Alert! Widespread Voter Disenfranchisement Plot Now Underway

[garybeck]

....snip....
By the time we finished putting the newsletter together, it was clear - the efforts to disenfranchise voters is organized, widespread, and in many cases it is clearly targeted to certain groups of people. The reports just keep pouring in from more and more states.

We are getting widespread reports that the McCain campaign is sending out fake absentee voting applications to Democrats. Voters send in the application to the wrong address and they never actually sign up.

Another tactic that is happening in several states is called "voter caging." It starts when election officials send out a mass mailing, sometimes with good intentions - to inform voters. However, if the mail is returned from a certain address, watch out. On election day, these voters are challenged at the polls. They are forced to vote by provisional ballot, which is not counted on election night, or they are sometimes denied the right to vote at all.

There are variations on voter caging, and many ways that groups of people can be targeted through these tactics.

Unfortunately there is no sign that the Obama campaign is going to do anything about it. The stories have made their ways through the press enough, so they must know of the problem. But so far they haven't even acknowledged it, let alone taken any action. What could they do, you ask? For one thing they could let more people know that it's happening, because the mainstream press is doing its usual job of ignoring important stories like these. Sometimes just exposing a problem is a major step in correcting it. They could also file a complaint with the FEC. We suggest that many people contact the Obama campaign and send them links to these news stories and demand that they do something about it.

read more:
http://solarbus.org/nletters/ejn-080916.html

[Happyhippychick]

1. Something is being done, see the following thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7085874

[SharonRB]

3. Beat me to it!

[garybeck]

4. Thanks for the link, but Michigan is just the tip of the iceburg

I'll put that in my next newsletter. it's good to know that they're attempting to do something about it. However what's happening in Michigan is just the tip of the iceburg and I hope that they respond to the other stories of voter suppression too. But it is a GOOD SIGN that they are doing something in any case, for sure.

I think they are responding to MI news because the chairman of the republican party there announced his plans to do this. to not respond would be stupid.

I hope they do something about the other stories, that are not "admitted" by the perpeterators. And how about the voting machines?

[SharonRB]

2. ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7086313

[Happyhippychick]

5. Another one for you with more states

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7086313

[Overseas]

6. Yes Obama has acknowledged the issue and sent out a message

asking supporters to double check their voter registrations and providing links.

The Obama campaign has teams of lawyers that will be monitoring things.

Yes they are aware of the various Republican techniques of voter suppression, and kept alerted by election integrity groups around the country.

I hope that this time, people who hear us calling out about election anomalies observed in the field will listen to us and not dismiss us as "conspiracy theorists." This time, I hope the increased awareness will lead to more people having patience and not going along with what will surely be intense Republican pressure to concede to them.

Stealing America: Vote by Vote is a great new documentary with a calm review of Republican techniques used in recent elections.

Another poster has started a list of recent articles about the various techniques in play this time but I couldn't find the link to add here.

[garybeck]

7. I think the Obama camp has shown signs of "doing something about it"

but has yet to take this on with the proper calibur.

so far I've seen two stories-- One where they said everyone should make sure they're registered and they provide links to do so. That's good, but it doesn't do much for the people who are being purged and don't happen to get the email and have the time or resources to check.

the other story is about the legal filing in Michigan to fight what the GOP is doing there to disenfranchise people who have lost their homes. this is very encouraging, but that is only one state and one story and this is going on everywhere. I hope that it's a sign of things to come and they will be fighting these tactics on a widespread scale.

now when we get to another subject - the voting machines - they have done absolutely NOTHING. ZIPPO. NADA. That is not a good sign.

[Overseas]

8. The Obama team are not Secretaries of State in all 50 states.

They are not in a position to get machines changed to paper ballots in 52 days nationwide, for goodness sake. You are pushing onto the Obama team what is not at all their responsibility.

They are TOTALLY AWARE of the problems and also aware of the many many steps still to be done to fix the system. Citizens nationwide must continue to push state officials to outlaw electronic voting machines until they have open source code and auditable paper trails.

But right now we still have a flawed system and Republicans are using many different techniques of voter suppression. We just hope to overwhelm them with our sheer numbers.


IN THE MEANTIME, WE DO NOT WANT MILLIONS STAYING HOME BECAUSE "OH WHAT'S THE USE? THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED."

[garybeck]

11. OH, PLEASE....

NO ONE is suggesting to not vote.

and you are completely wrong about them doing anything about the voting machines. maybe you should actually look into it before you open your mouth (or type on a keypad).

yes there are 52 days left now, but 2 years ago the dems took control of congress. they had a golden opportunity to do something about the voting machines then, and they did absolutely NOTHING. ZIP. They just ignored the problem.

There are signs that Obama recognzies the voter disenfranchise problem but they are completely ignoring the voting machines and WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. Mark my word. I'm not just talking about the Obama camp, I'm talking about the Dem Party. They have DONE NOTHING!!! Show me one thing they have done????? You can't because they haven't done anything.

You said:

"Citizens nationwide must continue to push state officials to outlaw electronic voting machines until they have open source code and auditable paper trails."

That is not correct. the problem MUST be addressed on the national level. until the DNC takes this on as an issue, we are left to deal with it on a state level and we are trying, but having little effect.

And one more thing... the problem is NOT solved with an "auditable paper trail." There is a big difference between AUDITABLE and AUDITED. I guess you think it's good enough to have a paper trail and to never check or verify that they match the computer count, and just leave them all in a pile collecting dust and trust the machines?

NO. At the bare minimum there must be MANDATORY AUDITS, not just papers that *could* be audited if someone feels like it!

read the bottom line of this flyer. no one is suggesting not to vote:

http://www.solarbus.org/election/docs/ExpertsAgree.pdf

[Nia Zuri]

9. I really doubt that the Obama campaign is going to outline their strategy for all to see

These folks know what is happening. They are well aware of what occurred in 2004 and 2000. I believe they have a game plan. They are not going to let you in on it though. Why should they tip their hand?

[garybeck]

10. this is not a secret covert operation

all they have to do is file a complaint.

there is no way to deal with this secrety. they have to expose it and fight it in the courts.

we can't sit around and wonder if they're going to do anything about it.

there are signs they're trying to address the disenfranchisement/caging issue, but ZERO signs that they even realize there's a problem with the voting machines.

I would not sit back and assume they're going to do something about it. The time has already passed for them to do something about the voting machines. they could have introduced legislation to do something about it but instead they pretend there's no problem.

[helderheid]

12. THANK YOU garybeck!

[barack the house]

13. One thing that the film recount did was make folks more aware it will not succeed this time. Obama->

has mentioned bringing a law suit on this.