.

But the major news outlets will likely ignore it, as usual.

[yurbud]

55. I just about crapped when I heard this on the radio.

[Imagevision]

57. Anyone believe Rick Davis could possibly have allowed this to happen?

[The Backlash Cometh]

58. When do the lawsuits begin?

[Enrique]

65. the article says "the ruling is likely to be challenged in court"

the ruling being the one by the Democratic sec. of state which makes these applications invalid.

The plaintiffs presumably would be the McCain campaign.

[eridani]

59. Is this unique to Ohio?

Anything but the official State of Washington ballot from elections offices or from the Secretary of State's website is not valid. Anybody can give them out, and you don't need to be an official registrar to do that.

[Imagevision]

60. Obama camp must have a voter fraud brigade ready to go ASAP...!

[Alcibiades]

81. delete

dupe

[Alcibiades]

82. They do

They have lawyers specifically for this sort of thing. I'm hoping they know about this.

[Imagevision]

61. This is a good talking point for Obama, at the right time (like tomorrow?)

[rbrnmw]

62. we have democrats as govenor and ss

they are going to get by with it I have known Ted Strickland since I was 7 years old he is an honest and decent man this shit wont float this time in Ohio

[Enrique]

63. it makes no sense to interpret this as McCain trying to steal the election

did anyone read the article?

In a narrow interpretation of Ohio law, Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner says many of the McCain forms have not been completed properly. If the box stating the person is an eligible elector -- or qualified voter – is not checked, Brunner said, the application is no good.

Even though the box is unneeded, by not checking it voters are essentially admitting they’re not eligible, Brunner said.

“I have not seen a ruling that indirectly impacts voters to the enormity of this since I’ve been here,’’ Hamilton County Board of Elections Deputy Director John Williams said of his nearly five-year tenure at the board.

(...)

Brunner insists she would have ruled the same way if the absentee ballot applications were printed by Sen. Barack Obama’s Democratic campaign for president.

Regardless, her ruling is likely to be challenged in court.

[Codeine]

68. Nobody's reading the article.

I was just accused of being a Freeper for pointing out that this was an error by the McSame camp that really only hurts them.

[Alcibiades]

79. These are being sent to Democrats

Other sources show that McCain is sending mailers to Democrats that say they are Republican.

"About a dozen registered voters contacted the Napa County Elections Department after receiving a letter from the Republican National Committee stating that the recipients were registered Republicans and asking for their help with the McCain campaign.

The problem? Many of the recipients of the letter were Democrats.

Several called Napa County Registrar John Tuteur — both to make sure they hadn’t been registered incorrectly and to register a complaint about the mailer.

"Our office has been inundated with calls from voters who believe that their registration information is incorrect in our files," said Napa County Registrar John Tuteur, in a prepared statement. Tuteur said the voter rolls are accurate, but that the mailer was not."

They are trying to mock the vote.

[Enrique]

86. I don't find that credible

the Cincinnati Enquirer article says nothing about that, and from the fact that the Sec. of State who made the ruling is a Democrat, and from the quotes in the article, these ballots will affect republicans mostly.

[Alcibiades]

189. The Party of the Secretary of State has nothing

to do with it, unlike when Blackwell was in charge.

I hope you're right and actually sent these to Republicans. I suspect, however, that it is yet another part of their cunning plan to try to steal the election.

[mopinko]

89. this is a stupid interpretation.

if the question is not necessary, why should it count? i see her logic, but it makes just as much sense to ignore the question. besides, brunners office would be able to determine if they were eligible voters, anyway.
that is a disturbing bit of info from someone i thought was on our side.

[Enrique]

90. her ruling benefits Obama

regarding the validity of the ruling, it might get decided by a judge, and imo it's most likely that the McCain campaign will be the plaintiffs.

[mopinko]

94. that is not a good answer.

i don't want it to benefit anyone but the voters.

[Enrique]

98. it sounded like you wanted the Sec. of State to "be on our side"

and maybe that you thought she was against us.

But I agree with you, Secs. of State should be impartial in these rulings. To me, there's nothing to indicate that Brunner based her decision on partisanship, though the republicans will accuse her of that. Regarding the ruling, like you I see both sides.

[RaleighNCDUer]

130. At least one of the links is saying that the McCain campaign is sending

the flawed absentee ballots to DEMOCRATS. That would effectively pare down the eligible Democratic voters.

They aren't being sent out to ALL voters.

[Enrique]

132. the sources are questionable for those claims

see the response below to my email from the Cincinnati Enquirer reporter who wrote the story in the OP, he says he is going to check with the elections board about that.

[Waiting For Everyman]

66. K&R

:dem:

[MelissaB]

70. kicking hard.

:kick:

[JustAnotherGen]

71. Haven't read any other responses

I believe Obama/Biden can win.

IF - and a big IF -

There is vigilance in the voting process and election officials are honest and Do Their Job. Sounds like Jennifer Brunner is on the ball. Now, what about PA? What about MI? What about MN?

[paparush]

72. Why in the FUCK are campaigns printing ballots?

GODDAMNIT!

People have been encourage to vote Absentee as you are guaranteed to have a paper ballot, and this method is assumed to be free from tampering. And here's a fucking REPUBLICAN generating the ballots themselves and..oh..oopsie...we made a boo boo? SHIT FUCK DAMN HELL!

HOW? HOW? HOW can one of the candidates assume the privilege (bear the responsibility)of originating the ballot itself?

In who's Orwellian world does this pass the standard of fair and appropriate?

[Crabby Appleton]

167. They are not ballots, they postcard to request an absentee ballot

from the board of election.

[lonestarnot]

188. Still don't understand?

[paparush]

194. Thank you. I did not get that from the OP.

[dccrossman]

73. K & R

An educated electorate is the best defense, IMO. Just not sure how to get them out from in front of the TV so they can be educated...
=)

[stlsaxman]

74. KnR

:kick:

[cabbage08]

75. Kick kick kick

[WinkyDink]

76. Somebody's ARSE needs to sit in JAIL! It's ALL OVER the place:

http://thepoliticalcarnival.blogspot.com/2008/09/misleading-absentee-ballot-forms-being.html

[pleah]

78. K&R!!!!!!!!!!

[ziptied]

84. Did anyone actually read the article at Cincinnati.com by following the link?

I don't know about you, but if you actually read the story in the link by the original poster, it makes it sound more like a Democratic official obstructing Republicans. Here's the link you decide:

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080911/NEWS0108/309110032

There is no mention of these ballots being sent to Democrats. In fact if you actually read it, it sounds more like a Democrat trying to stifle Republican voters. If anyone can read the article and come up with a different opinion, I would appreciate their input. My point is if we are going to cite an article, don't you think it should do something to help the cause not hurt it? There is no mention anywhere in the article that the ballots were mailed to Democrats. I wanted to email it to a McCain supporter who is(was) a friend of mine, but I wouldn't email this reference to anyone, to me it says Democrats restricting Republicans.

[iamthebandfanman]

87. actually it doesnt say either

republicans or democrats specifically were sent them... just people in general...


nice try tho

see ya ;)

[Enrique]

92. it suggests this affects McCain voters

as does common sense. Consider the quote by the Democratic Sec. of State "I would have treated Obama ballots the same way."

[ziptied]

100. How else can you interpret this...

"In a narrow interpretation of Ohio law, Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner says many of the McCain forms have not been completed properly. If the box stating the person is an eligible elector -- or qualified voter – is not checked, Brunner said, the application is no good."

How is someone supposed to interpret that? Wanna bet that gets mailed around? Hopefully you will offer something constructive next time instead making some veiled accusation to someone trying to be helpful.

[CitizenPatriot]

113. Did you read the Thom HArtmann bit?

Republicans sent out ballots to Democrats with the wrong return address on them.

Hello???

Not to mention the fact that it is common knowledge that there are more dems than republicans in terms of registered voters. the republicans did this last time, "caging votes". And now the "absentee ballots" sent to Democrats from the Republican party with the wrong return address so the vote won't count- this is happening in over 4 states. That's not an accident.

Couple this with the Deibold vote switching devise those cheats put on the machines in certain swing states last time and you have more "family values" corruption. the DoJ, in charge of "election fraud" and "civil rights" is now spending all of our tax dollars chasing down the alleged "voter fraud" the pukes have been whining about for years, despite the fact that they only found TWO incidents of it all over america...and guess who those people were? Republicans. Wha Wha. but they still sell their base "the illegals are voting! and their uneducated base FREAKS out like the poor, misinformed, used people they are and they waste our money chasing shadows (kind of like the way they "pursued"-but never got - Osama Bin Laden). There is plenty of documented evidence of republican election fraud for the past 8 years. It's unheard of, frankly and sad that anyone would want to be in office of a democracy when they weren't elected. that makes them the most criminally Anti-American people in this entire country.

Think about this the next time you talk to one of those hysterical, misinformed Republicans:

"For hundreds of years, millions of Russians had been told the head of state should be a man close to God, the czar, who was head of the Russian Orthodox church as well as an absolute despot. If you’re Stalin, you shouldn’t be in the dictatorship business if you can’t exploit the pool of servility and docility that’s ready made for you. The task of atheists is to raise people above that level of servility and credulity. No society has gone the way of gulags or concentration camps by following the path of Spinoza and Einstein and Jefferson and Thomas Paine.”

Christopher Hitchens

[AngryOldDem]

95. I don't know about you, but I have a HUGE problem with voter stifiling, period.

Were you around in 2004?

[ziptied]

102. Where was I in 2004?

My horror story began for years earlier as I watched my Secretary of State, Katherine Harris, steal an election as the rest of the nation watched. My horror continued when I listened to the Supreme Court of the United States vote a President into office (and I listened to every minute). Where was I in 2004? Listening to young black man give a speech that gave me hope for America. Don't interpret justifiable criticism as unworthy or unpatriotic. If you do you are no better that Bush.

[AngryOldDem]

105. My problem is that you don't seem to see the problem here.

Disenfranchisement in all its forms is what got us into this mess to begin with. This is a deliberate attempt again in Ohio to invalidate innumerable people from voting. And I would bet that a lot of these ballots are being sent to poorer precincts in the Cincinnati area, which were also targeted in 2004.

The only saving grace that I see here is that we now have a different Secretary of State who seems, so far, to be on top of this, perhaps because she is not aiding and abetting these efforts, a la Ken Blackwell in 2004.

And please refrain from comparing me to Bush. Thanks in advance.

[RaleighNCDUer]

144. How the fuck do you get that?

Because it says "1/3 of the McCain forms were rejected"?

You do understand that they are talking about forms mailed out by the McCain campaign in Hamilton County - that means Cincinnatti, which would be a blue island floating in a sea of red Ohio.

It doesn't say WHO they were mailed to, but it DOES specify Hamilton Co. How can you possibly interpret that to be Democrats restricting Republican votes?

That's a downright trollish conclusion.

[debbierlus]

88. Obama needs to come out on this....

[TornadoTN]

91. Did we not have a report on this happening in Wisconsin to Democrats?

Getting absentee ballots mailed to them from the McCain campaign? I believe Lee Rayburn was talking about this yesterday and trying to get more information.

Has anyone got an update about this?

[AngryOldDem]

96. I like the suggestion in the comments section of the Enquirer article....

...perhaps we need a "Check Your Voter Registration" day.

Bottom line: You can't take any of your rights for granted anymore...this in a country that is seemingly hellbent on defending those rights -- anywhere but HERE AT HOME.

Craziness.

[beyurslf]

97. Were they sending them to Dems or Republicans? I can't think of why they would send them to

Dems except to hamper turnout or to mislead. Campaigns are not in the habit of helping their opponents get votes.

[GinaMaria]

101. It's time to mobilize

volunteers in these states. They need to get the word out and get correct ballots sent to people. We can combat this sickening practice. Get ready to help your home state prevent this theft of the people's democracy. Volunteer today. We can do something here!

[smiley_glad_hands]

104. Obama needs to bring this up in context of mcsame's "change". n/t

[williesgirl]

106. These fuckers are criminals. Class-action suit should be filled immediately with injunction to stop

rec'd

[lisainmilo]

107. you are right KPete!

They cannot win in and they will try ever dirty trick in the book, lie, smear, cheat, etc...whatever it takes to steal the election.

[april]

108. Yes the Bastards have started !!! STOP THEM!

Ballot snafu endangers votes<

To view the contents on www.cincinnati.com, go to:
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200809110522/NEWS0108/309110032

[WhiteTara]

109. not everyone receives their mail at

their home address! I don't even have a mailbox, except at the post office. This is even more dispicable then the action itself.

[EnviroBat]

110. The State of Ohio should file a lawsuit against the McLame campaign.

I'm calling Jennifer Bruner's office today.

[rucky]

111. If only we had an AG to prosecute.

[Enrique]

112. reporter from Cinn. Enquirer responds to my email

I emailed him asking if these ballots were sent to Democrats or if there were any other sign that this was McCain dirty tricks, he answered:

Enrique:
The McCain campaign said they mailed these to "expected supporters" without elaborating. Their aides seem more embarrassed about the mistake than calculating, but it's worth my examining further. I will ask county Board of Elections folks to look for patterns of who these were mailed to. I don't get the sense, however, that this is some deeper conspiracy.
Thanks for your note.
Jon Craig
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
www.Cincinnati.Com

[kpete]

116. thanks

thanks, very much Enrique
very interesting answer to say the least,
peace, kp

[D23MIURG23]

118. K&R

[bushmeister0]

119. These phony ballot applications are in Philly, too.

At work last night two of my co-workers said they had both gotten absentee ballot applications from the McCain campaign. Since they were both life-long Democrats they were naturally puzzled by getting mail from John McCain. I thought at the time that only the county could send these out but, I guess, I was wrong.

I'm trying to get hold of one of these things to see what they actually say.

[bushmeister0]

120. I sent this info to the editor of the Inquirer. Anyone other Philly DUers here should do the same.

There's strenght in numbers!

[SoCalDem]

121. Why is a CAMPAIGN sending out ballots anyway??

Ballots should be sent from the regsitrar's office..

[fascisthunter]

122. Fucking Scumbag! He Did That Purposefully....

no man with honour could ever try to disenfranchise voters. It's democracy stupid... once you step over that line, you are an unamerican piece of shit... a traitor to your country!

[Vinca]

123. Is there anything that can be done legally - IMMEDIATELY - to stop this?

Any lawyers on the board with an opinion? At the very least, can victimized voters sue McCain personally because their right to vote is being taken away? It seems everyone in the country knows what's going on except the officials who can stop it.

[flamingdem]

124. Ohio are you listening? What is going on there with the DNC and Obama campaign re: those ballots?

Does anyone have a contact in Ohio?

[flamingdem]

131. kick

[flamingdem]

137. kick

[The Blue Flower]

125. MAIL FRAUD = PROSECUTABLE

nt

[hasssan1]

126. VOTING FRAUD . WHERE THE FUCK IS FEC AND DOJ ?????? VOTING FRAUD VOTING FRAUD

[hasssan1]

127. WHERE IS OBAMA CAMP ??? THEY MIST BE ALL OVER THIS STORY ???? WTF

Can we do something ?????? some one please advise.

I AM ON FUCKING FIRE NOW.

[Maven]

129. MAKE THIS INTO AN AD.

And put the word "FRAUD" right over McCain's face.

[mnhtnbb]

134. Gee, anyone want to guess how much this will be discussed by Slimebaugh today?

:sarcasm:

[WinkyDink]

139. Oh, HE would say Democrats don't want the house-bound infirm or soldiers overseas to vote.

[WinkyDink]

135. We NEED this ad: "STOP FRAUD! DO NOT USE ANY ABSENTEE BALLOT YOU DID NOT PICK UP YOURSELF!"

"YOU write your CORRECT NAME. YOU write your CORRECT ADDRESS. Do NOT use PRE-addressed forms!"

[penndragon69]

142. Fascism!

[Kaleko]

143. K & R

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

145. - - in Ohio

I wondered what was up with this. Last week when I phoned the local BOE for an absentee ballot application, the official said I might already be getting it. She checked her list and yes, every county registered voter was getting an application and I believe some info. She stated "we're not always going to do this."

So, when this story broke about voters and mail being returned, thus some who didn't contact their locals of a move would be disqualified, I wondered where the story was going to go. Interesting.


What needs to change in Ohio is the need to mail in ballot applications for every election that year. Before Blackwell you were covered for an entire election calendar with one application. He of course made it more difficult for those who live real lives with bigger concerns than timely checking in with The State.

To say nothing of the misinformed or uninformed.

[Steelworker In OH]

146. Haven't gotten

one of the Mcsame ballots yet, but I did get my *Offical* app for an absent ballot from my county last week. I'll be keeping an eye out for any of the false ones. I'm in NorthWest ohio, not sure if they are targeting my area, but I know we are major swing and have until recently been a mostly repub area.

BTW: it says right on the bottom of my application in bold print "WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE" maybe we can bust the head of that campaign office that was responsible for the mailers.....

K&R big time

[LiberalFighter]

153. Small pototoes!! Should be McCain charged with the felony.

[MrMickeysMom]

147. CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATORS, IF YOU FEEL YOU'RE BEING "CAGED"!

Sorry for the shout. I started a thread yesterday in GM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3975296&mesg_id=3975317

I was listening to the same host in for Thom. Turns out, there were a number of people reporting having received the absentee application from the McCain mailing. They either couldn't figure out why McCain's campaign got their name, or noticed that the return address on the absentee application (which they didn't need) was suspect. Some through them out, or re-cycle binned them.

PLEASE- take this up with you state senator, or other designated office for distributing the election rules and calendars of your state/commonwealth.

KICK!

[Plucketeer]

149. More Scumbaggery

from the folks that gave us the Contract ON America! :banghead:

[Nightjock]

155. If Obama won't create an ad about this

to let everyone know..... how about MoveOn or someone else?
I am so angry!!! I'm firing off some letters RIGHT EFFING NOW!

[IDemo]

156. Would it be safe to assume the FEC couldn't give a flying leap about this?

[Infinite Hope]

158. The question is who did they send them to? They target their demographics...

Maybe they sent them to supporters? Maybe to elderly people who McCain does better with? This wouldn't be as bad because it'd hurt him.

Or...did he sent it to known Democrats?

[chknltl]

159. Please direct me to links that these mailers targeted Democrats

I am trying to help spread this information but I have been challanged by someone on another forum, (The Ed Shultz Show Forum) regarding the assertion that these ballots are being targeted at Dems.
Can anyone help me out with links?


quote:
Aside from the report from Lee Rayburn saying these mailers have been sent to "registered Democrats" and some random poster on some other board whose post was pasted in here, no one has suggested that only Democrats are being targeted.

Note that A.HusseinLaverdure said, "this affects everyone in all parties."
endquote

I wish to respond to this challange with links. Thanks

[Stuart G]

160. I just read this entire article...nothing I really feel...can be repeated ...

but I will say these people should be sent to jail...and not allowed to vote too.

[babylonsister]

161. Just a little boo-boo. A MILLION ballots? This sucks. nt

[Stuart G]

163. IT SUCKS BIG TIME..........AND EVERY STATE MUST BE ..

ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THIS..WE MUST CHECK EVERY STATE FOR THIS SHIT. IT MEANS THEY WILL DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING TO WIN. THIS PROOF SHOWS THAT THEY ARE STILL AT IT, WILL BE AT IT, AND NO MATTER WHO RUNS FOR THEM, THEY WILL CHEAT. STEAL AND BREAK THE LAW.

[seafan]

164. The GOP is screaming *voter fraud* while they commit ELECTION FRAUD.

A freaking nightmare since December 12, 2000.

[santamargarita]

166. These Goddamn Fascist Pigs!

Words can't describe my hatred for this bunch!

[vaberella]

168. This needs to be sent everywhere. Obama, KO, all of MSM. People need to talk about this.

It's dishonorable another testament to the Republican party and John McCain.

[chknltl]

169. PLEASE ANYONE: LINKS demonstrating that Dems targeted.

Sorry for the shout but I am discussing this topic in another forum and could use some evidence that this latest form of voter caging is being targeted at Democrats.

[jellen]

170. mc cain ballots

I live in wisconsin and received an absentee ballot from mc
cain. it was for the wrong place. we live in a different
district or what ever you would call it. the address printed
on it is for a totally wrong place. I wonder how they got my
name. I;m a democrat and never considered absentee voting.I
know this sounds confusing  but I am confused by all the
mistakes on the ballot.

[jellen]

171. jellen again

I wonder just how many ballots were really sent out. If ohio
got a million and philly got some, and i got one, who knows
how many.

[DuaneBidoux]

172. My question: did these get mailed to 'Pukes or a bunch of minorities?

If it went to a bunch of Republicans then as far as I'm concerned the more potential Republican voters are disqualified the better.

[AzDar]

174. They are loathsome, and most of all UN-FUCKING-AMERICAN!!

Republicans= cheaters and liars.

[Life Long Dem]

175. Change? Can anybody say why McSame thinks he's for change?

Because I'm not seeing it!

[bluesmail]

176. It hurts to pull my hair out every day.

:o

[BearSquirrel2]

177. Penalty for election fraud ...

In a Democracy, voting is the most sacred institution. The penalty election fraud should be life imprisonment.

The person who sent this shit out should go to jail ... forever.

[minnesota_liberal]

180. I'd consider public execution

Effectively taking away someone's vote is a serious offense.

[whistle]

183. That issue should be brought up in the debates, the American people

...need to know just how crooked and deceptive republicans are. They are the party of deception, debasement and deflection.

[Tutonic]

184. We must be living in the final days of the empire. Why aren't the

Dems screaming about this??!!!!

[Enrique]

190. because they read the whole article

:shrug:

[chknltl]

185. UPDATE: Lee Rayburn podcast

http://www.themic921.com/cc-common/podcast/single_podcast.html?podcast=LeeRayburn.xml

Above is a link to the Lee Rayburn show. Rayburn was the guest host on the Thom Hartmann show yesterday. This morning he re-addressed this topic on his own show. The link takes you to his broadcasts page-you will have to select his Sept. 12 2 broadcast. I have only listened to 6 minutes worth but what I listened to was damned fascinating- If I knew how, I would download the actual podcast here...(hint hint to those with a little better know-how)

[lonestarnot]

186. How can the McSame campaign mail out ballots? WTH!

I don't understand how that? :wthf: Someone needs to go to fucking jail!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

192. Make the Repugnants pay to fix it. Or declare the who thing invalid and force Ohio to vote late.

[jeff.marchiafava]

195. What are we going to do?

It's such an outrage... And you know if this doesn't REALLY blow up, nothing is going to be done about it: we really need to see reporters asking about this, and not just asking McCain, or reporting on it, but asking WHAT is going to be done to RESOLVE it? We need to hear the words "election fraud" in the next news cycle...

[Beregond2]

196. What the heck is a ballot application?

I've been voting for almost forty years, and I've never heard of such a thing.